The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-12-23

she is good wife, good housekeeper,
a good woman, good neighbor, is high
praise. And all this may have been
true of Salome. But all these combined
do not enob,e her so much as to call her,
''the mother of Zebedee's children the
mother of two such sons as James and
John. The anxiety, toll and suffering
incident to the proper rearing of chill
dren, are all forgotten in the almost un-
alloyed pleasure derived frem their re-
spectability and usefulness.
The character of this mother was re
markable for the combination of defects
and excellencies which it exhibited. l
propose to point out, by the help of
Bishop Hall, four of each. And, as to
her faults, observe
1. That this application to the Saviour,
though made by the mother, was prompt
ed by the sons, and made in their be-
half. This appears from the fact that
in the reply they are addressed, and not
the mother. The Saviour first addressed
her saying, "what wilt thou p But she
no sooner replies to this than He adds,
"Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able
&C." They say unto him, "we are able. y
The sons now speak for themselves, and
in way to make it obvious that the
mother only spoke as prompted by them.
One has said, 3their heart was in her
mouth" In this we discover the weak
ness of the mother, who too readily yields
to the wishes of her children-a weak
ness almost as common with fathers as
with mothers. The fear is often express
ed that if the child is not permitted to
think and judge for himself, especially
if any rigour is practised in restraining
from evil or furnishing for wrong doing,
that the child's spirits will be broken and
his manliness destroyed. Hence the
judgments of sons and daughters, not
half grown, are consulted and respected
in way that fans the fame of pride and
vanity, so that the boy or girl soon be
comes insuferable for their pride, self
conceit and arrogance.
2. The weakness of this mother fur.
ther appears in the readiness with which
she favors the ambitious aspirations of
her sons. No question is asked, no eau
tion given. The proposal is no sooner
made than accepted.
Now it is censurable in parents to seek
the preferment of their children. This
is sinful or otherwise according to cir
cumstances. The right or wrong of it
must be determined by the motive, the
means employed, the kind, the degree of
elevation sought.
In consenting so readily to make this
request for her sons. she betrays dispo-
sition to foster in them an inordinate de-
sire for preferment, and yet to shield
them from the odium of it, They were
not bold enough to ask this for them
selves. The mother encourages, helps
them. She seems to have reasoned
thus: If my request is granted all will
be we'll; and if refused, my sons will es-
cape censure, and the failure will only
be that of woman, and all the more
pardonable, as being only the error of
mother pleading for her sons.
3. But suppose, as many do, that she
was not ambitious, but only wished her
sons to be near the Saviours' person, it
cannot be denied that she was presump.
tuous. Both she and her sons knew that
seats on the right hand and on the left
of Prince we're the seats both of priv
ilege and honour. Our Saviour had said
that his twelve Apostles should sit upon
twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes
of Israel. This good, but too indulgent
mother desired that her two sons might
occupy the seats nearest to his person.
Suppose this desire was prompted chiefly
by regard to their safety and comfort,
still she obviously lacked the lowl y spirit
of him who said, "make me as one of
thy hired servants - and of him who
said, "Lord remember me when thou
comest into thy kingdom She certain
ly betrayed disposition to have her
sons preferred to the "father of the
faithful, and to "Mary the mother of
Jesus" Such disposition surely SAVIOR
ed of presumption. The humble, .lowly
child of God, desires nothing higher nor
better for himself and children than to
lead a holy life on earth, and thus at
tain, at last, to the lowest place in
Heaven.
4. The weakness of this good woman
further appears in the somewhat covert
manner in which she prefers her request.
"She came desiring a certain thing of
him There is hesitancy, and an appa-
rent attempt at concealment in her ad-
dress. She does not speak out with the
confidence of true humility and faith.
She seems conscious of something wrong
and hesitates until the Saviour, for the
l.