It  may  be  as  well  to  mention  here  another
duty  which  parents  should  inculcate  on  their
children,  and  which  is  fast  going  out  of  sight
altogether,  like  every  other  worthy  act,
while  religious  people  are  overwhelmed  in  the
vanity  of  thinking  themselves  more  religious


78  SOCIAL    DUTIES    ON

than  their  ancestors,  and  that  is — deference
to  age.  Each  must  judge  by  that  which  he
himself  has  witnessed;  in  my  childhood  I
was  not  only  taught,  but  I  was  made  to  prac-
tice, to  rise  whenever  an  old  person  entered
the  room,  and  to  attend  to  them  until  they
had  obtained  the  seat,  or  the  book,  or  the
paper,  or  whatever  the  object  might  be  which
they  desired.  I  have  known,  and  still  know
many  worldly  families,  in  which  the  children
are  so  brought  up  ;  but  I  was  never  yet
within  the  walls  of  a  house,  where  the  heads
of  the  family  made  a  profession  of  Evangeli-
cal religion,  and  I  saw  any  more  attention
paid  to  the  aged,  than  to  other  guests.
Parents  should  be  very  cautious  respecting
the  companions  of  their  children.  Relations
ought  not  to  be  permitted  to  have  free  inter-
course with  children,  unless  they  are  edu-
cated in  the  same  principles.  This  may  be
avoided  without  giving  offence;  but  if  not,
then  offence  must  be  given  ;  for  the  first
duty  of  parents  is  to  their  own  offspring.
