Christianity, as will be shown, in one essential point changed the notions of antiquity regarding children’s duties towards their parents: it made these duties subordinate to men’s duties towards God. “Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.”[70] There are numerous legends and lives of saints in which the desertion of the nearest relations is recorded as one of the leading features of their sanctity, and as one of their chief titles to honour.[71] Some Catholic writers were of opinion that a man might lawfully abandon his parents, even though they could not be supported without him, and enter religion, committing the care of them to God. But Thomas Aquinas says that this would be tempting God, adding however that he who has already professed religion “ought not, on any plea of supporting his parents, to quit the cloister in which he is buried with Christ, and entangle himself again in worldly business.”[72] Yet our duties towards our parents come next to our duties towards God. We ought to aid them when in want, and to supplicate God in their behalf that they may lead prosperous and happy lives.[73]
[70] St. Mark, x. 29 sq.
[71] Cf. Farrer, Paganism and Christianity, p. 196.
[72] Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, ii.-ii. 101. 4.
[73] Catechism of the Council of Trent, iii. 5. 10 sq.
The duty of supporting aged parents has its root in the sentiments of affection, gratitude, and regard, and, to some extent, in superstitious fear. However feeble they be, the parents have in their hands a powerful weapon—the curse; or, when they are dead, their ghosts may avenge their wrongs on their neglectful children. All these circumstances will be discussed in the [chapter] dealing with the subjection of children.
We have further to consider the duty of assisting brothers and sisters and more distant relatives. Among the Aleuts, says Veniaminof, a brother “must always aid his brother in war as well as in the chase, and each protect the other; but if anybody, disregarding this natural law, should go to live apart, caring only for himself, such a one should be discarded by his relatives in case of attack by enemies or animals, or in time of storms; and such dishonourable conduct would lead to general contempt.”[74] Among the Point Barrow Eskimo “the older children take very good care of the smaller ones”;[75] and of the Sia Indians (Pueblos) we are told that “a marked trait is their loving kindness and care for younger brothers and sisters.”[76] Dr. Schweinfurth writes:—“Notwithstanding … that certain instances may be alleged which seem to demonstrate that the character of the Dinka is unfeeling, these cases never refer to such as are bound by the ties of kindred. Parents do not desert their children, nor are brothers faithless to brothers, but are ever prompt to render whatever aid is possible.”[77] I presume that these examples of fraternal relations may, on the whole, be regarded as expressive of universal facts. According to Confucius, the love which brother should bear to brother is second only to that which is due from children to parents.[78]
[74] Veniaminof, quoted by Petroff, loc. cit. p. 155.
[75] Murdoch, in Ann. Rep. Bur. Ethn. ix. 417.
[76] Stevenson, ‘Sia,’ in Ann. Rep. Bur. Ethn. xi. 22.