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OBLIGATIONS OF PARENTS. 75
dividual fortune, both in life and death. The Mahometans believe that all events are determined beforehand, and come to pass according to a necessity, which they call Destiny.
Now, parents are to their children, fortune, fate and destiny. They possess and exercise over their offspring an influence almost equivalent to that fancied to belong to these heathen powers. It should be remembered that this influence is for good or ill; that it must result in promoting the happiness or misery of those who are subjected to its action. The affection of parents for their children would seem to be a sufficient motive for using their power wisely. But it is easy to present other motives, and those which must come with emphasis, to every parent's heart. The fact that God has made the human race to be educated, to receive their bias for life from early impressions, and has placed children, during this period, under the special charge of parents, is sufficient proof that he designed to lay upon these the serious responsibility of deciding the character of their children, of determining their fortune, of spinning for them the thread of fate, of planning out their destiny.
If any one is disposed to think that I state the point too strongly, let me ask him to con- |
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