The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-09-09
1ellameuIs.
REV. I. Dewitt TALMAGE.
MOTHERS 1.-THE DEAREST NAME
IN ALL THE WORLD.
Rocking the Fate Of Nations, Rocking the GlOr-
les Of HeaVen-ItS Dignity, Crosses, Respon'
sibilltles and Its Rewards
.rr1rcr-ornE cHRIsrrAN MoTnER.n

Text Sam. 5.19: Moreover, his
mother made him a little coat anu bro'C
it TO him from year to year, WREN she
came with her husband to offer the
yearly sacrifice"
The story Of Deborah and Abigail is
very apt to discourage wcman's soul.
She mentally Gays: 1T is impossible that
I ever achieve any such grandeur Of
character, and l don't mean to try" as
though child should refuse to play the
eight notes, because he can not execute
"Williem Tell" This Hannah of my
text differs from the persons | just now
named. She was an ordinary woman,
with ordinary intellectual capacity, pla'
Ced in ordinary circumstances, and yet,
by extraordinary piety, standing out be-
fore all the ages to come, the model,
Christian mother. Hannah was the
wife of Elkanah, who was person very
much like herself, unromantic and plain,
never having fought battle or been tie
subject Of marvellous escape, Neither
of them would have been called geni-
us. Just what you and I might be, that
was Elkanah and Hannah. The bright
eat time in all the history of that family
was the birth of Samuel. Although no
star alopg the heavens pointed down to
his birthplace, l think the angels OF
God stopped down at the coming Of so
wonderful a prophet. AS Samuel had
been given in answer to prayer, Elkanah
and all his family, save Hannah, started
up to Shiloh to offer sacrifices of thanks
giving. The cradle where the child slept
was altar enough for Hannah's grateful
heart; buS when the boy was old enough
she took him to Shiloh, and took three
bullocks, an ephah of flour and bottle
of wine, and made Offering Of sacrifice
unto the Lord, and there, according to a
previous vow, she left him; for there he
was 10 stay all the day CT his life and
minister in the temple. Years rolled on,
and every year Hannah made with her
own hand, garment for Samuel and
took it over to him. The lad would got
along very well without the garment
for l suppose he was we'll clad by the
ministry of the temple; but Hannah
could not be contended unless she was
always doing something for her darling
boy. Moreover his mother made him a
little coat and brought it to him from
year to year, when she came up with her
husband to offer the yearly sacrifice"
Hannah stands before you, then, in
the first place, as an industrious mother.
There was no need for her to work EI.
kanah, her husband, was far from poor.
He belonged to distinguished family;
for the Bible tells US he was the son of
Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of
John, the son of Zuph. who were
they?' you say, | do not know; but
they were distinguished people, no
doubt, or their names never would have
been mentioned. Hannah might have
seated herself with her family, and with
folded arms and disheveled hair, read
novels from year to year, if there had
been any to read; but when l see her
making that garment, and taking it over
to Samuel, l know she is industrious
from principle as well as from pleasure.
God would not have a mother become
drudge oa a slave. He would have her
employ all the helps possible in this day
in the rearing of her children. But
Hannah ought never to be ashamed to
be found making a coat for Samuel.
Most mothers need no counsel in this
direction. The wrinkles on their brow,
the pallor on their cheek, the thimbe
mark on their finger, attest their faith.
fulness in their maternal relations. The
bloom, and brightness, and vivacity of
girlhood have given place to the grander
dignity, and usefulness, and industry of
motherhood. But there is a heathen.
ish idea prevalent in some American
families; there are mothers who Danish
themselves from the home circle. For
three. .fourths of their maternal duties
they prove themselves incompetent.
They are ignorant Of what their child
rem wear, what they eat and what they
read. They trust to irresponsible per-
Sons these young immortals, and allow
them to be under Influences which may
cripple their bodies, or taint their purity
or spoil their manners, or destroy their
souls. From the awkward cut of Samu.
els coat, you know his mother, Hannah,
did not make it. Out from under fam
ing chandeliers, and off from imported
carpets, and down the granite stairs, has
there come great crowd of children in
this day, unframed, saucy, incompetent
for all practical duties of life, ready to
to be caught in the first whirl Of crime
and sensuality. Indolent and unfaith.
ful mothers will make indolent and un,
faithful children. You can not expect
neatness and order in any house where
the daughters see nothing but slatterness
and upsidedownativenes in their par.
ents. Let Hannah be idle and most
certainly Samuel will grow up to be idle.
Who are the industrious men in all our
occupations and professionsP Who are
they managing the business of the world,
and carrying forward every enterprise
with energy and success? Who are
theyP For the most part they descended
from industrious mothers, who in the
old homestead, would spin their own
yarn, an@ weave their own carpets, and
plait their own door mats and flag their
II. 4