The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-12-05
From the Friend of Virtue.


Mothers siiould make their home happy.
Some may, perhaps, say this is a great
undertaking. hard and difficult duty to
perform. The ways of transgressors are
always hard. But let mothers obey the
laws of their physical and moral nature
the laws of God, aud we believe they will
find it no very hard matter to render home
happy: Be happy yourselves, let your
steps be guided by wisdom and love, keep
your children employed. and learn them
to love their employment, and your home
can hardly fail TO be a happy one. Ma,
ny things might be named, which would
conduce TO render home happy. We
will only mention two or three.
One means Of making home happy is
to establish family government! Where
did We ever see happy family of child
rem, who were not under the control of
their parents? or where do we find child
rem that love their parents, who do not
obey them? Herein we conceive that
great wisdom, and prudence, and meek
ness, and perseverance is necessary. The
mother should feel that this is her great
busness-should be continually on the
look out 10 learn and 10 put such plans in
practice, as will conduce to The important
results of making her children love and
obey her, and thus rendering her home
happy. Be sure children will not love
their parents if they do not obey them,
neither will they love them if they do O.
hey them, unless that obedience be exact
ed in wisdom and kindness.
Another means Of making home happy
is 10 induce children 10 love each other
If parents love their children, and child.
rem love their parents, they can hardly
fail TO love each other. AS a means Of
inducing children to love each other, let
them be kind, cultivate in them the feel.
ing that i: is more blessed to be The means
of good TO others, than 10 en- JOY good our
selves; encourage them to seek opporuni-
ties TO benefit each other, and they will
: soon find that they love each other, and
are happy in doing that which will con-
duce TO each others happiness.
Mother. said Laura, wonder that
Leonora NJ. can love to be in the street
so much. She says she don't like home,
= don't like her brothers and sisters, nor
even her mother. She says they are not
kind to her, and things in the family seem
always TO go wrong. Her work, she says
= is so difficult and her lessons so hard: and
, if she can't get them. her mother won'l
tell her any thing abou. them, but scolds
and shuts her up in the closet noticed
: when | was there, that che would stu
Idy little and work little while her
: mother was in me room, but she did no
study well, nor try to do her work right
':f good; and'as soon IS her mother went gu
r shsr,azed all about, laid aside her worl
!, and her books, and said she wished sh
e was not always confined where she coul'
y have no pleasure. Mrs. Ms children d.
G pot love each other. They are all yer,
: selfish. each one wants the best piece O
y pie,the best seat, the easiest work. etc
J. l@d,h sure mother, do not wonder !ha
c ,hey are not happy Such course woul,
: never make me happy. lf,here is an
IS thing hard or unpleasant 10 90, l hat
l. much rather do it myself, than that siste
a should do it. 1t affords me much NOR
d pleasure to see sister eat nice piec
d of pie, or nice apple or peach. than t
e eat myself"
e "What did you tell Leoncra abOt
y0nr home2"
81 told her, mother, that home was
: swee: place TO ME. had to tell her S
re though she did not seem 10 like it. Yo
n know how we all sing that little hymn
E. Home, sweet Home and am sure GU
L tnlI hnr 10,
N mother, that my brothers and sisters wer
A. always kind, and If our work was diff
;e cult, YOU would tell US how to do il; az
OF if our lessons were difficult, you woul
l. explain them to u.s. and when l foun
them little hard, just studied the hare
l. err, and that soon made them easy. l tol
e. her how you talked to as, how you a
e. ways smiled so pleasantly, and how W
"a did love to run and get the little benc
ht and sit close by you"
s. "Wel, my DEAR am glad you low
l. home. 1t is true, mother takes gret
y pains to make it pleasant to you, to Civ
b you instruction and prepare you for
I'd useful and happy life, and "A blessed here
after. You know we should live 70
u, eternity, and that the transactions ofever
- day 60 to make up the amount OF prepal
alton for that great day, tor which all 9th
er days were made"
., A happy home tends greatly to improv
g the disposition, to expand the intellec
and is a great safeguard to morals in ger
- eral. How many husbands, and fathers
&c &c and sons, and even daughters, have tor
- themselves away from their families an
). friends and rushed on the high career
ruin, merly for want Of a happy home
l.. Children, whose home is unpleasant, Of
g en- break away from parental restrain
and commence course, around whlc
IL :. - -.....