The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-04-30

The Days Greatest Work.
A mother of ten fine children said
to me a few days ago. 81 want cur
boys and girls to have opportunities
| for training in religion: 1 want their
| religious, life to be given a fair chance
And it does seem as if they don't get
the opportunities for Christian growth
that you and | had: Have the times
| altogether changed? we think that
| the most important responsibility we
have is the spiritual development OF
| the children; but all the vogue seems
to be rather for clothes and amuse-
ment and fashion,
| That wise mother put her finger
on the worlds weakest spot today.
| As We talked there came to mind a
| motto on the wall of her full nursery
mo work pays like mother work"
That woman's New England blood has
| taught her, what the big world of wise
| men appear to have forgotten, that all
! vast and permanent social changes
begin in the cradle.
Reformers have gone daft on the
subject of the quick reconstruction
of humankind. Their schemes, rang
| ing from a League of Nations to model
itenements, are all less important. and
less practicabl than the simple, old
fashioned program of training up chill
dren in the fear of the Lord.
| Modest Mother Hannah did more
for Israel by dedicating her child
| Samuel to Jehovah than the Sanhedrin
ever did in its proudest hour of power
We may found Americanization
movements and political societies and
new parties and adopt reformed bud
gets and administrative systems, and
issue propaganda by the ton, but the
the real end We seek will never be
achieved until We give ourselves to
the sound training of our sons and
daughters in the Christian religion.
The mother and the teacher are of
more value to civilization than all the
councils of statesmen. It is more
worth while to be a successful Sun
day school teacher than to hold a
political office; just as it is always
surer success to be a former. rather
than a reformer.
One Woman's ExuItation.
Recently, while visiting what is
probably the most successful private
school for boys in North America,
J while at dinner in the mess hall,
, sat opposite a mother who has an only
son in the school, and who has estab-
lished her home nearby. isn't il
, thrilling" she cried. with sparkling
eyes, as the seven hundred cadets
marched in; and then she added, with
, enthusiasm, ITO be the mother of a
, son I think is the most wonderful gift
that God ever gives to a mortal. / sim
ply cannot imagine any greater honor
10
mother of a fine big boy that I some
times can scarcely contain myself; and
thank God every day for the privi-
lege."
; Need I add as an aside. that there
| was no occasion for that woman to
5 patronize the beauty doctors tc
: brighten up her face or to put sparkle
= into her eyes? She had found ma
? lures own primal spring of happi-
mess. Her full heart felt no hunger
t for a career" she thought only to
1 tserves her son, tho, meanwhile, and
, made her a brightener of the world
and friend and neighbor beloved.
The noblest woman I know, whc
) has proved her powers in large emer,
' gencies, normally gives herself almost
, wholly to her children. Trained for
a profession, she vet pours her abili-
ties tirelessly. and With rarc resource
fulness, into the che racter of the little
girl who remains at home. her Older
children having indicated her method
in life outside of the walls of the
home. In restless, careworn age
{ with unhappiness as prevalent as the
Influenza this mother is young ii
Esprit, serene and sincerely happy
Like the other mothers quoted, she
has INDICATED Gods program. She
has contributed life to her time. By
the Hannah route she has served God
and her world.
O Woman is the high priestess of the
V temple of child-soul.
e ''In praise Of little children will say
J, God first made man, then found better
Fer woman; but His third way was TIN
- best.
e For of all created things. the loveliest
And most divine are children Nethin;
e Can be to us more gracious or more dear
1 And, tho, when God saw all His work
= ! There was no rosy flower of hahyhoed.
Twas sal | Of children in a later day
, That none could enter heaven save sucl
d as they"
, The Mother, the Child, the Dream.
It Even in the darkest time there ART
!, spots of light. Beautiful human
;. dramas enrich the most troubled
II eras. The period of the Judges con
5. tains several lovely ideals and nobl'
i, episodes. None Is more charming o.
inspiring than this story of the chilC
j Samuel, born of prayer. and dedi
Y Gated to Jehovah before birth.
= Farsighted persons are troubled
about adequate supply of the RICH
e sort of ministers of the gospel for thu
r new day. The answer lies in thi
It story. Mothers hold the key. WheI
the deepest desire and constant prayer
e of Christian mothers was that theil
i Sons should be worthy and called q
stand before the altar of God, we had
n no lack of ministers. even tho the.
l. were not assured the pensions ane
e salaries that go with the vocation to
n day. Are mothers and teachers nov
y equally eager that their boys should
become ministers, rather than mil
ilionaires?
| True to his mothers vow, littl'
Samuel was in hoyhood made an at
tendant upon the Tabernacle of Je
hovah, where Eli, the venerable higi
priest, officiated. Every year hi
imother brought him a little coat, int
which she had stitched pious prayer