The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-30

the difficulty of classification, and how many the
obstacles to the scientific treatment Of such
subject, and how is it when we come to the
interpretation Is there any one living
who can properly interpret the facts
OF h1storyf Man is a cause seeking animal. But
suppose the thing is too deep for our rlummet,
what then! Shall we guess and con lecture, and
give our guesses the laws by which the world
is governed} Men naturally ascribe as The causes
OF things those facts which they would like to be
the causes. Suppose you should 90 about seek
ing among books and men for the causes of
crime in social state, what answers would
you lear! The preacher would tell you that the
cause original sin; the doctor that it is dis
ease: the LAWYER that ii is bad legislation; the
teacher that it is ignorance the astronomer that
it is spots on the sun; the politician that it is
the lack Of civil-secvice; the busy man that
it is incidence; the vegetarian that it is the
use Of anmalfood These endless contradictions
are confusing. As fact, the Interpretation of
the phenomena of mems social life is exceedingly
difficult. 1t may be fairly stated that only early
historic laws are known. The first of these is
that tins nation and people who are vicious
luxurious and effeninate will speedily fall into
decay and die in the dust Of their own institu-
tons. The second is that the people who are
vigorous, virtuous ard free will in short time
take possession of the high places Of civilization
ana inherit the earth"
1.-THE MODEL WOMAN"
DR.. A. A Willis, pastor of the Warren Me-
mortal Presbyterian Church. of Louisville, spoke
in the evening on '.The Model Woman, treating
his subject with rare delicacy, beauty and feel
ing. He began with saying that the modesty of
womans nature and the unobtrusiveness of her
ordinary sphere of action cause US to overlook
the almost omnipotent power of her influence
over the character and destiny Of mankind.
Dba ~ "a
are frequently silent and unobserved 1t is hid
den moisture that refreshes the flower; it is the
secret spring that supplies the well; it is the
nutriment buried in the earth that feeds the
fbres of the vine and of the tree that rounds the
purple globes of the grape and develops the
noble branches of the oak. Yet mankind seem
to be impressed only with that which makes
noise and a fuss in the world The loud voiced
champion of the noisy assembly, the fiery lead
er OF the bloody conflict the Gashing king Of the
money changers, the orator the hero, the mill
lonaire-these challenge their attention and
cure their admiration, while too few stop
for a lnomeet to mark the precious worth Of the
far reaching and ever-blessed influence of good
wife, good mother and good woman. Yet what
does not mankind owe to the influence OF such
women The light of happy home has ever
been and will ever be not only the brightest radi-
ance that cheers the darkness OF mans earthly
condition, but the guiding star of his good des
tiny. and that sweet spirit who presides at the
altar of home, making it holy and a happy
place. has ever been and will ever be the rich
est earthly prize man can find and win.
Entertaining these convictions as to good
woman's worth to society think [ could not do
a better thing in these noisy days, when public
men and public matters are Obtrusive and eX
acting, than to call your minds away for quiet
hour to the contemplation OF a picture of d do
nestle life-to hold up, for the admiration of one
part of my audience and the imitation of the
other, portraiture OF model wife and mother
[ think it very significant fact that the most
beautiful, poetic and finished portraiture of
character found in the sacred writings is the
portraiture of a model wife and mother. In the
original Hebrew it is in the form of beauti-
full poem consisting Of twenty-five verses,
being the exact number of letters in the Hebrew
alphabet. Each verse begins with a different
the entire alphabet, and thus forming an alpha
betical manual of womanly graces and
influences.
The Doctor then gave the 3lst chapter of
verbs as translated by the hest Hebrew scholars
Of our day, explaining that it was with all the
true significance of the original. though not with
all the poetic beauty of the original Hebrew verse.
lie gave a beautiful comment, as he read. upon
the magnificent description of the model wife of
the oden time He then continued Now,
has labored for centuries to embody
in the spotless marble, on the glowing canvas
and in the fiowery pages of poetry, all that is
noble beautiful, and graceful in woman We
think we may challenge the whole world to bring
forth from any or all the mausoleums of human
art picture of woman's worth to be compared
with this de!iniaton of a good wife and mother
which l have here read you from the imperisha-
BILE pages of Gods word
And yet Colonel Ingersoll tells us that there is
no allusion to woman in the Bible wills is not
humiliating and degrading to her nature
which shows what a profound bibl-
cal scholar Colonel Ingersou is--not l
cannot show the merits of this portraiture with
out admitting something like an analysis Of it's
principal features
Here the Doctor took up, first, her industry
second, her neatness and taste; third, her execu-
tive ability; fourth, her sympathy and charity
-''she openeth her hands to the poor"--and
fifth, her management of tongue and temper
ness of oratory and fertility of Illustration that
ton and most unqualified approval The Doctor
has a rich fund of humor. so marked subtle.
acute and effective that he may we'll be called
the Oliver Wendell Holmes Of the pulpit
This forenoon he will lecture on How to Be
Happy" and he undoubtedly has the prescrip-
ton In the evening D. S, Jordan, president of
the State University, will lecture on the Ascent
of the Matterhorn."
The park is by far in better condition than
ever before for the accommodation of visitors,
the Hotel Dinner being great addition to
former conveniences, and as admirably
Quoted as a first-cass city hotel Central Glee
Club, Of Indianapolis will be one of the features
on Friday.
CITY IN BRIEF.
The Vigo Building Loan Fund and Savings
Association, No 2 of Terre Haute with capi