The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-10-28
Closing Address in "Rela-
tions Of Society,""
The One Possession That all OF Us
Have Had.
Relations of the Mother to Her Child
rem at Foundation of Life.


Congregational Church yesterday fore
noon, closed the series OF addresses un-
der the heading OF "Relstions OF So
ciety." The closing address was 1.-The
Mother" the text, Acts xvi, Ia and 10,
and the address in full as follows:
Men usually preach TO their own sex of
necessity; they think in masculine ways,
and my attempt to do otherwise IN a
failure. On the other hand, they are
able to look at the other sex apart, and to
see some merits or defects of women
even better than women can do for them
selves. i think l am right in saying
that men think as least as highly OF
women as women do of themselves Men
rlso are able 10 say what qualities IN
women have the best influence on their
characters.
think this very i'm portant point be-
cause IL has always seemed TO me that
many women mistake their influence and
think lightly OF some powers which they
possess. Oliver Wendell Holmes thinks
that woman ought TO carry about with
her All atmosphere OF
GRACE, MERCY AND PEACE
81 at least six feet radius. However, 1t
Is not a good thing for her to look about
her for this nimbus OF glory, lest il dis
appear. The woman who Is seeking, as
the best thing in life, TO make men think
that purity is sweet, that love is eternal,
that beauty is thought of God, that
patience is an outward sign OF faith will
not fail to be honored for what she "a
generally now, certainly sometime.
Ii appears that the first European who
believed In Christ was woman, and
that she alone supported the first church
founded in Europe 1t appears, not from
the text, but from various notices OF
women in the New Testament, that she
was the first TO believe IN Christ that she
was "last at the cross, first at the resurrec-
tion"; that she supplied the temporal
needs OF Christ and His disciples.
II appears from the records of church
mem bership that about twice as many
women as men are communicates in the
churches. IL appears from the observa-
tions OF pastors that those who are men,
bers of churches give much more largely
IN proportion to their ability than do the
male members.
II appears that women, who have in
many cases to 60 alone, do go to meet
ings for prayer much more than do their
husbands, who in many cases allow them
to 90 alone to their lasting disgrace and
final shame.
1t appears that In the quality OF faith
WOMEN USUALLY sURPAss MEN,
and that their faith is not disappointed;
that they are alone responsible in many
cases for the continuance of churches,
where otherwise, barbsrism, or at least
paganism, would ensue.
Having these facts-uncontroverted
capable of substantiation by investiga-
tion, we certainly have matter enough
for comment. Before comment We ought
TO say that women have every reason TO
rejoice In the fact that there are some
qualities, good in themselves, which she
does not possess. She ought to be glad
that she is not masculine in any sense OF
L. -. a. l1x~l "A - l.
80 and because nobody wants her SO. One
cannot have everything all in one. The
pill that will cure every disease does so
by killing the patient. A garden OF lilies
cannot be at the same time forest of FIR,
and the man or the woman who seeks 10
be both cannot successfully be either.
Wherever moral qualities tell there
woman is power-were then is she not
apower?
But most OF us have our best opportu-
mites to estimate womanhood through
our mothers 1t is the providence OF God
should first know humanity on its best
side, and that We should first get our
suggestions of the eternal love through
the amazing, the heaven given posses
sion OF mothers love. The best OF life
comes first, in ORDER that We may have a
good foundation to build faith on.
The Catholic Church has laid hold on
the commonest principle OF human ma
ture In
APPEALING TO MEN THROUGH THE VIRGIN
MOTHER.
When we think of IL, the mother is the
only possession that all OF us have had.
Some of us never knew a brother.
Many Is the man who lacks one OF Gods
greatest gifts, a sister. Not few may
be said TO have no father. In some sad
lands vast percentage of the popula-
tion are born half-orphan.
Those who have fathers sometimes have
bim only In name. He died in the wars;
or he was imprisoned in business, and
hes never been let out OF il since his
mothers Thcre was time, IL not now,
when somebody was SAD and glad be-
cause Of US. We have wrought on some
ones deepest feelings, and someone has
given US the strongest trend OF our char
acter.
There was time, when IL ever, the
mother prayed for us; and II ever she
thanked God IL was In relation to us.
Our life has been an expense OF all the
good things In the world. The tempta-
tions that were hardest to meet were
met on our account, and around us have
gathered oil the b st thoughts, the most
remarkable exhibitions OF patience; the
deepest mysteries, and the beginnings OF
cursings and blessings. A hundred
mothers, whom you know, look down
nightly on sleeping babe; hundred
sons or daughters have recently, or will
soon, follow a mother cold aud gray,
10 the goal OF all living. A hundred hus-
bands, known TO you, have looked IN the
silent awe with which Hebrews regarded
heir holy OF holies, upon the mother
and the babe, nnd have felt that here was
province into which they could step
only with bowed head, ss unto a shrine
EVERYBODY is INTERESTED IN MOI HERS;
and every mother IL asked to be holy, by
the powerful instinct OF the heart, thst
almost commands the mother TO be
creature worthy to receive honor and
praise. good mother is the best thing
In the world; and good mother IN the
demand OF Gods evolution. A bad
mother seems the worst thing; because
she has brought down 10 the dust the
heavenly vision OF beautiful character,
and has presented TO her children a de-
based view OF life.
The boy with a good mother is already
half man; he IL led forth into the world
from q high and glorious outlook. like