Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-08


What you are at home you are every
where, whether you demonstrate it or
not
Again, remark that home is a refuge.
Life is the United States army on the ma
tiOnal road to Mexico, a long march with
ever and anon a skirmish and q battle.
At eventide we pitch our tent and stack
the arms, we hang up the war cap and
lay our head on the knapsack, we sleep
until the morning bugle calls us to march
ing and action. How pleasant it is to re-
hearse the victories and the surprises and
the attacks of the day, seated by the still
camp fire Of the home circle.
Yea, life is a stormy sea. With shiv-
cred masts and torn sails and hulk aleak,
we pat in at the harbor OF home. Blessed
harDOri There we go for repairs in the
dry dock OF quiet life. The candle In the
window is to the tOiling man the light
house guiding him into port. Children 20
forth to meet their fathers as pilots at the
''Narrows'' take the hand Of ships. The
door-sill OF the home is the wharf where
heavy life Is unladen.
There is the place where we may talk Of
what we have done without being charged
with self-adulation. There is the place
where we may lounge without being
thought Hngraceful. There is the place
where we may express affection without
being thought silly. There is the place
where we may forget our annoyances and
eXasperations ana troubles. Foriorn
earth pilgrim! no home? Then die. That
is better. The graveis brighter and grand
er and more glorious than this world with
no tent from marchings, with no harbor
from the storm, with no place OF rest
from this scene of greed and gouge and
loss and gain, God pity the man or the
woman who has no homel
Further, remark that home is a po-
litical safeguard. The safety of the State
must be built on the safety Of the home.
Why cannot France come to a placid re-
publicy Ever and anon there is threat
OF national capsiZe. France as nation
has not the right kind OF a Christian
home. The Christian hearthstOne is the
only cornerstone for a republic. The
virtues cultured in the family circle are
an absolute necessity for the State. Ii
there be not enough moral principle to
make the family adhere, there Will
not be enough political principle TO
make the State adhere. "N0 home" means
the GOths and Vandals, means the NOmads
of Asia, means the Numideans of Africa,
changing from place to place, according
as the pasture happens to change. Con-
founded be all those Babels of iniquity
which wOuld Oyertower and destroy the
home. The same storm that upsets the
ship in which the family sails will sink
the frigate of the constitution, Jails and
penitentiaries and armies and navies are
not our best defense. The door of the
home is the best fortress. Household
utensils are the best artillery, and the
chimneys of our dwelling houses are the
grandest monuments of safety ana tri-
umph. No home. No republic.
Further, / remark, that home is q school.
Old ground must be turned up with sub
soil plough, and it must be narrowed and
re-harrowed, and then the crop will not
be as large as that of the new ground
with less culture. Now, youth and child
hood are new ground, and all the influences
thrown over their heart and life will come
up in after life luxuriantly. Every time
you have given q smile OF Appreciation
all the good cheer OF your life will come
up again in the geniality Of your children.
And every ebullition of anger, and every
uncomfortable display Of Indignation will
be fuel to their disposition 20 or 30, or 40
years from now-fuel for bad fire quar-
ter of a century from this. You praise the
intelligence of your child too much some
times when you think he is not aware of
it, and you will see the result Of it before
10 years of age IN his annoying affections.
You praise his beauty, supposing he is
not large enough TO understand what you
bdIs anu HOu Will unA MN bb0uutBh Ou a
high chair before a hattering mirror.
Words and deeds and example are the
seed OF character, and children are very
apt to be the second edition Of their par
ents. Abraham begat Isaac, so virtue is
apt to 90 down in the ancestral line: but
Herod begat Archelaus, so iniquity Is
transmitted. What vast responsibility
comes upon parents IN view Of this subject!
OF make your home the brightest place
on earth, if you would charm your chill
dren to the high path of virtue and recti-
tude and religion. Do not always turn
the blinds the wrong way. Let the light
which puts gold on the gentian and spots
the pansy pour into your dwellings. Do
not expect the little feet to keep step 10 a
dead march. Do not cover up your walls
with such pictures as Vests "Death on
a Pale Horse,v or "Tintoretto's "Massa-
ere of the Innocents." Rather cover
them, If you have pictures, with 'fhe
Hawking Party" and 'Fhe Mill by the
Noun am stream" and ''Ine FOX hunt,,
and ssThe Children Amid Flowers" and
ssThe Harvest Scene,1 and "rhe Saturday
Night Marketing"
Get you no hint of cheerfulness from
grasshop ler's leap, and lambs frisk, and
quaiPs whistle, and garrul0us streamlet,
which from the rock at the mountain top
clear down TO the meadow ferns under
the shadow Of the steep, comes looking
for the steepest place TO leap OF az. and
talking Just to hear itself talkl II all the
skies nurtled with tempest and eyerlast-
ing storm wandered over the sea, and
every mountain stream went raving mad,
frothing at the mouth with mud foam, and
there were nothing but simOOns blowing
among the hills, and there were neither
lark's carol nor humm1ng bira's trili, nor
waterfalls dash, but only bears bark
and panther's scream, and VOLTS howl,
then you might we'll gather INTO your
homes only the shadows. But when God
has strewn the earth and the heavens with
beauty and with gladness, let us take into
our home circles all innocent hilarity, all
brightness and all good cheer. A dark
home makes bad boys and bad girls, In
preparation for bad men and bad women.
Above all, my friends, take into your
homes Christian principle. Can II be
that In any OF tue comfortable homes OF
my congregation the voice Of prayer is
never littedY What kOsupplicatiOn at
night for protection? Whatl No thanks
giving in the morning for carer How,
my brother, my sister, will you answer
God in the day OF judgment with refer
ence TO your childrenY IL Is plain ques-
ti0n and therefore l ask 1t. In the tenth
chapter Of jeremiah God says he will pour
Outhis fury upon the families that call not
upon his name. o parentsl when you are
dead and gone and the moss Is covering
the inscription OF the tombstone, Will
your children look back and think OF
father and mother at family prayer VIII