The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-08-23
"A GREAT WOMAN"
Subject Of a. Discourse by Rev. T.
Dewitt Talmage, d. D.
Woman's Guiding Hand Seen In Business
as Well as Domestic Life Many Mon
Are Successful Because Of Their
Silent Partner at Home.

passed to Shunem, where was great
woman"
The hotel of our time had no counter
part in any entertainment of olden
time. The vast majority Of travellers
must then be entertained at private
abode. Here comes Elisha, servant
OF the Lord, on a divine mission, and
he must find shelter. A balcony over
looking the valley of Esdraleon is Of
fered him in private house, and is
especially furnished for his occupancy,
q chair to sit on, table from which to
eat acandlestick by which to read, and
bed on which to slumber, the whole
establishment belonging to great and
good woman.
Her husband, it seems, was a godly
man, but he was entirely overshadowed
by his wife's excellencies; Just as now
you sometimes find in household the
wife the center of dignity, and influ-
ence, and power, not by any arrogance
or presumption, but by superior intel
lect and force of moral nature WELD
ing domestic affairs, and at the same
time supervising all financial affairs.
The wife's hand on the shuttle, on the
banking house, on the worldly business.
You see hundreds of men who are sue
cessful only because there is a reason
at home why they are successful.
If a man marry a good, honest soul,
he makes his fortune. If he marry a
fool, the Lord help himl The wife may
be the silent partner in the firm, there
may be only masculine voices down on
exchange, but there oftentimes comes
from the home circle q potential and
elevating influence. s
This woman of my text was the su-
perior Of her husband. He, as far as /
can understand, was what we often
see'in our day, man of large fortune
and only modicum of brain, intensely
quiet, sitting a long while in the same
place without moving hand or foot
If you say YES" responding ''yes''-
If you say mo" responding mo-
inane, eyes half shut mouth wide
open, maintaining his position in so
ciety only because he has large patri-
mony. But his wife, my text says, was
great woman.
Her name has not come down TO us.
She belonged to that collection of peo-
pie who need no name TO distinguish
them. What would title Of duchess, or
princess or queen-what would es-
cutcheon, or cleaning diadem be to
this woman of my text, who by her in
, telligence and her behavior challenges
the admiration of all ages? Long after
the brilliant women Of the court of
Louis XIV. have been forgotten, and
thebrilllant women of the court, of
Spain have been forgotten, and the
brilliant women who sat on mighty
thrones, have been forgotten, some
grandfather will put on his spectacles
and holding the book the other side
the light read TO his grandchildren
the story of this great woman of Shu-
mem who was so kind and courteous
and Christian to the good prophet
Elisha. Yes, she was great woman.
In the first place she was great in her
hospitalities. Uncivilized and barbar-
GUS nations honor this virtue. Jupiter
had the surname of the Hospitable, and
he was said especially to avenge the
wrongs Of strangers. Homer extolled
1t in his verse. The Arabs are punctili-
GUS upon this subject, and among some
Of their tribes it is not until the ninth
day Of tarrying that the occupant has
right to ask his guest: "Who, and
whence art thou?" II this virtue is so
honored even among barbarians, how
ought 1t to be honored among those of
us who believe in the Bible, which com.
mands us to use hospitality one toward
another without grudgingP
OF course, do not mean under this
cover to give any idea that approve
OF that vagrant class who go around
from place to place ranging their
whole lifetime, perhaps under the
auspices Of some benevolent or philan-
thropic society, quartering themselves
on Christian families, with great pile
Of trunks in the hall and carpetbae
portentons OF tarrying. There Is many
a country parsonage that looks out
week by week upon the ominous ar
rival of wagon with crealsing wheel
and lank horse and dilapidated driver,
come under the auspices of some charit-
able institution to spend few weeks
and canvass the neighborhood. Let
no such religious tramps take adyant-
age OF this beautiful virtue of Christian
hospitality.
Not 30 much the sumptuousness of
your diet and the regality of your abode
win impress the friend or the stranger
thatsteps across your threshold, as the
warmth Of your greeting, the informal.
ity Of your reception, the reiteration by
grasp and by look and thousand at
tentions, insignificant attentions, OF
your earnestness Of welcome. There
will be high appreciation of your wei.
come, although you have nothing but
the brazen candlestick and the plain
chair TO offer Elisha when he comessto
Shunem.
Most beautiful is this grace of hospi.
tality when shown In the house of God.
am thankful that am pastor Of a |
,hurch where strangers are always
welcome, and there isnot state of the
Union In which have not heard the
affability Of the ushers Of our church
But l have entered
'hurches where there was no hospital.
ty. A stranger would stand In the
vestibule for while and then make
mn the long aisIe No door