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Volume 3 (1858-1859) (592 pages)
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Page: of 592
228 HUTCHINGS’ CALIFORNIA MAGAZINE.
THE MORAL POWER OF THE FAMILY HEARTHSTONE.
BY R. P. CUTLER.
History informs us of no period, and
of no people, among whom the family
hearthstone has not had its place. There
is no savage or barbarous tribe that has
not its sub-divisions into smaller circles,
who find shelter in separate caves, or in
separate huts, wigwams or cabins. __
Where, on the face of the earth, is the
half-civilized, nomadic race — however
united and peaceful among themselves—
who yet have not separate tents to dwell
in, and who do not show the instinct for
family grouping? What feudal clan has
not had its minuter clanship? What
gipsy tribe that has not its separate grottoes, or under-ground huts ? What Hottentot race without its kraal, or village
of circular hives, covered with mats?
So, as we ascend in civilization, the family instinct —if I may so say—still is
strong: declaring itself in the separate
dwellings which crowd together in modern cities.
In the order of Providence, every man
stands at the head of a tribe, class, clan,
or family, which is peculiarly his own:
peculiarly under his control and protection, and peculiarly united to him by
consanguinity, affection and name.
Father, mother and children compose
a group that stands together in a near
and peculiar relationship—one ordained
of God, and ordained to be, in some
sense, separate and distincb from all
others. These little communities are
held together by ties such as do not admit of being extended abroad; such as
are too tender and intimate to be applied
to larger circles; such as are too sacred
for general use. Mankind are compelled
into family groups by the divine law of
instinct, and are held together by the
law of affection—no less divine. No project of socialism, agrarianism or communism has yet proved strong enough to
break down these laws and social barriers, No general community system, it
is to be presumed, can ever awaken such
interest or attain such popularity as to
dissolve those deep and mysterious sym~pathies which bind heart to heart in the
circle of home. Many beautiful theories
have been set up; many fanciful schemes
have been tried, upon the basis of the
community system, proposing a community of goods, a community of labor and
a community of social life; but, thus
far, there has been nothing better than
failure. All plans of reform, grounded
upon what is called the community system, or socialism, have, in all their practical results, proved to be simply Utopian,
or visionary. It has been found a difficult work, and I think it will be forever
found more and more an impossible
work, to re-construct human society upon
a new social basis. It needs no prophet
to tell us that all reforms which are attempted on the ruins of the family relation, as to its exclusiveness, sacredness
and intimacy, will not succeed, and can
not stand. Such reforms must work
against the grain of human nature, and
will require more than human force to
overcome the friction consequent. It
may safely be predicted that the family
relation, in all its present and essential
characteristics, will stand, as it has stood,
the test of time, of social change and successive revolutions. I do not say, nor do
I believe, that social reform is impossible,
or that it is not very much needed. All
I attempt to say is, that whatever of reformation in existing social evils takes
place, it must take place in such a manner, and be conducted by such methods