The St. Johns herald., 1901-03-02
HOME INFLUENCE.
Proper Training Has a Moral vaIas That Cannot Be OverestI-
 mated.


 those familiar words expressl Home is rightly the earthly center of our affections as we'll as the great source of our earthly joys; around it cluster our fondest memories and our fairesf hopes; and all that comes to us ln this Ike of brightness or sweetness suggests the thought of home God pity the homelessi Home and family may not be exact synonyms. but it is no easy matter to dissociate them IF our thoughts: each implies the other. Home is certainly not home where the wise counsels of a kind father Os 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 If not in sweet com munion under the family roof-tree7 Possible exceptions do not negative the rule, says Housewife.
 | Parents are the natural home makers to their children. and the ideal home can only be found where i there is perfect harmony between i 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 bor, distills joy and dispenses warmth and sunshine. Love hallOws and ef- fectuates the marriage vows i Blessed are the children of loving, sensible parents, if there is love and filial piety in their own hearts! To such children and parents home will ever be the dearest spot on earth, the one nearest in brightness to Heaven, that eternal abiding place of the Christian, where loved ones shah dwell together in everlasting union when the trials of this life are ended. If our homes are what they should be, "Heaven lies about us in our infancy" in an almost literal sense; and holy influences emanate 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 fally supply her place. If she IS disqualified, in any essential paTticu- lar, for this responsible position of ome-maker, her children and her husband are much to be pitied- If she is deficient in heart or mind. lacking in tenderness or judgment, her de fects will be intensified in her off, spring, as men and women are gener- ally what their Bbothers make them- Tho mother creates the home atmOS- phere which determines the course of the child's life. If she is no trus homsmaker, 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 overSstimoteds for all virtue starts in the home. h. deed, true morality is incOnceivable apart from home associations Love of God, love Of man and love of cOnn- try are alike impossible in land that has no real homes. Certainly a man loves his country exactly in the pro portion in which he loves his homo. The homeless wanderer may be 9 hero, but he cannot be patriot. So a man who never experiences the love of father or of brother can hardly appreciate the 1a4herhood of God or the brotherhood of man. 4 nation is strong only when its homes are happy and family ties held sacred Love Of truth aud right is best fostered h the family circle, and ideas of moral tpgFity and excellence take deeper root ySEsep inculcated there. A person Is aSSt fp have living faith in God. be- 0ss,sJe he has seen that faith exemph- fial by his parents. We do not ex- poet 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 tQ0 pleasant or too beautiful. It is sQ4ly right that it should be the most al tractive spot on earth to Its inmates. frightened and sweetened by pareH- tai, filiaL and fraternal love. The founding of such heavenlike homes ls the mission of Christianity. as 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.
 Wonderful Prosperity.
 New York Man hear you've had prosperous times in the west.
 Ohio Man-Well, I should say so! Why, potatoes grew so large this year. 4hat they're mistakin' 'em for pump kins.-Yonkers Statesman.
 Private.
 The young man tried to kiss the girl 2
 And she. fearing he might fail.
 Did just what he intended to-
 She gently drew the veil