The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-05-17
PURE HOMES
Bishop SatterIee on Sacred
ness of Family Life.
SAYS REPUBLIC is IN PERIL
United States Threatened by Same Influences
Which Brought About the Downfall Of
Rome---Chidren Should be
Trained al Home.

Last week we published extracts of a
sermon by Bishop Satterlee, of Washing
ton city, on the divorce evil. Last Sun
day he followed that up by plea for
pure homes, taking as his text, Honor
thy father and thy mother" He is
thus quoted by the Washington Post:
All the nations of the world" said
Bishop Satterlee, (which had not the
ideal of the purity of the home and the
strength of the family tie and family
relationship have gone to pieces. The
Roman empire, colossal as it was be-
came disrupted by reason of the decadent
life which sprang up there. Divorce was
followed by corruption of the worst kind,
and family ties were broken. When the
family was destroyed Rome fell.
THE greatest danger and menace to
cur civilization is, like the danger of
Rome. Men and women now love self
before anything else. They love self so
much that they forget, ignore, and de-
spise love of family and of children
This unwholesome collaboration leads to
the destruction of the social state.
God in the past has allowed men to
make for themselves any form of gov
eminent desired, with one exception. The
family he has reserved to Himself. When
the family is destroyed all other gov
ernments crumble away. Before the
dawn of civilization that great law and
truth, that man and woman, husband
and wife, should leave their parents
even, and cleave one to the other, was
recognized. Gods government is the re-
lationship of man and wife, and of par
ents and children. When that relation
ship is corrupted. the strength of our
civilization is destroyed.
There is too little attention paid to
the religious training of the boy and girl.
During space of approximately five
years, five hours a day for five days in
the week, are devoted to secular educa-
ton. About an hour out Of ono day in
the week is given to religious training
and teaching. In modern life religion is
left out The result is that the child
becomes worldly before he is made to
realize the significance of his place in
society. It is not the child's fault for,
in his home he sees none of the spiritual
life which should be his inheritance.
SOCIAL EVILS THE RESULT.
s'What is the result? The child grows
up, follows in the footsteps OF his par
ents, who have not attempted to lead
rim as he should go, and there follows
an inevitable train of divorces, corruption
of the marriage tie, and other social
evils.
The education of the children of the
present day is now completely secularized
In their homes the little children do not
receive a religious training. Their par
ents do not attend church, because they
are not priests in their own homes. Par
ents think that when they have sent
their children to Sunday school one hour
week they have done their duty.
81 want to say that family affection is
bigger thing than what people call be-
ing broad minded or looking upon evils
and finding excuses for them. Here in
the Capital of the nation tnere is great
responsibility upon us. People come here
from all parts of the world, who are ir-
responsible. They have neither civic nor
religious responsibility. Our people are
learning to sip corrupt practices from
them. We have got to take our stand
here. and I want the help Of you men.
for am in dead earnest.
"Our civilization, unless the Christian
church begins strenuous work, will tend
to evil rather than to good. We are low
ers of pleasure rather than of God"