Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-06-10


The County Conference OF Congrega.
tionaI Cbu,cbo, rooon,l, lila NJ
49, S w" ~ Nio'i"
vile, was replete with interesting excr.
cices W. choorf,Ilv ,ron,.,ho a,. .,
-. "
publish the following essay by Mrs. M.W
Raker of .Jobnson road nm tho o,oos;on.
Inc hother's influence In the Homo.
What is home without a mother! 1t is
hackneyed theme, and an old sorg, but are not
many things consecrated by age? Old times
endeared by q thousand sweet and sacred asso-
Citations, old memories, " old friends, the tried,
the true, "-ah! stronger far and more enduring
than the novelty which attracts us to new things,
is the tender love that binds us to the old.
And yet mankind are always keen for novelty
and something new and fresh is constantly called
for. But to bring forth entirely new ideas, one
must have a subject not already exhausted, to
say the least, or, II the theme be well-worn, and
no new ideas can be advanced upon it, the old
ones must at least be clothed in new words, to
render it novel and interesting. But let us re-
member that II an idea be really good and fruit
full, no harm will be done us if we ponder it over
"Nh'ioo u Wv
wise householder, who bringeth forth out of his
treasure things new and old" Not new alone,
yon notice, but old as well. | can't help won
dering If he would have been called wise did he
bring forth only the old, as | must to-day.
Yet, after all, though the story Of a mothers
love and a mother influence is rs old as the
story OF the one original mother of us all, it is
still, and Will always be, n pleasant theme to
pnntpmnIDtn ts thppp a 1plSun hara 10 da, rpln
has any dearer memories than those called up
by the magic words-"m my mother? A mother
is the infants first love; it is in her eyes it first
learns to look intelligently, her smile it first
toarns to meet with an answering smile, her
arms that are its dearest cradle; what wonder
that her Influence should be the strongest in
growing years H...#
1t Is often remarked that "it takes all sortso of
people to make a world not a very original
remark, perhaps, yet not lacking in a certain
homely force, after all so, as there are all
sorts OF mothers In the world, Of every grade
from best to worst, there are, as a natural con-
sequence, all sorts OF homes. We're every mother
as good as the best, who can estimate the added
blessedness to thousa' DIS and thousands of homcs
and families? Blu alas! for the world, that, not
only does this impossible state of affairs fail 10
be realized, but, so far from 1t, that too many
mothers are of the worst. There are careless
and indifferent mothers, as well as those
careful and conscientious; worse yet, there are
immoral and drunken mothers, as well as the
pure and high-minded Good and bad alike,
however, they WELD a powerful influence in
their homes. Whether we wish it or not, we
cannot avoid exerting an influence on those
around us, any more than we can avoid casting
a shadow when the sun shines. Make pure
the fountain, and the streams will be pure;'
aud the safest way to insure good conduct on
the part Of the children of our land, would he to
make all TIE mothers what they should be, If it
be done. Not that a fathers influence in
n home goes for nothing, as there are cases in
which the parents exert about an equal influence
on the children, as also, exceptional cases, where
a father with great strength of character is the
one looked up TO by all, even the weak, %vacillat-
ing mother, almosta nonentity, and as much a
child as any of the children. But these are only
the exceptions that prove the rule. that, to little
especially, the mother is the guide,
guardian and exemplar. If you have ever no.
ticed those unfortunate cases which too often
occur, where two people are married, not mated,
and the father is irreclaimably bad, while the
mother, through clouds, and darkness, and sor-
row cling to the right and the good, how the
children, IN niue cases out OF ten, take the part
of their mother. 1t is not entirely because that
is the side OF justice, but because she as the mo-
Their, and 1t is unnatural Tor a child to turn
her. At no other period in life are hui
man beings so lmpressible as IN their earliest
when the mind is wax to receive and
marble to retain. How vastly important, then,
right ifiuences and right examples should
from those to whom, with confding
trust, the little ones look for u pattern. What
holy love should animate our hearts, what pa
what hrmness, what wisdom do we need,
in order to walk rightly before them. 10 mould
human character aright-what sculptor ever
had so lofty a subject for his chiscl? To train
Immortal souls for the glorious hereafter that
awaits the truly good-what nobler mission
ever be accorded to woman? Not by
words alone, nor by well-instliled pfecept, does
the mother instruct, but by her unconscious
daily influence. The strongest Influences IN the
world are those which are silent and indirect,
and the example OF d pure and noble life can
not fail to beneht all who observe 1t, for, as
somebody has well said g No one can resist the
eloqueuce OF unconscious preaching
To the good and true mothers OF past ages
the world owes far more than IT often realizes.
They have been the ott-times half-forgotten ma
which has patiently wrought out the
great men of the day. But to their credit be 1t
SAID, the greatest men nave peeh the most ready
to ascribe honor to whom honor was due,
: Whatever goodness may be possessed Of, |
owe 1t all, under God, to my mother SAID one
great man. Monica, mother OF st. Augustine,
by her prayers, influence. and exhortations,
rescued her son from a life Of folly, causing him
to become one OF the best men earth has ever
Inc mother OF George washington
las ever been recognized as the most powerful
lnman instrumentaiity in moulding him INTO
great ana good man 10 Whom our nation
yves so much. !" ay mother's KISS MADE me a
o%ainter,' sad the great benjamin west a re-
10 all mothers that IN them II lies 70 en-
outrage ana develop wna'eyel Oh na'ural .a'eh.