The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1912-04-11
By
REV. D. L. REID,
Pastor of Crellin NJ. E.
Church,
Crellin, Maryland.
The Mother as a
Character Builder

get to Heaven, and the angels con-
graduate me on getting there, | viii
say: Hunt up my precious mother.
who took me by the hand and led me
along until was eight years old, and
then took me by the hand and said: I
can meyer come back to you; you can
come to me-. All! there is something
in mothers love sweeter than the lul-
labies of the skies, sweeter than an
Aeolian harp"
George Washington's mother was a
simple-hearted. strong minded, pious,
good woman, and she gave to this coun-
try a man whom we honor with the title
of FEATHER of his Country" John
WesleY's mother was a sensible, re-
llglous, painstaking, good woman; and
she gave to this world one OF the great
est characters we ever had.
1t is just as true that wicked, god
less mother will impress her character
indelibly upon her children; and their
posterity may deluge the world in
blood and crime. Nero's mother was
murderess and she gave to the world the
most cruel man of the ages. He danced
and fiddled over burning Rome and the
slaughter of Christians. Lord Byron's
mother was proud intellectual woman;
and she gave to the world one of the
most protligate, intellectual autocrats
OF modern times. Herodias, one of the
most wicked and impure mothers the
world has ever known, gave her own
daughter to dance the voluptuous dance
before the drunken, licentuous Herod
and his drunken guests, and asked as a
reward, the head of John Baptist, be-
cause he had reproved her for her i'm
pure and unfaithful life. Her direful
influence still lives in the Salome dances
that degrades womanhood and corrupt
the race. One of the greatest curses of
this age, are the many unnatural, secret
ly criminal, sinful mothers, who make
criminals of their children they permit
to live, and out-Herod Herod himself,
in the slaughter of the innocents.
Mothers: your responsibilities are
great, but your opportunities are great
er. If for God and the good you live, you
live forever, Bishop Marvin, of Mis-
souri,, a most sanity man and preacher
of great spiritual power, said of his
mother: when | was a little boy,
four years old, lying on my mothers
lap while she was singing: Loving
Jesus, gentle Lamb; In thy gracious
hands | am: Make me, Savior, what
thou art; Live myself within my heart.
All at once my mother stopped singing
and broke out shouting; and, as she
clapped her hands tear dropped from
her eye and fell on my cheek, when a
delightful sensation crep over me; and
| believe was born to Christ at that
moment"
There is legend that an Angel was
once sent to earth for the most beauti-
full thing in this world. He first pluck
ed the most fragrant flower that
could be found and started back to
Heaven, but as he flew past worlds and
stars the flower withered and died.
He returned, and searched again for
earth's greatest beauty, and saw an
innocent baby smile; catching the smile
the Angel went back to Heaven and
was about to enter the gates of Para
disc, when, behold, the baby smile had
vanished.
Disappointed, the Angel returned
once more to earth in search for the
most lovely thing in all this world.
When, at last, he saw a christian
mother praying, he drew near; and
he wondered and admired. a tear fell
from her eye. Believing this to be the
most heavenly of all things ne caught
the tear and on swift plnions of delight
he winged his way to the City of God;
when he entered the Palace Beautiful,
he looked, and. behold, the mothers
tear had turned into a shining pearl,
symbol of purity and innocence and he
carried it to the King of Glory, who
placedlit in the Grown of Righteous
ness" that was awaiting the coming of
the faithful, praying mother!