The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-01-09
1Bpnpn'a mnrlo.
Persnunl influence.


mother surrounds the child IL rarely goes
wrong. as most children OF sixteen and
under are good and true; II. after leay-
Ing the influence of the mother, they
Withstand temptation until twenty they
seldom become other than good men and
women.
When boys or girls leave home for
the harder battles ith life IL their sur
roundings are such that they have the
influence of good women about them
they do not easily become bad. 1t Is
when the home counsels and Influences
are withdrawn that we see them go down.
You can scarcely find among all the
really great OF earth one who did not
attribute 20 his mothers influence. pre-.
cept and example the exalted position he
had attained.
Women do right intuitiyely and shun
wrong more from instinct than men.
The man sits down and reasons the
matter where the woman is governed by
the shorter and usually more accurate
route through her emotions.
AS rule the mother-if she be what
the majority of our New England
mothers are-teaehes her children the
two most important factors In the form
alton OF character, to obey and TO work.
And obedience means something more
tnan forced and sulIen doing of the things
commanded through fear OF punishment,
but Is cheerful aequiescence in yield
Ing 10 parents or teacher. Children are
easily tanght this, and IL we go where
any number OF them are together we can
select those who have been taught that
true obedience does not degrade but
strengthens and improves. The same is
true OF labor, and where the two are
properly united they make the strongest
factor In the formation OF character. In
no place Is this matter SO clearly shown
as at school II Is not the precocious
scholar VINO turns out the best one; it
more frequently happens that the one
who patiently and industriously studies,
whom we call hard to learn, IS the best
educated, simply because he has been
taught industry and obedience. Up to
this period the character of the chid
has been largely formed by the mother.
In going from the school to the shop
or farm the child Is taken from the i'm
mediate influence OF women, and unless
l1AN 5ltAAN ltAr hIGA A4AshS eAAOAO - A-OAS -
less danger OF degeneraey. The neces-
sary Iningling with men OF eoarser tibre
shows another side to character than
that taught under the pure influence of
home and too many youths get an idea
that it Is smart and manly to disregard
early instruction. Vice is concealed under
beauty, ana character is oftentimes soiled
by a failure TO comprehend that the
glitter is dross and not pure gold Any
course OF conduct derogatory TO women
Is equally entitled TO eensure in men. Is
the influence Of men upon character and
society as great for good as that OF
women when they are credited with a
good character and tolerated in good
society with vicious habits clinging about
them? Whom character, and character
alone, shall be the open sesame to good
society we shall see less evil power IN
the masculine influence than to-day. The
field of politics open TO men and om
which women are practically excluded
has much to do with character and
society. He who understands the differ-
ent phases Of political action and closely
studies the causes which affect measures
and men is power socially, and many
recognize this without stopping to con
slider the character behind 1t.
In many places where mems influence
upon character and society exceeds thai
OF women the reason is simply because
our sisters fail TO interest themselves il
questions vital to the interests of the
church and state, and in summing W
this question 1 am inclined to divide i
somewhat and claim that where the
Judgment OF character for purity, fol
uprightness and true nobility Is con
cerned women have made it and pre-
served it. Where society has been purgee
of vicious surroundings and is free from
the taint OF wickedness it is where womei
have been no small factor in the work
but where the Judgment OF character il
all formed by business successes ant
worldly honors without regard to bette
qualities, men have been the instruments
of it's creation, and society (which i
but the cover of immortality by SOM
other name men with their less nobl
sisters compose it. and both alike should
have the censure of the good and tru
of both sexes.-From paper read
Worcester, Mass, grange.