Work On by J. CLARKE.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 23, 1866

Work On.

By J. CLARKE.

“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of his correction; for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”

Suppose a case: A father has a family of sons under his immediate care. The work of the farm presses, and all have enough to do; work for all seasons, and all times of the season; all acknowledge the authority of the parent, and all, more or less, strive to please and obey.

Unfortunately, one of the sons, perhaps inadvertently in part, or carelessly, commits an offense, which greatly displeases his parent, who, knowing the tendency of the act, and the injury he must sustain, severely censures the youth in the presence of brothers and servants.

The young man listens respectfully, confesses humbly and fully, and immediately repairs to his work, with a solemn, quiet manner, and seems determined, by diligence to make amends as far as possible, for the injury he has done by his inadvertence or want of care.

Another son, not long afterward, not profiting by his brother’s mistake, falls into a like snare, and incurs his parent’s frown. The father, kindly but with becoming firmness, reprimands this son, as he did the first. The son admits his mistake, sees it to be wrong, but feels hurt, drops his head, leaves his work, and with rueful countenance, seeks some lone place, and kills time with melancholy musings.

Another son, not many days after, commits an offense, and is kindly but faithfully warned by his anxious father. He makes light of it, and goes his way as before. Now dear reader, let me kindly ask, which son comforts his parent, and wins the love and esteem of all? J. CLARKE.