The Bossier banner., 1893-09-28
A GREAT WOMAN.
Rev. DR.. TeImage Discourses on
the Influence of Woman.
Her Influence Potential for Good-Chris-
tian Hospitality One of Her Shin
ing VIrtues-LOoking After the
Lords Messengers.


1t is founded on the text:
And it fell on a day that Elisha passed to
Shunem. where was gr eat woman.-II. Kings,
1v., G.
The hotel of our time had no coun-
terpart 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 Esdraelon is
offered him in private house, and it
is especially furnished for his occu-
pancy-a chair to sit on, table from
which to eat, candlestick by which
to read, and bed on which to slum-
Der, the whole establishment belong
ing to a great and good woman.
Her husband, it seems, was godly
man, but he was entirely overshadowed
by his wife's excellencies; just as now
you sometimes find in a household the
wife the center of dignity and infiu-
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 and busi-
ness affairs. The wiFe's hand on the
shuttle, on the banking house, on the
worldly business. You see hundreds
of men who are successful only be-
cause there is reason at home why
they are successful.
If man marry a good, honest soul,
he makes his fortune. If he marry a
fool, the Lord help him! 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 potential and
elevating influence.
This woman of my text was the SUI
perior of her husband. He, as far as l
can understand, was what we often see
in our day, man of large fortune and
only modicum of brain, intensely
quiet, sitting long while in the same
place without moving hand or foot-if
you say yes" responding ''yes"-if
you say mo-" responding ''no"-inane,
eyes half shut, mouth wide open, main
tanning his position in society only be-
cause he has a large patrimony. But
his wife, my text says, was a great
woman.
Her name has not come down to us
She belonged to that collection OF
people who need no name to distm.
guish them. What would title OF
duchess, or princess, or queen-what
would escutcheon or cleaning dia-
dem be to this woman of my text
who by her intelligence and her be-
havior challenges the admiration of all
ages? Long after the brilliant women
of the court of Louis XIV. have beer
forgotten, and the brilliant women ot
the court of Spain have been forgot
ten, and the brilliant women who sa+
on the mighty thrones have been for
gotten, some grandfather will put OF
his spectacles, and holding the book th,
other side the light, read to his grand
children the story of this great woman
of Shunem, who was so kind, an6
courteous, and Christian to the prophe
Elisha. Yes, she was great woman
In the first place, she was great il
her hospitalities. Uncivilized and bar
barous nations honor this virtue. Jupi
ter had the surname of the hospita BILE
and he was said to especially avengt
the wrongs of strangers. Homer ex
tolled it in his verse. The Arabs ar,
punctilious upon this subject, ant
among some of their tribes it is not un
til the ninth day of tarrying that tn,
occupant has right to ask his guest
who, and whence art thou?" If thi
virtue is so honored even among bar
barians, how ought it to be honored
among those of us who believe in the
Bible, which commands us to use hos
pitality one toward another withou
grudging.
mot so much the sumptuousness O.
your diet and the regality of you
abode will impress the friend or tn,
stranger that steps across your thresh
old, as the warmth of your greeting
the informality of your reception, tn,
reiteration by grasp and by look ant
by thousand attentions, insignificant
attentions, by your earnestness of wei
come. There will be high appreciation
of your welcome, although you hav,
nothing but the brazen candlestick ant
the plain chair to offer Elisha when h,
comes to Shunem.
Most beautiful is this grace of hospi
tality when shown in the house of God
i am thankful that l am pastor of
church where strangers are alwav
welcome, and there is not state il
the Union in which L have not heart
the affability of the ushers of ou
church complimented. But have en-
tered churches where there was n,
hospitality. A stranger would stanc
in the vestibule for awhile and the,
make pilgrimage up the long aisle
No door opened to him, until fiushe,
and excited and embarrassed he starte,
back again, and coming to some half
filled pew with apologetic air, entered
1t, while the occupants glared on hin
which seemed to say: "Wen, if must
must" Away with such accursed in
decency from the house of God. Le
every church that would maiutai,
large Christian influence in community
culture Sabbath by Sabbath this beau
tiful grace of Christian hospitality.
Il