St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-02-15

other IchurGheS in town may be re-
ligious bodies where they have SO
called religious services, but the
only genuine output is here and the
only church is ours. Therefore the
whole town is our parish. From our
standpoint it is no PROSECUTING for
US to go among other so called re-
ligious bodies and try to get the
people gone astray to attend the
church ,, Hence the same old story
of duplication of effort and dipping
of water from one dish to another.
In this case however it is consider
ed as dipping it out of common
erockery into the real thing, Havi-
land china.
Now we as churches, whether we
have six or six hundred, need to be
working for character, conviction,
principle, stability. We need to
seek first, not the worlds false ideal
of success but the Kingdom of God.
We should try to cooperate with
the school and other institutions
making for character building, pro-
viding these other institutions do
not get the idea that they are all
there is. We should endeavor to
hold our socials at such times that
they will not conflict with study
hours. There are moral aspects to
this question When the school
says tsSuch and such shall be study
hours and we encourage them to
avoid them we are pulling at cross
purposes. Here, we as a church
have been sinners to some extent
and we shall consider what can be
done in regard to Thursday even
ing soeials. These may be regulated
for they have their place and they
are the real thing even though they
may not be an output of the school.
We shall seriously consider this
matter that our young people may
obey the law of the school.
g. Then how about parents?
Very frequently all blame for all
slackness is placed at the door of
the home. The home is to blame for
much of it.
All over this town are boys in boy
choirs, Sunday school and other or
CARNATIONS where they do not be-
long. Who is to blame? Sometimes
| parents, sometimes pastors, some
times both Along comes a new
thing. 1t may be a good thing, just
is new. Boys from various churches
are attached. Can I join? The
boy asks Immediately, ooh yes if
you want to-" the parent answers,
whether the organization is in his
church or some other. Parents are
very easy going in the time that now
| is. Can't those parents see hole
| through ladder? The logic of it
all will be that the boy will be at
tached permanently to that church.
That is alright if that is where they
wish him attached, if not it is not
Some day those parents will open
their eyes to find their boy on one
side of the fence and themselves on
the other. Along this line parents are
often weak if not foolish. Two boys
are singing in a boy choir in this
town. The parents are saying tc
their pastor, I'VE don't want oul
boys to go there what shall we do?'
Well, will tell you what certain
Universalist father did not long
since. His son wanted to join al
organization that would take him il
one direction while the parents Wen
another. papa can | Join?" the boy
asked. NIT" was the instant ans
wer. The parent used the vernaculal
because it was the shortest anC
most decisive word at hand. There
/ has been no further danger of
split in that home. All is quiet OF
the Potomac. But too frequently it i.
as when certain man took his fami-
ly down thru the White Mountains or
vacation. At the table the little
/ daughter behaved badly The father
took her in hand for it. So she said
| Papa the next time we take a va
cation we will leave you at home. ;
In that case / think it was a Joke
but frequently there is no joke about
lit
Now there is something your child
and mine has got to learn in a
moral universe and that is obedience
Ii he does not learn IL at home he
Will nave to learn it from the great
Parent of all. If in the latter case
he may have to learn it by being
broken, bruised, ground, until he
says Eyes, what wilt Thou have me
to do. 1t will be fortunate for him.
self and good citizenship if be learn
this lesson before he goes from
home. Then too, your boy and mine
needs to learn the lesson of loyalty,
loyalty to school, parent, country,
church, God, and to his Utmost con-
Vlct1ons. There was reflex action on
their own characters when John
| Murray preached with the stones
rafting about his feet and John
| Wesley preached with the howl of
| the mob in his ears. If your boy or
mine has never learned the lesson
OF loyalty he will mean no more for
citizenship than a. fresh water clam.
Now today I am not attacking any
individual, church or institution. |
am aiming at a condition that is
| general and deplorable. Of that CON
d1t1on | wish to speak win a sole
regard for truth.
Would we make for better citi-
zenshlp in our country? Then let
there be more teaching concerning
the duty of loyalty to school, church,
God, country and our inmost con-
yictions.
Would we see a general straight
en1ng out in our town? Then let
us not deceive ourselves and lay all
the blame at the door of the home.
! We are all sinners together From
the lowest to the highest stratum
of society men have been too much
| concerned about being Sin the swim
/ hafr IT.