Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-08-25
REV. Or. TALMaGE.
THE BROOKLYN DININE'S Sun
DAY SERMON.
SUBJECT: a GREAT WOMAN

IN nny entertainment OF oldeu time. The
vast majority OF travellers must then be en-
trrtainei nj private abode. Hero comes
Elisha. a servant OF the Lord, on divine
mission. and he must ind shelter. \ hal
couv overlooking the valley distraction is Of
fered him In private house, and it is os-
pecially furnished for his orcupancy-Achalr
to sit on a table from which 10 eRt. candle
stick by which to read and a bed on which 10
slumhcr-the whole establishment belonging
to a great and good woman.
Her husband. 1t seems, was cody man,
but he was entirely CvershRdOwcd by hi5
wlfc's excellencies. Just as now you some
times find In household the wife the centre
OF dignity and influence and power. not Ivy
any arrogance or presumption. but hy
superior intellect and force OF moral nature
welding domestic affairs and At the same
time supervising all financial and business
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 because there Is reason at home why
they are successful.
II a man marry u good, hon est soul, he
makes his fortune II he marry Il fool. tho
Lord help him The wife may be the silent
partner in the firm there may be only
masculine voices down on exchange, but
there oftentime comes from the home circle
q potential and elevatinG influence.
This woman of my text was the superior OF
her husband. He, as tar as | can under
stand was what we often see in our day--a
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 Eyes ' II
you say mo, responding "no'-inan", eyes
half shut, mouth wide OPEN maintaining his
position in society only because he has II
large patrimony. But his wife, my text says,
was great woman.
Her name has not come down to u.s. She
belonged to that collection OF people who
need 10 name to distinguish them. What
would title Of duchess or princess or queen
! what would escutcheOn or cleaning diadcm
! be to this woman of my text, who. by her
/ Intelligence and her behavior. challenges the
admiration OF all ages? Long after the bril-
! liant women of the court of Louis XIV have
/ been forgotten. and the brilliant 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 otner side the light read to his grandchil-
dren 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
Inequalities. Uncivilized and barbarious
( nations UOnDr tnlS virtue. Jupiter nuu tLe
surname Of the hospitable and he was said
I especially to avenge the wrongs of strang-
ers. Homer exalted it in his verse.
Tho Arabs are punctilious upon this subject,
| and among some Of their tribes il 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 hon
ored even among barharians, how ought It &c
I be honOred among those OF us who believe
l.. IT.. 4 1
pitality ono toward another without grudg.
ing2
OF course | do not mean under this cover
to give any idea that approve of that va
grant class who go around from place 10
place ranging their whole lifetime perhaps
under the auspices OF some benevolent OF
phllanthropic society quartering themseye'
on Christian families, with a great pile o
trunks in the hall and carpetbag portcntous o
tarrylng There is many Il country parson
age that looks out week 10y week upon the
ominous arrival of wagon with creakinl
wheel and lank horse and dilapldated driver
come under the auspices of some charitabl,
institution to spend Il few weeks and canvass
the ncichhorhood. Let no such religion
tramps take advantage OF this beautiful vir
tue OF Christian hospitality.
Not 50 much the sumptuOusnos OF you
diet and the rcgalty Of your abode will i'm
IIlSS Inv lEltul VI lll' stranger lllhl SUPP
across your threshold rs the warmth Of you
greeting, the informally of your reception
the rciteraticn 10y grasp and by look and hy
thousand attentions, insignificant attentions
OF your earnestncSs OF welcome. There vii
be high appreciation Of your welcome
although you have nothing but the hra2"l
candlestick and the plain chair to oIcr Ellsh
when he comes to Shuncm
Most beautiful is this grace Of hospitalit
: / fr-ha al, In, fh.. of ,,l 1
, thankful that Am pastor Of II church wh"r
strangers are always welcome, md there
not State in the Union in which have no
heard the atfabilty Of the ushers of GU
church complimented. But | have "nterc
churches were there was no hospitality
stranger would stand in the vestibule fO
awhile and then make pilgrimage up tn
long aisle. No door opened to him unit
flushed and excited and embarrassed, h
started back again, and coming tosomr hal
filed pew with apologize air entered II
while the occupants gEired on him with
look which seemed TO say, "Wcll. If | mus
/ must" Away with such accused ii
decency from the house OF God Let ever
church that would maintain large ChrlstIa
influence in community culture Sabbath b
Sabbath this beautiful grace Of Christian no.
pitality.
good man travelling in the far west, i
the Wilderness was ovcrtaken by night an
storm. and he put in Mt Il cabin. He saw fire
arms along the beams OF the cabin AMI h
felt alarmed. He did not know but that h
had fallen into den OF thieves. He s.
there greatly perturbed. After awhile tn
man Of the house came home with u gun o
his shoulder and set 1t down in a cOrnr
The stranger was still more alarmed. Ate
awhile the man Of the house whispered wit
his wife, and the stranger thought his Dc
struction was being planned
Then the man OF the house came fOrwar
and said to the stranger: stranger. We al
a rough and rude people out here, and "
work hard for n living. We make our Twin
by hunting, and when we come to the nigh
fall we are tired, and we are apt TO 90 to be
early, and before retiring we are always
the habit OF reading chapter from the wor
OF God and making prayer. II you don
like such things If you will just step outsic
the door until we get through I'll be great
obliged TO YOU" OF course the stranger tn
ried In the room, and the old hunter too
hold Of the horns OF the altar and brougl
down the blessing OF God upon his hous'
hold and upon the stranger within the
gates Rude but glorious Christian hosp
talty
Again. this woman In my text was great
her Kindness toward Gods messenger. ElisI
may have been stranger In that houshOl
but rs she found out he had come on diyir
mission he was cordially welcome. We hay
u great many books in our day about Il
hardships OF ministers and tire trials
Christian ministers. wish someDo y won
write book about the Joys OF the Christia
minister about the sympathies all arout
him, about tho kindnesscs, about the gent
considerations of him.
Does sorrow come to our home and is the
a shadow on the cradle. there are hundre'
of hands to help, and many who weary II
through the long night watching. and hu
dreds of prayers going up that God won
restore the sick. Is there burning, bril-
ming cup OF calamity placed on tho pastor
table, are there not many TO help him
drink of that cup and who will not DO col
forted because he is stricken? Oh, for SON
body to write a book about the rewards
the Christian minister about his surroun
ings Of Christian sympathy.