The record-union., 1893-07-03
god BLESS OUR HOME. "
What Children Should Inherit From
Their Parents.
Yesterdays Sermon by Rev. w. a
Hoskinson of the Sixteenth
Street Lutheran Church.

his text from Proverbs xiii, Y: "a good
man leaveth an inheritance to his
children's children" So he said, does a
bad man; so do all men, and to their
children's children's children's children,
and on and on. We don't mean money;
that may not outIive his own children.
We don't mean stocks, for these can
easily 90 up or down so high or so low
that they shall be seen no more forever.
We don't mean lands, for while these can
not take wings themselves, they may
soon be grated on, and the beautiful
lands fly over TO perch on other roosts,
and we find what was ours is no longer
ours-our possessions have flown.
The language means something more
enduring than all these. 1t relates to
character, the foundation of future man
hood and womanhoOd. This is about the
only real inheritance a man can leave TO
his children's children. 1t is the only
real bequest. All other wills may be
contested, and most OF them broken, but
this one remains as interchangeable as the
laws OF the NJ edes and Persians. \ man
leaves his Inheritance of character, and
there is no doubt about this. He can't
help but leave this, and to his children
and his children's children. They have
inherited il all, and with nc loss. Many
but not so this Inheritance OF character.
] doubt not many man could wish that
his estate were all consumed by lawyers,
that none of his bad Inheritance of
character might descend to his chiIdren's
children; but this cannot be, no matter
how large the fees. a mans character
he Will bequeath in full.
And strange to say, he viii bequeath
the WHOLE estate to each one Of his child
ren's children. Each one will become
heir in full to the entire estate. Primo
geniture has no force in this inheritance.
The children get it all; each child gets it
all. And now we ask you to consider
with US the influence Of home on char
acter.
The Bible gives us very much of home
life. 1t is a home volume. 1t gives uS
rules for home training; it holds out rich
promises TO faithful parents; it's home
pictures fairly tascinate the eye and soul.
They are most beautiful to look at even
as we turn over the pages of The Homes
of England" and The Homes of Amer
ica," but they do more, teaching US solemn
lessons on the formation OF character. Da-
vid as king, Samuel as prophet, Timothy
as teacher owe their power and usefulness
to their home training.
These are impressions that sink deep
and abide. Latin and Greek and trigo-
nometry one may forget, but not the les
sons of home. The rust of the passing
years never gathers on tn EN-. Even the
wayward boy of praying parents, swept
away by inward passions far out and
down to the very rapids that rage and
foam above the terrible falls, has been
held by one cable that never has been
broken, one anchor that the powers of
hell have never dragged-it was the
memory Ofa pure and a holy childhood,
the parents inheritance
The large part Of character building has
been done in the home life. 1t was there
that the paramount direction was
given for time, for eternity. The childs
heart and mind received the seed that
bore fruit in the coming years. The SOW
ing was the important work. There is
no other work of earth so great. 1t is a
Guty above everything. Social demands,
business engagements, are insignificant
tribes compared with the training OF
children. With every true parent it is
the child first and the everything else
secondary. He who is sculpturing for
coming endless age will not be inter-
rupted by the calls of trade or of fashion,"
1t cannot be put off, nor must it move
slowly. 1t is a work requiring haste.
The blacksmith pulls the glowing iron
from the fire and calls to his help, "Come,
be quick Now or never" The iron
was hot and could be nodded then; soon
it would become cold and could not be
made into a shoe.
The work must be done when the
sparks are flying. The characters of
children are red-hOt irons and can be
bent in any form; but there must be no
delay. Every day hardens the souls into
habits, good or bad, the children are get
ting their inheritance, and we must
strike early and without stopping, or our
work will be in vain.
The children get good inheritapce by
holy examples. Tho children are perfect
copyists, especially of our lives. Our
rules and teachings are not copied so care
fully as our lives. Many a parent gives
plenty of rules, and then robs his teach
ing of all its power by his life, which is in
opposition to his teaching. The children
may pretend to copy the teaching, but in
reality they copy the life See TO il. ma
rents, that your conversation, your opln-
Ons, your manners around the tireside
arc Chrlsthke, remembering that little
photographers are near to reproduce your
life.
= on must love home, and show your
love. Let every action show that to you
II is a cherished spot. We all get too full
of business life. and take too much of it
home with us. The petty cares OF the day
we do not lay aside, and we forget TO give
those little acts of kindness, those fond
words that the child-heart Graves, and
that make the eyes sparkle. We think
that a few birthday and Christmas gifts
are enough, and so we satisfy our con-
science with these. True home love does
not work this way; and what is home
without love? Palace and furniture and
equipage cannot take its place The rich
est furniture home can have is love. This
makes home happy. The plant must
have sunlight to grow and bloom; the
child must have brightness and iov,
smiles, careSses, fond words and the
thousand expressions known only TO
love.
This is good beginning, but the in
heritance will be incomplete till the train
ing touches the spiritual natures, and
seeks to link their souls with the love OF
God.
With all the brightness and sunshine
that children bring, they are more than
playthlugs to amuse us, to be tlattered
and spoiled by foolish indulgence; they
are the most beautiful work of God. his
jewels which he hands down TO us to
shape into beautiful rehectors OF himself
We are to nurture them and develop
them for his service here and for his
glory hereafter. Talents they are, trusts
they are; with spiritual natures open, sem
siTive 10 divine truth, housed for a few
years between the walls of home, shut in
from the chill OF q very cold world. Then
they receive the Inheritance from father
and moJher-just what these give them,
II Is then the privilege and duty OF par
ents to lead these children into
the rich garden of Bible truth, and
awaken in their hearts love for the chill
dren's friend. Parents should make prayer
To these young hearts a very soul
filled with the sweet fragrance OF heaven
that they shall get sure and firm
foundation for character before the devil
has a chance 10 lead them OF. Then NAV
lhey be on the way for happiness in tins
life and be assured OF blessedness when