Graham guardian., 1900-08-31
HOME INFLUENCE.
Proper TrsininE Has Moral yalss
That Csnnst ne OvereStf.
mated.


mated.
What sweet and profound truth
those familiar words express! Home
is rightly the earthly center OF our
affections as well as the great source
Of our earthly joys: around il cluster
our fondest memories and our fairest
hopes; and all that comes to us in
this life OF brightness or sweetness
suggests the thought of home. God
pity the homelessl Home and family
may not be exact synonyms, but 1t is
no easy matter to dissociate them in
our thoughts: each implies the other.
Home ia certainly not home where
the wise counsels Of kind father or
the tender ministrations Of fond
mother are wanting. for these are es-
sential to the true conception of home.
Again, home is where our loved ones
are, and where should these be in
Christian land IL not in sweet com
munion under the family roof-treef
Possible exceptions do not negative
the rule, says Housewife.
Parents are the natural home
makers TO their children, aud the
ideal home can only be found where
there is perfect harmony between
them. Mutual affection and respect
between them will render unkindness
on the part of either toward the other
impossible. Unkindness makes any
home dreary, while love is the genius
Of the home circle that lightens la.
Dor, distills JOY and dispenses warmth
and sunshine. Love hallows and ef-
fectuates the marriage vows.
Blessed are the children Of loving,
sensible parents, IL there is love and
filial piety in their own heartsl To
such children and parents home vii!
ever be the deares; spot on earth. the
one nearest in brightness to Heaven,
that eternal abiding place OF the
Christian. where loved ones shall dwell
together in everlasting union when
the trials of this life ure ended. II
our homes are what they should be,
"Heavcn lies about us in our infancy,
in an almost literal sense; and holy
influences cmanate from the true home
that keeps Heaven close to its inmates
throughout life.
We must not forget to say that
the mother is the greatest Of all home
makers to the child. and no one else
can fully supply her place II she Is
disqualified, in any essential particu-
lar. Tor this responsible position OF
homc-maker, her children and her
husband are much TO be pitied. II she
ia deficient in heart or mind. lacking
in tenderness or Judgment. her de-
fects viii be intensified in her OIL
spring. as men ant! women are gcner'
aily what their mothers make them.
The mother creates the hoEc atmos-
phere which determines the course
of the childs life. II she is no true
homemaker, she will not be permit
ted TO taste the sweetest JOY Of moth.
erhood, that of beholding the good
ness of her own children. OF course
we do not wish to ignore the father,
for to the perfect home both parents
are essential. The two lovingly unite
in caring for the bodies and souls OF
the children.
The moral value OF proper home
influences cannot be overastimated;
for oil virtue starts in the home. In
deed, true morality is inoouceivable
apart from home associations. Love
OF God, love of man and love Of coun-
try are alike impossible in a land that
has no real homes. Certainly man
loves his country exactly in the pro-
portion in which he loves his home.
The homeless wanderer may be q
hero, but he cannot be patriot. SO
u man who never experiences the love
of father or of a brother can hardly
appreciate the fatherhood of God or
the brotherhood of man. a nation is
strong only when its homes are happy
and family ties held sacred. Love OF
truth and right is best fostered in
the family circle, and ideas Of moral
purity and excellence take deeper root |
when inculcated there. A person is
apt to have a living faith in God. be-
cause he has seen that faith eXcmpli- |
fled by his parents. We do not eS-
pect good men and women to spring |
from vicious or neglected homes, while |
we can be almost certain that the |
children OF good mothers will be-
come useful and respectable mem
bers Of society.
Home cannot well be made too |
pleasant or too beautiful. 1t is only |
right that II abould ha fba yposf a.
tractive spot on earth to Its inmates,
frightened and sweetened by paren-
tal, filial and fraternal love. The
founding OF such heayenlike homes is
the mission Of Christianity, MS their
influence is TO elevate mankind for
the glory of God. The Christian
home is the true palladium of moral
ity and religion and all that is noble
In man.