The Yale expositor., 1896-07-10

pared with the worth of some of our
Christian mothers, many of them gone
into glory?-or of that woman men
toned in the Scriptures, who put all
her money in the Lords treasury?-or
of Jephthahs daughter, who made
demonstration of unselfish patriotism?
or of Abigail who rescued the herds
and flocks of her husband?-or Of
Ruth, who toiled under q tropical sun
for poor, old, helpless Naomi!-or Of
Florence Nightingale. who went at
midnight to stanch the battle-wounds
Of the Crimea ?-or of Mrs. Adoniram
Judson, who kindled the lights of sal
vation amid the darkness of Burmah?
or of Mrs. Hemans, who poured out
her holy soul in words which will for
ever be associated with hunters horn,
| and captive's chain, and bridal hour
| and lute's throb, and curfew's knell at
the dying day?-and scores and hun
dreds of women, unknown on earth
who have given water to the thirsty
and bread to the hungry and medicine
to the sick and smiles to the discour-
aged-their footsteps heard along dark
lane and in government hospital and in
almshouse corridor and by prison gate?
| There may be no royal robe-there
may be no palatial surroundings. She
does not need them; for all charitable
men will unite with the cracking lips
| Of fever-struck hospital and plague
| blotched lazaretto in greeting her as
she passes: Hail! Hail! Queen of
| Vashti."
Again: I want you to consider WASN'T!
the veiled. Had she appeared before
Ahasuerus and his court upon that day,
with her face uncovered, she would
| have shocked all the delicacies OF
Oriental society, and the very men who
in their intoXication demanded that
she come, in their sober moments
would have despised her. AS some
flowers seem to thrive best in the dark
lane and in the shadow. and where the
sun does not reach them, so God ap
points to most womanly natures a re-
tiring and unobtrusive spirit. God once
in a while does call an Isabella to
throne, or a Miriam to strike the tim
brel at the front of host, or Marie
Antoinette to quell French mob, or
Deborah to stand at the front OF an
armed battalion, crying out, up! Up,
This is the day in which the Lord will
deliver Sisera into thine hand" And
when women are called to such outdoor
work and to such heroic positions, God
prepares them for it; and they have
iron in their souls and lightning in
their eye, and whirlwinds in their
breath, and the borrowed strength of
the Lord Omnipotent in their right
arm. They walk through furnaces as
though they were hedges OF wild-fow-
ers, and cross seas as though they were
shimmering sapphire; and all the har-
pies Of hell down 10 their dungeon at
the stamp of her womanly Indignation
But these are the exceptions General
ly, Dorcas would rather make gar
ment for the poor boy; Rebecca would
rather fill the trough for the camels;
Hannah would rather make a coat for
Samuel; the Hebrew maid would rather
give a prescription for Naaman's lep-
rosy; the woman of Sarepta would rath-
er gather a few sticks to cook meal
for famished Elijah; Phebe would rath-
er carry a letter fer the inspired apos-
tie; mother Lois would rather educate
Timothy in the Scriptures. When l see
a woman going about her daily u:ty--
with cheerful dignity presiding at the
ta1le, with kind and gentle, but firm
discipline preceding in the nursery, 60
ing out into the world without any
blast of trumpets, following in the foot
steps of him who went about doing
good say: This is Vash.i with a
veil on" But when l see a woman OF
unbiushing boldness, lcud-voiced, with
tongue of infinite clitter-clatter, with
arrogant look, passing through the
streets with the step OF a walking
beam, gayly arrayed in a very hurri-
cane of millinery, cry out: "Vashti has
lost her veil!' When | sec woman OF
comely features, and of adroitness of
intellect and endowed with all that the
schools can do for one, and of high So
cial position, yet, moving in society
with superciliousness and hauteur, as
though she would have people know
tion of giggle and strut and rhodomon-
tade, endowed with allopathic guam
titles of talk, but only homeopathic in
finitesimals OF sense, the terror of dry
goods clerks and railroad conductors,
discoverers of significant meaning in
plain conversation prodigies of badi-
age and innuendo--I say: Look! lool;
Vashti has lost her veil!"
Again: want you to consider Vashti
the sacrifice. Who Is this l see coming
out of that palace gate Of Shushan? Il
seems to me that l have seen her be-
fore. She comes homeless, houseless,
friendless, trudging along with a brok-
en- heart. Who is she? 1t is Vashti the
sacrifice. Oh, what a change from regal
position to wayfarer's crust. little
while ago, approved and sought for;
now. none so poor as to acknowledge
her acquaintanceship Vashti the sac
rifice! All! you and have seen 1t many
| a time Here Is home empalaced with