of considering hateful things. Let us look at the general fel\tures of the seven abominations. I. 'l'HEY ARE DEFINED IN DETAIL. We are not only told that sin is odious. Par• ticular :sins are specified. A general confession of sin may be made withont any admission of guilt in regard to one's own special faults. 'l'he proud man will confess himself a miserable sinner while he refuses to seo the evil of his pride. Therefore we mnst consider our sins in the concrete. Only thus can we feel true compunction and make practical repentance. Six hateful things are mentioned ; then a seventh is added as a sort of after-thought, and to suit the requirements of the poetic form of the enigma. It is thus made apparent that the seven is not a definite number intended to exclude all otb_ers. Seven is~ round nm:1be~, and the list might easily be lengthened. In foct, we have JUSt seven specimen abommat1ons. 'l'herefore let no man flatter him• self because his peculiar failing may happen to be omitted. All transgression of the Law is sin, and is hateful in the sight of God. When particular evils are denounced, remember that they a.re but specimens of a large and varied and wholly abominable host of sins. II. THEY ARE DESCRIBED IN REFERENCE TO PARTICULAR ORGANS. A look a toncrue, hnnds, a heart, feet. All sin is the abuse of some power or faculty. Th; orga~ is innocent in itself, but it is prostituted to a base purpose. Every part of our nature is susceptible of this degradation. 'l'he more powers we have, the greater is our capacity of evil-doing as well as of well-doing. III. THEY ARE APPARENTLY VERY UNEQUAL IN GUILT. The promiscuous collec- tion of ha1eful things is surprising. It looks as though they were flung to~ether with little consideration. Possibly this is designed, that we may not so much compare respective degrees of sin but hate and eschew all evil, the least sin being hateful to God. Pride, lying, murder, are in close juxtaposition. It is not asserted that the three are equally guilty. But no measure is given for discriminating between them. 'l'he casuistry of such measurement is demoralizing. Moreover, the difference is often ndt so great as we think. 'l'he crime that sends a shock of horror through the country and leads us to re!!ard the doer of it as an inhuman monster, may come from no blacker sink of iniquity than that which sends forth a sin wearing a much less tragic hue. IV. THEY ARE .AS A WHOLE CHARACTERIZED BY FEATURES THAT ARE SPEOIALLY REPRODA TED IN CHRISTIAN ETHICS. The first and the last of the hatefuL things are the exact opposites of the first and the last of the graces named in the seven Beatitudes of the Sermon on the ]\fount. Pride, !yin!!, cruelty, are the opposites of the Christian duties of humility, truthfulness, and charity. 'l'he sin of the heart and imagination is condemned as well as that of the hands. . V. THEY ARE ALL CO?GlEMNED ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR HATEFULNESS IN TIIE SIGH'l.' m· GoD. Morality is not created by the fiat of the Divine will. It is eternal, necessary, immutable. God is holy because he lives according to it. But God's relation to moralR acids a new sanction. Wickedness then becomes sin. 'l'he hatefulness of sin in God's sight should be to us its greatest condemnation, not only because God will punish it, but because it separates us from the love of God. Vers. 20-22.-Parental training. I. Somm PARENTAL TRAINING IS THE SUREST FOUNDATION FOR A GOOD AFTER-LIFE. Both parents are here named. Neither has a right to delegate to the other his or her share of the great responsibility. In early days this rests chiefly with the mother, and throughout life her moral inOuence is likely to be the more persuasive. Here is woman's great work. Mau fills the world wiLh the noise of bis busy doings. But woman bas a no less great and useful task iu moulding the characters of the toilers of the future. Yet the father has bis duty in parental training; and there are often special circumstanc(!S in which his kn~wledgo of the world or his .firmness of control is essential. Let parents feel that nothmg cau take the place of home training. The Sunday school cannot do the work of the mother's counsel. .No pressure of public duty should let a man excuse himself for neglecUng the religious training of hid children. He deludes himself if he thinks he can do it by proxy, be the substitute ever so efficient a teacher. Nothing can take the place of the anxious watchfulness of parental love. !I. SOU.ND PARENTAL TRAIN:UW IS Ol' l,ITTLE 'l'6~ UNLESS IT IS. IUGRTLY RE0Etv:BD OJI, VI, 1-35,] THE PROVERBS. 143
DY THE OHILDnEN. The child has his duty in regard to it as well as the parent. His will is free. The best seed may be wasted on bad soil. It is his duty to treasure up wholesome home lessons as the most valuable portion divided to him. How mad is the desire of some to escape from the control of the home to the fascinatin\!; liberty of the world, of the perils and deceits of which they are so ignorant? Why should the young man be so anxious to take a journey into a far country out of the sight of those wh.o have his interest most at heart? Perhaps there have been unwise restraints in the home. But escape from. them is no ex.cuse for rushing to the utmo~t bounds of licence. III. SouND PARENTAL TRAINING, WELL RECEIVED AND FOLLOWED, IS A GREAT BOO:-. FOR THE WHOLE OF LIFE. 1. It is a source of quiet restfulness. It keeps one while sleeping. After the feverish tumult of the day, to retire to rest with hallowed memories lovingly recalled, what a help it is to peace of heart! 2, It is a guide in duty anrl in danger. "When thou goest, it shall lead thee . . . When thou awakest, it shall talk with thee." These old memories rise up to cheer in dismal tasks or to warn from deceitful temptations. And if they have become doubly sacred because the voice that spake the words of counsel is hushed in death, shall they not also be more reverently cherished,? Who knows but what those patient, gentle eyes that followed the child in his nursery griefs and joys may be looking down from. the heights of heaven to watch him still as he bends to the hard toil of life?