The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-01-03

that in the home the seeds of al
y goodness and purity and truth should
- be planted so deeply and cultivated
SO wisely, that they should never be
blasted by the sun of prosperity, noi
$ uprooted by the storms of trial, nor
transformed into things evil by the
temptations and poisonous influences
of later life.
t Home is the greatest factor in the
/, formation of character. character
is the sum total of a mans tenden-
cies and habits as regards his think
ing, willing and loving" Character
is often different from reputation.
Character is not anything apart
from man, but is the essential man. !"
Reputation is that which he is repre-
sented to be. God has given us our
minds, but our characters we make.
Character is growth. 1t is formed
by course of thinking and acting.
Character IS much more rapidly
formed in youth than old age. In
old age the habits of life are fixed
and they are not easily changed.
There is an important truth expressed
IN that old adage, "As the twig is
bent the trees inclined" This is no
less true of the mind and soul of man.
The early home influence of the
child generally shapes his whole
course of life for veal or woe. The
child learns his first lessons by itnita-
ton. Originality is not virtue of
infancy and childhood. The whole
trend of child's Thoughts and ac-
tions is turned by the example of
those with whom the first few years
of his existence is spent. "It is the
power of contact, that is of all infu-
ences the greatest, and this acts un-
consciously, involuntarily and per-
petually. Heart speaks to heart in
language of its own. The character
of little child is being nodded and
formed more by those with whom he
comes in contact in the home than
everything else besides. Each men,
Der of the home has more or less of
that magnetism which induces the
other members to adopt his thoughts
and principles, to share his hopes
and fears, to feel with him and act
like him. 1t is not strange that the
members of the same home are so
much alike in their characters. The Z
father may seek to hide his character
from his child, not wishing him to
initiate it, but day by day as he comes
in contact with the child, the child is
initiating him and the same character I
is being formed in him. It is indeed I
very solemn thought that we COM
munlcate Our very characters with
those with whom we associate. The +
infant in its innocence is susceptible E
Of good and bad influences. 1t is \
like a blank of paper ready to be
written upon. There is no more ant s
stgfl~cnITd. Most of the crimes ana a
misery of the world are due to the A
early influences of the home. We
cannot tell how small an influence
nav work the ruin of child. To in
auence any one for good we must be !.
good ourselves. Make the home pure \
and noble characters will be develop 1
ed in it. 1t requires the influence OF
a Christian home to fertillze IN :,
child a noble character. Too much ,.
care cannot be exercised in the forma-
ton of child character. The hab-
its that make life success or failure
are generally formed in childhood.
"The mother in her office holds the key
of the soul !; and she it is who stamps the coin |
OF character, and makes the being who would oe
But for her gentle care, Christian man,
Home is the main support of the
state and the church. The home, the
state and the church are three insti-
tutions that are closely related to each
other, and each claims justly the dl-
vine sanction. In the first and most
important place stands the home. The
influence of the home as a teacher OF
truth and duty is much superior to
that of the state or church. From
the home must come our statesmen
and all the officers of our govern
ment. From the home must come
also the members of the church with
all the officers and teachers. The
church and state must ever be coll
trolled by the character of the homes.
All great reforms must have their be-
ginning in the home. The best way
to improve the condition of the church
and the state is to improve the cond1-
ton of the homes. Sow the seed OF
truth and honesty in the home and
the church and state will reap har-
vest of noble men and women. Ma
poleon was right when he said that the
great need of France was homes and
mothers. Home is the origin OF all
civilization. 1t is the home influence
that shapes the destiny of the nation.
| The most i1lustrious statesmen, the
most distinguished warriors, the most
eloquent ministers, and the greatest
benefactors of human kind, owe their
greatness to the fostering influence of
| the home. President Harrison said,
"The American home is one thing
we cannot afford to lose out of Amer
ican life. As long as we have pure
homes and God-fearing, order-lovlng
fathers and mothers to rear the chill
dren that are given them, and make
these homes the abode of order, clean
illness, piety, intelligence, the Amer
ican society and the American nation
are safe" The church and state
cannot use any better means for their
own advancement than to give a
large part of their attention to the
homes. The future of the church
and state must depend largely on the
home. .-Rev. !. w. Neyman, in W0rd
and Works.
THE AVERAGE wife imagines her
, husband would have remained bach
. elor if he had not been fortunate
: | a,,o,1oL tO find her