The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-23
MOTHER.


sweetest words in the English language
are the words Mother" Home ahe
Heaven" and certainly there are none
which are more nearly allied or more Closely
connected in sentiment.
The almost universal idea of heaven Is
that Of an eternal home. A peaceful happy
earthly home is the nearest type OF heaven
which earth possesses. aud "What IS nome
without a mother?" Only those who know
what it means to be mOtherless, in all the
depths of its woe, can tittingly answer this
question. She it is who makes the nome
here and she it is, or should be, who gulues
the plastic mind and soul of chIdhoou 10
soar upward and thus seek to attain nome
there. No wonder that this most beautiful
word comes first on the list, for without her
home ceases to exist, and even heaven, as IL
now appears to us, would if robbed oil her
loved presence lose half its glorious charms
If any earthly language be retained over
there" | think this one word, mother, must
surely be.
A prominent divine of this city in one oil
his sermons, seeking for smile by when
to express the love of God for humanity,
could find no more fitting symbol to which
to liken it than the love Of woman, and there
can be no higher, no holier type OF woman
love than the self-sacrificing, self-renouncing
love Of a mother for her children.
Go where you will, among the pure and
refined or among the deprayed and Yci1us,i
and you will find few hearts which do not
possess the responsive chord which echoes
TO the sacred name of mother,
Several years ago a little poem entitled
Somebody's Mother went the rounds of
the press-like bird alightins now on this
bush, now on Embarrassing tender thoughts
whenever seen, as the bird awakens them
by his song. IN this stray sunbeam Of
poetrY-probably familiar to NEST readers
a noble, gallant schOol-buy was represented
as carefully and gently guiding the iee0le
steps of au aged woman across CrCwded
city street, then checking the mlrth Of ms
bOylsh companions by telling them that she
was Somebody's mother" Would there
were more like him-DOyS with mOLherS
whom they love, honor, are proud OF, and
Tor whose sake all womanb00d becomes
sacred. Now anu then one does encouater
youth OF this character-tUo brave to be a
bully, too loyal and true 10 be auGht but
one OF natures noblemen; aud how The
girls love him when found! The mothers
Of America have lesson to learn, but they
are slow i'll learning it-thIs is 10 train their
sons up not only
IN THE WAY IN WHICH THEY SHOULD co.
But also to revere and respect womanhood-
no matter what her position nor how lOwly
her condition-slmply because their mothers
are women. When the youth of the land
have learned this lesson the battle Of
womeH's rights will be more than half won
1 lie mother who does not found or build the
structure OF iilial love in the heart of her
child upon respect for herself and her ad-
monltcns Is building upon shifting sands,
and sooner or later the entire edtice will be
engulied, only Il few pltiable ruins remain
to-
the mother who does implant this tender,
commanding love in her cLiid's heart erects
Tor herself an imperishaDle monument of
devotion. The writer thanks God that she
herself mad such IA mother, ami the affection
which she felt and still feels-there is no
PAST tense to such love-fUr this adored
mother, who has for more than twelve years
been at rest IN that eternal home, "MheEf-
paruusS come no more" can never be DO
liberated. 1t is IA love, which Neither IN.
nor death, nor height nor depth, nor taings
present, nor things to come" can in any
way alter or annihiate. 1t Is love which
was born with her into this world, and
which VIII be borne with her into the next
world. On earth such love is only in its bud
and blossom; ia heaven 1t viii become the
IruitiUn here it Is only Tor time, there it
Will be Tor eternity
Not every mother can engender these feel
ings in tue hearts Of her offspring, for unless
the mint of love in her own heart be capa-
bic OF Issuing pure coin, that which she cir
culateS among her children VIII also be de-
void OF ;he true golden ring.
Many women pGate gully of prenatal in
huencrs, while seemingly Ignoring the far
greater p0smatal Influences. May not IhHse
first faint tracinss Of character be entirely
If not entirely obliterated if the
strong pencil of mother influence be rightly
exercised?
Again, childish eyes are allowed to wit
ness and childish wits allowed to puzzle over
that which becomes only too plain IN after
years.
Alas. then-in those after years when the
knowledge comes-for the respect due that
mother Her pillow Will many times be a
pillow stuffed with thOrnS when she finds
How sharper than a serpent's tooth il is 10
have a thanki, S. child.
The mother who wishes her son to become
a man of mark must teach him to honor
all things which are noble and pure.
So many noted men of history have in
herited their genius from their mothers
while their fathers remained
''UNHoNoRED AND UNsUNG,"
That it seems almost law of Eature that
gifted mothers should have talented sons,
while men OF genius beSt0w their brilliant
brains upon their daughters. Truly, wise
dspensation of Providence, for had woman
been compelled TO await mans just appor-
tionment of the brains, she would indeed
have grown weary of waiting.
LuNdIu DeiidIly III his uuCu-lduutu,
much-criticlzed book, Looking Back
ward, says of the women Of the twentieth
century: oar women have risen 10 the
full height OF their responsibility as the
wardtns of the world to COME. TO whose
keeping the keys of the future are con-
fided."
1t is equally true, think, that the woman
OF the nineteenth century holds The keys
of the future-her own future-and the lock
to which those keys belong is found IN the
hearts of her children. She not only holds
the keys to this intri ate lock, but it is her
duty to so nicely adjust the delicate parts 81
the lock, keeping them, meanwhile, 50 well
fabricated with the fragrant oils OF love and
reverence that there can be no fricti0n-no
grating Of the keys in the lock- 1 say love
and reverence for the mother will find That
unless she teaches her child to respect her
authority-to revere her-and through her
all womaGkind, his love for her VIII be
valueesS, for true love is ever founded upon
respect Even the temple of human love
for God could not be what it Is were 1t not
that the cornerstone of our reverence lor
him Is mbedded so deeply in the heart
that 1t sustains the whole beautiful structure.
AS the tools OF the skilled craftsman must
possess fine edge and be highly FURNISHED,
so the mother should see to 1t that the emil
dren whom God has given her TO be used
unGer her guldance-as tools in his work
shop, the world, are equally finely tenn
EClGu, hcSll HS 10 eli lUB DelltI, HiShOA
qualities Of their nature-polished IN man
ners and department and ready to fill their
allotted places in life.
The sweetest face to our vision allowed
Is the lace We encounter and lose III the crowd,
Sings Owen Meredith, but 10 most of us the
sweetest FACET not the most beautiful
ito our vision allowed" has been that of the
dear one who lovingly bent above cradle
or sick bed and tenderly guided our fater-
ing steps to mental us well as physical at
tanments, the loved face OF her who has
been guide, counselor, friend, mother-all III
one. L. S.
San Francisco. January. 1891.
SHE HELPS HER HUSBAND.
something About Mrs. Thomas A. Ed
son, Wife of the Wizard
In tie Innnnru iccno Of fla ndias, Home