The Washington herald., 1917-01-01
CALLS DRINK MENACE
TO PRESENT-DAY HOME
REV. James Gordon breaches on
Wrecks of Domestic Life.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE osE

responsibility OF childhood without God'
Better send a new Titanic out to mid
ocean without captain or crew.
But fatherhood IL not less sacred than
motherhood. We have observed Moth
er's Day but who will institute a day
to the memory of an untiring and con-
secrated fatherhood?
Marriage is destiny.
A man Is what his wife will let him
De- says an old proverb; the reverse
of which is equally true
There Is one thing which a woman
has right to look for In q man, and
that is character. Civilization rests on
the state. The state rests on the in
dividual The quality and caliber OF the
individual depend on the home. The
home is pivoted on character. When
Charles ii asked for the hand Of Crom-
wells daughter. Cromwell answered
Charles II has no character Cromwell
knew where to find quarried blocks on
which to rest the pillars OF state and
church
Character as Pillar.
Better the stalwart strength Of a
strong character than. lacking charac-
ter, the polished exterior of a shallow
personality. John Quincy Adams was
able to say: Although did not estab-
lish my home until / was 50 years of
age. yet in all those years / had never
been guilty of either word or deed which
would cause any person to blush at the
mention of my name" 1t 10 worth living
thirty years to be able to say that.
Character commands respect and re-
spect is the cornerstone in the temple OF
love. Beware of the person whom you
emotionally love but mentally do not re-
spect.
There is one thing which q man has
right to look for in q woman, and that is
sympathy. Making a living IN the
twentieth century Is a terrific struggle
If things are wrong In the home-life a
man is almost certain to 20 down.
Sweeter than the roses Of Persia, sweet
er than the perfumes of Arabia, Ia the
comforting voice OF cheerful woman
Perhaps the worst thing you oan say
OF woman is that she is heartless.
Danger Points In Home.
NO home can ever be wholly destroyed
by outside influence One traitor within
Is more dangerous than an armed host
without We manufacture our own dyna-
mite. Mark well the danger points In
the home life.
NO home can continue to be happy
where there is no regard for the science
of financial management Between a
and a reckless, open-handed extravs-
sance, there exists golden mean. You
can be economical without being mean
and generous without being lavish. Money
is an index to character.
Ample money Is not an tnfallfble guar
antee OF perfect peace and unalloyed hap
piness In the home circle. Strange as it
may appear, divorce and wealth always
go hand in hand; so statistics indicate.
A of fhoaa xvha a
vorced are from among the rich-the idle
rich. The testimony in divorce courts
has a tendency TO circle about yachts.
motor cars, European trips, swell din
ners, luxurious living and fashionable
society. Mihionaires ought to be happy
but they are not-not always.
Social Drinking Threatens.
The second danger point h pleasure
And concerning legitimate pleasure, in
proper proportion and clean environment
We have no word OF condemnation to of
fer. Our age Is intense and relaxation has
become q necessity. But the train of ma
tional destruction always goes by the
way of Vanity Fair where the god Of un-
sanctined pleasure is worshipped-
The third danger point is strong drink.
The social drinking customs Of the hour
threaten the permanency of our Chris
tan institutions. The saloon is the or
ganized enemy of the home. The distfller
quafrs a goblet full to the brim with
liquid agony and feeds like some mon
ster Of ancient mythology on human
hearts. crushed. pierced, bruised, broken
and torn.
The fourth danger point Is careless
ness. Young people, when once settled
in the home life, are apt to grow care
less-careless about their dress, careless
about their words, careless about their
habits. careless about their ideals and
careless about religion
Don't be carelessi Slander may climb
in over the transom. Trouble may come
UP the cellar stairs. Storms may beat
in through the roof. Death may knock
at the front door Debt may rattle at
the gate. Disease may fly IN at the win
dow. Don't be careless.
IAN ideal home Is the castle of a gen.
uine love-, the tower of an enthrpned
friendship. the citadel of every pure joy.
the walled city of every sacred rela-
tionship and the round-table Of social
communion for an the highest forms of
human intercourse and intellectual ex-
change; for here we may fnd a woman's
heart. a husbands strength, a fathers
wisdom, a child's awakening conscious