The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-05-23
AN IDEAL HOME.
'sHawkeye' Submits His Ideas on
What He Thinks Makes II.

What He Thinks Makes II.
Dear Howards-I saw while 1 was in
California that I was appointed to write
on an Ideal Home"
The first thought was to excuse myself.
and not to try it, But as the cars were
home in Iowa. thought OF that sacred
place crowded my mind. I began to write
and am too busy to do more than copy
that scribble on the train.
1 believe that will do as we'll as any
thing / can give: for at the best. I am
never satisfied with the crude. unpublished
thoughts as they come from my pen or
tongue. Deep down in my inner con-
seriousness they appear beautiful. but when
l undertake TO give them wings the
bungling work discourages me.
What a world of sacred memories cluster
around the word home Where is it?
What is it? Who dwelis there? How long
will il last? And what will be its power.
influence and blessings?
1t has long been said home is where the
heart is; that is, where the heart finds
peace. rest and comfort. 1 agree with that
idea I was going to say, home is where
love is. and 1 believe that is the best way
Of expressing it. Home is a soul resting
place A place where one or more abide
in love. "He that dwelleth in love dwelleth
in God. and God in him" q John, iv. 49,.
Such soul is at home any place in the
universe.
A great deal of home comfort is lost by
disparaging everything on earth, as il
God had no use and but little control or
regard for this part Of His creation. Too
many forget that man is the only hope Of
this world, Gods only dependence for
work on earth. Pharisee bigotry, selfish
ignorance and blind prejudice fails to see
God in the things He hath made; fails to
see the love He has planted in other
hearts and other homes; because there is
none or but a selfish love in theirs.
My ideal home is the highest, the hottest.
the best of all things on earth. And there
is an ideal home wherever a soul can say
to God
II fear no foe with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight and tears no bitter
Where is deaths sting; where. grave. thy
victory?
1 triumph still. if Thou abide with me-"
But there are homes Joined together,
homes within home. associations where
those at home with God are also at home
with each other.
l have been part of four such homes,
and when memory calls up the happy
seasons enjoyed in those sacred associa-
tons tongue and pen fails to convey a
correct idea of the glorious blessings and
the exalted privileges to be found nowhere
else on earth but in the sacred precincts of
a home and the joys of heaven itself
will be based on the realization of the home
thought, the family, bound together by
home ties.
The idea of home anticipates its continu-
ance The idea of a father, all-loving and
all-wOnderful assures its permanence and
gives a hope of larger homes, with more of
happiness, as eternity rolls on.
While a thousand things are very desirable
in an ideal home where love is full and free,
there must be perfect and as happy a
home as earth can contain.
/ include in such a home all that can
grow up in hopeful faithful loving hearts
To my mind there are fathers, mothers
brothers. sisters. grandfathers and grand
mothers in ideal homes: with such additions
No home can exist where mere Selfishness
bars any one out of il. And a place where
aged parents needing care and loving at
tentiOn are excluded by stingy meannesS
cannot be a home for a good dog.
Christ said: Il was a stranger and We
took Me in; hungry. and We gave Me meat:
prison, and We visited Me-" This was done
to Him in the persons of those who had
read of these things So il is today, and
flows from a feeling of brotherhood. Of kind
ness and love- free from any selfish nature
An ideal home has the wisdom that is
first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to
P5 pa and Without RyyPpoocrisy y.' without
IL has knowledge Of human nature, judges
its failures impartially and cOrrects it's mis-
takes. IT teaches self-denial the art of
to love God with all the heart SOUL mind
and strength. All there is of US, all there
is in us that is an we are able to do;
all our capacity allows and no more and
no less. Yet thousands are being trained,
schooled, in selfshness from infancy in
places called homes. bur are pandemoniums,
where thOughtless parents raise selfish des-
pots to torment their lives. The law of
love avoids these troubles and passes bless
ings on TO future generations by increasing
''HAWKEYE."