The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-16
Does a Baby Pay

to the man, he steps in his tracks. The girl is the likeness of her mother.
 Does Baby Pay
 What is the baby worth? Will it pay? is the question today. Its value, of course Is that of the man race $150 per year would keep it. Is it worth it? When the Whitla child of Cleveland, Ohio, was stolen the father offered s10,000 for it's return. Booker TT. Washington q short time ago looked over an old journal and found that he was valued at s400 in the time of slav- cry. But he has built up school worth one half million. The childs social and religious value Is above rubies Many a time it has held papa and mamma together through many domestic storms and preserved the sanctity and dignity of home Many times 1t has led them to Gods a1tars by heavens fresh blue that still fingered In Its eyes. Fresh from heaven with d soul of peace and winsome laughter that Is sweeter than angelic music the precious babe arouses us from dreamland where we wander along the margin of the river whether of desperation or simply 1iv- ing childhood over again, to a sense of heaven on earth and around our own heathstone.
 "'And little child shall lead them
 Il dnl TOI Ol lno SCuOol tHot bcIiCFCo that all sorrow and pain are here by invitation of sin. No doubt the rose had its thorn before Eve fell, and that 1t serves not only as protection but as an appreciation when at length the rose is plucked from amid them. Jesus was explicit on this subject. When the scribes and Pharisees asked Him as to who had sinned, the blind child's father. mother or grand parents. He replied, Neither. No, parents are not always responsible. but according to the best scientific investigation of the subject they generally are
 "At the Congress of the Eugenists that recently assembled in London, Prof. Samuel c. Smith of the Uni- versity of Minnesota created a mild sensation by saying in his speech that If he were to choose his own father he would prefer robust burglar to a consumptive bishop He showed his faith in the power of environment, however. later by saying that if he were to be the son of burglar he would wish to be adopted into an- other family soon after birth.
 Entitled to Liberty
 .The child has right to privacy and property. Children need some- thing they can call their own. The sense of ownership inspires them to
 
 in responsible lines. Their trunks and rooms should not be intruded upon, not even by their parents. They have right to liberty; they are not slaves. More attention should be given to their entertainment and pleasure at nome. They should have their games In the house and playground outside. But where there are 50 children to the acre as about the cotton mills and In the alleys there Is no room for flowers or playgrounds. Of course in Norwood and South Highlands where there are only two children to the acre there Is room. But the common brotherhood of the 50 to the two and the social prop lens and consequent crimes that grow out of such conditions will be treated later. '.The child's part in the home in the way of duties, aside from the kind nesses shown one toward the other, Is 1 Qomprehended in. Honor thy father Iand mother The dignity of parenthood is the test of civilization. If you were placed on an unknown island in one day you could tell if the race was on an ascending scale of civilization and greatness or descending scale of an | archy and lawlessness by q simple test of family rule. If kindness, love and obedience to parents and superiors prevailed you would know they were | on the ascending scale to glory. On I the other hand in our own land we may know if children do not honor their fathers and mothers if the dig ~uity of parenthood continues to be treated with light esteem; with mod ern social theories challenging the idealism of the family with some new dream of public or private way to conjugal bliss, that we are on the 1 downward march to ruin.
 Children. obey your parents in the l Lord for this ia right-make home 1 happy by your glee and substantial by | your faith. Honor your parents by liv- ing pure aud consecrated lives. show