| Home Making |
Chapter 7 |
Page 11 |
But how can we keep our boys off the streets at nights? Can we do it if we ourselves hasten away from home every evening as soon as we snatch a hurried supper? If parents would save their boys they must make a home life for the evenings so pleasant, so attractive, and so charming that they will not want to leave it for any coarse or glaring fascinations outside. How can this be done? It can be done if the parents set themselves to do it. There may be a season of romping if the children are young – a children’s hour devoted to such play as they will enjoy. There may be pleasant games to pass away a portion of the evening. There may be the reading aloud of some racy and interesting book by one member of the family while the others carry on the light forms of work which occupy their hands and eyes, but leave their ears open to hear. There may be music for a time and bright, cheerful conversation, closing with a prayer and a good night.
No instruction is need to teach any intelligent parent how to give to the evenings at home a charm which shall make their influence all potent. It is necessary only that parents shall set about doing that which their own hearts tell them so plainly ought to be done. Of course it will take time. Something must be left out of life it this is to be done. But is there anything else in all the round of life’s calls, and even its seeming duties, that might not well be left out for the sake of anchoring our children to their homes? Is there anything else that it would be so fatal and terrible to leave out as to leave our children out to perish in the ruin of the streets, while we are at lodges and operas and parties, or even at church meetings?
In considering the influences in the home life that leave deep and permanent impressions on character, thought must be given to the books and papers that are read. The invention of the art of printing marked a new era in the world’s history. On the printed pages that fly everywhere like the leaves of autumn, drifting to our doors and swept into our innermost chambers, are borne to us the golden thoughts of the best and wisest men and women of all ages. The blessings that the printing press scatters are infinite and rich beyond all estimates. But the same type that today gives us pure and holy thoughts, words of truth and life, tomorrow give us veiled suggestions of evil, words of honeyed sweetness, but in which deadly poison is concealed. It is related that one of the soldiers of Cyrus found a casket which was reported to be full of valuable treasures. It was opened, and out of it came a poisonous atmosphere which caused a terrible plague in the army. Many a book that is bound in bright colors has stored within those covers the most deadly moral influences. To open it in a pure home, among young and tender lives, is to let loose evils that never can be gathered back and locked up again.
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