Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-11-16
SPLENDID SERMON.
REV. swOP7 DRAWS LESSONS FROM TN
STORY OF NARY AND MARTHA
An Eloquent Discourse Delivered to Largo Con-
grsgation at st. Matthew's Church.
Other Religious Nas!srs.

Yesterday was observed as temper
ance day in all the Episcopal churches.
At st. Matthews church, yesterday
morning, the services were appropriate
to the occasion. At last evenings ser
vices the congregation was large and
the pastor, Rev. r. Rush Swope,
preached splendid sermon.
He took his text from the tenth chap
ter of st. Luke: snow it came to pass
that He entered certain village and
certain woman named Martha received
Him into her house. And she had a
sister called Mary, which also sat at
Jesus feet and heard His word" Thls
evening let US take particle OF history
out of the gospel, and get some lessons
out of it. The lesson of Mary and
Martha occurs in this chapter. Ii APP
pears that the family was the Only
one with whom Jesus made friends.
In the first alusion to this family Jesus
| is described as visiting Martha, who is
attending to her household duties, while
Mary is sitting at His feet. In the
twelfth chapter Of st. John is mentioned
certain feast, where Mary ana Marina
brought an alabaster box filled with
costly ointment.
The incidents are as window through
which we look, and see the people NOV
ing about within. We have in the story
of the text two types OF character. we
have been given certain temperaments,
habits and peculiarities, and we cannot
expect all men to be alike. There seems
TO be an energy within some that drives
them forward, and an air OF hustle and
activity must exist wherever they are
found. Then there is another class
who like to think, to drink IN
knowledge, but not to act. Thus we
have Martha attending to her house
hold work, and Mary drinking In the
words of wisdom, which fell from the
divine lips Of Jesus. The world cannot
get along without these two classes OF
people. Augustine, one OF the early
writer's and philosophers OF the church,
was man of the same type as Mary,
possessing a meditative state OF MIND.
And so we find in various generations
types of this same style OF individuals,
-meditative dreamers, so to speak,
men like Emerson and Ruskin and Car
lyle, in later days. who look into the
philosophy of life-all Of them like
Mary. But it will be readily seen that
it would not do, il all men
were dreamers; there must be
workers as well as thinkers We very
seldom find the two characters COM
bined. The man of thought never finds
time to place his knowledge into practi-
cal use, and the man Of action Is too
busy to work out the philosophy OF life.
The thinker, and the worker, the one
to give the incentive, the other to map
out the course of action. Both, then,
are necessary. God, in His wise
Providence, has placed them here,
in this complex civilization OF ours
The work that both do Is pleasing in
the sight of God. Martha appears as
ministering to the temporal wants OF
Christ, cooking and washing. Which
of these ministrations was highest?
That which Mary did; Mary was the
superior character. 1t is the quiet,
meditative life. There appears to be a
mischievous distinction between secular
and sacred things. The soul Of man
cannot be divlded-one half given to
spiritual and the other to profane
things. Life cannot be divided that
way. 1t cannot be said that the week
day is secular, and Sunday sacred.
Whatever is duty, is sacred work for
US. A man makes it sacred just in so
far as he does it to the best OF his abl-
ity. Mary did the best she could. She
made valuable sacrifice in purchasing
the ointment, and Martha was doing
just as sacred duty in attending her
household work, and doing the best she
could.
How difficult it is for US to be just,
and noble hearted. Martha's indigna-
ton was excited, while working and
seeing her sister talking with Christ.
Jesus rebuked her, and told her she
should not pass Judgment upon the
other. Let each do his allotted part,
without attempting to criticize others.
Not only are many people prone to pass
Judgment upon the work done by others,
but they even dare to enter into private
life, and say what should be done there.
N6 MduU W ItSUBulLC Iudp Jul ii4O 10 "
sphere, in which certain portion is
turned away. We must be slow to crit
icize. 1t is one of the great vices in a
small community like ours, this falling
into the habit OF gossip, and passing in
divdual judgment. You can no more
decide what your neighbor can and
ought to do, than to expect all birds to
sing alike.
In this incident of the Sisters, men
toned in the gospel Of st. John, we
have presented one Of the most difficult
problems of life. How often, in our ex-
perience, do we find family dependent
upon the efforts Of one member. What
is the result OF such taxing Of an In
diyidual? OF putting an old head upon
young shoulders. They pass life Of
continual care and ceaseless work, and
their dreams of success are shattered.
How otter do others not so well equip
ped mentally or physically to meet the
duties of life, pass such a one,
upon the road to success. How many
persons there are who are transformed
by necessity from Marys to Marthas.
When we see a person growing pre-
maturely old. and bending beneath the
weight OF years Of toll and care, and we
know that behind all is sacrifice
which brought about this sad condition,
we should treat such person with the
greatest respect, remembering that 1t is
not ALWAYS the best that meets with the