The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1860-06-13
gabhath geading,
Home.

Home familiar household word,
dear to every heart, linked with the
destiny Of every child of earth: What
a dreary, desolate picture would our
world present destitute of the endear-
ing relations of the home circle, and
the untold influence eminating from
the Preside group. With these, earth
may become paradise; without them
a gloomy, desert waste Here are
eentered the deep, earnest affections
OF the heart around this haIlowed
shrine cluster the JOY of youth, and
the aspiring hopes of manhood, and
tottering steps of age seek retreat
beneath the shadows of the domestic
roof Here are written pages on Iife's
history fraught with immortal interest,
because they did not with the forms
that act in this drama, but reach far
into the mystic future, on and forward
to the generations that will rise up to
fill the vacant seats, and act over again
the scenes of life. Here is woven the
beautiful chain that binds heart to
heart ; here is taught the mysterious
lesson of changing the stable hues of
sorrow to the brightness of sunlight.
Does one sigh over the wrecks and
ruins Of faded joys; another flies to
his aid to build again the ruined struc-
ture, and fan to flame the expiring
hopes, and beneath his genial power
the shadows fly like mist before the
rising SUM-" Does the whitening hand
of disease, or the infrmities of age.
! pale the cheek of one, or wrinkle the
brow of another, how do the family
group gather around them, watching
with untiring devotion and ceaseless
anxiety every approach of i'll, lest the
loved one pass from their midst
But 0, if the death angel will not
stay his hand, but spreads his dark
wings over the fated one, how does
the heart bleed and the riYen spirit
strive to hush its murmurings and
drive back the rebellious sigh.
Has the family circle maynard
one The lone hour of twilight and
the bower Of prayer witness the fervor
of mothers love, as she pleads with
her Father to bless her erring child;
and often have the prayers of Chris
tian mother followed her hayward
boy, long after the lips that breathed
them haveNbeen sealed in death, and
the heart that beat so lovingly for him
has ceased its throbbing. Yes, the
bread cast upon the water has return
ed again after many days, and the
man, the noble part Of his nature still
lives, while the coils of the enemy have
unfolded, and he stands forth to fulfill
the mission Of life, saved by the In
fuence of . praying mother
But not every domestic circle is thus
blessed. In many home, if such it
may be called, the dark impress of the
enemy is. daily traced on the character
| of the inmates, Ia prayerlrss home,
destitute Of affection. where misery
and sorrow are the daily companions
of the family group. The laughing
child comes not to receive a fathers
blessing with his dimpled cheek up
turned to court the ready kiss. The
hearts ofthe parents beat not in uni
son for the welfare of their household,
but discord and confusion mark the
place Such home who would COW
ct? And yet we meet daily gradu-
ates from these domestic schools.
thrown ont upon the world with no
steady, fixed principle Of future action.
Like a vessel without helm or radder,
they are tossed about for awhile on
the ocean of life, till at last they strike
upon the bars and qnicksands Of temp
tatiop, and folly, and wreck, and rnin,
are their destiny. Go to those eoun-
tries where the fraternal relations are
scarcely realized, or if at all the bond
of uuion is SO slight that the least OBJ
stacle viii destroy it, and there is
heard the confused din of war, and
the clashing Of arms proclaims strife
Of blood there cruelty of every form
exists, and crime and death, reyel and
riot, and why ? The first great prin-
ciple of friendship and love of man
! for his fellow, has not formed a part Of
his Intellectual and moral being, and
his only theme is self and power
The government of a nation FIRST be-
gins with the government Of a family.
Our great men, our rulers, must receive
their first instruction. by the 6reside,
and if here wrong impressions are
made, after years viii not obliterate
them they still ike 10 aet and react
upon others.
I
Be not distRTbedshy TRIES Blythe
practice Of this rule, we should come
| in tine to think most things too tri-
/ ling to disturbe rs.