Religion & morality > Elegant extracts

ELEGANT EXTRACTS
DISOBEDIENCE TO PARENTS.
A strik ing example of disobedience to parents orcurrei
some years ago in the south of England. A respectable I
family had two sons whom they endeavoured to bring up
in the fear of God. For a time they made a promising ap¬
pearance, and bade fair for becoming a blessing to their pa¬
rents % but alas ! the love of company and of pleasure led
them to disregard their parents’ admonitions, aiul the reli¬
gious example with wliich they were favoured, and by de¬
grees not only to forsake tlie sanctuary of Gon, but soon 1
after, their father’s house ; and forgetting their situation in
life, to go and enter tliemselves on board a ship of war. A
friend in London wrote to a respectable clergyman in
1’ h, where it was suspected they had gone, to ender.- H
vour to find them out, and if possible, to persuade them to j
return. With some difficulty he did find them, carried them j
to his house, shewed them all kindness, remonstrated with j
them, and pointed out the great evil and impropriety of
their sinful and undutiful conduct to their parents. Ob¬
serving one of them considerably affected, be addres-ed
him, and said, James, are you still determined to go to
sea ? or will you go home and prove a comfort to yotir
friends ? Yes, 1 will, said he. lie then turned round to
the other, and said, William, w ill you also go home? No,
1 will not. Sir, 1 wont be kept under by my father, and
made to go to church, and say tny prayers by my mother
us I have been; I wish .to enjoy mj self and see the world
a little. The clergyman again remonstrated with him, and
pointed out the judgment), of God that frequently attend¬
ed such undtrtji'ul conduct; but the young man remained
obstinate and resolute. Finding no impression could be _
made on him. he said, It appears, my young friend, you
nrc determined to pursue your own evil course, but I re¬
quest you will remember what I now say to you, and
IDefenj) t:rox it yoch sins win. rtsn you orr. lie re»|
tired with scornful look, and nothing was heard of him for
yevoral years ; till one night, after the same clergyman had
gone to rest, a sailor came to his gate with a very urgent,
message from a young man vrth r sentence of death, onl
board a ship at S d. who wish’d most anxiously to seej
him. He took bis staff in his hand and went down thro'l
the fleet, and soon perceived, by the melancholy signal, the#
ship in which the unfortunate youth was to suffer. Ile J
went on board, and was received with much politeness by|
the captain, who told him he would desire tire youth to bej
brought up to bis cabin, where be might have a better o]x|
pertunity of speaking with him than in the duirgeonwhcref
be lay. In. ,a short time the rattling of chairs, and heavy
groans, Indicated his iijlpr'odt^ ; and no sooner did he he-
bold the countenance of his former monitor than be ex-
ck-iinctb -Ah !. yen are the-per on 1 want; had 1 aUtiidei 1