St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-11

SWereQ ana SAID unto ner, marina,
Martha, thou art anxious and troubled
about many things; but one thing is
needfui; for Mary hath chosen the good
part. which shall not be taken away
| from her.
After preliminary discussion of the
natureof true piety, which he described
as no long-faeed, whining spinSter, be-
grudging everybody the sweets of lite,"
DR.. Ingersoii spoke as follows: Upon
certain day. long centuries ago. the
hot Indian sun beat upon the heads of
little band who were toiling up the
wild gorge from Jericho toward JeruS-
aiem. The chief of the travellers
was the center of listening attention
and OF reverence. He twas of whom a
now living author. as skilled and brave
with the pen as thirty years ago he was
with the sword, has written, Never
soldier but would have laughed at him
In encounter, Dever woman VINO
would not have confided in him at sight.
never child that would not,Wth quick
instinct, have given him its hand and
whole artleSs trust; nor might any one
have said he was not beautiful" They
enter Bethany, about two miles east OF
Jerusalem. His companions pass on.
aul The Master turns 10 the door OF
house which bears no mark of wealth
anu distinction. 1t is the home of LaZa-
rus and OF his sisters. Mary anu Martha.
here de was always welcome guest.
lie loved them and they loved Him. OF
eacff one of them is this said in the
Gospels. The knock of the Master at the
40 II was promptly answered and
wnen his voice was known he received
Instant admission. 1t was Martha who
received him, because she was the
prompt one of the household. She had
quick eyes, which told what was with
cut as we'll as within, and she mad, too,
genial, frank temperament which she
had never clouded with a false pride.
Both of these sisters were exceedingly
glad Jesus had come to their home, but
they showed their pleasure i'll very diff
ferent ways. Mary was meditatiye,
deyont, eager to be taught the things OF
the Kingdom. ''She sat at Jesus feet"
looked up into His face and caught His
spirit as she heard Him talk Only one
record is made of anything which she
ever did in an active way. Once,
when lore mounted on the wings
OF alteration, she broke an ala
baster box of precious ointment on
the head Of Christ. Martha believed in
welcome of hospitality. Fer quick
feet flew about The house as she sought
TO make all things ready. She was
right In having spirit of welcome
which should flavor the kitchen, SAVIOR
the guest chamber. brighten the Tecep-
= ton room and breathe its cheer in the
dining room. We cannot tell what
Jesus would have said to Martha If
she had not become censorlous. She
condemned Mary and SO praised her
self. She seemed TO have no consldera-
ton for the fitness of THINGS" Would
1t have been civil if they had left their
guest alone Tor hours? Would it have
been hospitality? Is there nothing to
be received from guest, especially
such d guest? Did he care more Tor
VlctualS than for sympathy aud the
privilege Of preaching the kingdom?
But the root OF the difficulty with
Martha is her superficial view of
things. She is not to be blamed for
being true to her temperament. She
was born d worker. 1t is her
proper sphere of activity. But, because
she Was born eXecutrlX. must she for
ever see nothing but dishes and dresses
and chairs and bread? Might she not
have opened her eyes and made them
Keen to see through things" and far be-
yond them? Would it have taken her
any longer if she had decided to s.set
the table to the glory OF God?' Martha's
alacrlty and hospitality are commend
able, ever so cOminendable, but she does
not appear to advantage when she opens
side light and reveals that she is
bounding her thoughts ana desires by
the hOSpltaUle home walls. Mary NAV
nave peen given to pondering, but, such
chance as this! Such a guesti She
was filling her heart with incentives.
and we venture to believe that from
that good day on the fountain became
stream which flowed III the channels
through which she was best fitted to do
good.
There be women in almost every wide
awake church who wear themselves out
With incessant activity. They seem
conscious OF duty only and along the
line OF their strongest faculties. and
when they get tired they break out into
anXletIes. and sometimes into COM
plants. >They are like dynamos which
generate and wires which carry too
much electricity. They crack and
sparkle aud blaze at every joint and at
every touch of the trolley wheel. In
ther nervousness and anxiety they
sometimes forget to be civil. Are there
any mothers here, this evening? Are
there some of you, excellent women,
with great desire to do good, who love
good people and are eager for every
Soou cause 10 prosper, who carry your
lives upon 700 sensitive lines?
Jesus was not adverse to activity.
w nat lie desires is, that our activities
snail nave noble aims; because they
shall be going somewhere, because we
are gong somewhere. A nature clothed
with strong spiritua! feelings may not
| do SO many striking deeds, but because
character is shaped out of imperishable
realities may surpass more demonstra-
tive life. There are millions of insects
that lily and buzz from sunrise to sunset
through every summer day. They are
paragons of activity but they are not
| paragons of usefulness. AshouSe fly is
continually nimble and voraciouS where
| it ought not to be? But the honey bee
keeps to its work and to its place. 1t
too, buZzes. but not SO very much when
it is at work. 1t is busy in building "a
master builder) and then in filling the
home with honey enough for itself and
| for