The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1918-11-07
FAMILY LIFE ENDANGERED.

ne UNUSUAL tpUultlpUN Nhdl H'N
obtain in our social order are causing
changes in our family life that are
menacing It's well-being If not in.
Iced its very integrity. Thousands
Of husbands and fathers are going in
20 various branches Of war-work, thus
entirely separating themselves from
their homes. perhaps for many
months to come. Then multitudes Of
mothers and wives have felt It neces-
sary. during these times Of extremely
high living expenses. to go into some
line of business and become bread
winners instead Of being home-keep-
ers Both Of these conditions are
highly dangerous TO family life.
No one can take a fathers place
in the training and management OF
his children This is particularly true
of boys It matters not how wise and
strong a mSther may be, it is almost
impossible for her successfully to gov
ern and direct the adoiescent boy
However much he may love his moth
err. he nevertheless insti,ctively re
sents feminine rule and feels that the
mother cannot understand him and is
wholly unable therefore TO appreciate
his wild but innocent longings. This
creates at once serious situation for
the home and also for the boy
Then the mothers absence from
little children day after day, as she
labors to provide them bread, vitality
endangers the whole life of the
home. That constant protection and
minute oversight that a mother knows
so well how to give cannot be delegai-
r to any other person without ire
parable loss to the little ones This
exposes their lives TO many subtle
forms Of evil and makes possible the
beginning of habits that drive the
life on toward inefficiency and I'M
morality. Then the constant instruc
ton that is needed in the course OF
each days developments IN the life
Of the child cannot be given If the
mother is not Immediately at hand.
When she returns in the evening the
situations are gone and the anxious
attitude Of the childish mind has
passed away with the ever-changing
situations; and. furthermore, the
mother is too much tagged after the
long hours in the whirl of business
to be the patient, sympathetic instruc-
tor the tender little life needs.
These conditions create a situation
in our immediate social life Of the
gravest moment The family is the
foundation Of our whole social struc-
ture. II we are virile, noble peo-
pie. il is because of the sane, whole
some family life that has been such
noted feature in American history
The careful training. the high ideals,
the fine spirit that have characterize
ed this honS-life have been the de-
termining factors in creating our pc
culiar national life and in producing
the whole spiritual outlook and tenn
per of our people The rising gener-
alton must have the same careful
nurture if our high type of manhood
and womanhood IS 10 be continued
and if our country is to be "a light
for those who sit in darkness In
the language of DIR, Henry Cope: IF
we would have a religious world-or-
der, we must protect the right of the
family to develop the life of the
spirit"
Our present situation. therefore.
calls for the most careful thought up
on the part of the church. More than
ever the church NUT be made to feel
her responsibility in conserving and
developing the family life of the en-
tire community, and she should so
wisely use all of her resources in pro-
tecting, in guiding and in instructing
that the family may be kept at It's
best through these trying times
Texas Christian Advocate.