The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1895-08-02

&1eILna6, ~dtrODdS, dermeS, HnllOlORu
n Julia"
Matthew Henry, Albert Barnes. Adam
Clark, Thomas Scott and all the com
mentators pass by these verses withou
n especial remark. The other twent!
people mentioned in the chapter wer'
distinguished for something, and wer'
therefore discussed by the illustrious ex
positors; but nothing Is said about. Asyn
crftus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Her
mes, Philologus and Julia. Where wert
they born? No one knows. Where die
they die? There is 40 record of their de
cease. For what were they distinguish
Cd? Absolutely for nothing or the trail
OF character would have been brought
by the apostle. If they had been very
intrepid or opulent, or hirsute, or music.
al OF cadence, or Grass Of style, or In
anywise anomalous, that feature would
v been caught by the apostolic cam
era. But they were good people, be-
cause Paul sent to them his high Chris
tan regards. They were ordinary peo-
pie, moving in ordinary sphere, attend
Ing to ordinary duty, and meeting ordi-
nary responsibilities.
What the world wants Is a religion for
ordinary people. If there be in the
United States IS, O0O. 900 people, there are
certainly not more thar 1000, 900 extra
ordinary; and then there are $4,000, 900
ordinary, n we 90 we'll to turn our
backs for a little while upon thu distin-
gutshed and conspicuous people of the
Bible n consider In our text the seven
ordinary. We spend too much of our
time In twisting garlands for remark
ables. and building thrones for mag
mates. n sculpturing warriors, and
apotheosizing philanthropists. The rank
and file of the Lords soldiery need es-
pecial help.
The vast majority of people to whom
this sermon comes will never lead an
army. will never write a State consti-
tuition. will never electrify a Senate,
Will never make an important invention,
Will never introduce a new philosophy,
will never decide the fate of a nation.
You do not expect to; you do not want
to. You will not be a Moses to lead a
nation out Of bondage. You will not be
q Joshua to prolong the daylight until
you can shut five kings in a cavern.
You will not be a ST. John to unroll an
Apocalypse. You will not be a Paul to
preside over an apostolic college. You
will not be a Mary to mother a Christ.
You will more probably be Asyncritus,
or Phlegon, or Hermas, or Patrobas, or
Hermes, or Philologus, or Julia.
Many Of you are women at the head
of households. This morning you
launched the family for Sabbath observ-
ance. Your brain decided the apparel,
your judgment was finai on all ques-
tions Of personal attire. Every morning
you plan for the day. The culinary de-
partment of your household is in your
dominion. You decide all questions of
diet. All the sanitary regulations of
your house are under your supervision.
To regulate the food, and the apparel,
and the habits, and decide the thousand
questions Of home life is a tax upon
brain and nerve and general health alb
solutely appalling, if there be no divine
alienation.
1t does not help you much to be told
that Elizabeth Fry did wonderful things
among the criminals of Newgate. It
does not help you much to be told that
Mrs. Judson was very brave among the
Bornesian cannibals. 1t does not help
you much to be told that Florence
Nightingale was very kind to the
wounded in the Crimea. 1t would be
better for me to tell you that the divine
Friend Of Mary and Martha is your
Friend, n that he sees all the annoy !
anceS and diSappointments and abra-
sions and exasperations of an ordinary
housekeeper from morn till night, and
from the first day of the yea to the last.
day of the year, n at your call he is |
ready with help and reinforcement.
They who provide the food Of the
world decide the health of the world. |
One of the greatest battles of this CEN
fury was lost because the commander
that morning had a fit of indigestion.
You have only to go on some errand
amid the taverns and the hotels Of the
States n Great Britain to ap-
the fact hat a vast multitude
Of the human race are slaughtered by
cookery. Though a young
woman may nave taken lessons in mus
lc, and may have taken lessons in paint
Ing. and lessons in astronomy, she is not
well educated unless she has taken les
sons in dough! They who decide the
apparel of the world and the food of the
world decide the endurance of the world.
An unthinking man may consider it
q matter Of little importance-the cares
of the household and the economies OF
domestic life-but [ tell you the earth is
streWn with the martyrs of kitchen and
nursery. The health-shattered woman
hood of America cries out for a God who
can help ordinary women in the ordi-
nary duties Of housekeeping. The wear
Ing, grinding unappreciated work goes
on, but the same Christ who stood on
the bank of Galilee in the early morning
and kindled the fire and had the fish
cleaned and b~roiling when the
stepped ashore chilled and
hungry, will help every woman to pre-
pare breakfast, whether by her own
hand or by the hand Of her hired help.
The God who made i~ndestructibIe eu-
.ogy of Hannah, who made a coat for
her son, and carried it to the
every year, will help every wo-
nan in preparing the family wardrobe.
rhe God who opens the Bible with the
tory Of Abraham's entertainment of the
.nree angels on the plains of Mamre
will help every woman to provide hos
however rare and embarrass-
1t is high time that some of the
we nav been giving to the
emarkable women Of the Bible-re-
narkable for their virtue or their want
I 1t. or remarkable for their bedside