Page 106 - Moms For America

Kids 5: Activity Day Resources Read and discuss “Reflecting the Light of Virtue” with the children. Reflecting the Light of Virtue One night, long before street lighting was heard of, as Benjamin Franklin sat cooling himself by an open window, he heard a man stumble and fall on the uneven cobblestones in front of his door. The man obviously hurt himself judging by the words he growled while picking himself back up. Franklin made note of what had happened and said to himself, “It is evident that I am, in a sense, the cause of this man’s fall. Had there been a light in my window it would have shone on the street and so prevented his misfortune.” The next morning he hurried to the lantern maker’s shop. The shopkeeper asked if he was looking for a small lantern to light his way as he walked in the night. “Oh, no,” was Franklin’s reply. “My friend, I want a huge lantern with wide light spaces on four sides and I want a good strong rack to hang it from.” Mr. Franklin then pointed to the largest lanterns in the shop. The keeper laughed. “There’s not a room big enough in all Philadelphia for that lantern.” Franklin replied, “It’s not too big for the out-of-doors. Please prepare the rack and hang it over my front door before nightfall. Make sure it carries out well onto the street, but high above every passing head. I shall personally tend to lighting it each evening.” The keeper was puzzled but agreed to do just as he was told. Soon, people came from far and near to see the light Franklin had swung out in front of his own door. “What an idea,” said one. “I shall do the same,” said another. “Why stumble over these cobbles when a little light over each man’s door makes the dark way plain?” “Why didn’t someone think of this before?” “Trust Old Ben to think up a scheme like this to get the citizens of this town busy on street lighting. Any other person would have talked and argued, but Old Ben—well—he just went ahead and hung up a light.”* As confusion and contention increases in our nation and world, Moms for America® offers a simple solution: Don’t underestimate the power and influence that one home reflecting the light of virtue can have on an increasingly darkening world. *Adapted from Wings of Flame by Joseph B. Egan, 1929. 6 Cottage Kids ✯ Moms for America