. cumbent on parents to consult their reasonable wishes, and to use every proper means of rendering their obedience both easy and agreeable to themselves. I should therefore greatly object, in general, to the imposing of any service upon children, for the mere object of establishing our authority over them. The ascendency which is obtained by the inere enforcement of commands, is not of the most desirable character. The child submits indeed, but with feelings very like those with which a vanquished enemy ground, his arms. His spirit is broken down, but his heart is not gained, to what himself considers a reasonable and necessary authority. The danger is, that he will regard himself as being in the circumstances of a slave, or, at least, as obliged to serve a hardhearted and capricious parent. It is equally necessary that the parent should be reasonable in his punishments and his censures; both should be administered with evident humanity and wisdom. It is painful to observe how many guardians of youth, seldom correct their erring charge, without leaving the impression of having done it, in some way, improperly. In many cases the child is inconsiderately charged with an ingratitude and wilfulness in transgressing, of which he is not conscious. In some, he is deprived of what he considers a fair opportunity of exculpating himself; the evidence against him is hastily caught up; the circumstances are construed in the worst light possible; punishment follows immediately upon detection,-is administered without the least apparent regret, and, it may be, with heat, and unrighteous severity. All this the culprit perfectly understands, interprets in his own favour, and treasures up as a justification of future disobedience; or, if his spirit be naturally inoffensive and desponding, as a source of excessive discouragement. The apostle had reference to such treatment, when he wrote, "Fathers, provoke not your children to anger lest they be discouraged." It has been known to discourage and depress the minds of children to that degree, as to render them, in subsequent life, habitually fearful and spiritless. Children should never be chastised in anger, much less with any expressions of delight in their sufferings. It would be as well to dispense with punishment altogether, as to administer it in such a manner as to make the culprit feel that he has made ample atonement for his crime. In almost every case, where the child has arrived at years of consideration, some considerable time should be allowed him for reflection and repentance; and unwearied pains taken to convince him of his deserts of punishment, and of the benevolent feelings with which it is inflicted. What has been said of punishment, is mostly applicable to reproof and censure. A continual dropping will wear a stone. It is perhaps better that some of the mistakes and petty offences of children should appear to pass unnoticed, than that they should be unceasingly followed with looks of disapprobation, and pelted with censures; especially where parents have discovered in themselves a disposition to be querulous and fretful. But, 3 It is of great moment, that the parent should be consistent and persevering in his measures. He must not enforce one set of rules The Medical Profession. 325 to-day, and another to-morrow; nor regard and punish as an inexcusable offence, at one time, what he would nearly or quite overlook at another. Having deliberately fixed upon his plan of discipline, he must proceed steadily to execute it, in spite of all his natural misgivings and fickleness. In doing this, the inexperienced parent may derive much instruction and support, from the advice of the wise and good around him. He will also become gradually more confirmed in his resolutions, by success, and an increasing view of the momentous charge with which Providence has intrusted him. It falls in with his own comfort and prosperity, as well as the good of the community, that he should guide his children in the right way. It is the divine command, that he should bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. To all this the maintenance of parental authority over his household will be seen to be indispensable. He will therefore, 4. Not only make this interesting duty a subject of anxious inquiry, but of daily prayer to Almighty God; to Him should we look, both for wisdom to perfect our plans of discipline, and also for grace to carry them into complete effect. The parent should especially ask for wisdom and a right frame of spirit, as often as he is called to administer reproof and chastisement. A prayerful heart is by far the best security against any fatal mistake in this momentous concern; and, of all qualifications, it is the most certainly connected with success. AMICUS. For the Christian Herald. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. LONG has the disgraceful stigma of "infidelity" rested on the name and character of physicians. A class of men occupying a distinguished rank in society, in the world of letters, and in their relative usefulness to mankind. By this baneful characteristic, a discredit has been attached to a profession, which, if properly conducted by men of probity and piety, is, in usefulness, second to none. From the great number of sceptics who have chosen the practice of medicine as the theatre on which to disseminate their pernicious principles, I am led to believe that they actually glory in sentiments which are slowly, but surely effecting their utter ruin; alienating their minds from every sense of Divine perfection, from every virtue that ennobles man, and places him in a sphere above the brutes. But infidelity does still more: it reduces its adherents to a situation below the spirits of darkness, for the "devils believe and tremble ;' but man, vain, proud worm of the dust, in his natural state trembles not, fears not! Most people usually suppose (and the hypothesis ought to be a correct one,)" that physicians would never become infidels." They naturally think that those men who mark the gradual decay of life, who daily see demonstrated the frailty of human nature, who behold their fellow-beings stretched on the pallet of sickness and of death, some writhing in torture, and surrendering their life into the hands of Him who gave it; others in whom the powers of life are gradually wasting away with little pain, and Death silently and slowly effecting his allotted task; some, who in the midst of bodily pain, have to contend against mental distress; others in prospect of an endless futurity, recall to mind all the advantages they have enjoyed, all the calls they have slighted, all the mercies neglected, all the goodness despised, till in the midst of their mental torture they call upon the rocks to cover them, and the mountains to fall upon them! But to turn to a more pleasing view: perhaps in the same room they behold another, who, though suffering greatly, suffers silently; he complains not, utters not a cry or a groan, but smiles, and even when death itself has laid its cold, stern grasp upon him, casts his eyes to Heaven, and, with a smile, expires. To him, the grisly king has no terrors; no, he has conquered Satan, Sin, and Death, through Him that died; he knows Christ died for him, to save him from eternal misery; he feels that life is a burden, and time replete with care and sorrow; his God has taught him the value of eternity, and in view thereof, he contemplates the closing scene with rapture; oh! how rapturous will be his entrance on eternity, into the habitations of the saints, in the habiliments of glory! Is not this picture calculated to arouse them? These two different views are not the offspring of fancy, are not the paintings of imagination: no, they are realities: the dying infidel will tell you it is reality; the dying Christian will, with holy enthusiasm, exclaim. "It is reality." Yet with all this before him, a physician is too often an infidel; he heeds not its dictates; he says to his conscience "be still;" he quickly dissipates all his anxiety in surrounding objects and amusements, and soon forgets that the last words of his patient were expressive of the most horrid misery, or the most hallowed happiness. Their last exclamation will, for a moment, sing in his ear, then die away for ever! But what is it renders him an infidel? 'Tis pride the vanity of human nature, that would account for every phenomena by finite means, that would frame a theory to explain the structure of man, and the processes of life on the same deceptive principles, that would reduce him to a mere machine, a complex piece of mechanism; 'tis this natural vanity makes him an infidel. Strange result! who is there can contemplate the noble form of man, who can behold how "fearfully and wonderfully he is made," without the greatest reverence, without an unavoidable ascription of praise to the Divine Architect? Wonderful infatuation! It was with such pious feelings hat Young wrote: "Know all; know, infidels,-unapt to know! But some there are who are gratifying exceptions to these pernicious principles; who are a constellation of worthies in the medical profession, and whose virtues, talents and piety, will embalm their memory when the place which they now hold in the world shall have passed away for ever. Did I not fear to weary the patience of your readers with a longer communication, I would make a few remarks on the great good that might be effected by a physician, who, to a knowledge of his profession, joined personal piety; but for some interesting observations on this subject particularly, I will refer to the "Memoir of Samuel Bard, M. D. LL. D. in a late number of your excellent publication. The foregoing remarks were suggested by reading in a French Magazine, a "Review of an Address delivered by John Stearns, M. D. before the Medical Society of the State of New-York, in the City of Albany, Feb. 2nd, 1820."* The editor of that paper laments the want of religion in a class of men occupying a distinguished rank in society, both in influence and knowledge, but who have always been, and are to the present day, classed among the detractors of religion." He hails this Address as an evidence of religious improvement in physicians. He concludes his remarks by the following observation. "We are permitted to hope that all classes and professions of men will soon unite in advancing the cause of Christianity, and both by their example and labours, announce to the whole world. this holy religion as a bond of immortality and safety." MEDICUS. We have been favoured by a correspondent with an extract, which will form a suitable addition to this article. It is taken from an address delivered in Hanover, N. H. before the Dartmouth Medical Society, on their first anniversary, 28th December, 1819, by EBENEZER ALDEN, M. D. of Randolph, Massachusetts. But, I fear to transgress longer on your patience, and must therefore bring these hasty sketches to a conclusion, after having mentioned one other qualification, which, although last, and perhaps the most uncommon, is by far the most important of any which has been described. It will doubtless be understood, that I refer to a firm and unwavering belief in the truths of divine revelation. By this is intended not a simple assent of the understanding, but an ope rative principle affecting the heart, and manifesting itself in the life and conduct. * See Review of this Address in C. H. Vol. VII.. Let the Physician, in other respects, be ever so well prepared to discharge the duties of his office, yet if deficient in this, his religious patients will often have occasion to lament, with tears of affection, one thing thou lackest. His connexions with society are so numerous, his conduct so constantly and minutely inspected, and his influence so extensive, that he needs some higher principle than human philosophy can supply, to enable him faithfully and punctually to fulfil those various obligations, which rest upon him. Next to the ministers of religion, he has it in his power to promote the spiritual interests of those with whom he is connected, more effectually than any individual in the community. Indeed, in some instances, his opportunities are more favourable than those of the regular attendant on the other. He can select the most eligible moment for conveying instruction, and bears some resemblance to a religious tract, the effect of which, although unseen, is not on that account the less surprising and beneficial. How often is the physician called to witness cases of deep despondency, bordering on derangement, arising from improper views of the character of the Deity; how often does his sympathetic eye penetrate beyond the thin veil of the slight bodily complaints for which he is requested to prescribe, to mental disquietude and harassing fears, which his patient wants confidence to communicate; and how delightful on such occasions to assume the office of a Christian friend, to pour balm into his wounds, and to bring before him those consolations, with which the world is unacquainted. Some of you, gentlemen, have often witnessed the success with which such exertions have been crowned, and have found that they have been productive of effects, which could not have been expected from the administration of any article which the Materia Medica affords. Not unfrequently the physician finds himself unsuccessful after his most anxious and well directed efforts, and endures the painful mortification of beholding the disease advance with a sure and steady progress towards a fatal termination. When duty requires him to disclose the truth, and to anticipate the awful result, how consoling to the patient and his friends, if he is able to commend him to that great Physician, whose skill is never baffled, and to direct him to that fountain, whose waters can wash away the deepest infections. In other instances, his own reputation, which, next to the rewards of an approving conscience and the approbation of his final Judge, he values every other consideration, is furiously attacked by the envenomed tongue of slander. The very catastrophe which he deplores, and which no human skill could have averted, is imputed to his ignorance or rashness; and he is virtually held up to public abhorrence and detestation, as the cause of the distress, which he so sincerely deprecates. Then, if not before, he will realize the necessity of some principle to sustain him under the pressure of his accumulated trials, and to raise him above the smiles or frowns of those who are wholly incompetent to appreciate the feelings which agitate the inmost recesses of his heart. |