Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-09-14
A SERMON.

Nm. Jameson Frorosf."
A SERMON.
And Rachel said unto Jacob, give me
children or else | die, and Jacobs an.
ger was kindled against Rachel,
GENESIS XXX Part of the lst and I'd
verses.
From these words my oretheren, shall
beg leave to make Eek 05serya ions.
which NAV tehd to unfoids Inc es ideas
|uf the female character.
Tbe frstremark that occurs. is the nm
easonabIeness and folly OF Rachel's re-
|quest to her husband. She asks Tor chill
irea as the condition of her lifcs Civ.
| me. chiIdren or die" An weak andi,
|eonsiderate woman Little didst thon
|Stnw the dreadful connexon thatwas o.
taejisl ed in the book of fate, between tbv
death and the birth of chl.!ten, but Hpa
ven often curses human f " by answer
ing its payers. Rachels desire for an in.
lc ease Of her family is grated, but alas, I
Rachel knows only short lived ioy from
hi, event. She died in hid bed with
her ,ecand son. Her Ieyely buy d OILS
rom her breast. His milling infancy
and prattlins childhood aF5rd her 70
l5leasure, for RacheI's remains have de.
Iscende1 into tie grave, and mixed with
the ciods Of the valley.
A secoEd remark that is suggested BY
the words OF my teyt, is, that upon Ger.
tain occasions, anger is necessary pas
sim, and that it may be exercised with
peculiar pop.iety by hu binds, when the
folly OF their wives require it. Jacob
was man Of uncommon dignity of cha.
racter.-He was wise, prudent and reli.
sious-and yet Jacob was angry. Heua
a fond and indulgent husbar,l, and vel
ne was aagryathis wife-Fo !we read hat
the anger of Jacob was kinlled against
Rachel. But let as examine little fur
ther, and enquire in what manner Jacob
discovers and gives vent to his anger
Does he stamp upon the floor, and call
his wife b. any improper names '-Nc.
Does he drag her across the floor by the
hair Of her head, or throw her behind the
fire s--No. Does he pinch her, or kick
her, or beat her with his fist mo, FIR
Jacob was brave man and never dis
graced his character as soldier by strik-
inga woman. He rebukes his wife, and
easoning with her" Am | (says he)
in Cons stead. who hath withheld from
thee the fruit of thy womb ?"
Learn hence, ye husbands, from the ex-
ample of Jacob, to treat your wives as
reasonable creatures. Ia this way only,
you will not only reform them, but Sc.
cure their perpetual esteem and affection
for YOU.
We have beheld the end of Rachel, the
wife Of jacob: but unhappily for mankind
her posterity did not die with her.. There
are Rache's still alive in every part Of
the world. While one cries out give
me chl!ren or else die--thcfe are
hundreds of her defendants who CRY out,
rive me no more children or elseI de-
Nor is this all, how many wives do We
lind, who urge their request to their hus-
bands, with the same powerful, and as
hey suppose distressing arguments p
Give me says one, new house, or else
| die give says the second, another
ncuse wench, or else ] die; give me says
, third, weekly rout, or else | tlie =
rive me says the fourth, trip to the
Virginia Springs, Or else l die; give me
ss y the fifth, winter in New York, or
OF csc die; give me says
a sixth, "a service of plate, or else | die;
give me says seventh, set of china, or
else | die I; give me says an eighth, new
silk gown, or else | die give me says
l forbear the day woutd fail
ne should | attempt to enumerate all the
instances of female folly + extravaganza,
which are displayed in conjugal and do
mestic lite.
shall conclude with one remark which
hope will be profitable to the ladies',
who compose part of my audience ana
that is, that thi, kind OF petulance never
fails to cool the affections of husblndS-'
OF this we have a ST. king proof IN the
conduct of Jacob we cad that his VIE
died on her journey with him to Ephrath;
But we read of no saarEs of respect pala
to her memory, by splendid or even a
decent funeral We do not iind that 'a-
sob secludes himself, even tor single
lay from his ordinary pursuits, in order
to mourn over her. We only read thar
he placed Pillar ofstone over her grave
and hence probably may be de.hsd l"e
origin CT tomb stones.