Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1894-10-18
SOCIAL PURITY.

SOCIAL PURITY.
Read by Mrs. W. II. Jennings, before W. c. T.
U. convention.
We hear much these days about moral
questions, religious questions, and social
questions, as ii there was any real distinc-
ton between them. The habit OF many
moral and religious teachers Of ignoring
the social question, as something outside
OF the scope Of their calling, has been the
means OF dverting from one Of the most
important problems cI liir robbing rcig-
ion of its lie principal, and dwarfing and
shrivcling morals to little more tlian an
injunction not to do wrong. As q Chris
tan people, We are casting about to find
ways and means TO bring the masses Of
people within the influence Of The church,
and by earnest, faithful efforts lift up the
morals Of the community.
But what field. Take the new com
mandmcnt-'Je@us gave 70 men, that
they love one another" Purely social.
Love is the fulfilling Of the law, whether
the object Of that love is God or man.
Thus the moral law includes the social
law as well. And to our mind love is the
keynote upon which we are to play, to
bring about social purity III our midst.
When Moses was given the command
ments from Mt. Sinai, we find among
them this one: "IIonor thy father and
thy mother: that thy days may be long
in the land which the Lord thy God
giveth thee" When God gave this COM
mandment to the children of Israel, it
meant something to the parents as well
as the children. Much Of the social i'm
purity in the world today, is largely due
to the fact, that both parents and children
have neglected the keeping Of this COM
mand The law OF God holds as good to-
day as ever, when he said, II will visit
the inquities Of the fathers upon the
children unto the third and fourth gener-
ation," and l believe this is as true OF the
virtues. The law OF heredity is one that
must not be forgotten in the treatment OF
this subject. There is a great deal in
Fowler's idea Of the "scence of life"
The mother should early learn that the
disposition, passions, and character Of
her children, are largely in her own
power. Whose influence can be COM
pared to the mothers? AS she takes her
little one upon her knee at the cventide,
and instils into its tender heart, the
thought of obedience and love for the
parents, teaching it as no other can to do
the right, and avoid the wrong. And as
the years come, with her desire TO keep
her child pure and true, comes the duty
OF telling it OF the sins and temptations
OF the world, just rs much a duty as hay
ing it keep the fifth commandment.
Mothers have their ideal in their mind OF
what they wish their children to be, that
ideal may be realized beyond their eXpec-
tations. \ reformation in this line must
begin with the mothers. How many
boys and girls are permitted to grow up
to manhood and womanhood without
knowing anything OF the sins and tempta-
tons that are to bcsct them on every
side. The daughter should be taught, as
she grows up, the things She ought 10
know, in order to guard against danger.
Ignorance is often the catisc OF the down
fall OF many Il girl Mother never told
me OF the danger, had known, | would
not have been led into temptation, - is the
testimony ul IL poor gtl. some motl.els
say, ooh, il will never do TO talk to MY
girls about such things, fear ii sill tuin
their minds in bad channel" Away
with the thought. Let every mother
gently and lovingly instruct, not only
her daughters, but her sons as well, III
the things thai will be harmful to them
1t will be much better for you to tell you,
girls in careful molherly way, than lei
them learn it, from the impure lips OF 6
com panion, who has only evil in her pur
pose. She WILL learn, but it may be toe
late. a word OF caution from mother
might save many heartachc. Such {