MOTHERS' CORNER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9430, 2 January 1909, Page 7

MOTHERS' CORNER.

♦ (Specially compiled for the "Star.") " Every home is a mint for coining character." The committee of th© Mothers' Union in Canterbury enters on the New Year with a feeling of thankfulness for the; progress of the Union during the year t that is past, and with a greet hope that the year 1909 may bring forth not only the "opening of new branches and an increase of membership, but a deeper earnestness in the working of every branch, and a stronger sense of the importance of a union which so closely touches the home-Jife, and therefore the real-life, of our Empire. During the past month the vice-presi-dent, Mrs Soott, has visited some of the branches in South Canterbury. Meetings were held at Fairlie and Silverstream, and a new branch waft established at Albury. The committee would remind all members and friends of the Union of the festival to be held on February . 10. Further particulars will be given in the Mothers' Corner of February. 6. THE THIRD OBJECT OF THE MOTHERS' UNION. "To organise in every place a band of mothers, who will unite in prayar and seek by their own examples to iea<l their families in purity and holiness tt life." * This, we know, is one ot the objects of the Mothers' Onion, .^ that great company oi women who meet together in their several places, aJI over the world, united ill trying to do all they can to make home-lite pure and happy, and to make mothers all that mothers should be. In countless towns to-day are branches of this Union, and we want to get mothers to do as we, and join it. We mean by this not only join in form, by obtaining a card, and going to the monthly meetings, or even attending the special services, but we mean join in spirit. We mean, think seriously on the meaning of what we have done, ponder the wise counsels on our card, firmly resolve to do all that in us lies to live up to it. This is what we need to do if the Mothers' Union is to be any help to us at all. It has often seemed to me, here in Christchuroh, at any rate, that the dignity and reputation of the members of our branch of the Union are not its strength, but ita weakness, because only the staid, sensible, experienced mothers belong to us, and those who lack steadiness and good-sense aud experience do not. xet, th-ose are they we must get hold of. Those are they who ought to be present at every meeting, to learn from every address, to derive help and instruction from every discussion. Those who find it so difficult, in the press and worry of household cares, to snatch a quiet moment would appreciate fully the quiet rest of these monthly meetings amongst people with the same difficulties, the same worries, the same hopes and fears as themselves, and yet with warm sympathy and longing to aid and comfort. Young mothers, on the threshold of their married life, confronted with so many bewildering puzzles, hardly realise the pleasure of association with women who have come through it all and have learnt its leßsons and won its distinctions, and are ready to show the way to do likewise. It must -be our endeavour to show these sisters of ours that our Union is not a mere name but a real aid, that their shortcomings are no obstacle to their becoming members, and that their example in joining will be invaluable in inducing others to do the same. Nothing is more absolutely certain than this : if all mothers belonged to the Union in spirit and in truth, upholding its objects and observing its rules, a complete revolution would take place the world over. Every home would be just what it ought to be, peace and good humour would reign, prosperity and well-being would follow ; and, furthermore, there would be the possibility that every child might come into the world endowed with full health and strength and fitted bodily and mentally to fifl ita place in life decently and honourably. The prayers of thousands of good women ar,e going ap to Heaven day by day, imploring that this end may be reached, and though we shall nover live to see a perfect state of life in this world, yet it is within the power of each of us to make this life better. It ia not difficult to gain on© more member for the Union, yet each additional member gained means a step towards fchiß end. It is surely worth while to join our prayers with theirs and ask that God will bless our Union, and put it into the hearts of all women to become members. All women who are sick, or sad, or dull, or overworked, or helpless, or poor, or ill- j treated should try earnestly to realise • the blessing of doing so, and the effort will not be in vain. But we do not only want these afflicted women; w© specially want merry, happy, pretty, clever, well-to-do, capable, leisured, cultivated, managing women, too, to inspire and cheer and delight us, to distract our minds from our own tiresome affairs, to teach us not to dwell on tediousness but to pluck up heart and be bright. Moreover, we must never f oreet one clans of women to whom our Union is, if possible, an even greater boon than to any of these. Strangers— those who come to tbe town not knowing a single face in the street, those wnb nave no one to speak to through the day, no on? to appeal to in any emergency, no on? who seems to care mncn whether the? c^tne or go. It is downright Christian charity to gain them as members, to prove that there are kind hearts beating everywhere and strong bards willing to help and support, and sweet voices to cheerfully greet, and noble examples to admire and follow wher- -.