The gold leaf., 1902-07-03

SHORTCOMINGS, says Cuo "hSesSs
WiIcox-She Defends the Child Who
is Not Responsible for Being Brought
Into the World.
Editorial in the Standard (Baptist), Chi
cago.
The terrible tragedy--ihat has re-
Gently disgraced the metropolis OF
the nation teaches us all lesson in
the duties o: parenthood never to be
forgotten.
Parents are very apt to think that
in their office they stand supreme.
that childaen never can repay them
for the blessing OF life. whereas life is
curse to at least one-half the hu-
man family, as our constant wars,
our crowded jails and prisons, our
asylums for the insane, the deaf and
dumb. the blind. the inebriate and
all the terrible tragedies that shadow
our civilization fully prove.
To my mind the chief criminal in
the Paul Leicester Ford tragedy was
the father; parents must remember
that their children are precisely what
they make them.
But little thought has been given
in the past to holy preparation OF
the body and soul for the Office of pa
renthood before taking on themselves
the responsibility of giving life TO
another human being. Qualification
of the senses has been the only guild
ing impulse, giving recklessly to the
world large families Of badly organ
lied children. See what thought
and care the true artist gives to the
conception of his statue or landscape
surely parents should do rs much to
perfect themselves before giving life
to an immortal being.
If the best elements of the parents
natures are active, especially in the
mother. during the period of parent
al life; if the domestic atmosphere is
one of love and harmony all is well,
but how few children are born into
such homes?
The reckless manner in which mo
parents discharge the duties of their
office releases children. in large
measure, from the Difference parents
claim for them.
"If in the case of which we are
speaking the elder Ford has found
reasonable opposition to his sons in
clinations unavailing and had seem.
ingly surrendered to them, as he
could we'll have afforded to do, for
they were far from disreputable. the
tragedy that made Malcolm Ford the
murderer of his brother would not
have taken place.
The training he received was Who'll
ly wrong; he had decided taste for
mechanics and athletics, which his
father seduously opposed. Had he
been encouraged he might have made
skillful civil engineer. or as an
athlete, with fine physical proper.
tions, he might have had self re-
spect and pride of character tha,
would have kept him always in the
higher walks of life; If he had re.
ceived his need of praise, as boy
and man, especially from his own
family, his career would no doubt
have been entirely changed.
1t was his fathers duty to leave
him an equal share of his property; il
he was not judicious in his expendi.
lures his share should have been put
in trust for him in other careful
hands.
The boy was born wrong. badly
trained, and the catastrophe was g
natural result.
The French law wisely forbids pa
| rents to disinherit their children; il
would be well for us to copy that
| law.
The determination Of fathers to
rule absolutely in family life has
been responsible as in this case, fol
sorrow and disgrace to a whole fami
". for murder and suicide, and owing
to mothers shock. perchance th'
darkening OF another mind before il
opens to the ght.
The bad traits of children are in
herited from their parents. and pa
rents should make allowance for theil
shortcomings, inasmuch as theiI
children were not consulted before
they were brought into the world. /
parent does not stand by his child
he cannot expect that anybody els'
will. Mothers, rich or poor, lool
upon the weakness of their sons will
generous eyes. Their love should be
expressed in our laws, religion and
social customs; and not until this il
done will order and harmony prevail
and give US high civilization.
1t is a mistaken idea that childreI
owe such debt Of gratitude to thos'
who brought them into the world un
less bv holy preparation Of them
selves, body and mind. they have en-
dowed their children with rare intel
lectual gifts. all the moral virtues
perfect health and the highest posi-
Bile physical development.
| Children owe no more to their pa
rents than they do TO those abou
them, no more and no less than tn
brotherhood Of man calls out towar'
those with whom we come in dali
contact. unless the parents. by thei
exemplary lives, call out the love
honor and respect OF their children.
But pareots. on the other hand
can never do enough for their chil
dren for having forced existence upo
them. and in the words OF Sir Edwi
| Arnold r,aIa than .ssuffer life -