South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1881-11-18
A Sermon on Housekeeping.
The Care. and Trial. Of Women.
BY REV. t. DEWITT rALxAGs.

not care that my sister hath lie Il me 20
serve slone2 Bid her, there fore, tina,
she help me-"
You ask why more sermons are
preached to men than 10 women. I
reply, II Is because women are better
than men. / do not say this in COM
piiment or in spirit of gallantry-
Tor when women are bad, they are
dreadful-but as a fact which cannot
be controverted. They have fewer
temptations to out-breaking sin; are
naturally more reverential and low
ing; 1t is easier for them to become
Christians; they are in the majority
In the church on earth; and | suppose
that If you should count the women
and children of Heaven you would
have counted three. fourths of its po-
pulation. 1t Is because men are more
In need of being preached to that
have given them the majority of
sermons. But see yonder beauti-
ful village homestead The man of
the house Is dead, ard his widow is
taking charge of the premises. Come,
let me introduce you. This is the
widow Martha, of Bethany. Yes,
will introduce you also to the pet of
the household. This is Mary, the
youngest sister, with book under her
arm, and her face having no appear.
ancc OF anxiety or perturbation, Com.
pany has come. Christ stands outside
the door, and of course there is a
good deal of excitement inside the
door. The disarranged furniture is
hastily put aside, and the hair is
brushed back, and the dresses are adj
jnsted as well a., in SO short time.
Mary and Martha can attend to these
matters. They did not keep Christ
standing at the door until they were
newly appareled or until they hal Ella.
borately arranged their tresses, then
coming out with their affected surprise
as though they had not heard the two
or three previous knockings, saving
Thy, Is that you?' No. They were
ladies, and were always presentable.
although they may not have always
had on their best if we did, our best
would not be worth having on, They
throw open the door and greet Christ.
They say Good morning, Master :;
come IN and be seated Christ did
not come alone: He had group of
friends with Him, and such an influx
oil city visitors would throw any coun-
try home into perturbation. | sup
pose also the walk from the city had
been good appetizer. The kitchen
department that day was very i'm
portant department, and suppose that
Martha had no sooner greeted the
guests than she fled to that ROOM
Mary had no anxiety about household
affairs. She had full confidence that
Martha could get up the best dinner
in Bethany. She seems to say Now
let Us have division of labor, Mar.
tha; you cook and III sit down and
be good SO you have often seen IL
great difference between two sisters.
There is Martha, Woodworking pain
stalking, a good manager, ever inven-
tive OF some new pastry, or discover
ing something in the art of cooking
and housekeeping. There is Mary.
also, fond of conversation, literary, so
engaged in deep questions OF ethics
she has no time TO attend to the ones,
tons of household welfare. 1t is
noon;
MARY is IN THE PARL0H WITH
CHRIST
Martha IS in the kitchen. II would
have been better if they had divided
the work, and then they could have
divided the opportunity of listening
to jesus; but Mary monopoIizes
Christ, while Martha swclters at the
fire. 1t was very important thing
that they should have good dinner
that day. Christ was hungry, and he
did not often have luxurious enter
tainment. Alas, me! If the duty
had devolved upon Mary, what re-
past that would have been But
something went wrong in the kit
chen. Perhaps the fire would not
burn, or the bread would not bake. or
Martha scalded her hand, or some
thing was burned black that only
ought to have been made brown
Martha lost her patience, aud forget.
ting the proprieties of the occasion
with be5weated brow, and perhaps
with pitcher in one hand and tongs
in the other, PUSHES out of the kitchen
into the presence Of Christ, saving
Lord. dost thou not care that my ala.
ter has left me 10 serve alone?' Christ
scolded not a word If it we're scold-
ing | should rather have his scoldino
than anybody else's blessing. There
was nothing acerd. lie knew Mar.
tina had almost worked herself to death
TO get him something to eat, and so he
throws a word of tenderness into his
information az he seems to say: NV
dear woman. do not worry; let the
dinner 90. Sit down ON tbia offo,,o,,