Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-08-03
Solemn Warning on Family Life.

mis- nation VIII decay and hnally
perish when American homes cease
TO revere God" the report Of the joint
commission on home and family life,
which shall be presented to the Tri-
ennial General Convention OF the Epis-
copal Church, meeting in Portland,
Greg, September 6 next, was made
public few days ago.
Advance culture did not save past
civilizations, did not prevent Germany
plunging into a gulf Of infamy. Upon
Americas conservation to God depends
her fate" says the report, which con-
tains an exhaustive study of social and
industrial conditions in the United
States, with particular reference to
home life.
The commission was appointed by
the Episcopal General Convention six
years ago, and includes in its pers1nne,
some of the most distinguished OF the
bishops, clerical and lay members Of
the church. Among other subjects
which are frankly treated are those Of
marriage, divorce and birth control
The report contains a strong recon-
mendation against the latter Rev
Charles Noyes Tyndell, 5 r D., OF
Williamsport, Pa, secretary of the
commission, in transmitting the
that he ,knI
commission has been to present to the
country a vital message in as concise
form as possible.
even a cursory glance at conditions
in the average American home reveals
evidence sufficient to warrant the most
careful study of those influences now
affecting those homes from the stand
point of moral and religious" the
report continues. "The attitude
toward youth, even more than the
attitude of the youth, will scarcely
bear severe scrutiny.
eve touch the root of our family
problem when we point to the lack Of
religion in the home. 1t is paralyzing
to think of the average American
family going on from rising to the re-
firing hour as if God had no existence.
Sunday is day for extra sleep, motor
ing, Sunday papers in many volumes,
comic supplements. If American
children are not TO be taught of God
in the schools, and He is unnamed in
the home, what can We expect but at
this moment the United States is &C
tually developing into a Christian
nation.
Touching upon domestic life in
America, the report says:
"Where family life is dishonored,
wedding unfaithfulness lightly regard
ed, parental responsibility neglected,
filial respect and obedience sighted,
there, we may be sure, society is rot
ten at the core We tremble for the
future of State or nation where lax
theories concerning domestic life gains
ground. Even laxer practice will GER
tainly prevail.
"The remedy for the frightful disso-
luton of the marriage tie going on in
America and its inevitable consequence
Of race suicide is to be found in Chris
tlan training alone. Remedial legisla-
ton, while imposing difficulties in the
way of easy annulment, does not 60
to the root of the evil. Ii attacks many
outward symptoms of the disease and
is of undoubted value, but il does not
destroy the germ of the evil or cure
it at its source.
Boys and girls must be taught as
early as possible that the chief purpose
of marriage is the perpetuation of the
race, involving the begetting and edu-
cation of children for the work of the
world Marriage is a high and holy vo-
cation because the married pair are CO.
operating with the Creator in the con-
tinuance of the human race.
This commission heartily indorSes
the warning uttered BY the great Lam
beth Conference of Bishops, gathered
from all over the world in London in
1920 against the practice Of means for
the avoidance of conception as inyolv-
ing grave dangers to physical health as
well as moarl innocence, ana threat
ening the future of the human race.
We make our own the words of the
conference committee, as applying in
particular to the United States
Recea'ly, when the ancient walls of
Canton, China, were razed to make
room for a street railway, contractors