The Journals of Martha E. McMillan

As with any family—especially one in Victorian America—the activities that children take part in are largely dependent on what their parents allow and promote. The fact that these Sabbath activities were such an integral, routine part of Sunday for her children suggests that Martha cultivated her children’s “moral natures” through encouraging these activities. Based on her respect for Dr. Morton, it makes sense that she would have integrated his teaching on the topic, as well. On Sunday, 23 September, 1894, she records the following: “The subject of the text is the model home—or religion in the family. […] To act wisely in the home we must have parental government as government in the home. There must be a mingling of parental authority with parental love. We are not acting wisely if we leave our children to decide whether they go to church or not—or whether they ramble about on the street or not.” Stowe also promoted faithful church attendance: “As members of the community, we should go to church, and do all in our power to support the outward ordinances of religion. If a conscientious man makes up his mind that Sunday is a day for outward acts of worship and reverence, he should do his own part as an individual towards sustaining these observances” (327-328). It was rare that Martha skipped church, and when she had to for health or some other reason, she was greatly disappointed. On Christmas day of 1898, Martha writes, “I was at home to day. A matter of necessity I never like to be away from church- especially the last Sabbath of the year or the first Sabbath.” And yet, she writes that someone (Clara, perhaps) brought the text of the sermon home for her, which she duly notes in her journal, even though she was not there to hear the message. Stowe focuses on the heart of the law rather than the letter of the law in her recommendations on how the Sabbath should be spent. She argues that there should be flexibility 90