Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: own house, instruction as well as food and raiment, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." The proper government and instruction of his family is a Christian parent's first duty, and can never be superseded. A conviction that this duty is imperative, and a recollection of the injury he sustained from his father's inattention to it, led Mr. Drew, when his own children were growing up, to refuse any appointment, as a preacher, that would not leave him every third Sabbath at his entire disposal. The evil which has occasioned these remarks we do not charge on the Wesleyan system as a necessary consequence, or a common defect. Yet it is a false movement to which this part of the machinery of Methodism is liable, without the constant vigilance of those to whom its direction is confided. SECTION IV. Samuel's temper in boyhood—Apprenticed to a shoemaker—Harsh usage —Evil habits—Anecdotes and incidents—Absconds from his master's service—Consequent hardships—Returns to his father's house. The happy art of securing the attachment of his children, and governing them by affection, Mr. Drew's father appears not to have possessed. He displayed more of paternal authority than parental love. To the latter, which was the most prominent feature in his mother's character, Samuel had always yielded ; to the former he was not sufficiently disposed to submit. Though affectionate, tender-hearted, and generous, where a similar disposition was manifested towards him, he not unfrequently broke out into open rebellion against his father's government. " His mind," says his sister, " always seemed above control; for, while my eldest brother and I trembled at our father's voice, he would deride our weakness ; and more than once has said to us, ' You almost worship father, as if ...