The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-12
OUR LEGISLATORS AND
THE PURITY OF HOME
By REV. II. III. WHITAKER.

Christ is regarded by the intidel
world), are putting the Son of God
and His cause at heavy disadvantage,
and are terrifying the rising genera
ton in its notions of infideHty.
| hope the present Legislature will
not only undo what former Legisla-
lures have done in the way of making
| divorces easy. but pass a law in ac-
cordancC with the teachings of Jesus.
Legislators, as we'll as other folks.
should not forget that the Sermon on
the Mount is Heavens platform; and,
while, as politicians, they are careful
to observe and stand fiat-footed on po-
litical platforms, # is much more i'm
portant that they stand pat on Chrst's
sermon. for He says. by way of a
warning: MANY will say unto me IN
that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied III thy name? and in thy
name cast out devils? and in thy
name done many wonderful works :?
And then will ! profess unto them
never knew you. depart from me ye
that work iniquity. Therefore whose
ever heareth these sayings of mine
and doeth them / will liken him unto
q wise man.. One of those sayings we
are to do is found III the fifth chapter
OF Matthew, thirty-second verse, re-
lating to enforcement. And he adds:
mine, and doeth them not. shall be
likened unto a foolish man.
If l We're a legislator I'd be afraid
to have my name recorded as having
voted in direct conflict with ChriSt's
sayings, But, [ take it for granted
they will all do right in the matter.
and. finally, will hear it said by the
Master: Come ye blessed of my
Father. inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the
world,
An idea struck me a day or two ago
which j am tempted to, and, / believe
will, put in print / was thinking
about old times and my mind was
capering all over creation-I mean
that portion of it that / have Seen--
and I was calling up incidents. facuj,
voices and scenes which used to be SO
familiar. and was regretting' that so
many things had been forgotten by
me. which, if | were able TO write
now, would be SO interesting to the
reader as well as the writer. The idea
that Struck me" was this: Suppose.
while a school boy. it had been made
a part of my school duties to keep a
diary, a brief diary. recording in a.
neatly kept blank book, the events OF
each day in the school, at home and
in the neighborhood; and suppose l
had made note of the big SHOWS. the
heavy rains, the long droughs, deaths
and marriages, the removal of fami
lies. etc. as these things occurred;
and suppose / had continued to make
such entries, daily, after leaving
school, what fund of matter / would
have, out of which to make remin-
iscences. And thinking along that
line, it occurred to me that it would
cost very little and consume but lit
fl cab al lAnX nj ri
was required to keep a diary. which
should be inspected by the teacher,
and upon which the scholar should
be graded as on other books and
studies. At first glance the Superin-
tendent of Public instruction and
teachers may not see any merit in
the suggestion; but, when they take
into considera ton these three
thoughts; first, the rivalry that would
be engendered among the children
with reference to penmanship and the
neat appearance of their books:
second. the benefits resulting TO the
children from being required to make
accurate statements of occurring
events, and third the training Of the
mind in the construction of the para
graphs to be recorded; | think they
will admit that. it would be a most
valuable addition TO the curriculum or
any school.
You say those old diaries would be
destroyed. Well, doubtless many of
them would be. for some children will
destroy even their text books: q great
many, however, would be preserved.
But, supposing they were all destroy
ed. the children were benefited while
they were writing them.
Two or three lines. or half dozen.
at most would, i'm most instances. re-
cord the incidents worthy of keeping;
but how valuable to the boy or girl.
In after life, and how sacred, too.
would be those lines If my idea is
endorsed by our teachers, / suggest
that q book be prepared called THE
Diary. large enough to last d year. so
ruled Us to give ten lines to each day;
so that during school terms children
should be required TO write up Satur~
day and Sunday events rs well as
those of school days
/ charge the public not a cent for
the suggestion; but | am almost GER
tain the time will come when it will
be seen that something of this nature
has real merit in it. How / wish that
7 had been required to keep diary.
instead of being obliged to rely solely
or memory. So you have the idea
that struck me How does ii strike
you"
we've Ddu some rIgnC COiu weather
recently, but, of course, nothing like
the cold spells we had when ! was
a boy" l am not sure as to the date.
but ! think il was the winter of 1856,
we had snow that remained on the
ground six weeks. In the day time
the sun would melt 1t on the top just
enough to make it as slick as glass; SO
that it was almost impossible to walk
without falling. | know ] had some
falls during the time that. if taken
now. would serve me badly: but.
young and as hardy as ! was then,
they did not hurt me very much, It
was during that winter that we got
very much frightened at our house
one night. 1t was awfully cold and
the family were sitting in front of an
old -fashioned country fire some read
ing, some talking. others listening,
when, all of sudden, we heard what
we supposed was rock thrown
against the house. What's that"
two or three asked i'll a breath.
Somebody's rocking the house" one
mr. two suggested sfNhat does that