The Penn's Grove record., 1896-07-24
DR. TALMAGE,
The Eminent Divine's Sunday
Discourse.
Subiect:41A Christian Mother"

SuI,ject:A'A Christian Mother"
TEXT: Moreover his mother made him a
fttle coat and brought 1t to him from year
to year when she came up with her husband
to offer the yearly sacrifice. Il Samuel H.,
10.
The stories of Deborah and Abigail are
very apt to discourage a woman's soul. She
says within herself, at is impossible that l
ever achieve any such grandeur OF charac-
ter, and | dom mean to try, as though a
child should refuse to play the eight notes
because he cannot execute a civilian Tell"
This Hannah of the text differs from the per-
sons 1 just named, She was an ordinary
woman, with ordinary intellectual capacity,
placed 10 ordinary circumstances, and yet.
by extraordinary piety, standing out before
all the ages to come the ideal 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 subject of a marvellous
escape. Neither of them would nave been
called a 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 to
his birthplace, l think the angels of God
stopped ut the coming of so wonderful a
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
mains grateful heart, but when the boy was
old enough she took him to Shiloh and took
three bullocks and an epah OF -four and a
bottle of wine and made offering of sacrifice
unto the Lord. and there, according to a
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, n every year Hannah
made with her own hand q garment for
Samuel and took 1t over to him. The lad
would have got along well without that gar
ment. for l suppose he was well 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. "More-
over, his mother made him q 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 wa no need that she work. EIkanah,
her husband, was far from poor. He be.
longed to a distinguished family, for the
Bible tells us that he was the son Of Jeroham,
the son Of Elibu, the son OF Tohu, the son OF
Zuph. who were they2" you say. do
not know, but they were distinguished peo-
PiCy uO uoubbt U tHSlT uhIubS WOulu not nave
been mentioned. Hannah might have seated
herself in her family, and, with folded arms
and dishevelved hair, read novels, from
year to year, IL there had been any to read;
but, when / sec her making that garment
and taking 1t over to Samuel, 1 know she Is
industrious from principle as well as from
pleasure. God would not have a mother be-
come a drudge or a 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
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 viyacity of girlhood have given
place to the grander dignity n useful.
ness and industry of motherhood. But there
is a heathenish idea getting abroad In
some Of the families of Americans; there are
mothers who Danish themselves from the
HON 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 inlrusi
to irresponsible persons these young i'm.
mortals and allow them to be under iniu.
ences which may cripple their bodies, oil
taint their purity, or spoil their manners, OF
destroy their souls. From the awkward cut
OF SamueFs coat you know his mother Han,
nah did not make it.
Out from under flaming chandeliers. and
off from imported carpets, and down the
granite stairs there is coming a great crowd
OF children in this day, unframed. saucy,
incompetent for all the practical duties Of
of life, ready to be caught in the first whir
OF crime and sensuality. Indolent and un
faithful mothers will make ndolent and I'm,
faithful children. You cannot expect neat.
ness and order in any house where the
daughters see nothing but slatternliness
and upside downatiyeness in their parents.
Let Hannah be idle, and most certainly
Samuel will grow up idle. Who are the In.
mel 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, makiug the laws,
governing the nations, making the earth to
the tread OF gigantic enterprises? Who are
they2 For the most part they descended
from industrious mothers who in the old
used ospin their own yarn and
weave their own carpets and plait their own
and nag their own chairs and do
their own work. TIL stalwart men and the
influential women Of this day, ninety-nine
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 ~fashion-the peddlers of filthy
the dancing jacks Of political par
Ties, the scum OF society, the tavern loung-
and filthy chuckle n brass brsastpin and
rotten associations2 For the most part they
from mothers idle aud disgusting, the
scandal mongers OF society, going from
house TO house attending to e~yerybodv's
business but their own, believing in witches
md ghosts and horseshoes to keep the devil
1ut Of the churn, and by a goddess life set
ing their children on the very verge OF hell.
The mothers Of Samuel johnson and OF Al
red the Great and of Isaac Newton and OF
IT. Augustine and of Richard Cecil and of
Edwards for the most part were
Industrious, hard working mothers.
Now, while l congratulate all Christian
Mothers upon the wealth and the modern
cience which may afford them all kinds OF
lelp, let me say that every mother ought to
70 observant OF her children's walk, her chill
behavior, her children's food, her chill.
books, her children's companionship.
much help Hannah may have, /
hink she ought every year, at least, to make
me garment for Samuel. Thu Lord ave
mercy on the man who is 50 unfortunate as
o have had a lazy motherl
Again, Hannah stands before you to-day as
N Intelligent mother. From the way in
which she talked In this chapter, and from
he way she managed this boy, you know she
7as intelligent. There are no persons In a
community who need to be so wise and well
as mothers. Oh, this work OF cul.
nring children for this world and the next
child is timid, and 1t must be reused up
nd pushed out into activities This child il
and he must be held back and
amed down into modesty and politeness.
for one, punishments for another.
hat which will make George will ruin
ohm. The rod is necessary In one case,
7hile a frown of displeasure Is more
han enough in another. Whipping and
dark closet do not exhaust all the
ounds of domestic discipline. There have
children who have grown up and gone
D glory without ever having their ears
oxed. Oh. how much care and intelligence
necessary in the rearing OF childrenl But
a this day, when there are so many books
n this subject, no parent Is excusable In be.
~ ignorant Of the best mode OF bringing ur
child. II parents knew more Of dietetics
here would NOT be so many dyspeptie
n weak nerves, and inactive liy.
rs among children. II parents knew more
( physiology, there would not be so many
urved spines n cramped chests, and IN.
amedt hroats, and diseased lungs as there
re among childran. II naranta knaw mors