The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-08-13
ALLIANCE ESSAYS.
Read nc the District Union Meeting,
Held at lakewood, Alamance County,
Recently--"The Christian Home
Against the Saloon.
READ BY MISS EsrELLE WALKER

OOQ 1uSG1GuG6Q ana adorned Tor mans
enjoyment in this life the Christian
home. In that home, as God intimated
to u fore parents, the peace and
prosperity of the home were dependent
upon mutual CO operation and love OF
those who dwelt in it. This relation
necassitated upon the part Of each
member, the study of the best interests
of all the other members, and the put
ting forth of efforts to put them in
possession Of the highest attainable
good. Under this law of mutual de-
pendence and common interests we
find abundant justification for Our
most advanced efforts in behalf of tenn
peranc9 and prohibition. In the Chris
tian home man finds the highest de-
gree of happiness and enjoyment
known to this life. Whatever anita
COMICS the peace, and enjoyment OF
this home should meet with our earnest
and most determined opposition. To
the extent that antagonistic influences
and practices are allowed to enter such
a home, to that extent will it's peace
and joy fall short of what GCd in,
tended should be realized there.
Adam and Eve, the first man and
woman created, were associated and
crowned with all the pleasures with
which God had adorned the home in
Eden. All was peace and enjoyment
until evil Influences and sinful prac-
tees were allowed to enter and anita
gonize the laws which God had or,
dained for the government of those
who constituted the members of that
home in their interc purse with one an
other, and in their uee of the things
found in their Eden home. In this
arrangement of mans first home, God
virtually commits himself to bless it in
all it's SUGGESTIONS from age to age
while proper obedience is rendered to
its laws.
But let us examine in detail the
characteristics of the Christian home.
In such a home we would expect to
fnd faith in God and obedience to
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to please God" Only think Of a home
where neither father nor mother be
Iieve there is a God. What reason to
suppose that the children of such q
home will be obedient or respectful to
their parents or any one else9 And
without such obedience or respect how
could peace and pleasure dwell there9
If the father spends his time in drunk.
ennes5 and wastes his substance for
liquor, he antagonizes the peace of his
home and violates the laws Of industry,
sobriety, and economy. The children
are left untaught by example in better
things and are left to follow without
restraint the law of heredity in crime
and dissipation as intimated by the in
spired writer when he said, AS your
fathers did, so do ye." Hence we
should expect to find deeply laid in
principle the practice of industry,
honesty, economy, truthfulness, and
religion in every truly Christian home.
The law of heredity holds good in
homes as well as in the con
duct of men. God seems to have de-
signed it so: Teach them thy sons,
and thy sons s ons, +" Deut. 40 and 5 81
Hence we should expect to find in
the Christian home a model for all the
homes of succeeding generations. For
the model home we need the model
husband and father, the model wife
and mother, those that fear God and
strive to keep his commandments.
We have but little reason for believing
that the children r going to be or do
q great deal better than the parents
have done or that that they will imi
tate their virtues and not their vices.
The distillers and moderate drinkers of
half a century ago are among the an
cestors Of the drunkards of to day.
The boy naturally initiates his father,
the girl incIines to the ways Of her
mother. How important then that
our home influences and practices
should be wholesome. 'Train up q
child in the way he should CO." is the
advice of the wisest Of men. Children
obey your parents in all things, for
this is well pleasing unto the Lord"
What does this mean If not that chill
dren will and should follow parents7
As historians well says in speaking of
the mother of Napoleon, I'm the home
the mother makes the character
of nations" And I would say with
equal emphasis, in the home the moth
- thu nhoractar ns naLr faEt1lne