The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-06-20
called to stay as you are you can be happy

called to stay as you are you can be happy
and self-supportinc.
Poets are fond of talking about man rs IN
oak and woman the vine that climbs 1t, bs
have seen many tree fall that not only
went down itself. but took all the vines with
it. I can tell you of something stronger
than an oak for an ivy to climb on. and that
Is the throne of the great Jehovah. Single
or aflanced, that woman Is strong who leans
on God and does her best. The needle may
break. the factory band may slip, the wages
may fail, but over every good woman's head
there are spread the two great, gentle, STU
pendous wings of the Almighty.
Many OF you will go single handed through
life and you will have to choose between
two characters. Young woman, am sure
you will turn your back upon the useless.
giggling. painted nonentity which society
ANONYMOUSLY acknowledges to be woman
and ask Col to make you humble, active,
earnest Christian.
What will become of this goddess disciple
of fashion? What an insult to her sex. Her
manners are au outrage upon decency. She
is more thoughtful Of the attitude she
strikes upon the carpet than how she will
look in the Judgment more worried about
her freckles than her sins. more interested
in her bonnet strings than in her redemp-
tion. Her apparel is the poorest part OF
Christian woman, however magnlhcently
dressed, and no one has so much right to
dress we'll as Christian. Not SO with the
goddess disciple of fashion. Take her
robes, and you take everything. Death
will como down on her some day, and rub
the bistre Off her eyelids. aud ths rouge OH
her cheeks, and with two rough, bony hands
scatter 5pangles and glass beads and rings
and ribbons and lace and brooches and
buckles and sashes and frisettes and golden
clasps.
The dying actress whose life had been
vicious said: THE scene closes. Draw the
curtain" Generally the tragedy comes first
and the farce afterward, but In her life it
was first the farce OF 4 useless life and then
the tragedy Of wretche1 eternity.
Compare the life and death of such one
with that OF some Christian aunt that was
once blessing to your household. do not
know that she was ever offered hand ID
marriage. She lived single. that untram-
meled she might be everybodys blessing
Whenever the sick were to be visited or the
poor to he provided with bread. she went
with blessing. She could pray or sing
Rock of Ages" for any sick pauper who
asked her. AS she got Older there We're days
when she was little sharp, but for the
most part auntie was a sunbeam-just
the one for Christmas eve. She knew
better than any one else how to fi3
things. Her every prayer, as God heard
it. was full OF everybody who had trouble.
The brightest things in all the house dropped
from ner fingers. She had peculiar notions,
but the grandest notion she ever hsd was tc
make you happy. She dressed well-auntie
always dressed well-out her highest adorn'
ment was that OF meek and quiet spirit,
which, in the sight OF Col. is OF great price.
When she died, you all gathered lovingly
about her. and rs you carried her out to rest
the Sunday-school class almost covered the
coffin with japonicas, and tho poor people
stood at the end OF the alley, with theii
aprons to their eyes, sobbinc bitterly, and
the man OF the world said, with Solomon,
"Her price was above rubies," and Jesus, as
unto the maiden in Jud@a. commanded, 81
say unto thee. arise