The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-06-24
HOME.'
TIE TITLE OF A SPLENDID
PAPER,
Read by Mrs. q. A. Essig, at the Essi q
Femiiy Reunion, Held at the
Residence of Mr.. John II.
Werner, Crystal Park,

Family ReuuioD, Held at the
Residence of Mr.. John II.
Werner, Crystal Park.
Webster defines home as dwelling |
place, but it admits of broader mean.
ing. There are brilliant and elegant |
homes, where we find gay splendors on
every hand, and to the eye seemeth a
world of loveliness. Home is what we
make it. The influences thereof per-
petuate themselves, and in long years to
come, will be indelibly stamped upon
our memories never to be obliterated.
There are cheerful and gloomy homes.
From an ill-governed home emerge the
miserable beings who in their turn are
sullen, contentious persons, and go forth
as vultures to rend their prey. The class
of human beings who most annoy and
disturb the world, are not ofthose rear
ed amid the halo of calm, sweet and
cheerful home, but rather of those whose
childhood has been round Of trouble
and discord they got the wrong begin
ming in their earthly journey, and are
disaster to themselves and constant trou-
BILE to those around them The lives Of
such are far from being happy. Theie Q
are warm and genial, homes by whose
glowing freside and kind hospitality
anyone at anytime may fiud enough and
to spare. There are homes where all is
hurry and hustle through long years OF
incessant toll, until one by one the in
mates fall like the whitening leaves of
the forest. All yes 1t will be only
few short years and all that is lovely,
true and good will be mouldering away
in the dark and silent tomb then the
cherished homes crumble into dust, and
pass from sight like seaweed before the
mighty pillows. Do not hurry to make
home; see that it is done little by little;
do not try to have it just like others, let
it be your home and your children's
home, little earthly paradise where all
is love, joy and peace, and where each
member may look back to in after years,
and remember with fond recollections
the many familiar landmarks which
surround the sweet and happy childhood
home. The power of human attachment
is AS strong in American society today,
as it has ever been in the past. There is
change, no doubt, with the more fire.
quent removals OF families from one res
Hence to another, with the more
general relation to society, in which each
household has come to stand, and with
the earlier passage of the sons especially
out of the paternal household, into
homes of their own, and yet, believe,
that in the country at large, home is
now more attractive than it ever was be-
fore 1t has more literature, more
art, more music in it than it had. Edu.
cation in this line has made great ad-
vancement, while paternal authority is
hardly recognized, perhaps, as distinctly
as it used to be, paternal influence is as
strong as ever, while enforced obedience
on the part of children is not as univer-
sal fiiial con6dence-affection and the
free service of tilial liberty, have taken
the place of it, to the great advantage of
household and community AS long as
boy is anchored to a happy christian
home, to the experience OF it in his
youth, and the remembrance of it in
his manhood, he is reasonably safe for
this life, and the gaining OF that eturnal
home. As long as a nation is anchored
to its homes, that nation is reasonably
secure of continuing developing and
constantly more powerful spiritual force,
which serves to make the world better and
better. These homes of fNewEngland, and
of the West, of the great Interior and of
the South, are the unseen springs among
the hill, out of which must flow the vast
constant commanding currents Of public
moral prosperity and life.
IT'S whispered in the ear Of God;
IT'S murmured through our tears,
IT'S linked with happy Childhood days,
And blessed in ripper years.
That hallow word is ne'er forgot,
No matter where we roam.
The purest feeling Of the heart
| Still clusters round our home.
Dear resting place. where weary thought
May dream away its care;
Loves gentle star reveals her light
| And shines in beauty there.
Home! oh sweet isthat word. What
beautiful and tender associations cluster
thickly around it, compare with house,
mansion or palace, these are cold and
heartless terms. But home that word
quickens the pulse, warns the heart,
stirs the soul to its depths, makes age
feel young again, rouses apathy into
energy, sustains the sailor in his mid
night watch, inspires the soldier with
courage on the field of battle, and gives
patient endurance to the worndown sons
OF toll. The thought of it has proved a
seven fold shield to virtue; the very
name of it has spell to call back the
wanderer from the paShs Of vice and
sin, and far away where myrtles bloom,
and palmtree wave, and the mighty deep
sleeps upon the coral strands, to the
exile's fond fancy, it Isl bright and
shining light, mantling the naked rock,
or stormy shore. or barron moor, or wild
highland mountain with charms he
weeps to think of and longs once more
to see. Grace sanctifies these lovely
1 a n a