OUR PARENTS AND SUPERIORS.


Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land
which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

EXPLANATION.

_What is meant by this Commandment?_

We should so fear and love God as not to despise nor displease our
parents and superiors, but honor, serve, obey, love and esteem them.

* * * * *

PARENTS are God's representatives in the family for the maintenance of
law and order in it. They are charged by God with the care and training
of their children, and are clothed by Him with authority over them.
Their will is law for their children, so long as it does not conflict
with the law of God.

SUPERIORS are those who are placed over us in a position of authority in
the Family, Church, School, or State; e. g., guardians, step-parents,
grand-parents, pastors, teachers, rulers, etc. They also are God's
representatives to maintain order, and are to be honored and obeyed as
such. In every case of a conflict of authority, we must "obey God rather
than men." [Acts 5:29]

This commandment _forbids_ us to despise or displease our parents and