West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-08-24

the noble, the good and the true.
The value of early training is evi-
denced in the olden adsge: Gas
the twigis bent, so is the tree in
clined." This is vitality true to life
and should be commenced when the
affections and mental powers can be
nodded into any form by the plastic
hand of maternal love, for then il is
that the bent is taken for veal or
woe, which all future life cannot
alter.
The father, whether he hold a
public station, or in private capaci-
ty, sees but little, and at distant in
teryals, of his children, and has
hardly time to salute them with a
hurried embrace aud kiss of tend.
erness, before his avocations sum
mon him again into the great world,
to engage once more in its engross-
ing pursuits. But the mother, for
whom domestic life has a charm,
exercises over their nascent powers
an influence proportionate to her
good sense and attachment to the
idols Of her heart--omnipotent,
though imperceptIble--and it is not
too much to say, that the kindly
sympathies and swelling affections
of youth and mature manhood can
be traced to childhood, while lying
at mothers feet, or listening, with
head on her knees, to her mild
words of council. While the confid-
ing voice of childhood appeals to
her in doubt, danger, or distress. she
feels that by her child she is almost
invested with the attributes of Deity.
While it is nesting itself in her arms
and hanging with unbounded credu-
lily upon her words, her spiri. is
startled into fresh resolves of per-
fiction, by the fearful conviction
that she is its book of wisdom, love
and beauty; and, if Christian moth
er, she searches, with an almost
agonizing anxiety, for the best pos
slble means of transferring the earth
bound devotion of her child to Him
who is alone worthy of worship.
No, there is nothing like it. In all
after years we may set our heart on
what JOY we will, but we shall never
find anything on earth like the love
and council of a mother in shaping
our destinies. AS the magnificent
river, rolling in the pride of its
mighty waters, owes Its greatness to
the hidden spring of the mountain
nook, so does the wide sweeping in
fluence of distinguished men date
Its origin from hours of early train
ing. Hence the importance that the
youth of our land shall Fave their
souls we'll seeded with truth and the
principles of right living and their
characters well set in the virtues that
make true men and women, before
they leave the parental roof. Then
they will go into the world to enrich
1t with wealth that will make it
great and good. Then they will
make new homes that will be foun-
tains of the best life and batteries of
moral magnetism that will charge
the world with righteousness. Then
they will rear children of strong
brain and high purpose who shall
give glory to the coming ages.
Parents, see to it that good seed be
sown in the minds of your children,
if you would have good harvest in
their characters and lives. And you
must SOW in time--before bad seed
takes root, before thistles and weeds
and briers grow, before passions
run riot and bad tempers and selfish
ness and false opinions get hold of
them. A little will not do. Much
is needed. Mark it--children in
whose minds no good seed has been
sown will not bring forth a good
harvest in life. Just here is where
many, oh how many, parents have
failed. They have put so little good
seed into the minds of their children.
They have fed their bodies and
starved their souls. They have
clothed them with material garments
and let them forage for what the
wicked world will give to clothe
their minds. Cruel, awful mistake
The great use of the home is to pro-
tect, feed and clothe the minds of
its inmates. II is the home Of mind.
heart and soul. Its Off &c is TO de-
yelop taste, beauty, skill, intelli-
gence, moral worth, love, religion.
1t has chiefly TO do with that inward
part Of us which thinks, feels, stuff