True obedience neither procrastinates nor questions.--Francis Quarles

If thou wouldst be obeyed as a father, be obedient as a son.
--William Penn


By obedience is meant submission to authority, and to proper restraint
and control. It is the doing of that which we are told to do; and the
refraining from that which is forbidden. At its very best it may be
defined as the habit of yielding willingly to command or restraint.

As observation forms the first step in the culture of the mind, so
obedience forms the first step in the building of the character. It is
as important to the life as is the foundation to the house. Thomas
Carlyle has well said that "Obedience is our universal duty and destiny,
wherein whosoever will not bend must break." It is impossible to escape
from it altogether, and it is therefore wise to learn to obey as early
in life as possible.

It does not take very long for a child to learn that it cannot do
everything that it would like to do. The wishes of others must be
regarded. These wishes spring from a knowledge of what is best.
Children, with their limited experiences, cannot always foresee the
consequences of their doings. For their own good they must not be
allowed to do anything that would result in harm to themselves or to
others. Some one must oversee and direct them until they can act
intelligently. Obedience is one of the principal laws of the family. The
harmony and peace of the entire household depend upon it.