Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-04-28
COMMUNICATED
HOME ~IEFLUENCE.

- AaAAAAa
In reading the ~siekening annals Of
crime, noting the record OF deeds against
some profigate or dissolute young man,
our minds naturally trace them TO their
homes, and we linger round their fire.
sides TO wonder at the home influence
which could thrust such men upon
society. Have they no fathers example
ofhonoF and virtue2 no mothers watch,
care and lovef no SISTERS winning WAYS
and affection to hold them in paths Of
rectitudeP All mol they are all or
phRns-it must be so-for In no spot
where woman reigns could such charac-
.ers emauate. I wish il were true that
no fauh could be attributed to mother.
wife or sister for the loose morals Of r1en.
Ia the home circle is the place to prove
the efficacy and power Of the christian
virtues. Woman, through the charm Of
cheerful religious principle, exerts a re-
straining and controlling influence over
the destiny Of man for good, or by the
unprincipled use of the gifts of
beauty, style and wit castz him
into the abyss Of corruption. We have
only to recall the history Of the profit
gate monarchs of the sixteenth century,
to believe that powers behind the throne
are greater than the throne itself.
A4AA@ 1T AAAG A=EAAI AAAT - ~ NAG
mercy of the caprices and designs of
Lady Castleman, duchess Of Cleveland,
and Nell Gwyne, and the whole English
people trembled under the command OF
that wicked court Of women over the
d~eStinies of their nation. True, Charles
had a virtuous and loving wife, but she
was young, and UntutOred in the ways
OF a dissOlnte court and the combined
workings Of those heaFtless, sOulless
creatures eounteraeted her influence
over her husband. Even James II, with
his beautiful, accomplished and pi0us
| Young wife, MARY Of Modena,n sue
I cumbed to the wiles and destinations Of
the duchess Of Portsmouth, and others
Of like stamp. Yet Mary and Catherine,
untainted by the sdulations Of courtiers,
poets and philosophers, preserved the
digniShT virtue, and left for the page Of
history characters beautiful and lovely.
For crimes, however, Of every grade
and description we neednOt refer to ages
past. Every city of America sends up
its wall of misery or In eur very
/ city Of Memphis countless homes are the
shelters of weeping and anxious hearts,
bent in sorrow at the reckless course Of
a brother, husband or father. And you,
| women, while you mourn, cannot you
see the sin must be laid to your failure in
duty in some Of the rela-
tons Of life.? Unto you is COM
mitted the TenOvating, redeeming
power of the woTld-love in its purity.
Women live upon love indeed Scarce
. man that bresthes but whose character
can be moulded like wax, by the affee-
ton of a piOus, sensible, intelligent NO.
msn. What if from the weakness Of our
frame and q position among little per-
| plexities, we have constant causes Of
irritability we have too, the sanctum Of
home for reflection and for prayer,
through which heavenly influence comes
to sustain and sOothe our spirits.
Man in the business mart and thread
ing the great thoroughfares of life, can
not withdraw at any hour of the day to
some quiet nook about the house to calm
his mind and rest his body. Only at
I" dewy eve" he seeks his home. An !
then let him eve meet upon the thresh-
hold and within its sacred walls the hal
lowed influences Of c~heerfulness, pa
tience and industry, and rest assured the
hours will seem long and weary when
detain him from that little sanctum.
NENA