The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-10-16

SnlIlnS IleLn MP anu lulSu Will SAS"u
slaughter, now falls captive at the feet OF
an unworthy woman. Delilah in the Bible
stands in the memorable company OF Adah,
and Zillah, and Bathsheba, and Jezebel, and
Athaliah, and HerodIas.
How deplorable the influence Of such in
contrast with Rebecca and Phoebe and HUI
dah and Tryphona and Jeptha's daughter
and Mary, the mother Of Jesus. While the
latter glitter in the armament OF Gods
work like consultations with steady, cheer
full, holy light, the former shot like baleful
meteors across the terrified heavens, oml-
nous Of war, disaster and death II there
is divine power in the good mother, her face
bright with purity, an unseltish love beam
ing from her eye, a gentleness that by pangs
and sufferings and holy anXieties has been
mellowing and softening for many year,
uttering itself in every syllable, dignity
that can not be dethroned, united with the
playfulness that will not be checked, her
hand the charm that will instantly take PAIN
OUT OF the child worst wound, her presence
q perpetual benediction, her name cur de-
Tense when we are tempted, her memory an
outgushing well of tears and congratulatlon
and thanksgiving, her heaven palm way
ing and coronal; then there is just as great
an influence in the opposite direction in the
bad mother, her brow beclouded with un-
governed passions, her eye flashing with
unsanc.ihed fire, her lips the fountain Of
fretfulness and depravity, her example
mildew and blasting, her name disgrace
to coming generations, her memory signal
for bitterest anathenfa, her eternity a
whirlwind and spffocation and darkness.
One wrong-headed, wrong hearted mother
may ruin one child, and that one child,
grown up, may destroy hundred people,
and the hundred blast :. thousand, and the
thousand million. The wife's sphere is a
realm of honor and power almost unlimited.
What blessing was Sarah to Abraham,
was Deborah to Lapidoth, was Zipporah 10
Moses, was Huldah to Shallum.
There are multitudes of men in the marts
of trade whose fortunes have been the re-
suit Of wife's frugality. Pour hands have.
been achieving that estate. two atthe store,
two at the home The burdens of life are
comparatively light %hen there are other
hands to help US lift them. The greatest
difficulties have often skunk away because
there were four eyes to look them out OF
countenance. What care you for the hard
knocks in the world as long as you have
bright domestic circle for harbor! One
cheerful word in the evening tide as you
come in has silenced the clamor Of unpaid
notes and the disappointment Of poor in
vestments. Your table may be quite fru-.
gally spread, but it seems more beautiful to
You than many tables that smoke with
venison and blush with Burgundy. Peace
meets you at the door. sits beside you at
the table lights up the evening stand, and
sings in the nursery. You have seen an
aged couple who for scores of years have
helped each other in life's pilgrimage going
down the steep of years. Long association
has made them much alike. They rejoiced
at the same advent, they bent over the
same cradle, they wept at the same grave.
In the evening they sit thinking of the past,
mother knitting at the stand, father in his
arm chair at the fire.
Now and then grandchild comes and they
look at him with affection untold and come
well nigh spelling him with kinGnesses. The
life currents beat feebly in their pulses and
their work will soon be done and the Maste.
will call A few short days may separate
them. but not far apart in time of departure,
they Join each other OF the other side the
food Side by side let Jacob and Rachel be-
buried. Let one willow overarch their
graves. Let their tombstones stand alike
marked with the same scripture. Children
and grandchildren will come in the spring
time to bring flowers. The patriarchs Of
the town will come and drop tear over de-
parted worth. Side by side at the marriage
altar. Side by side in the long journey.
Side by side in their graves. After life's
itful fever they slept well.
But there are, as my subject suggests, do.
mestic scenes not so tranquil. What curse
to Job and Potiphar were their companions,
to Ahab was Jezebel, to Jehoram was Atha-
hah, to John Wesley was Mrs. Wesley, to
Samson was Delilah While the most ex-
cellent and triumphant exhibitions Of char
acter we find among the women Of history,
and the world thrills with the names of
Marie Antoinette and Josephine, and Joan
OF Arc, and Maria Theresa, and hundreds Of
others who have ruled in the brightest homes
and sung the sweetest cantos, and en-
chanted the nations with their art, and
swayed the mightiest of scepters, ON the
other hand, the names of Mary the First Of
England, Margaret. Of France, Julia of
Rome, and Elizabeth Petrowna Of Russia,
have scorched the eyes OF history with their
denominations, and their names, like ban
ished spirits, have gone shrieking and ours
ing through the world. In female biography
we find the two extremes of excellence and
crime Woman stands nearest the gate Of
Heaven or nearest the door of hell When
adorned by grace she reaches a point Of
Christian elevation which man can not at
tain, and when blasted Of crime she sinks
deeper than man can plunge. Yet l am
glad that the instances in which woman
makes utter shipwreck of character are
comparatively rare.
But, says some cynical spirit what do you
10 with those words in Ecclesiastes where
Solomon says: Behold, this have found,
saith the preacher, counting one by one to
find out the account; which yet my soul
seeketh; but 6nd not; one man among
thousand have found; but a woman among
all those have not foundr' My answer IS
that if Solomon had behaved himself with
common decency and kept out Of infamous
circles he would not have had so much diff
Guilty in finding integrity Of character among
women and never would have uttered such
4 TRADE. Ever since my childhood have
heard speakers adu,iring Diogenes. the Gym
ical philosopher who lived in tub, going
through the streets Of Athens in broad day
..,,ut with d lanto, II, aud when ashed What
he Ui0 THAT for, said -..I am hooking for an
honest man. Now I warrant that that
philosopher who had such hard work to find
IN honest man was himself dishonest. !
think he stole both the lantern and the t.:b.
So, when hear a man ex:'at q ting on the
weakness of women, imiae Satcly suspect
him and say there IS another Solomon with
Solomon's wisdom left out. Still, woul6
not have the illustrations l have given O.
transcending exceilcucy in female biogr:ahy
lead you to suppose that there are no perils
in wonsa's pathway, Gods grace aiooe
can make an Isabella Graham, or Chris
tiana Alsop, or Fidelia Fiske, or Catha-
rine Of Sicna. Temptations lurk about the
brightest domestic circle. 1t was no un-::
meaning thing when God set up amidst the
splendors of His word the character Of I'M
famous Delilah.
Again, this strange story Of the text leads