Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-11-02
Home.

There should be spot on the earth so beau
tful, so happy as home. No where in the world
should the heart turn with so much longing with
such deep fulness of love, to that blessed sane
tuary. The fondest associations, the dearest rec
ollections from infancy to manhood, should clus-
ter and cling around it, and the memory of its joys
should brighten the lingering days Of old age
Every home was intended to be such an Eden in
the worlds wilderness. Alas! how few such
there really are! In how many homes, coldness,
Iselfshness, disregard of each others feelings and
affection, make all other places seem more at
tractve than this. But to set aside all positive
unkindness, rudeness lI-temper, all wilful
wrong-doing of parents or children, how many
homes are cold and chill as winter, from the abb
sence of all m lnifestations of love. The father
wrapt in mantle of reserve, never caressngly
draws his children to his heart, and lets them feel
that it beats warmly for them. Satisfied it he
gives them shelter and food and RAIN ant provi des
for their bodily and intellectual wants, and teach
es them their religious duties, he deems it quite
superfuous to train up their affections, that yet
demand so much culture. The mother, if we NAV
conceive it possible OF a mother, seldom never
clasps her child to her breast, and bestows the
smile that childhood covets more than the miser
does the most glittering treasure.
All the little outward tokens and manifestations
of love, essential to domestic enjoyment as the
sunshine, the flowers the sweet songs Of birds are
to the enjoyment of nature, are withheld from
those longing hearts to whom they life it.
self, and cold, pulseless measured duty leads the
steady, unfaltering march along that rugged way,
which ought to be bright and beautiful with the
Thousand blossoms of affection. The heart of
child is very tender. It is full of strong mpulses
its affection seek boundless requital, boundless
as their bestowal would be. And to whom should
child look but to its parents, its brothers, its sis
ters, to meet this sacred, beautiful demand of it's
nature. The sweet smile of affection, the kindly
word, the gentle, heaming glance, the tones Of
sympathy in sorrow and trial, the soothing and
tender attention in illness, those blessed little
self-sacrifces, and unpretending kindnesses, that
sweet patience and meek forbearance, those de-
lightful caressing ways and affectionate manners
that make few homes almost heaven, should
the mouth speaketh,'' and speech and act are alike
holy and beautiful. Winning, attractive, lovely
are such homes! M M.nhood turns from them to
the worlds duties with sigh, comes back with
glad smile. Sorrow falls not so heavily on them;
their inmates bear one anothers burdens; deep
peace is there even in the midst Of aflictions.-
Words and deeds of love! Well has it been said,
"Oh, let us unite the two,''-and however dark
and troubled our earthly course, light will shine
within our homes which no sorrow, nor even death
will have power to darken remove. God is
Iova-the snrit of his word is love. and wonId we
indeed walk according to his dictates, Love, PROV
ed alike in aoord and deed must be the Guardian
Angel of our House.