Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-11-20

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! As we passed along the street 81
Ia recent Sunday we counted twenty
Iseven young men. most Of them ID
their teens, just budding into mar
hood, lettering their time away. Az
we looked into their faces, many Of
them lighted up by the beacon rays
lof poor cigar or the psrnicious Gig
arctic, we recognized them as young
men blessed with comfortable homes
lindulgent parents and loving sisters
We ask ourselves, why is it? Why d.
these young men prefer the unclesa
resorts, comfortless streets and mixes
society, to the upholstered chair, the
pheasant and comfortable surround
lings of the family circle at home:
WHO can answer? Dare we charge
the parents in q degree responsible
flor this state Of .aAairs9 Are these
things Els they would them? Do yev
Ishut up. you're homer Aests~ .tAsesknr
shom3i fsde. ;sthe,s carpets, and 1oIat
heAxNslese asslsughyshould shake ,doxfs
la fe@s the sFnuaty old eobwebssthas
are hanging there r.. II you want t.
ruin your sons let them think that. MI
social enjoyment must be left at the
Threshold when they come lone.
When once > home is regarded as only
a suitable place to eat, drink and
sleep in, the work is begun that ends
in gambling houses and reckless deg
relation. Better let the fire burn
brightly in the winter, the doors be
thrown open in summer, and make the
homestead delightful with all those
little arts that parents so well under
stand Half an hour Of merriment
within door, and merriment of a home
IDIOTS out the remembrance of many a
care and annoyance during the day
and the best safeguard that can be
taken with them into the world is the
unseen influence of a bright little
home sanctum. Let parents pondec
over these few suggestions.
We often wonder why is it so many
young men can be seen loaflg upon
our streets until late hour of night.
Many Of them are from our best
homes. The fathers of these young
men, many of them at least, are mum
lbered among our best citizens. If
their COW or their horse or even their
favorite dog was away from home af
ter dark they would b out on search
for it, but their own children can
roam the town all night with appar
emily no effort being made to find
them. 8 e
That the churches in any commun
ity exercise a most potent influence
for good lis conceded by all except the
most. rabid or blatant infidel whose
legotism and self-conceit blind his
mind 10 the inestimable value OF
christianity. But to what extent are
the churches valuable in this com
munity? The Galilean teacher said
Iof His disciples: Eye are the light Of
1.-THE world" "Ye are the salt of tha
earth" Hence. If all His disciples are
the light Of the world and the salt Of
the earth, the logical as well as the
scriptural conclusion is that they ara
the light of the community in which
they live. These declarations, how
ever, do not preclude the possibility Of
1.-THE light going out-~being hid under
q bushel--or the salt losing its salt
ness. But certainly no reasonable sss
fairminded persons would accuse the
churches of being wholly composed ef
united bands of hypocrites for it mat
ters not to what extent sin, in its
many formss may pervade the ranka
Of anx..ehprch, you will find within its.
membership, consecrated men and We
men. And It should be borne in nina
that it only requires . few Of the
aforementioned class to hecoms the
light OF the eommnnity. 81
!! Take the trouble to ret wei &C
iquainted with your children. and t.
interest yourself in their pastinle, ste.
By this nssus they will learn % trust
land eondde in you. and not easily led
laway hy outside influence. =
Stirring up bitterness in neigh.
boris heart 10 never profitable a.
pleasant.
] ~. =
The person that wiped wet eyes,
moistened parched tongues, put new,
star in the sky Of dark life, added
beauty and bloom, the song Of birds
and the blossom Of flowers to the lot
of another is whether he be rich or
poor, known or unknown, bound or
ifree--one of Gods nobility.