The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-04-14
DIR. TALMAGE'S SERMON.
MOTHERHOOD.

coat, and brought it to him from year to
wear, when she came up with her husband 10
offer the yearly sacrifice. VI Samuel H.. 19
''The stories of Deborah and Abigail are
very apt to discourage womans soul" ne
said. ''Hannah was the wife OF Elkanah,
who was person very mach like herself
unromantic and plain, never having fought
battle or been the subject of marvellous cs-
cape. Neither Of them would have been
called genius Just what you and might
be- that was Elkanah and Hannah
1.-THE brightest tina in all the history OF
that family was the birth Of Samuel. Al
though no star ran along the heavens pointing
down to his birthplace, think the angels OF
God stopped at the coming of so wonderful a
prophet. -
PRAYER. Elkanah and all his family, save
Hannah. started up to Shiloh to offer sacrl-
fees of thanksgiving. The cradle whore the
child slept was altar enough for Hannah'S
grateful heart, but when the boy was old
She took him to Shiloh and took ohree bullockS
and an ephah of flour and bottle OF wine and
made offering of sacrifice unto the LORD, anu
there, according to previous VOW, she LETT
him: for there he was to stay all the days or
his life and minister in the temple.
''Yeals rolled on, and every year hannah
made with her own hand garment Tor
would have got along we'll without that gar
ment for suppose be was well clad by the
ministry of the temple; but Hannah could
not be Contented unless she was all the time
doing something for her darling boy. More
over his mother made him little coat and
brought it to him from year to year, when
she came up with her husband to otter the
yearly sacrifice
Hannah stands before you, then, in the
first place, as an industrial mother. ihere
was no need for her to work. Elkanah, her
husband. was far from poor. He belonged
to O distinguished family; for the Bible tells
US that he was tho son Of Jeroboam, the son
of Elihu, the son of John, the son of ,Zuph.
"Who were theyM you say. I do not know;
but they were distinguished people, no dous1,
or their names would not have been men.
toned. Hannah might have seated herself
with her family, and, with folded arms ana
dishevelled hair, read novels from year 10
year. if there had been any to read; but when
see her making that garment, and taSlns IL
over to Samuel, know she is industrious from
principle as we'll as from pleasure. God would
not have mother become drudge, or
lave; he would have her employ all the helps
possible in this day in the rearing or ner
children But Hannah ought never to be
ashamed to be found making q coat TOT
Samuel >.
stMost mothers neei no counsel in this di-
rection. The wrinkles on their brow, the
pallor ON their cheek, the thlmble-marx on
their finger at est that they, are faithtul ID
their maternal duties. The bloom ana the
brightness and the vivacity Of girlhood have
given place for the grandec dignity and use.
fulness and industry of motherhood. put
there is a heathenish idea getting abroad IN
some of tho families of Americans; there
are mothers who Danish themselves from the
home circle. For three-fourths Of their ma
ternal duties they prove themselves lncon-
D tent They a"e ignorant OF what their chll,
dren wear, and what their children eat ana
WHIST their children read They lntrust 10
irresposible persons these young lnlmortaiS,
and allow them to he under influences which
NAV crirp'e their bodies, or tant their
purity. or spoil their manners, or destroy
their souls.
WHO arc the industrious men in all our
OCCUPATIONS and professions! Who are they
MANAGING the merchandise of the world,
building the walls, timing the roofs, weaving
the carpets, making the laws, governing the
nations, making the earth to quake ana heave
and roar aud rattle with the tread of gigantic
enterprisese Who are theyF For the moS1
part they descended from industrious moth
ers who in the old homestead, used to spin
their own yarn, and weave their own carpets,
and plat their own door-mats, and flag their
own chairs and do their own work. The
stalwart men and the influential women or
this day, ninety-nine out of hundred or
them, came from such an iliustrious ancestry
Of hard knucHles and homespun.
''And who are these people in society, hght
as froth blown every whittier OF temp,ation
and fashion; the peddlers of filthy, stories,
the dancing-iacks of political parties, the
scum of society. the tayern-lounging, the
store inresting, the men o. low wink ana
filthy chuckle and brass breastpins and rotten
associatons2 For the most part they come
from mothers idle and disgusting, the scandal
mongers of society, going from house tc
house, attending to evcryb ody's business but
their own, believing in witches and ghosts
aud horse hoes to keep the devil out or tne
churn, and by goddess life setting their
children on the very verge OF nell: Inc
mothers Of Samuel johnson and OF Alfred the
Great and of Isaac Newton and Of st.
Augustine and of Richard Cecil and OF Presi-
dent Edwards, for the most part, were In
dustrious, hard-working mothers.
s'Again, Hannah stands before you as an
intelligent mother, From the way in which
she talked in this chapter, and from the way
she managed this boy, you know Sue was IN
telli:en There are no persons IN commu-
nity who need to be so wise and well ln-
formed as mothers.
stOh, how much care and Intelligence are
necessary in the rearing Of children! But in
this dav. when there are so many books on
the subject, no Parent is e1cusable in being
ignorant of the lest mode of bringing up.
child. If parents knew mora OF dietetlcs
there would not be so many dyspeptic stom-
aches and weak nerves and incompetent ilv-
ers among children. If parents knew more
of physiology there would not be so many
curved spines, and cralnped chests, and In
famed throats, and diseased lungs, as there
are among children. If parents knew
more of art and were in sympathy with al
that is beautiful there would not be SO many
children coming out in the world with DOOR.
ish proclvities. If parents knew more OF
Christ aud practiced more OF MS rengion
there would not be so many little feet already
starting ON the wrong road, and all around
us voices Of riot and blaSphemy would not
come up with such ccStacy of Internal TIL
umph
Christian mother. From her prayers and
from the way she consecrated her boy TO God
know she was good. A mother may nave
the finest culture, the most brilliant sur
roundings. but she is not tit Tor her duties
unless SHE be Christian mother. There may
he well.read Libraries in the hou>e. and e1-
ouisite music in the parlor, and the canvas
of the best artists adorning the walls, and the
wardrobe be crowded with tasteful apparel,
and the children be wonderful for their
attainments and make the house ring with
laughter and inaocent mirth, but thcre is
something woefpl looking in that house if
it be not also the residence OF Christian
mother.
"One hundred and twenty cIergyrnen were
teether, and they were telling their expert
erce and their ancestry; and OF the 10 clergy
men, how many of them do you suppose as
stoned ns the means Of their conversion the