Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-08-30

Mary and Martha.


Br REY. L. ABBoTT
To them Christ came an unexpected, though
welcome visitor. Both loved him, both
greeted him Martha as after, when he Wis.
tied them in their rief going out | imagine
to welcome him Mary, more shy, waiting
in the house. to give him a quieter and tend
crer greeting. Martha was the mistress Of
the household. The first greeting over, the
almost Instant thought Of her heart was
What can | do for Jesus How can serve
him Her love quickened her already too
quick activities. 70 her sensitiyeness moth
ing seemed worthy to receive him. A thou
sand things flashed before her active mind
to be done, all seeming to be first. Distract
ed, she scarce knows where to begin. The
best room must be made ready. Water must
be brought for Christ's dusty face, and hands,
and feet Meat must be obtained. Bread
must be baked. Fruits and vegetables pluck
ek from the garden. A worthy supper must
be prepared. Nothing must be forgotten,
nothing overlooked. Worried that he had
come without warning, tried in her temper
lest she should not have the best things for
him, for whom to her eyes the best seemed
poor, she flies from room to room giving di-
rections To her impatient wishes the SER
wants haste seems laqgardness. She would
tain double her flying feet and busy hands.
In moment of perplexity she calls for Mary.
She receives no answer. Again Still silence
She goes in quest Of her, looking everywbith-
err finds her at last in the common sitting
room-Christ's needs forgotten, household
duties forgotten, the whole busy world forgot
ten, everything driven out OF mind by the
presence Of Christ himself; reclining on the
floor at his feet looking up with her large
dreamy eyes into her Masters face; drinking
IN the full afluence of his words careless,
in truth, unconscious Of all else but his pres
ence and his love. onder-stricken at her
sisters indifference, and to her thinking
sackness, vet hesitant in the presence of her
Lord. Martha holds backs the rebuke which
elsewise she would have administered, and
calls for his.
Lord, dost thou not care that my sister
hath left me to serve alone Bid her there
fore that she come and help me-.
And Mary wakes from her dream, and half
rises to her feet, reproying herself for her
neglect, and timidly awaiting Christ's reply /,
and wondrously, and but half understandingly
receiving his answer
" Martha, Martha, thou art careful aud
troubled about many things But Mary hath
chosen that good part which shall not be taken
from her"
There are many practical people to whom
still Martha seems to have been right and
Mary wrong Which only proves that the
modern Martha comprehends her meditative
sister no more than did her ancient prototype,
and that we no less than she need the lesson
Christ inculcated this, namely, that there is
a higher Christian experience than serving
Christ--receiving him To rest in Christ is
more than to serve him.
Love habitually manifests itself in those
two forms. We are quickened by gratitude
to study how we may repay loves indebted
ness. We rest uneasy under obligations,
seeking to make some recompense. Our love
demands some uttcrance, and strives to speak
by doing
But there is higher type of love than this
The wife is to a true husband immeasurably
more than her service Her silent heart is
far more than her busy hands \ glance of
love is more than a well-kept house. if one
must choose between them. Aud while love
in its lower forms labors to return and repay
in service, love in its highest, is content to
receive and remain forever in debt. Bank.
ruptcy is loves highest experience. To work
for love is easy. But love must be very rich
and full, and strong, to make one willing to
say, never can repay, and am content to
remain forever in debt. 1t is only in the
lower experiences that there are barterings
and bargainings Of service and obligation,
We hear at the present time a great deal
about the duty of serving Christ. We have
been redeemed by his blood We have been
bought with price. He has paid great
sum for our ransom. We are restless under
the obligation. We entertain a notion of do
ing something to square the accounts We
cannot pay in full, but we fancy we can COM
promise; pay something. And so we build
our churches, and organize our societies aud
establish our charitable institutions aud
gather our mission schools; and look with
contempt on the piety which is still, silent,
meditative, musing at the feet Of Jesus, con.
tent only TO receive from him.
| do not disesteem work. Nevertheless
work is not the hight of Christian experience
it is not the autumna fruit of love. The
love that simply receives Christ, that is alb
sorbed in Christ, that is content to take all
from him and pay nothing back, that sits at
his feet, and gazes lost in love up into his
wondrous face, that listens to his words, that
confesses to him the souls sins, that confdes
in him its inmost life, that rests and rejoices
in him, that finds its voice at last to say,