KCSL Adoption Booklet

Child Culture
by Rev. George L. Hosford, Founder of
Christian Service League, 1915
THE GREATEST TRUST ever committed to any people is the
child-life of the nation. In whatever degree we hold the children
precious, in that degree, only, will the nation prosper permanently
and grow in strength. When the children are neglected,
the nation will grow weak and puny.
Our hope is in our children, and our children’s children. They
are more precious than all other possessions. They are the
nation’s greatest asset. If we found our hopes upon the
preservation and development of our natural resources, we will
some day be disappointed. If we put our trust in stocks and
bonds and bank deposits, we may grow extremely wealthy, but
with all we will grow corrupt. Luxury, avarice and lust will be a
canker to the soul. Pampered, petted and intoxicated with the
wine of pleasure, our children will lack the sinew, the nerve and
the spirit which makes strong men and women.
Let the virtue, honesty, sobriety, and beauty of life be first,
and prosperity will follow. Let us bestow the best we have upon
our children and teach them, that they owe everything of good
which they have received and inherited, and as much more as
they can possibly acquire, to succeeding generations. No man
or woman ever occupied a higher or more sacred mission, or
held a holier office than that of parent. Before we can have
child-culture, we must have parent-culture.
THE GREATEST NEED OF SOCIETY IS THAT CULTURE WHICH
WILL FULLY QUALIFY MEN AND WOMEN FOR PARENT-
HOOD.
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