Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1921-03-10
THE CHRISTIAN HOME

The home is the greatest institu
tion in the world. Greater than thu
church and school because it come.
first. II was Gods first thought. Ht
fashioned a home for Adam and Eve
After he had finished this home h<
presented it to them as their abiding
place, and asked or commanded them
to keep it" which means that the
home should be preserved. It is an
old saying that Mother, Eome and
Heaven are the three sweetest words
in the English language"
Our earthly homes should be Hea
ven spots, radiant and glorious, be
cause of the love in the hearts of all
for each other. This truth may not
be declared from the housetops, sbut
manifested daily in acts of kindness.
A Christian home is one where God
should ibe first. First in our thoughts
because "as man thinketh in his
heart, so is he." Let our first
thoughts in the early morning hours
be of him, and not of self. Not
where and how can l make dollar
to-day, but how can best glorify
God. Fathers and, mothers should
impress upon the minds OF their
children that God must come before
business; that the almighty dollar is
servant and not master. Moses
mother. was successful in this, when
the time came to deliver Moses to
Pharoah's daughter, it was done with
out fear. The idea of "God" SO FIX
ed in the mind of Moses that no
fears were entertained that he would
give them up for the promises Of
wealth and position.
Suppose some one should canvass
present day homes and make inqui-
ry as to what the child rs getting. as
FIRST things?" Would It be this,
"Put. God First? A great many men
are mighty busy chasing the dollar
and by the way, they not only chase
them, but overtake and pocket them.
That is all right, provided. Proyid-
ed the child does not get the idea
that making money is the chief thing
in life. -
The greatest responsibility and
along with that the greatest oppor-
tunity that ever comes to a man
and woman is when "a child s born
unto them," and there is a life to be
directed. The shaping of life is
a greater work than the building of
a fortune. Think of Calvin, Luther,
Wesley, Woodrow Wilson, William
]. Bryan and the long list of such
men, capable of dealing with world
problems inchurch and state. Their
home training had much to do with
the success of these. and thousands
Of others like them.
Let me ask you, reader, what is to
become of our nation IL we are to turn
our homes over to the world and the
Devil, and leave God out? Our boys
vent to France and fought the Ger
nan hordes in behalf of the Christ |
an home. Yes sir, the Christian
lone. More that than anything else
}. cause it is in the Christian home |
hat our ideals are nurtured. We
cherish the thought of real freedom;
We are proud of the fact that in this
country every man has a chance to
,e and to do. He can be his best and
10 his best because the opportunity |
s given him. But do you think this
will be true very long II we fail to
Ieep the home Christian? There is
10 religious fire buring in many OF
'ur homes. The "oil in the lamp" Is
zone and the wick is being consum-
ID. When the wick is consumed tAe
will have come and
zone and the door" will be shut.
Mas, the opportunity to be and to do
5 gone forever
Father, mother. if you want the
hurch and school to do their best for
our child, then you do the first thing.
live your child what it has a right
0 expect at your hands. namely; an
in Christian living.
w. H. BEASLEY.
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