The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-20
THE LIFE OF WOMAN.
Talmage to the Women Of America,
"She that Liveth in Pleasure Is
Dead While She Liveth."
The Chief Aim of Life Ought to Be
Usefulness, Not Happiness.
True Happiness Continuous Effort
to Make Others Happy.
The Inevitable Disappointment OF the
Woman Who Seeks Only Worldly
Enjoyment as the Road
to Happiness.

Special Dispatch to The Appeal.
BROOKLYN, N. Y, Feb. l0.-Ths morn.
ing the Rev. I. Dewitt Talmage, d. d.,
preached the seventh OF his series Of "Ser-
mons TO the Women OF America, with I'm.
portant Hints TO Men," The opening
hymn begins:
Then LET our songs abound,
And every tear be dry;
We're marching through lmfnanuels ground
To fairer worlds on high
DIR. Talmage took for his text the follow
ing words: "She that liycth in pleasure is
dead while she livelh." lie said:
The editor Of Boston newspaper few
days ago wrote asking me the ,crse qucs-
tons: "What is the road 10 happiness?"
and "ought happiness TO be the chief aim
Of liie?" My answer was: "'rhe road TO
happiness is the continuous effort TO mako
others happy. The chief aim of life ought
to be usefulness, not happiness, but happi-
ness always follows usefulness" This
mornings text in a strong way sets forth
tho truth that woman who seeks in
worldly advantage her chief enjoyment
will come to disappointment and death.
'She that liycth in pleasure Is dead while
she liveth."
My friends, You all want 10 bc happy.
You have had great many recipes by
which II is proposed to give you satsiac-
ton solid satisfaction. At times you feel
thorough unrest. You know as well as
older people what Il is TO be- depressed.
As dark shadows sometimes fnll upon the
geography Of the school girl MS on the page
OF the spectacled philosopher. have seen
MS cloudy days in May as in November
There are no deeper signs brcathod by the
grandmother than by the granddaughter. !
correct the popular impression that people
are happier in childhood and youth than
they ever will be again. II We live Alright,
the older the happier. The happicst woman
that over knew was a Christian octogena.
rian; her hair white 40 white could be
the sunlight Of heaven late In the afternoon
gliding the peaks Of snow. ] have 10 say
TO great many Of the young people that
the most miserable time you are ever 10
have IL jus, now. As you advance In life,
as you come out into the world and have
your head and heart all full Of good,
honest practical Christian work, then you
will know what Il Is TO begin TO bo happy.
There arc those who would have us believe
that life Is chasing ihistle-down and gasp-
ing bubbles. We have not found Il no..
To many Of us Il has been discovering dia.
monds larger than the Kohinoor, and |
think that our Joy will continue TO increase
until nothing short Of the everlasting jubi.
lee Of heaven will be able TO express Il.
IIoniio Grcenough, at the close OF the
hardest life n man ever lives the life Of an
American artisi--wrotei IL don't want
TO leave this world until give some sign
that, born by the grace Of God In this
land, have found life IN bc very cheer.
| ful thing, and not the dark and bitter thing
with which my carly prospects were
clouded."
Albert Barnes, the good Christian, known
the world over, stood in his pulpit In Phila-
dolphia, at seventy or eighty years Of age,
and said:
"This world Is 10 very attractive 10 me,
I am very Bony shall have 70 leave H."
| know that Solomon said some very
dolorous things about this world, and three
times declared: VANITY Of yaniiics, all u
vanity" ! suppose Il was reference 10
those times in his cancer when his 200
wives almost pcstorcd the life out Of him.
But ! would rather turn 70 the description
he gave after his conversion, when lac says
In another place "lierways arc Of waysol
plcasantnc,S, and all her paths are peace. "
II Is reasonable 20 expect Il will he 10. The
longer the fruit hangs ON the tree, the
ripcr and more mellow Il ought 10 grow.
You plant one grnin Of corn and Il
will send up stock with two cans, each
having $50 grains, 10 that one grain planted
will produce 900 grains. And ought not
the implantation Of q grain Of Christian
principle In youthful soul develop into q
large crop Of gladncss on earth aud 10 q
harvest Of eternal Joy m hcayonH Hear
me, then, while | discourse upon some ol
the mistakes which young people make In
regard 10 happiness, and point out TO the
young women what ! consider 10 be the
source Of complete satisiaciion.
And. In the first place, advise you not
20 build your happiness upon mere social
position. Persons at your agc, looking oil
upon life, arc apt 10 think that II, by some
stroke Of what IL called good luck, you
could arrive In an elevated and aillueni
position, a little higher than that In which
God has called you 10 live, you would be
completely happy. Infinite mislakel The
palace floor Of Ahasucrus Is red With the
blood Of Nashti's broken heart. Their
have been no more scalding tears 'wcpl
than those which coun.cd the checks o
Josephine. II the sob 81 unhappy woman
hood In the great cities could break
through the tapcstricd wall. that sob would
come along yonr streets today like the NJ
moon Of the desert Sometimes have
, heard In the rustling Of the robes ON Tho
city pavement the hiie oi the addcrs that
followed IN the wake. You have com,
! out from your home, aud you have locked
Iip nj tho great house, and c0yct lie un
der those arches, when, perhaps, at thal
very moment, within that house, Their
, may have been the wringng OF hands, th'
. start Of horror, and the very agony oi nell
! knew such an ote IIer iaihcrB nous
was plain, most II the peopl le VINO oain' oain'
there were plain, but, by a change ~ ior
tune such as sometimes comes hahn nat
! been offered that led her into bnllian
sphere. All the neighlor eongralnla'cI
; her upon her grand prospects but VIVA, .,
exchangcl On her side Il WIS heart iul