St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-02-09
A Short Sermon to Men.
BY REV. MURRAY.

Most of the preachments we have
seen from the text of happy homes have
been aimed at the women. This is
natural enough, for they are the home
makers of the world and in future
number we shall "join the chOrus,n and
also say something to the young folks
about their part i'll work from which
no responsible members of the family
can be excused. But just now we de-
sire to nudge the heads of the house
holds, and ask them how they are per
forming their responsible parts in the
realm of home. Most men seem to
think they have little to do in creating
an "atmOsphere of home" Their forte
lies in breathing and enjoying the at
mOsphere after somebody else has made
Iit,-and not few can't get along and
make known their authority without
"raising a breeze" in it. Men are too
busy, too much pre-Occupied, too i'm
patient and thoughtless, and-it must
be said of some of them-too selfish, to
do their fair share of that pre- eminently
millennial work, the creating of hap
Ply home, wherein love reigns supreme,
and amiability, affection, cheerfulness,
joy and peace are the natural cOndi-
tions of family life.
Now, in certain things man has been
constitutional shirk from the time of
Adam-if the scientific gentlemen have
left us any Adam-down to this day.
Men will fight for their homes, and
make slaves of themselves to their
business to maintain them but like the
prOverbial man who would die for a
woman, but would never bring up a
scuttle of coal, they can't tell what their
children are studying at school, who
their mates are, what they are learning
of good or evil, nor hardly anything
else that a father ought to know con-
corning his offspring. 1t is so sad a fact
as to spoil the satire, when it is said
that many father finds the SUNDAYS
and holidays too few to enable him to
'become acquainted with his boys"
But we maintain that man who hasn't
time to be father to his children, with
all that includes, has no right to have
any. He wrongs them, rObs himself,
puts an unjust responsibility upon the
mother, and neglects his highest duties,
human and divine.
There are so many ways in which a
father may contribute to happy home
life that it seems strange the number
of houses should so greatly exceed the
homes. 1t takes so little to make chill
dren happy at home that it is Won
drous pity so many little ones are mis-
cradle, or uneasy, or discontented. If
for an hour after the evening meal the
father should give himself to his chill
dren, would the mother wear out so
nyf hA oh L
troublesome and uncomfortable What
a ministry for good to both parties is a
papa's frolic with the babies! What
an interest is added to the books, the
drawings, the games, or even the
studies, if father enters into them |!
What boy will sly off to play surrep-
titious games with his mates. if his
father takes a hand at whist or eucbre
with him around the evening lamps
with mother for partner or spectator 4?
How much it lightens the drudgery of
piano practice for the daughter if papa
calls for and praises her efforts 1t is
strange that with such sweet compan-
ionship, such pure affection, such up-
selfish enjoyment, such natural baDni-
ness, as may be had with the children.
men do not give more time to their
homes.
Aside from the children, and in homes
where haply there are none, men still
have more direct part than most OF
them are ready to bear, in making the
daily life pleasant. We hardly need
say that man should set the example
for the family in patience, cheerfulness,
courtesy, forbearance, and all the anna