Morning journal and courier., 1888-03-19
Monday, March 19. Isss.
THE PLEASURES OF HOME.

The Sermon on Amusements at Hast
 Pearl Street MI. E. Church Last
 Evening-Slander and Gossip De-
 nOuneed as Worse Than Theater
 Going and Card Playing.
 'fThe pleasures of home'' was the subject and Prov. IT, 22, the text of Rev. A. H Good enough at the East Pearl street M. E. church last evening; "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.n
 ''Heme," said the speaker, ''should be the most attractive, the msrriest and brightest place on earth. There is nothing more sa- cred more important in this world than home Cheerfulness Is & Christian trait; cheerfulness is an essential feature of a true home. So l say make your homes cheerful. Let the home be the most cheerful spot out of heaven and let cheerfulness in the church come next. Get lots of the sunshine of this world. As a little girl was eating her dinner the golden rays of the sun fell on her spoon. She put the spoon to her mouth, exclaimins: oh, mamma, have swallowed whole spoonful of sunshine.' It is good thing to take by the spoonful or any other way so long as you get it.
 "One of the most important subjects before the world to-day is, how shall we take care of our children? The only hope is to sur round them with such influences in the home and church that they will get the true stand. ard of life and of living. The school and the college will not take care of them. Edu- cation is good. Get as much of it as you can. But education is not sufficient te save one from ruin and death. The home and church must do it or they will be lost. How shall we treat ouI children. Someone says give them religion C.. and af and send them to church three times on Sun day. This is remedy I do not believe in for this reason, l have never known it to suc- ceed. Ihave known of number of cases where it has failed. Religion is @ broader thing and means more than going to church. studying tho catechism and reading the Bible. It should be 8 part of every home and of every man, woman and child's life The religion of Jesus is just truly in the laugh and glee of the child as it ia in the sober prayer of the older pilgrim. MyNpung friends, laugh and make merry, God has never said you must not. Fathers and moth, CTS, make your homes merry and bright. Then yous children will love them better than any thing else in the world.
 'Now, there are three things which be- lieve to be essential along this line: First friends, second amusements, third music.
 ''We must have friends. Sad sad indeed, is the man or woman who IS destitute ot friends. Surround your children with friends in the home. Do not expect them to be sat isfed with their own family relations, but give them chance to cenae in contact with other people and other minds which will help to develop them.
 One thing is certain, the young people of this age, as of all past ages, are going to have amusements. There are plenty of amuse- ments perfectly legitimate and proper. Our discipline forbids theater- going, games of chance and dancing. Theater going IS m evil for two reasons; first, the people who attend could spend the admission fee to much better advantage to themselves; second, it is damaging to the good tastes and morals of the people. I do not say that every play is immoral. But am told the plays that gre offered to the people have a tendency in the wrong direction.
 Dancing is simple and graceful amuse msnt, so we are told. And it nay be SO. do not say that person will go to he'll if he dances. But to put it mild, if any friend ot mine or anyone I love goes to public dance it makes wound in my heart, and the more I love them the deeper is the wound.
 'FSome people find their amusement in gos- sip and islander. It is the lowest and most vulgar amusement know of and does 9 great deal more harm than eitker dancing or thea ter-going. know of nothing more damaging to young minds than to hear their elders backbiting all others not within hearing Sander is coal hot from hell, which in time will burn the healS of those who use it, and that is where it ought to burn if it burn any where.
 "Try and make your nome bright and hap py by having musical instrument of some kind in the house. If you have a piano ol an organ in your home, don't lock it up 1T your best room; keep the music going. Wha I am centending for is this: If home ii bright and ttIactiye, if our young people may with their friends engage in innocent anusements at home, they will have no el certainly much less desire to attend these questionable public amusements which may be so harmful to them."
 This is one of the most important subjectl which has been discussed by this interesting preacher, and he handled it in a manner which showed a thorough study of his sub ject. The next and last sermon in the course will be delivered next Sunday evening; sub ject, 'fThe Christ that is to be-"