Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1906-10-19
GUARD TIE HONE CIRCLE.

BY Rev. DR.. David q. "ylie.
And Esau hated Jacob because OF the
blessing wherewith his father blessed
him, etc, Genesis - :41-45.
The family is the oldest institution
III the world and existed before either
the church or the state. 1t is founded
i'll nature ard is a divine institution.
Wilhiu the family circle the noblest
virtues are ed-helpfulness,
patience, forgiveness, gentleness, sym
pathy, brothcrly love, the fear Of God,
trdr religion; indeed, all that Chris
tiIuity implies.
4 true family is paradise, an Eden,
a heaven on earth. 1t is the problem
for married men and women to solve
that their homes may be to them like
heaven. We ought to watch night ana
day to keep Satan cut of the household,
for If ever he gets his head in he will
never be content until his whole body
is in.
AS there is no more charming picture
than Il true home, SO there is no sad
der and darker picture than the broken
family circle. We have such d home in
the text and no real excuse existed
for it. Jacob was a farmer, cattle
man, a herdsman, rancher. He was
man Of character and had faith enough
to leave his home when he heard the
voice Of God. He was a man Of great
prosperity and possessed flockS OF
O. and ppmpiS
Yet these did not contribute to h!
happiness and peace Of mind. There
was discord and 50 a broken family
circle The brothers were jealous G
one another and the father and mother
were distracted.
The same was true of the family
Saul. He was called from the farm
to the throne and had fine chance,
but missed it. His spirit became dark.
lie grew jealous and threw javelin at
the head of his son-in-law. All this
was unkingly and the family circle
was broken.
one Of the things that breaks the
family circle is jealousy. 1t was jeal-
CuSy, largely, that broke the family
circle Of Jacob. Parents should watch
for the developing characteristics and
study the temperaments of their chill
drcn in order to allay jealousy.
Injustice is another cause. Parents
are often unwise in the treatment of
their children. Men who pride them
selves on being just to their neighbors
ousht to be just also to their children
for il they deal unjustIy with their
own family they may look to see the
family circle broken.
Still another cause is favoritism,
either on the part of the father or t.
mother. Often there is too much made
of one child at the expense Of another
Fayoritism has broken up many a fine
family, for the last thing in the world
love can stand is to be sighted.
Divorce is one of the great sins of
our times, and the cause of many
broken family circles We need a
league of all good people for the pro
lection of the family. Parents should
be impartial and strictly just in their
SN''h'14oo " Ill NLiAAtll Ch SOu tAlecIS
this, and unless parents are just they
must look to see the family circle
broken up.
Much should be made of the home,
There should be prope~ amusements
for the children; an abundance of good
papers, books and magazines. and
friends welcomed to the home circle
Home life should be made pleasant
cheerful and bright When this is done
there will be little danger of broken
family circles. In the home religion
should be put into practice and family
life hallowed by prayer. The word of
God should be hOnored and the name
of Jesus Christ exalted. When chill
dren are taught to love and honor God
they will be quite sure to love and
honor their parents and the family
circle will remain unbroken.
May the great God help us all to
keep our homes sweet and pure and
finally gather us into the greater fam
lily circle in the Fathers house above.