The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-09-16

that she should hinder his Christian use
fnlness. If he has generous impulses
and would contribute literally, let hel
not restrain him. I have known some
women who would hold the purse.strine
so tight, when calls by the Church were
made, that the puny givings of a whole
year would not be as much as the cost Of
one bonnet. and yet they call themselves
Christians and pray "Thy kingdom
come" And I have seen the same thing
in Christian men, influenced by woman
they are content to give less to the
cause of Christ than they spend for to-
bacco.
But what shall we say of the Christian
mothers influence? Are not her boys
and her girls to be saved? and is it not
the aim and object of the Chusch, under
Gods blessing, to save them? And who
can do more to bring this to pass than
the mother? How many boy in his
downward course of sin and folly has
by some little thing had recalled to him
amother's pleadings and prayers, causing
him to stop and reflect, and finally to
break away from his evil ways and COM
panions, and reform and become a
Christian. These seeds of II 9TH, sown
by a loving mothers hand, may lie dor.
mant for years in her boys heart, and
then be quickened, and spriDging up
grown and bear fruit to the salvation of
that soul and to the glory of God. Es-
pecially are such influences powerful for
good when death has robbed the wsy-
ward boy of his mother. Tis then that
memories Of her love and her piety and
her anxiety for his salvation steal silent
.ly into his heart, coming fresh and bright
as it were from the courts of Heaven it.
self, and they lead his aspirations 20
higher and better aims. And then this
home influence of the Christian mother
can be seconded by the daughter and
sister if she be a Christian. Let her, by
the exercise of those gentle Christian
graces, make the atmosphere of home
peaceful and happy, giving charm to
the home circle that will attract and hold
at home the brother who, otherwise, may
seek other haunts and associations, the
influences of which may be to evil.
This home Christian influence of wife,
mother, daughter and sister may be
called woman's indirect influence in the
Church; but there is direct influence
and an actual work for woman in the
Church.
We do not believe that it is her. duty
to enter the ministry and preach the
Gospel publicly; but tho they may not
become Pauls, they may be Decreases
and Priscillas. They can visit the sick,
look afier the needs of the poor. They
can organize and carry on sewing socie-
ties and other enterprises, and by these
means raise money for missions, for put
ting comforts, such as stoves, carpets,
&C., in the church building. We know
of q sewing society of this kind that
raises in various ways more than hum
dred dollars each year. They now have
in their treasury over five hundred dol:
lars, which they are holding to assist in
building parsonage.
We pity the Church that has no wo-
man in it, for we fear it would be a dead
Church, SO fur as activity and usefulness
go. What would become of the Prayer
Meeting and of the Sunday School2 and
how little of sympathy and encourage
ment would the pastor receive in his
arduous and difficult duties. The Sun
day School, especially, is woman's place
to work. The attendance and interest
of scholars cannot be forced-their hearts
must be won, and this can better be done
by gentle, Christian woman than by
any other. Then they are, as rule,
more faithful as teachers-not so hard to
manage as male teachers: provided, al
yays, that they are sincere Christians.
None other, in our opinion, ought to be
teachers in the Sunday School, for the
blind cannot lead the blind.
We know that the home duties of the
Christian mother leave little time for
active work in the Church. IT'S upon
the unmarried ones and those who have
no children that the burden of it will
fall, and in almost every Church will be
found noble band of workers of this
class. But all can do something if they
will only try; and try they will if the
love of Christ is filling their hearts. We
would not underestimate these home
duties-the careful housewife and watch
full, untiriug mother are to be honored
and commended-but there is an undue
care and anxiety about these things
sometimes that will check spiritual
growth and influence. Like Martha,
they may be careful and troubled about
many things, aud find no time to sit at
the feet of Jesus, as Mary did, and learn
of Him.
In concluding this essay, shall we not
bless God for woman's Christian inhu-
ence in our homes and in our Churches
and pray that the day may never come
when their zeal in Gods cause and their
simple faith in His word shall be swept
away by the in6delity and unbelief that
sometimes seem to threaten the very
foundations Of our blessed religion.
San ungodly woman is a moral mon
strosity."