The Crittenden record. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1904-1907, 1906-09-07
Honor Thy Father and Mother


| do say that it is as good town as
any of which | know.
And yet ! fear that many of the
Holy Ten are broken very often, and
no one broken oftener, than the one
which you see at the head Of this
article. You, il you are very observ-
ant, cannot fail to see 1t shattered all
to bits many times day, thoughtless-
ly most of the time, but not always.
johnny" calls a mother to child
on the lawn, will yougo for the mail,
please?"
mo, shan'tl" responds johnny"
as he proceeds with his game, and the
mother says no more.
"Pm going over to MabePs," |
heard small girl announce to her
long suffering mother.
II wouldn't, dear" her mother
pleads, but the daughter is already on
her way, and the yielding parent calls
after her, Don't stay over an hour. ="
The evening passes away, and only
the night fall sees the returning child
enter her own home.
You repeat the sacred commandment
and deplOre the deprayity Of childhood
but did you ever ask yourself where
the blame should be placed? Is the
child, alone, at fault?
I tnutr ka tfr.p.r has - b...,.s o.. ,,,.,
that no one is more TO be blamed than
the parent. Why is a child dis
obedient? Sometimes II be illness,
sometimes the child may be a born
"blackshecp, but rarely. Some
other reasonlmust account for it.
Ii sou were an employee and your
employer was a man IN whom you
could place no trust, utterly inconsist-
ent, giving punishment IN the wrong
place and equally al fault IN his re-
wards, placing no confidence in you or
himself, could you honor him? How
could you bee expected 10 honor a man
to whom no honor is due?
Place Yourself in the childs position
a moment. in the position Of child
who has not been taught 20 obey, who
has been allowed no chance TO re-
sTect his parents. Would il bee human
TO honor them!
II is very hard on a youngster 10 be-
obliged 10 honor a father who does not
honor himself. II. 10 say the least.
Is difficult for girl 10 obey mother
who has never shown that she desired
obedience.
! believe in parents showing kind
ness and love. but ! also believe that
they should mix a little hrmncss IN
with those qualities. but even the
| frmness can be- oyerdone.
The parent who does things by
spasms. whips Johnny az the break
/ fast table because ne laughs ami -ials
him afterwards BECAUSE he froWns.
and who wipes the earth up with
him" before he leaves Tor his work
because the child can't lind the hat
that he himself has misplaced. and
then comes home at night 10 Xatch the
child DO a series Of acts that causes
the angels TO weep" without even a
correcting word. this parent b. very
common. am not surprised 10 hear
his children speak Of him with disrc-
spcct. ! am not surprised 10 find that
they do not know right from wrong.
They cannot learn il at home and even
II they have the right teaching impart.
ed TO them elsewhere. We are very apt
10 find that the words have fallen on
dullcd ears, into unbelieving minds.
A child comes into the world with
not only the features but the vices and
virtues Of his parents. II Is the God
given duty Of those unto whom the
child is give 10 cultivate the virtues
and by careful process to weed out
the vices. and believe that the par.
ents who fail to try to do this ar,
committing as great sin as is the child
who because Of their neglect fail,
10 honor them.
a fathers duty is not dona when h,
provides home. food and clothing foi
his little ones. a mother has more /,
do than seeing that the childrcn's cloth
ing Is we'll and neatly made. and thcil
food properly cooked. They have
life time Of effort before them. effort,
toward RICH, living for themselves
efforts 10 give the right training {,
their oiTsprings,
a child who believes that his parents
know what Is right, that they ar,
always truthful. ready to give sympa
thy when his childish woes prove 10,
much Tor him. gricvcd when he doe
wrong but ready 10 give a punishment
which will III the deed. cagcr 10 sc,
that he enjoys his life and spends i
prOdtably, Is very apt to honor them
But when he catches them in false
hoods and finds that he can do as h,
ploases because he will get punishe,
any how very likely, when he is ncye
told about his rights and their rela
tons TO the rights Of others, when h,
never hears about God and the com
mandments except in a dreamy far Of
when he attends church, then ! do no
see how he can be expected TO a
otherwise than a. we see him doin,
\. ,vorv dav Dirkona rnav hava lno,,,,