Anonymous

“ Many a child, who might, by proper care have been made a blessing to his parents, has by indulgence, conducted himself in such a manner, as at last to bring down their gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. ”

“ If thou wilt be a good servant thou must be true; and thou canst not be true if thou defraudest thy master.
A master may be defrauded many ways by a servant, as in time, care, pains, money, trust.
He who neglects his work robes his master; since he is fed and paid as if he did his best: and he who is not as diligent in the absence, in the presence of his master, cannot be a true servant. ”

“ Lord! how secure and quiet they live, whom thy grace preserves in innocence! the day goes smoothly over their heads, and silent as the shadow of a dial; the spirits of their fancy run calm and obedient to reason till some unruly passion presses to come in ”

“ If it is not in your power to give them a good education, nothing but negligence can prevent you from bringing them up in the fear of God, and to accustom them to honest labour and industry. This will be a special mean of rendering them blessings both to you and themselves, and useful members of society; for it will qualify them to become good and faithful servants. ”

“ Almighty and most merciful God, who hast promised children as a reward to the righteous, and hast been pleased to bless us, thy humble servants, with so great a mark of thy favour, grant us the blessing of life and health to see them christianly and virtuously brought up. ”

“ XXI. If you wish to see them thrive in the world, and be respected, you must caution them to avoid both the luxurious extravagance of the spend thrift, and the sorded meanness of the miser. All extremes are dangerous. Therefore instruct them to keep the middle path, and by industry and prudent economy, to lay up something against the decline of life. ”

“ There is no living comfortably in the world without an exchange of civility. Without good-nature and gratitude, man had as good live in a wilderness as in civil society.
A mind well instructed bears patiently all kinds of adversity and misfortunes. ”

“ WE should fix in our minds such a grateful remembrance of the blessings we have received from heaven, that we may ever love to practise piety aud virtue. We should not so much regard what good a friend has done us, as how much he desired or endeavoured to do. ”

“ But a true servant is the contrary of all this: he is diligent, careful, trusty. He tells no tales, he reveals no secrets, refuses no pains, is not to be tempted by gain, or awed by fear, to unfaithfulness. Such a servant deserves well, and, if modest under his merit, should be liberally rewarded. ”

“ Grief is a passion commendable but for a time; a poison which works strongly if not looked to: it depends on ourselves to reap advantage from misfortunes.
To be a knave is to rebel against God.
Men are born to be serviceable to one another. ”

“ Grieve not for the dead; if they led good lives they are past all dangerous storms, rather emulate their rest, having finished their course. We too shall land at the same noble port, and partake of their endless joys, if we are so wise as to chuse them. ”

“ Inform them that in this world we have no abiding city; that we are strangers and pilgrims on earth, as all our forefathers were; that we are now in a state where our virtue is to be tried and exercised ”

“ XVI. Too great care cannot be taken to guard them against every kind of vice, but particularly against taking the name of of God in vain, against the vile practice of swearing in common conversation, and against sabbath breaking, and all other vices, which are countenanced by custom or fashion. These may give a kind of licence to sin, but can never make that action good which is by nature bad. Therefore, let them not follow a multitude to do evil. ”

“ ENDEAVOUR to be perfect in the calling you are engaged in, and by assiduous in every part thereof; industry being the natural means of acquiring wealth honour and reputation, as idleness is of poverty, shame and disgrace, II. Lay a good foundation in regard to con principle. Be sure not wilfully to over-react or deceive your neighbour, but keep always in your eye the golden rule of doing as you would be done unto. ”

“ We must take our leave of our dearest friends, and bid a long farewell to all the world; only our good works will follow us.
We should desire very few things passionately, if we did but perfectly know the nature of the thing we desire. ”

“ Pleasures, unless they be wholly innocent, are never of so long continuance as the sting they leave behind them.
Much of the misery of mankind is owing to that unhappy proneness which is in them, to think too badly of their real condition, and fancy evils which do not belong to it. ”

“ The mind cannot always be bent without receiving some injury. It will therefore be necessary to indulge them sometimes, with play and innocent diversions, by way of relaxation from severe study or labour. But such indulgences ought not to be too frequent nor continue too long.
XIV. Whether they become servants or apprentices, it is your duty to encourage them to be steady, careful, and obliging, and to pay every attention and diligence to the business and interest of their masters. By such conduct they will be sure to gain favour, and, of course, promote their own interest. ”

“ XIX. Endeavour to cherish in your children a spirit of benevolence, compassion, gratitude, gentleness, and modesty, and to check every appearence of inhumanity or cruelty, both towards mankind, and towards every species of living creatures. ”

“ If customers slight your goods, and undervalue them, endeavour to convince them of their mistake if you can, but not to affront them. Be not pert in your answers, but with patience hear, and with meekness give an answer; for, if you affront in a small matter, it may probably hinder you from a future good customer. They may think you impose in the articles they want ”

“ XV. Honesty, in every station of life, is the best policy. Therefore, show them the disadvantages of using any kind of falsehood, fraud, cunning, or deceit, and the happy effects of being true and just in all their dealings. ”

“ XXVII. Since we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves, are incapable of performing any duty as we ought, and have no right to expect any good success in our undertakings without the assistance and blessing of Almighty God, it will be necessary, when you endeavour to instruct your children in the way they should go, to use the following, or some similar prayer. ”

“ Happy will it be for us when we come to give up our account, (and no man knows how soon he may be called upon) if we can produce records of virtuous actions; but it will fill us with confusion to find many pages entirely blank, and others disfigured with foul blots.
A prudent friend eases many troubles; one who is not so multiplies them. ”

“ INDULGE not unseemly things in thy master's children, nor refuse them what is fitting; for one is the highest unfaithfulness, and the other indiscretion as well as disrespect.
Do thine own work honestly and cheerfully ”

“ III. Let not your affection for your children lead you to give them any improper indulgences, or to excuse or connive at their faults, particularly such as deserve chastisement. The bad consequences of such ill-judged tenderness is too well known in the world. ”

“ Enter every thing necessary in your books with neatness and exactness. Often state your accounts, and examine whether you gain or lose, and carefully survey your stock, and inspect into every particular of your affairs. ”

“ V. When they fall into errors of any kind which will sometimes happen, in spite of the greatest care, endeavour to convince them of it, and if they acknowledge their fault, be not severe with them; but while you are rebuking them for the wrong they have done, commend them for the truth they have spoken. ”

“ Your ill-judged partiality will provoke the envy, malice, and hatred of the rest of your offspring against your favourite, and render them less respectful and obedient to yourselves. The history of Joseph and his brethren is a striking instance of its sad effects. ”

“ XI. When they are capable of learning to read, either instruct them yourselves, or send them to a good school, where proper attention is paid to the morals of youth. Encourage them to diligence, and let them want no advantage of increasing in knowledge and wisdom which you can procure, or they can improve ”

“ Make them repair, every time divine service is performed, to church, or some other place of public worship, and in order to make them attentive to what is read or preached unto them, it will be proper, after they return home, to inquire whether they recollect the words of the text, what part of scripture it was taken from, and the heads of the discourse. ”

“ In such cases, you must avoid every degree of passion in inflicting the punishment, but must not be sparing of your rod if occasion requires it. For he that spareth his rod hateth his son, but he who loveth him chasteneth him betimes. ”

“ IT is absolutely necessary for husband and wife to act in perfect concert in the care, reproof, correction, encouragement, and instruction of their children. Little good can be expected if this is not carefully attended to. ”

“ Endeavour to keep a proper assortment in your way, but not to overstock yourself. Aim not at making a great figure in your shop in unnecessary ornament; but let it be neat and cleanly. Тоо great an appearance may rather prevent than engage customers. ”

“ IV Endeavour to be as much in your shop or warehouse, or whatever place your business properly lies, as possibly you can. Leave it not to servants to transact; for customers will not regard them as yourself. They generally think they shall not be so well served ”