It was not all the gifts or personal gratifications that could be
offered to a child that won my love.
I saw in both of my parents heavenly dispositions, heavenly tendencies,
drawing them, day by day, towards the great source of all perfection and
blessedness. I saw the noble and sublime principles of the Gospel acted
out in the nursery as sedulously as in the sanctuary, in fact far more
when at home than when abroad, for here there were more ample
opportunities afforded for their full development than perhaps anywhere
else. They loved each other with a pure heart, fervently, and they
sought not only the temporal good of their children, but their eternal
felicity and happiness. There was no constraint in their daily and
hourly watchings and teachings, but it was of a ready mind.
They aspired, themselves, after a perfect conformity to the image of the
blessed Savior--whose name is love--and they taught their children by
precept, and by their own lovely examples, to walk in his footsteps, who
said, "Be ye holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy."
What powerful motives then have all parents so to demean themselves
towards each other, and towards their children, as to deserve and to
secure their filial regard! Parents and children, thus influenced, will
forever respond to the following beautiful sentiment:
"Happy the heart where graces reign,
Where love inspires the breast;
Love is the brightest of the train,
And strengthens all the rest.
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