The Home—Its Importance
The Home—Its Importance THE HOME—ITS IMPORTANCE
H. C. Hale My subject is an old one. The home is the oldest divine institution. God ordained two divine institutions. In the beginning, God saw it was not good for man to be alone, hence he made a help meet for him. Since that day man has been groping in the dark hunting for the ideal home. I have had some difficulty while preparing this speech to get a proper definition of the home. Perhaps Madame Schuman-Heink’s definition will help us to see what a home is:
“A roof to keep out rain. Four walls to keep out wind. Floors to keep out cold. Yes, but home is more than that. It is the laugh of a baby, the song of a mother, the strength of a father. Warmth of loving hearts, light from happy eyes, kindness, loyalty, comradeship. Home is first school for young ones, where they learn what is right, what is good and what is kind. Where they go for comfort when they are hurt or sick. Where joy is shared and sorrows eased. Where fathers and mothers are respected and loved. Where children are wanted. Where the simplest food is good enough for kings because it is earned. Where money is not so important as loving kindness. Where even the tea kettle sings from happiness. That is home —God bless it.”
Whether the houses we live in are built of brick or wood, they should be real old fashioned homes. The furniture may not be up-to-date, the pictures may not be well hung, but these are not the important things about a home. The home should turn out into the world Christian men and women who will become the citizens of our nation. We can see some bad effects of the improper home; or some results when some one did not have the advantage of a mother or father. Somewhere I ran across these lines, by Odetta Ruth Anderson:
“I had no teaching when I was a kid,
Was never corrected for bad things I did
And somehow I was always taught
That the shame of crime was just getting caught.
I wouldn’t be facing a convict’s fate
If my dad had gone honest and straight,
Nor would I be here today
l!f I’ had a mother who could pray.”
If only the parents could realize that they are re-sponsible for the children’s character!
What the Home Should Be
Many solutions to the problem of the broken home have been given. The Socialist who comes with his definite economic theory or political program and offers a solution. The Psychologist offers his cure. These are weighed and found wanting. We need no better book for home training and character building than the Bible. The great trouble in the world today regarding the home, is that the Bible has not been respected and used as the home text book. This Book teaches the father’s responsibilities and the mother’s duties. It speaks of training children: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he gets old he will not depart from it.” Do we question the truthfulness of that statement? Some may say that the rule failed at some time. No indeed! The failure was with the ones who may have tried to train, but if one departed, that one was not trained. Good fathers who stand four square for character and truth today are needed! Good old fashioned mothers who do not try to get their daughters to keep up with the times are the need of the hour!
You will pardon me for reading what others have said. I am reading these lines which describe far better than the way I might word it. Listen to this one who describes herself as!
“I AM A REPEAL FEMALE”
“Once I was an innocent, beautiful virtuous, religious, ambitious girl. I went to school and had lofty ideals of doing big things in life, i hoped some day to have a good husband and a happy home. I loved my church; I believed my Bible; I went to Sunday School; and was inspired to help the needy. I was much loved and admired by my friends.
“Then from some whom I thought to be my friends too, I caught the ‘repeal fever’. I bobbed my hair, rolled down my stockings, cut off my skirts, penciled my finger nails. I was made to believe that my happiness depended on being smart; that only popularity, pleasure and a sport life was ideal; and was told that everybody was doing it.
After hearing the cigarette advertisements over the radio, seeing them in the magazines and on the bill-boards, and watching my so-called friends indulging, I was influenced to smoke, and got a great kick out of sitting in public places, puffing smoke in others’ faces. Having lost my desire to go to church, or to be with church folk, I went with the crowds to the dance halls, road houses, beer gardens, and to the cocktail rooms. I soon became brazen enough to call for a drink at the bar. I learned to gamble, played the races, and had many late-hour dates.
Now I have had my fling—have been a modern girl, and have had my ‘personal liberty’. My virtue is gone, my religion is gone, my old time friends are gone, my beauty is gone. Here I am, an ugly, blear eyed, blotch faced, cigarette-smoking, half crazed drunken sot! I have repealed everything that was good, noble, refined, beautiful, moral and spiritual in my life. The few friends I have, are as miserable as I am. My body is diseased, my heart is broken, my noble ideals are crushed, my motherly instincts are dead, my good family name is disgraced, my character is ruined, my ambition is gone! My past is evil, my present is hell, and my future is dark! I am nothing now but a REPEAL FEMALE!”—Anon.
God pity that mother who thinks her daughter should be a society belle; and that by all means must be popular!
God in the Home
The home should first of all be dedicated to God. He is the Head of Christ, who is the Head of the Man who is the head of woman. Godless and Christless homes are a curse to society and the church. God’s Word should govern the home. The Bible should be read daily in the home. What a beautiful picture to see the father with his wife and the mother of his children gathered around the fireside reading the Bible, and then the blessings of God pronounced upon the home! I tell you that such homes stand as a bulwark against all the evls which beset our paths today!
Considering that the Word of God is taught and respected in the home, demands that law and order prevail. Some of us have been in some homes where confusion and chaos reigned. The children were noisy and unruly, and there was little concern upon the part of the parents. A well ordered home is peaceful, and orderly. The home is a business organization—the biggest of its kind in the world. This presupposes that there is perfect harmony between the mother and father. They are free to talk over the problems that confront them. They practice economy. They will live within their financial means. They will teach their children that debts are dangerous. The right kind of home is a place where the children are taught the privilege of work. lit is unfortunate for children to be reared in a lap of plenty, and fed with the silver spoon. Hard work develops character. Some of our great leaders—gospel preachers came from humble homes and were reared in poverty.
Yes indeed we need homes—not merely houses, but homes. The home that John the Baptist had, when it is said that “They were both (Zacharias and Elizabeth) righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless;” or the kind of home that Abraham had when it s said: “For I have known him to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”
Responsibilities
Of course we understand that there are definite responsibilities of the children towards the parents. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise). There are many ways of honoring the mother and father. The first and best way is to remember the word of God as it was taught by mother and father and live the best Christian life possible. Indeed this is honoring father and mother. Then they will honor them by treating them right and providing for them in old age. They will not look upon the father and mother in the sunset of life as being a burden, but a pleasure. I have known however some parents who were unworthy of being honored. That father who fails to set before his son or daughter a good example of a Christian life, certainly is unworthy of honor! That mother who spends her time at clubs and parties and hires a colored servant to rear her children is unworthy of being honored! God bless our homes and may they be Christian, is my humble prayer. I thank you for your attention given to this lecture.