Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1891-11-26
Mission of Mothers.

The following paper was prepared for
and read at Mothers Meeting held by
the W. C. T. T., of st. Clairsville, No
vember IL, 1891:
In looking over the centuries we are
confronted by the belief that the human
race is making advances, and that it is
standing on a higher plane to-day than
in past ages. We know that every step
gained has come through earnest, in
creasing enueavor, and that mothers
have been the most deeply interested
and efficient workers, though oftentimes,
silent workers for this end.
! In view of the work still to be done,
and continually to be done, in watching
over, in training and teaching the little
ones, so that more of them may become
sons and daughters able to receive the
promise, "Blessed are the pure in heart, y
it surely is important for mothers to
meet for consultation, for encourage
ment and for cheer, in the most grand
of all works-helping the dear children
if happily they may encourage each
other in works that make for righte-
BUSINESS.
The true mother heart must reach out,
desiring to help every one who comes
within her influence. 1t is not ours to
say, 1--WE will keep our family wrapped
in the mantle of eXclusiveness." We
cannot do it. The atmosphere of the
town is around them for good or for
evil-so every loving, tender, helping
word said, or deed done, to other chill
dren, helps our own, and helping our
own helps others.
There is faith in the proverb, "As the
twig is bent, the tree inclines." Well may
mothers tremble under their responsible
ty, and pray for right direction. If it
had not been for the anxious mother
heart, working through the centuries,
we would not have reached the plane
we command to-day. In these latter
times there seems TO be fresh awaken
ing as to what may be done in various
directions in the way of promoting social
purity by the mother while the babe is
in the cradle. and all the way up to ma
turity. The means that have help
ed one mother to keep her children in
the paths of virtue will be serviceable
to another. No one can afford, consid-
ering what is at stake, to let one plank
go unused that has helped others to
gain port.
Fifteen years ago, a mother who had
a son just entering his teens, said, II
have no fears that my son will become
drunkard. | teach him to abhor and
shun alcohol in every form. l do not
use the poison in my family. We do
not have cider. l furnish him with
plenty of plain, well cooked, appetizing
food. No pepper, and spices are very
sparingly used. So these are not in the
stomach to demand something stronger.
l have never allowed him to be stimu-
lated with tea and coffee"
This mothers management. added to
freedom from inherited taint, has so
far, done all she hoped. She rejoices in
noble son, and he can "rise up and
call her blessed"
A mother who has raised five most
exemplary sons, testified that she "felt
her success largely due to the respect she
had always taught her sons to have for
water. From their earliest childhood
never allowed them to disregard the duty
of cleanliness at all seasons and times,
and for moral and physical reasons in
sisting upon bath as preparation for
bed.
A writer, who for the last fifty years,
has been urging social purity as means
tending to the salvation of the individu-
al and the race, finds from testimony
gathered, that cleanliness, frequent
bathing, not only in infancy, but all
through life, is one most important ally.
AS the testimony of many writers is,
that intemperance and social impurity
are vices that stimulate each other, it
follows that whatever can be done to
keep one vice from developing will
check the other. "The fact is sad, but
one to be needed, the children inherit a
tendency to self-indulgence. All vice
has one root-selfishness, self-seeking,
of God"