Gratitude

Gratitude

BY A MISSIONARY SON

TTlie following letter from a missionary in Europe was handed to the Improvement Era by a friend of his parents. We recommend that the letter be read by all, and more particularly by young men and young women. Children will do well to express their appreciation while their parents are still alive, and not wait to laud -their virtues after they have gone. Honor to parents is not only one of God's first laws, but the hrst law with a promise. Editors.]

Dear Father and Mother: I recall with great pleasure that the 8th of next month will be your wedding anniversary, and that then you will have trodden life's pathway together for thirty- three years. Your lives have undoubtedly become so completely interwoven, as the result of living together for so many years, that they now seem as one. You have become so used to living for each other, and both for your children, that you have rarely had time to think of yourselves, of your personal needs and de- sires. During your wedded life you have fulfilled God's most im- portant commandment by bringing eight intelligent souls to this world. Every one of these children is blessed with a sound mind and body, a condition which is not the result of chance. I, of course, credit these valuable gifts to the mercy of God, but they are only possible because of your high regard and love for each other. My whole being is filled with profoundest love, gratitude and respect for you who have so nobly lived. Many parents consider that they have done their whole duty toward their children by feeding and clothing them, and by giving them a place of shelter until they are old enough to take care of themselves. But this was never true of you. You have always considered the happiness and well-being of your children above everything else. In your wisdom you have sometimes done things

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which were beyond our understanding as children and which we were possibrj opposed to, bul later on, if not openly, we have silently thanked you for every step you have taken. It has always been your aim to make home attractive, and not merely a place where we could eat, sleep and fight. Yon have reasoned with us and shown ns the better way with the hope in your hearts that we might act correctly for ourselves. Home is really the clearest place on earth to me, and yon have made it so. Your best efforts and means have been ex- pended to make home a place of enjoyment, culture and love. Why is it that so many neighbors' children come to our home to play croquette, to play the piano or organ, or to listen to the phonograph? Simply because you have made our home a para- dise on earth. It is not because you are rich that we have such a home. No you have made home what it is at the cost of great ;

sacrifices, through long, hard hours and years of toil. This was your life, your joy, your all. But this was not enough. You considered it your duty to see that your children were better fitted for the battles of life than were you. That which has been good enough for you has not been good enough for your children. You have bent all of your energies to plant within the hearts of every one of us faith and trust in the Lord, which to you must be the corner stone, the foundation, of all our training, study and education. You have made it possible for us to attend good schools, although you have needed our help so badly at home, and although you have seldom known where the means would come from. But you have acted with your trust in God, knowing that the wish of your souls would be granted. Doubtless you have often looked back and marveled how it was all accomplished. We in our thoughtless- ness have often held the idea that when we needed money all we had to do was to go to father. Now I begin to see the struggle that h'fe has been for you, but I suppose that I can never fully realize what you have done for us, without having the same ex- perience. I speak of these things as if they were incidents of the past,

but I do not mean them as such. Those noble desires of your dear hearts, those sacrifices and hours of toil are real today they ;

exist now. You are still struggling and fighting for your chil- dren. Your chief desire still is that they may become well fitted for life and its responsibilities and, above all, that they may be ;

God-fearing men and women. It is with pain that I often think of the struggle I am causing you, right today. In addition to taking care of those now at home and at school, you are under the necessity of supplying me with money. But still you have never murmured nor complained. I cannot tell you of the feeling which fills me when I think

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of what you are doing and have done. It is with fear and trem- bling that I look upon the future, for it is so easy to mar the work you have so gloriously begun. It is my deepest desire that we all live lives that will bring joy and happiness to you. Far be it from us to cause you unhappiness or sorrow. God stay us by. May our heavenly Father lengthen your years, and may he crown your days with joy and happiness. May your harvest be rich and golden, and may you live to see your aims and ideals realized. Your Grateful Son.