Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1906-11-08

he said of poetry, painting and music
The moral nature is also subj CT to her
ed ty. 1t is so in the sense that DISPOSE
ton, a temper, an appetite, habit OF the
will may be transmitted and become .
force so strong as 10 be well nigh irresist
Ole. Many examples might be cited
where the vices of parents have been
traced through several generations. Not
long since a prominent clergyman was ex-
PEELED from the church for drinking ano
ne said unfortunately am the child of a
drunkard. | have carried this appetite
| from the cradle Now after 20 years IN
the ministry it has overcome ne and
brought me TO shame and Disgrace.
Among the visitors at certain penal
institution in CANADA was rich merchant
He came to visit Maynard daughter
who was incarcerdted therein. With tears
| flowing down his cheeks he said, she is
paying the penalty OF my indulgence and
sim, While would not say that ouf
ideas on politics, religion. morality, honesty
and integrity are hereditary yet the force
Of education association are notlceby per-
septiple in all communities.
While believe that fathers are respon-
| ,ible for the standard of morals of then
| children by transmitting their own vices
1
| their own lives are pure, virtuous ana
mora are culpably negligent and morally
re pJnsible for neg lect of duty in properly
| ms ructlng and training their children in
morality and virtue ln the fast age in
which we live in many homes there seems
TO be no time to devote to intoxicating the
virtues of honesty, truthfulness souriety,
reverence for age and sacred things. Too
Jlten fathers If they think at all about
these things try to shelve the responsible
ty upol the minister or the Sunday school
teacher and home teaching and training
are omitted or neglected In these days
of commerciallsm and the craze for amuse-
ments and wealth many fathers are
scarcely acquainted with their children let
alone training them. 1t is alarming at the
rapidity with which home life is disappear
ing and as 1t does SO the morals dsap-
pear with it, One of the greatest influ-
3nces for the production Of truest man.
hood and womanhood is the cultivation of
the highest form of life in the home and
.hus nullfy and destroy any inherited evil
tendency. With all my heart believe in
the power of true home as the greatest
factor in nation building. | cannot con-
ceive any more beautiful sight than t.
find the whole family gathered in one
place, reading, studying, discussing every
day problems together under the wise d.
rection Of loving and faithful father and
mother, while each individual life is infu-
enced and sweetened by the power of per-
sonal faith and love. Such home life is
never forgotten in after years when the
family must scatter, each to become the
nucleus of similar power. Who has not
read with pleasure Burns poem, The
Peasants Evening Prayer, and may we
not attribute Scotch ascendencv in the
commercial life to the power and influence
of the ideal home. The young man does
got need thousands to make such home
Fortunately the real home does not consist
things, it is built upon the love of the in
mates. 1t may be Of stone or marble or
only logs from the forest, it may contain
much expensive furniture or only few
simple necessities. These things do not
make it a home, the presence of true
hearts knit together by common purpose
and hearty sympathy are alone essen
tial. What pity our young people could
not be more strongly imbued with the
thought of simplicity in life and home. In
the minds of many money and happiness
are linked together Never did satan
formulate greater falseto0d; never does
A contented mind, loving trust, a set
tied purpose for service, congenial COM
partnership, with taste for the pure, true
and good; this is the soil in which true
happiness always flou,ishes.
Young people, If you are here tonight
and have such home, prize it and do not
leave it unless to found one Of your own
like it. am old enough to look back and |
observe the wrecks which | have seen |
brought about by forsaking the home. |
therefore plead with you, fathers and |
mothe S, to keep your homes pure and at |
tractlve, to cling 10 and encourage the |
truest form OF life and char ,cter around |
your own hearth. True and noble charac-
ter will there be developed and parents
will be partakers in the future glory OF |
& is great nation.
Let US seek by all proper means to null
tply homes where God is henored where |
parental responsibility is recognized and |
where parental authority is exercised and |
then we shall be able to stem the tide Of
and looseness il thought and
life so common in these latter days and
there shall grow up in this land strong.
steady God fearing race Of people abound
ing in energy, honesty, morality and truth.