School Homes
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and sorrows as well as in their daily routine of work. Cheerful, loving
obedience will generally be the fruit of such effort.
Domestic Duties
The education which the young men and women who attend our
colleges should receive in the home life is deserving of special atten-
tion. It is of great importance in the work of character building that
students who attend our colleges be taught to take up the work that
is appointed them, throwing off all inclination to sloth. They need to
become familiar with the duties of daily life. They should be taught
to do their domestic duties thoroughly and well, with as little noise
and confusion as possible. Everything should be done decently and in
order. The kitchen and all other parts of the building should be kept
sweet and clean. Books should be laid aside till their proper season,
and no more study should be taken than can be attended to without
neglecting the household duties. The study of books is not to engross
the mind to the neglect of home duties upon which the comfort of the
family depends.
In the performance of these duties careless, neglectful, disorderly
habits should be overcome; for unless corrected, these habits will
be carried into every phase of life, and the life will be spoiled for
usefulness, spoiled for true missionary work. Unless corrected with
perseverance and resolution they will overcome the student for time
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and for eternity. The young should be encouraged to form correct
habits in dress, that their appearance may be neat and attractive; they
should be taught to keep their garments clean and neatly mended. All
their habits should be such as to make them a help and a comfort to
others.
Special directions were given to the armies of the children of Israel
that in and around their tents everything should be clean and orderly
lest the angel of God should pass through their encampment and see
their uncleanness. Would the Lord be particular to notice these things?
He would; for the fact is stated, lest in viewing their uncleanness He
could not go forth with their armies to battle against their enemies. In
like manner all our actions are noticed by God. That God who was
so particular that the children of Israel should grow up with habits of
cleanliness will not sanction any impurity in the home today.