Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-11-20

acter and re-
1igion," he said.
His sermon follows in part:
Home is the sweetest word In our
language. The home is the cradle Of
the physical body, of character ana
religion.
Home was first fully recognized
when Jesus gave full place to woman
and the child.
Social and political science have
now at last come to recognize the
significance of the home. Professor
Cooley's doctrine is getting as much at
tention as Darwin's doctrine OF the
origin Of the species. Professor
Cooley shows the Importance OF what
be calls primary groups to the build.
ing of social life. He has in mind
groups characterized by face to face
relations. He thinks especially Of the
family.
Family Life
NO doubt the kind of society we
shall nave depends on the kind OF
family life we now have.
"Christian character is not a sud.
den decision. 1t is an accumulation OF
daily experiences. Honesty, obedience.
patience. kindness. reverence, IN
selfishness. industry, thrift. team
work. clean speech. faith in God, are
determined by the home-the atInos-
phcre Of the home. the pictures on
the walls. the sincerity of the parents,
the chores, the table conversations,
the dreams, and the iolts of the home.
In fact every worthy social char
acteristic must find its roots in the
home. Habits of cooperation which
| give rise to q social consciousness are
best learned in the home. Family af-
lection is the root of altruism ip so
ciety at large. The family life has
always been social life at its max
imum.
Therefore. the preservation of the
home should be the chief concern of
the church. the school and the state.
And there is a need of concern and
close study of our home situation to-
day. There are conditions and forces
at work undermining our home life
and its efficiency,
Home Changed
The home used to be the hospital,
the workshop. the factory, the club,
and the recreationaI center as well as
our dwelling place. Economic condi-
tons have changed that. Our fruit is
canned in factories. and u shirt
waists are made in sweat shops. our
recreation is to sit and look at shows.
We eat out of tin cans. We eat at
home occasionally, we sleep at home,
but the fellowship and genuine friend
ships Of home are endangered.
But there is 4 greater danger than
that to the home. Marriage and the
family have tended among certain
classes 10 be more a convenience. We
have been taught by the romantic novel.
the sex drama and the sensational
newspaper TO regard the family as
something for the qualification of SEN
suaI desires. This is striking at the
very roots of family life and is the
foundation cause of our divorce evil.
IN some centers now one-half of the
marriages are divorced. / am Of the
opinion that there is no use striking
against divorce until we have gone
deeper and rooted out the cause of
divorce. The whole family life must
be put on a social and ethical basis
instead Of a personal qualification
basis. TO be married is to take on
full conservation to the total social.
moral and race responsibilities of life.
1t must be removed from the realm of
mere fancy, passion or romantic af-
lection.
Business Enters
Then much Of the instability of the
home life is due to our business and
conditions. We allow bust
ness TO dominate home life. Often to
impoverish aud stunt home relations.
wage paid and working condi-
are such as tf make home life
impossible. The American spectacle
of idle men end working children and
women is doing much to destroy the
home. =
4.fhnsI +arIpr,niap p,,s| ~ LnJ&,d
The family is society in miniature. De- :
the family and a high order of !
social cooperating civilization becomes :
impossible.
Robert Burns in his 'Cotter's Sat :
Irday Night gives the most touching :
Of ideal family life. !
1T is q chill day in November. The !
otter collects his spades and hoes and ,
his way home. lie walks into :
ais humble home to find a glowing !
and his thrifty wife's loving :
'1e quite forgot his labor and f.
lis toll !
presently the older children who !.
lad been working come home. And !
hey are brothers and sisters, not mere .
: kin by blood. 1t is a perfect picture y
f communion of spirit. common prop !.
rty, common tolls. common problems !
Iad knit their hearts together. Each !
ellis the news of the week. Mother j.,
nending. father sits by mingling whole =
ONE advice with the narratives of ,
he children. i
The Ideal Life
"A rap on the door-tba love light
n %.Ienny's eyes burn bright. For a
lad has come to see her. He
: bashful. Jenny is embarrassed. but &
lother is pleased that her daughter is X
onored with attention. q
"A frugal meal Of oatmeal. milk. \
d twelve-month old. and wit and a
aughtcr. n
Then the Family Bible. Father
eads the sacred page-AIoses or Abra-
Or Job. or perhaps the times when +
he Savior walked on earth. And he
rays: B