Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-10-27
CHAT.

that had been pretty pad, ana Senlie
voice said. Poor little things they can't
help themselves, their mothers sole aim
Is for them TO make show And
from those children the talk drifted TO
some others whose parents have kept
them pretty close at home. Now that
the older ones are old enough to mix
with the world and judge events by
sound home training people are begin
ming TO see that il was better to keep
them at home until really good foun-
dation was laid and there were true
mental pictures 10 compare with the
every day happenings.
I wondered how many parents had
even read that passage in Job: They
send forth their little ones like a flock,
and their children dance. They take the
tfbmrel and harp, and rejoice at the
sound of the organ. They spend their
oays in wealth, and in a moment go
down 10 the grave. Therefore they say
unto God, Depart from US; for we de-
sire not the knowledge of Thy ways.
The teacher who answered the quees-
ton. When shall we begin to train
our children by saying, Ten genera
lions back" had the true idea, for there
are mothers Of families who would do
better by their children than they do II
they had only been trained themselves,
but their parents before them had Just
about as much idea of the responsible
ties of parenthood as the cattle on the
hills.
THE men who consider a big family
a good asset, and work them for all
the poor little things are worth do not
all go 10 cotton mill To make the
most out of their children. There are
plenty of men today who begrudge their
Girl babies life because cit takes so
much to raise a girl" Yet they expect
those girls 10 love them, and give Wiling
cheerful service in after years.
Too few homes have the partnership
idea. The primitive cave man is by no
means extinct. He protects his family
lust about as long. i'm proportion TO men
tai growth as the animals do. And the
animals really have more regard Tor
their young-when they can make a liV-
ing for themselves the young are not
required to work except for themselves,
while poor little children are not even
allowed TO go to school. but must come
as near a full days work as their
strength will permit There are the two
extremes, looking upon the children In
ones family as wages bands and as
creatures to show off and make fine
clothes for. Strike the happy medium
and let them be the light and life Of
the home, yet hit them for life's response
bilities and the worlds betterment. Sew
eraI years ago / met a young man who
was almost blind and had spinal trou-
BILE He was very bitter in his thoughts
against his parents. They were so anX-
ious for the almighty dollar that we
were worked to death. My eyes were bad,
and actually did not see the cotton, yet
was whipped for cutting IL up. Not
time did IL occur to them to test my
eyes when 1 declared that I could not
see the cotton.
I didn't have the strength to work
as hard and long as he says he did at
nv age. so 1 was licked for lying down
at the end of the row to still the throb-
bling in my back. He got as rich as
any one, but his children have no
health and not one of them calls him
good man."
We have TO look at our side and the
other side Of every question. And the
answer must not be how will L be mos.
benefited, even at the expense of others
nor must We be sentimental and sit
down with folded hands and wait for A
kind providence to set before us the
things that others are working for.
DO you remember a recent lesson in
the life of Paul: The one in which
the plot 10 destroy Paul was told by
PauTs nephew. There are some people
today who would have said well, i am
| in the Lords hands. doing His work,
and He will protect me-" Of course,
God will protect us but it Is often
through our own efforts that the relief
Genes. He opens the way, but He also
Iexpects us TO see the way and walk i'm
Int. Some people thought Paul made
. mistake in appealing to Caesar, be-
cause he would otherwise have been
turned loose right there.
/ But Gods ways are not ours, and
this was the opportunity for the gospel
10 be sent unto the uttermost parts of
the then known world. As a resident
of Rome, a prisoner though he was.
there were opportunities for people from
EVERYWHERE TO go to see him and learn
of him. The very fact that he was a
Roman prisoner was a protection and
plObably saved him many hardships as
well as prolonged his life.
And right here is where many of US
nay apply the lesson to our own heart
and life. We get into most uncomfort-
able surroundings, we often wonder
Why, and sometimes we even think God
has forgotten US. that Satan has the
upper hand. But as truly as you and
/ are living, we will see the workings
of divine plan if We sincerely do our
part and not play the part of Jonah.
Don't run away. don't take matters too
imuch in your own hands. vengeance
is mine, 4 will repay, saith the Lord"
and II we wait patiently on the Lord.
ldoing our very best for ourselves and
the others. things will work out right
and our enemies. or oppressors, or the
hard way as the case may be. changed.
Understand me. / do not believe I'm
being a dOormat. Keep out of the way
los the ones who are not acting right, if
YOU can; II your work lies in their orbit,
lbe as careful as you can. but let Paul's
lIesson be yours and do the best you
lean for yourself. He finally cut him
self loose from the Jewish nation, and
lcIsimed his Roman citizenship.
What is the main idea this morning
liz is 10 give your children fair
lchance. Your neighbors the same, and
thrust in the Lord.
Faithfully yours,
LIZZIE .. THOMAS.