Elder ElRay L Christianson, Part Two: An Unknown Poet, and the Critical Importance of Homemade Bread

 For Part One, click here.

 

I like a man with an affinity for poetry.

Elder ElRay L. Christianson's talk, "Successful Parenthood - A Noteworthy Accomplishment", contains not one, but two poems. Here's the second one with a little intro:

 

 The Quote

"No nation can long endure 

unless the great majority of its families and its homes 

are made secure through faith in God—an active, living faith.

 

In The Scouter’s Minute [YMMIA, 1969] I found these lines:

 

“So long as there are homes to which men turn at close of day;

So long as there are homes where children are, where women stay—

If love and loyalty and faith be found across those sills—

A stricken nation can recover from its gravest ills.

“So long as there are homes where fires burn and there is bread 

[I think that means homemade bread];

So long as there are homes where lamps are lit and prayers are said;

Although a people falter through the dark—and nations grope,

With God Himself back of these little homes, we have sure hope.”"

 

First, absolutely there is homemade bread in these homes - that's an absolute necessity. A fireplace is very useful and decorative, but an oven works in a pinch.

Second of all, the home is super important. We all need homes. Preferably homes where we feel safe and where we can relax.Where we can be ourselves, and worship as we wish.

I didn't always have that, but I fought for it my whole life. Sometimes without even realizing it.

My family is currently in the process of moving to a new home... we're very excited. Making plans, dreaming, making arrangements...once we're there and unpacked, making some homemade bread is first on the bucket list to make it feel like home.

But Where Does the Poem Come From???

Clearly he didn't know the author. The only reference was to something called The Scouter's Minute, which I've never heard of myself. 

From what I can tell, it seems to refer back to the Scouting tradition of the Scoutmaster teaching a very short lesson to the Scouts - something moral they can learn from while they're around the campfire.

I couldn't find any book called The Scouter's Minute from 1969, or the unknown poet that made this poem...but it sure made me hungry for some bread! 

The Scoutmaster's Minute continues today - I found several YouTube videos continuing that same tradition, and I was glad to see it.