The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-07-23
Or. TAlMAGrS SUNDAY SERMON.
A GOSPEL MESSAGE.
Subject "a Christian Mother"

W year Wnen sue came up WIN ner husband
70 offer the yearly sacrifice. II Samuel H.,
10.
The stories Of Deborah and Abigail nre
very apt to discourage q woman's soul. She
says within herself, at Is impossible that I
ever achieve any such grandeur OF charac.
ter, and don't mean to try" rs though
child should refuse to play the eight notes
because he cannot execute n civilian Tell"
This Hannah OF the text differs from the per-
sons | just named. She was an ordinary
woman. with ordinary intellectual capacity,
placed In ordinary circumstances. and yet,
by extraordinary piety, standing out before
all the ages 10 come the ideal Christian
mother. Hannah was the wife OF Elkanah,
who was person very much like herself
unromantic and plain. never having fought
n battle or been the subject OF n 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 no
star ran along the heavens pointing down 10
his birthplace, | think the angels OF God
stopped Mt the coming Of so wonderful n
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 thans sgiyiDg. The cradle where
the child slept was altar enough for Han
nnh's grateful heart, but when the boy was
NAh tANukl Sllf AtNN MN ~ Nill0I NuU tO0k
three bullocks and an epah Of -four and
bottle OF wine and made Offering OF sacrifice
unto the Lord. and there, according 10 n
previous vow, she left him. for there he was
20 stay all the days Of his life and minister
IN the sanctuary.
Years rolled on. and every year Hannah
made with her own hand u garment for
Samuel and took IL over 10 him. The lad
would have got along well without that gar
ment, for ] suppose he was we'll clad by the
ministry Of the temple but Hannah could
not be contented unless she was all the time
doing something for her idolized boy. "Alore-
over, his mother made him little coat and
brought II TO him from year to year when
she came up With her husband TO offer the
annual sacrifice"
Hannah stands before you. then, TODAY
in the lltst place. rs an industrious mother
There was no need that she work. Ekanah.
her husband, was far from poor. He be.
longed TO distinguished family, for tho
Bible tells us that he was the son OF Jeroham
the son OF Ellhu. the son OF Tohu. the son of
Xuph. "Who were thcyY' YOU saw. do
not know, but they were distinguished peo-
pie. no doubt, or their names would not have
been mentioned. Hannah might have seated
herself in her family, and. with folded arms
and dishevelyed hair, read novels. from
year 10 year. II there had been any 70 read;
but. when / SEQ her making that garment
and taking IL over to samuel | know she il
industrious from principle a. well as from
pleasure. God would not have mother be-
come drudge or n 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 bc found
making coat for samuel Most mothers
need no counsel in this direction, The
wrinkles on their brow, the palor 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 girlhood have given
place TO the grander dignity and useful
ness and industry of motherhood. But there
Is heuhenish idea getting al ,yd in
l some OF the families OF Americans; "are
mothers who Danish themselves ~ Mihe
home circle, ecrt ne,taushs q. 9fti' w
ternal duties they ftove themselves incom-
petent. They are Ignorant Of what their
children wear, aud what their children eat. .
and what their children read. They intrust
10 irresponsible persons these young inn
mortals and allow them 10 be under iniiu-
ences which may cripple their bodies, or
taint their purity or spoil their manners, or
destroy their souls. From the awkward cut
OF SamucIs coat you know his mother Han
nah did not make 1t.
Out from under flaming chandeliers, aud
! on from imported carpets, and down the
granite stuirs there is coming great crowd
OF children in this day, unframed. saucy
! incompetent for all the practical duties OF
OF life, ready 20 be caught In the first whirl
OF crime and sensuGlity. lndolcnt AMI un-
| faithful mothers will make iniOlent and I'M
faithful children. You cannot expect neat
ness AMI order In any house where the
daughters SEQ nothing but slattcrnlnrss
and upside downatvenc-s in their parents
Let Human bee 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
the merchandise OF the world, build
ing the walls, timing the roofs
weaving the carpets, making the laws
governing the nations. making the earth 10
quake and hoave and roar and rattle with
! the tread tggantic enterprises? Who are
/ theyI For the most part they descended
| from industrious mothers who in the old
| homestead used 10 spin their own yarn and
| weave their own carpets and plait their own
| doormats and Nag their own chairs and do
! their own work. The stalwart men and the
| influential women of this day, ninety-nine
| ont OF 100 OF them, came from such an illus
! trious ancestry OF hard Rnuckles and home
| spun. And who are these people In society.
| light as froth, blown every whittier of temp
tation and fashion-the peddlers OF filthy
stories, the dancing jacks OF political par
| ties, the scum of society, the tavern loung-
| ing, store tniesiing, the men OF low wink
! and illthy chuckle ani brass breastpin and
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
! out OF the churn, and by goddess life set
| ting their children on the very verge OF hell.
The mothers of samuel johnson aud of Al
! fred the Great and OF Isaac Hewion and Of
! ST. Augustine and Of Richard Cecil aud Of
President Edwards for the most par. 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 OF
help let me- say that every mother ought to
| be observant OF her children's walk, her chill
| dren's behavior, her chiidren's food. her chill
dren's books, her chldren's companionship
! However much help Hannah may have,
think she ought every year, at least, 10 make
! one garment for Samuel. The Lord have
mercy on the man who Is so unfortunate as
| TO have had n lazy mother!
Again, Hannah stands before you to-day rs
an intelligent mother. From the way in
1 A. .s.la ll..aN -. .N,ss.