The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-08-05
REV. DIR. TAIMAGE
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY THE
NOTED DIVINE.
Subject: ga Christian Mother"

TExr: "Moreover his mother made him ,
little coat and brought it to him from yeal
to year when she came up with her husband
to offer the yearly sacrifice. II Samuel IL.
19.
The stories Of Deborah and Abigail arr
very apt to discourage woman's soul. Sht
says within herself, "It Is impossible that
ever achieve any such grandeur Of charac
ter, and don't mean to try as though q
child should refuse to play the eight notes
because he cannot execute "William Tell.
This Hannah of the text differs from the per-
sons I just named. She was an ordinary
woman, with ordinary intellectual capacity
placed in ordinary circumstances, and yet
b. extraordinary piety, standing out before
all the ages TO come the ideal Christian
mother. Hannah was the wife OF Elkanah
who was person very much Ike herself.
unromantic and plain, never having fought
battle or been the subject OF a marvellous
escape. Neither Of them would have been
called genius. Just what you and might
be that was Elkanah and Hannah. The
brightest time in all the history Of that fam.
lily was the birth Of Samuel Although nc
star ran along the heavens pointing down to
his birthplace, think the angels Of God
stopped at the coming OF 80 wonderful q
prophet. As Samuel had been given in an
swer to prayer, Elkanah and all his family
save Hannah started up to Shiloh to offer
sacrifices Of thanksgiving. The cradle where
the child slept was altar enough for Han
nah's grateful heart, but when the boy was
old enough she took him to Shiloh and took
THREE bullocks and an epah OF -four and
bottle OF wine and made offering OF sacrifice
unto the Lord, and there, according to
previous VOW, she left him, for there he was
to stay all the days Of his life and minister
IN the sanctuary.
Years rolled on, and every year Hannah
made with her own hand garment for
Samuel and took 1t over to him. The lad
would have gol along we'll without that gar
ment. for suppose he was we'll clad by tine
ministry of the temple, but Hannah could
not be contented unless she was all the time
doing something for her idolized boy. "More-
over, his mother made him little coat and
brought 1t to him from year to year. when
she came up with her husband to offer the
annual sacrifice"
Hannah stands before you. then, to-day,
in the first place, as an Industrious mother.
There was no need that she work. Elkanah,
her husband, was far from poor. He be-
longed to distinguished family, for the
Bible tells US that he was the son OF Jeroham,
the son of Ellhu, the son OF Tohu, the son OF
Zuph. "Who were they2" you say: I do
P0O-
pie, no doubt, or their names would not have
been mentioned. Hannah might have seated
herself in her family, and, with folded arms
and dishevelved hair, read novels, from
year to year, II there had been any to read;
but. when SEQ her making that garment
and taking It over to Samuel, know she is
industrious from principle as well as from
pleasure. God would not have mother be-
come drudge or slave; he would have her
employ all the helps possible In this day In
the, rearing OF her children. But Hannah
ought never to be ashamed to be found
making a coat for Samuel. Most mothers
wrinkles on their brow, the pallor on their
cheek, the thimble mark on their finger, at
test that they are faithful in their motherly
duties. The bloom and the brightness and
the vivacity OF grlhood have given
place to the grander dignity and useful
ness and industry Of motherhood. But there
Is heathenish idea getting abroad In
some Of the families Of Americans; there are
mothers who Danish themselves from the
home circle. For three-fourths Of their ma
ternal duties they prove themselves incom-
petent. They are ignorant Of what their
children wear, and what their children eat,
and what their children read. They intrust
to irresponsible persons these young i'm
mortas and allow them to be under inffu-
ences which may cripple their bodies, or
faint their purity, or spoil their manners, or
destroy their souls. From the awkward cut
Of Samuers coat you know his mother Han
uah did not make 1t.
Out from under flaming chandeliers, and
of from imported carpets, and down the
granite stairs there IL coming great crowd
Of children in this day, unframed. saucy,
incompetent for all the practical duties Of
Nf 70 tNh ha In ha Arof frr-of ri
Of crime and sensuality. Indolent and un-
faithful mothers will make indolent and un-
faithful children. You cannot expect neat
aess an1 order In any house where the
daughters see nothing but slatternliness
and upside downativeness in their parents.
Let Hannah be idle, and most certainly
Samuel will grow up idle. Who are the in
dustrious men in all our occupations and
professions? Who are they managing
:he merchandise OF the world, build
ing the walls, timing the roofs,
weaving the carpets, making the laws,
governing the nations, making the earth to
the tread Of gigantic enterprises Who are
they? For the most part they descended
from industrious mothers who In the old
homestead used to spin their own yarn and
weave their own carpets and plait their own
doormats and flag their own chairs and do
their own work. The stalwart men and the
influential women of this day, ninety-ninS
out Of 100 Of them, came from such an Illus
trious ancestry OF hard knuckles and home
spun. And who are these people In society,
light as froth, blown every whittier Of temp
tation and tashion-the peddlers Of filthy
stories. the dancing jacks of political par
ties, the scum Of society, the tavern loung-
ing, store infesting, the men Of low wink
Ahr Ia hroc cfN;1 o,,l
rotten associations? For the most part they
came from mothers idle and disgusting, the
scandal mongers Of society, going from
house to house attending to everybody's
business but their own, believing in witches
and ghosts and horseshoes to keep the devil
ort OF the churn, and by goddess life set.
ting their children on the very verge OF hell.
The mothers Of Samuel Johnson and OF AL.
fred the Great and Of Isaac Newton and oi
st. Augustine and OF. Richard Cecil and ol
President Edwards for the most part were
industrious, hard working mothers.
Now, while I congratulate all Christian
mothers upon the wealth and the modern
science which may afford them all kinds oi
help. let me say that every mother ought tc
be observant OF her children's walk, her chill
dren's behavior, her children 5 food, her chill
dren's books, her children's companionship
However much help Hannah may have,
think she ought every year, at least, to max,
one garment for Samuel. The Lord hav'
mercy on the man who Is so unfortunate a
to have had a lazy mother!
Again. Hannah stands before you to-day a
an intelligent mother. From the way il
which she talked in this chapter, and iron
the way she managed this boy. you know sh
was intelligent. There are no persons in
community who need 10 be so wise and vel
informed as mothers. Oh. this work OF cul
turing children for this world and the next
This child is tiini1. and it must be reused W
and pushed out into activities This child i
forward, and he must BE- held back an
tanned down into modesty and poiteness
Rewards for one, punishments for another
That which will make George will ruil
John. The rod Is necessary in one case
while frown OF displeasure is NOR