The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-07-14
WOMEN SHOULD
BE PRACTICAL
THouaHTFuL SERMON BY REV.
]. P. MoFFAT, D. D.

Sound Advice to Mothers Regard
ing the Training Of Their Daugh-
ters.
If all the women Of Scranton could
have heard the discourse given by Rev.
j. p. Moffat ID. d., in the Washburn
Street Presbyterian church last even
ing. they would have received lesson
which would be the means of. making
of them better daughters, sweethearts,
wives and mothers.
His theme, "Fewer Divorce Proceed
ings If Girls Were Properly Trained
in the Home" was suggested to him
by reading in the newspapers of the
many divorce cases, in court, recently.
His text was based on passages found
in the thirty-first chapter of Proverbs,
which, he said was a sermon in itself.
which had come down through the ages,
furnishing a splendid illustration of
what a woman should be.
The passages of this chapter are as
true today as when they were written,
he declared, and If man had wife
or daughter who was woman like
King Lemuers mother, there would be
no occasion of divorces and misunder-
standings. If mistakes are made In
marriages, he said, they should be REM
edied by mutual forbearance. Mutual
forbearance, he declared, would ulti-
mately result in happiness.
The keeping Of a still tongue. and the
power to stop talking at the right time
is also effective in overcoming many
mistakes which occur through mar
rage. In order that girls be prepared
for the state Of matrimony they should
have liberal education, practical
home training and religious instruc-
tion, as the early years of training de-
termine character of later years.
Home training means all possible in
struction that will prepare girl to
take upon herself the management OF
the home. of which, by and by. she
Is to become the mistress. The average
man is strongly inconsistent; he swears
by all that is good and true that he
loves a woman for herself as she ap-
pears to him in the days of courtship
and the average young lady believes
every word of his protestation.
TO MAKE YOUNG MEN HAPPY.
But. as rule, they don't talk about
cooking and meals before marriage. and
as result. u deal of EDUCATION is need
ed along the line of household manage
ment to make young man happy.
The religious instruction of the girl
is essential to the training of children
in after years. as no words do more
good than those from a Christion moth
er.
In referring to the causes for divorce,
Dr. Moffat said:
Lack of moral strength is traceable
to neglect of the mothers who do not
practice what they preach to their
daughters. and personal, intimate in
terest in their girls is necessary to train
them for the duties of life. The church
and the Bible school do much towards
developing the spiritual nature, but no
words can have the power for good in
the minds of our daughters, as those
which fall from the lips of a spiritually
minded mother.
THE lack of moral strength on the
part OF many girls is traceable in many
instances, to the neglect of duty upon
the part of the mother, especially at u
period of her daughters life when in
struction by precept and example is
in this city who find the time to pro-
themselves, but sadly neglectful of
their own daughters welfare.
"The social life, perhaps, from the
age of fifteen to twenty-five eXerts one
of the most powerful influences for
veal or woe in the formation of the
character girl Is to bear.
r,,1t =
constitute the highest aim OF all classes,
but oftentimes this highest culture is
relegated to the background, if the
owner of it does not possess that which
the world wishes to be first-the pos
session of riches.
THE FOUR HUNDRED.
THE apeing on the part of scores of
families to receive a foOthold in this
seemingly to be desired inner circle of
felicity-the four hundred,-by depriv-
ing themselves of many necessary
blessings, would be ludicrous to the eX-
treme We're it not pitiable.
-Four our girls to spend these years
from fifteen to twenty-five in an at
niosphere of this kind would result in
all noble, unselflsh, loving characteris-
tics being crushed out of their hearts,
and their influence would not be what
1t ought to be. Mothers and daughters,
don't be fretting your lives away be-
cause you are not some one else, and
cannot do as some one else. Be what
you are, where God placed you.
'See yourselves as others see you.
Not all among the four hundred will
enjoy you any more than YOU will en-
joy them. BY all persons of culture
and true refinement of heat you will
be recognized for what you are worth,
whether you have money or not.
'When girls show to young men ster-
ling good qualities and less of frivolous
thoughts, then will the young men learn
to love and care, in the proper way,
not only for the wife he has chosen,
but also for the home into which he has
brought her.
"A good wife Is to man wisdom,
courage, strength, hope and endurance.
A bad one Is confusion, weakness, dis
comfiture and despair No home can
be complete without the recognition of
the Christian religion, with love, for.
bearance and the establishment of the
Christian altar. With faithfulness
upon the part of each, the married life
will be happy and divorce courts un-
known.
"GOG grant that the tima NAV oop,a