TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN MADAM, I HAVE been led by very painful experience lately, to contemplate a subject which I think has not yet been brought before the readers of the Christian Lady's Magazine, but which I am in hope would be, with the divine blessing, very beneficial to them, if brought before them in a very distinct and pointed manner. I therefore take the liberty of calling your attention to it, and hope, though it be a very commonplace subject, you will not think it beneath your notice; seeing very much of domestic comfort, and I think religious also, depends upon it. It seems to me that the present mode of female education, while it tends to polish the manners and refine the mind, very naturally produces a distaste for domestic occupation, and I am not at all surprised to see young ladies who spend all their youthful days in either the school-room or the drawingroom, and pass very soon to the being head of a family, where it becomes their duty to superintend the domestic arrangements of a small establishmentfor I refer only to those who are their own housekeepers-that they should find such occupation very oppressive and disagreeable; and, ignorant as they usually are, of their own, and of their servants' frailty, they are very quick to discern all the short comings and faults of the latter, and quite unwatchful over their own temper, so that for want of consideration they make their family a scene of perpetual change, and their fireside of constant irritation and complaint to the complete annoyance of their friends, and the annihilation of all their husband's hopes of domestic happiness, and in too many instances the alienation of his affections. I am quite aware that nothing less than the grace of God can radically cure this evil, but am in hope that some kind and judicious advice from you may so convince some of your readers of their errors in this respect as to induce them to seek for grace and strength, where it is never humbly sought in vain. I am, Madam, yours respectfully, A MATRON. PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL DUTIES. No. I. SOME readers may be surprised to learn that the words law and duty are sounds heard with unwillingness, by many persons professedly religious; that some go so far as to dislike them, and to wish for their banishment from the Christian vocabulary. Why this strange dislike? From a misapprehension of certain scriptural statements concerning the Christian's freedom from the law. He is free from its condemnation; he is also free from it as a covenant of works, on the immaculate fulfilment of which by him eternal life is wholly suspended; he is also free from the law, as having any thing whatever to do with saving him from wrath, or restoring him to a state of salvation. Nevertheless, though the wonderful grace of "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law,” (Gal. iii. 13.) the moral law is not abrogated, for it is "holy, just and good," (Rom. vii. 12.) and therefore permanently binding it is "spiritual," (Rom. vii. 14.) and therefore suitable to the most spiritual condition of mind. Though its province does not extend to justifying sinners, whom it expressly condemns, yet we are "not without law to God, but under the law to Christ;" and " we do not make void the law through faith, yea we esta blish the law." (Rom. iii. 31.) The true Christian "delights in the law of God, after the inward man,” (Rom. vii. 22.) equally with the "Israelite indeed," under the Mosaic institutions, whose heart delighted in the law. (Psalm xi. 8; cxix. 70.) Let those who incline to view the claim of duty as opposed to the free obedience of gratitude and love, suspect the soundness of their opinions, when they find the written word of God (all of which "is profitable for instruction in righteousness") full of such claims from beginning to end. Rightly understood, law and duty are words of most beautiful and delightful signification to those who seek for happiness. A simple argument will render this evident. If a presiding Deity governs all worlds, however vast and multiplied, and all the creatures and things they contain, however minute and complicated; then the actual existence of law, for the harmonious regulation of every being in the universe, follows by necessary consequence. Further, if the Supreme Governor has adopted perfect wisdom and infinite benevolence as the guiding principles of his government; then his law must be the greatest of all blessings, and obedience to it be infallibly attended with the greatest amount of happiness to every creature in existence. In order to manifest unto countless worlds of reasoning beings, the blessedness of absolute subjection to his will, he leaves the inhabitants of one globe free to depart from the rules he has laid down: inevitable wretchedness has therein ensued to every one who acts contrary to the purposes for which God created, and exactly adapted him. This misery must be perpetual, so long as the disobedience and disorder continue which occasion it a restoration to happiness can only result from a complete return to the wise rule which has been forsaken. Thus the law of God marks out for us the path of bliss, every deviation from which is folly and misery; and thus obedience to duty becomes the highest wisdom and the eternal interest of every finite being. Almighty God having graciously, assumed various relationships towards man, he has been pleased also to appoint various relationships between man and man, in order to keep the former ever in our remembrance; such are the different connections of husband and wife, parent and child, master and servant, minister and people, ruler and subjects. Every ordinance of divine institution has something of a sacramental nature, insomuch as it generally consists of two parts, an outward and visible sign, of an inward and spiritual grace; the outward institution is an ordained channel for the communication of spiritual blessings to mankind. And as the manifestation of himself and his attributes is our Creator's mode of communicating perfect happiness to his intelligent and obedient creatures, all his institutions among men tend to manifest Him to our hearts and understandings. Conformity to him insures the happiness, while non-conformity to him, which is rebellion, insures the misery of the creature; and this arises not from an arbitrary decree, but from the essential relationship between the Creator and the creature. According to the order of things established by God, his graces and mercies are not scattered abroad promiscuously, but usually flow to us in certain ordained channels: first to Christ, as head over all |