The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-06-23


the residence Of Mr.. D. p. Morton, on June
LIST. We commend il to the careful perusal
of our readers:
SOCIAL CULTURE AND FAMILY RECREATION.
| BY social culture, we understand the i'm
provement and refinement of society. But
AZ society is made up Of individual members,
the work of improving it must be IN indi-
vidual work. Our aim in this paper shall be
| to consider in what true culture consists and
how to attain to it. speak of true culture,
for like all other good things, attempts are
often made to counterfeit it. AZ the manu-
facturer some times puts beautiful and
polished finish upon q coarse and shoddy
article, 80 persons often put on the outside
appearance of refinement, but a slight ac-
qusintance will reveal the deception.
| Culture is genuine, not sham, and the
| foundation of a genuinely cultured character
is a heart, out of which is weeded all that is
unlovely and unholy, and in which truth,
purity and unselfshness are reproduced. An
educated mind and refined manner built upon
this foundation will round and complete the
work.
suppose the principal object in choosing
this topic for our consideration to-day, is to
| aid us in making our family life more cult
waited and consequently more useful and
happy.
In building character, as III building a
| house, 1t is the part of true wisdom to first
lay deep and strong the right foundation.
Character building begins almost with our
existence. How important then that parents
be wise master builders, laying the right
foundation early in life, as work rightly done
| at first is so much better than what is badly
done and must be remodeled. And let us
| remember that character, either good or bad,
| nil be buiH,-that educating influences are
all about us, and the careful study and effort
of the wise parent will be to shield his child
from the evil by surrounding him with the
good, TO eliminate from his home everything
that will demoralize and corrupt, and bring
into il that which liz ennobling and purifying.
Let us then bring into our homes the best
society, the best literature, buy as many beau
tiful things as we can, counting no effort too
great which shall result in making and keep
ing our hearts and minds pure. The wisest
of men said: keep thy heart with all
diligence for out of il are the issues of life"
Do not fear to be called extreme in this
matter, for ii is of more Importance than all
~other things over which we have control.
There are two things we need most vigi-
i
and unwholesome and impure literature.
Many of the newspapers and periodicals
of our day, Il had almost said the majority
of them) and the whole of the dime novel
and that class of literature, need to be sup
pressed "a harmful and impure. The de-
tailed reports of court room scenes, the SEN
sstional accounts of all the evil done under
the sun, whether true or dressed in the garb
of fiction, are a curse to society. The reader
is made so familiar with crime and impurity
that he ceases TO abhor it, and very soon has
a distaste for anything pure and good.
Drive such literature from your homes, as
you would the most poisonous of reptiles
Good society, good reading, study of the
sciences, travel and the surroundings of
wealth, are all means of culture, but il is not
their unfailing result.
l knew gentleman Some years ago, a
graduate of one of the first colleges in our
land, well read in history, biography and the
best current literature, intelligent in CONVEX
sation, and in the main, correct in his prin-
ciples, yet to call him cultivated would be
considered misnomer by any who knew
him, because he was SO abrupt in his man
ners. He esteemed il almost virtue to
ignore the rules of etiquette, and was so un-
charitable he could hardly speak we'll of any
one. Indeed he had looked ut the faulty
side of others so constantly that he was
nearly blind to their virtues. He locked the
foundation'of loving, unselfish heart, and
the refinement of action springing from it.
Were to define culture in one sentence.
should say, it il the habit of thinking and
doing the kindest things in the kindest man
ner from the purest OF motives.
Truly life is warfare. We need TO be
| 4
ing lest the evil overcome the good and at
no time Is our danger greater than in our
hours of leisure and recreation. At such
times we are tempted to think we may lower
the standard of right a little and slacken the
rein that guides us III the narrow way. But
let us beware, for right is right and wrong is
wrong whether we work or play. / once
heard a wise pastor say to his people, avoid
all amusements that slope toward sin, and
choose such only as give healthful vigor to
mind and body. 1 think this an excellent
rule.
Recreation is any pleasing, restful and in
MIGRATING change. The student. wearied
with much study, walks or rides out into the
broad sunlight, looks from his books into
the blue sky and on the green fields and
woods, or he works i'll his garden, or PLAYS
ball, or practices gymnastics, not to excess,
and finds pleasure, rest and strength in them,
and rightly calls them recreation. For
neither mind nor body does he feel the need
of going into the card or billiard room, 70
bear the strain and nervous excitement of
these games, far into the night, breathing
the fumes of whiskey and tobacco, and listen
ing TO the vulgarity and profanity usually
heard there. 1t is true, these games may be
played at home, without those vile surround
ings, and at proper hours, but do they not
slope rapidly towards sin? Is there vile
wretch in the lowest saloon in our land, who
does not find his chief amusement in these
games?
The laboring man. wearied with physical
labor, sits down in his easy chair and enjoys
chat with his family, or reads his paper or
some entertaining book, or perhaps falls
asleep, illustrating the truth of the inspired
preachers words, 1.-The sleep of the laboring
man is sweet" or occasionally he spends n
day with his brethren of like occupation, dis
cussing topics of mutual interest, and To him
those things bring the desired change and
are true recreation.
| Webster makes amusement synonymous
with recreation, but it does not seem TO me
good synonym. There is the difference
L (. TO- sH.t =. 4