Connecticut western news., 1896-07-23
ACHRISTIAN MOTHER
REV. DR. TAlMAGE DRAWS A TOUGH ING AND FAITHFUL PICTURE.


 REV. DR. TALMAGE DRAWS A TOUGH
 ING AND FAITHFUL PICTURE. HsanAA. tAs MosAer of sampsl-She Wa
 an Ind1akrieas Moshsr-shs wAs Intsl-
 ligsat. She was . Christian. and She wa Rsvardsd-Ripe For Heaven.
 WAsHINGroN, July 19.-This radical discourse will no doubt have its practi- cal result in many homesteads through put Christendom. The text was Sam uel ii. l9, Moreover his mother made him . little coat and brought it to him tom year to year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifce.
 Tho stories of Deborah and Abigail are very apt to discourage a woman's soul She says within herself. "It is impossible that ever achieve any such grandeur of character. and don't mean to try" as though child should refuse to.play the eight notes because he cannot execute William Tell" This Han- nah of the text differs from the persons just named She was an ordinary wo- man, with ordinary intellectual capac- ity. placed in ordinary circumstances. and yet by extraordinary piety. stand ing out before all the ages to come the model Christian mother. Hannah was the wife of Elkanah. who was a person very much like herself-unromantic and plain. never having fought a battle or been the subiect of . marvellous escape. Neither of them would have been called geniua Just what you and might he that was Elkanah and Hannah. The hxightest time in all the history of that family was the birth of Samuel Al though no star ran along the heavens pointing down to his birthplace, I think tho angels of God stopped at tine coming of 90 wonderful prophet As Samuel had been given in answer to prayer. Fl kanah and all his family save Hannah skaxted 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 w.s old enough she took him to Shiloh and toOk three bullocks and an ephah of -four and . bottle of wine and made of fering of sacrifice unto the Lord, and kbere. according to previous vow. she l&ft him, for there he was to stay all ths days of his life and minister in the sanctuary.
 Years rolled on. and every year Han- nah made with her own hand a garment for Samuel and took it over to him Tho lad would have got along well without that garment. for I suppose he was we'll clad by the ministry of the temple, but Hannah could not be con- tented unless she was all the time doing somefhing for her darling boy. "More- over. his mother made him little coat and brought it to him from year to yeaA when she camo up with her hus- hand to offer the yearly sacrifice /"
 Haanahrs Ind.stry.
 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 poox. He belonged to distin- guisbed family. for the Bible tells us that he was tho son of Jeroham. the son of Elihu. the son of TOhp. the son of Zuph tWho were they?' you say. do nok know. but they were distinguished people. no doubt. or their names would mt have been mentioned. Hannah might have seated herself in her family, and. with folded arms and disheveled hair. read novels. from year to year, if there had been any to read; but. when see her making that garment and taking it over to Samuel. know she is indus trions from principle as well as from pleasura God would not have a mother became dTudge or . dave; he would have her employ all the helps possible in this day in the reaRipg of her chil- dren- But Hannah ought never to be aahamed 70 be found making a coat for SamnAl Noat mothers need no counsel in this direction Tho wrinkles on their brow. ths pallo~ on their cheek. the thimble m4xk on their finger, attest that they are faithful in their maternal du- eiea The bloom and the brightness and the vivacity of girlhood have given place to tho stander dignity and useful ne0 and industry nf motherhood But there is . heathenish idea getting abroad in sume of the families of Americans;
 
 selves from the home circle For three eourths of their maternal duties they prove themselves incompetent They ara ignorant of what their children wear. and what their children eat, and what their children read. They intrust to irresponsible persons these young inn mortals and allow them to be under influences which may cripple their bod iea. or taint their purity. or spoil their manners. or destroy their souls From the awkward cut of Samuel's coat you know his mother Hannah did not make it.
 Out from under flaming chandeliers. and o6 from imported carpets. and down the granite stairs there is coming a great crowd of children in this day. un- trained. ssucy. incompetent for all the practical duties Of life. ready to be caught in the first whixi of crime and sensnality. Indolent and snfaithful mothers will make indolent and unfaith- ful children You cannot expect neat ness and order in any house where the daughters rec nothing but slatternliness and upside downativeness in their par entA Let Hannah b. idle, and most cer- tainly Samuel will grow Hp idle Who are the industrious men in all our eoca- pations and professional Who are they managing the merchandise of the world. building the walls. timing the roofs weaving the carpets making the laws, governing the nations, making the eayth to quske and heave and roar and rattle with the tread of gigantic enterprisesG Who are they7 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 nag their own chairs and do their own work Tho stAlwart men and the influential women of this day. 99 out of 100 of them. came from such an illus trious ancestry of hard knuek1es and homespun- And who arc these peopls xr sociefv HOht aS froth blown every