The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1898-03-05
NOBLE MEN AND WOMEN.
DR.. Talmage Talks on the Reli-
gion of Ordinary People.
Encouragement for the Unrecognlxed and
Unrewarded- Advantage Of In ~
conspicuousness- Men
From Humble Homes.

heralded and unrecorded to their re-
ward. The text is:
Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patro-
bas, Hermes, Philologus and Julia Romans
xvi, l4-l5.
Matthew Henry, Albert Barnes, Adam
Clark, Thomas Scott, and all the com
mentators pass by these verses without
any especial remark. The other 20
people mentioned in the chapter were
distinguished for something, and were
therefore discussed by the illustrious
expositors; but nothing is said about
Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patro-
bas, Hermes, Philologus and Julia.
Where were they born? No one
knows. When did they die? There is
no record of their decease. For what
were they distinguished? Absolutely
nothing, or the trait OF character
would have been brought out by the
apostle. If they had been very intrep-
id, or opulent, or hirsute, or musical
of cadence, or Grass of style, or in any
wise anomalouss that feature, would
have been caught by the apostolic
camera. But they were good people,
because Paul sends to them his high
Christian regards. They were ordi-
nary people moving in ordinary sphere,
attending to ordinary duty and meet
ing ordinary responsibilities.
What the world wants is a religion
for ordinary people. If there be in
the United States 70,000,000 people,
there are certainly not more than
100000 extraordinary; and there are
69,OOO,0 600 ordinary, and we dowell to
turn our backs for little while upon
the distinguished and conspicuous peo-
pie of the Bible and consider in our
text the seven ordinary. We spend too
much of our time twisting garlands
for remarkables, and building thrones
for magnates, and sculpturing warriors
and apotheosizing philanthropists.
The rank and file of the Lords sol
diery need especial help.
The vast majority of people will never
lead an army, will never write state
constitution, will never electrify SEN
ate. will never make an important in
vention, will never introduce new
philosophy, will never decide the fate
Of nation. You do not expect to; you
do not want TO- You will not be a
Moses to lead nation out Of bondage.
You will not be Joshua to prolong
the daylight until you can shut five
kings in cavern. You will not be
st. John to unroll an Apocalypse. You
will not be Paul to preside over an
apostolic college. You will not be a
Mary to mother Christ. You will
more probably be Asyncritus, or Pile
gon, or Hermas, or Patrobas, or Her
mes, or Philologus, or Julia.
Many of you are women at the head
of households. Every morning you
plan for the day. The culinary depart
ment of the household is your domin-
ion. You decide all questions of diet.
All the sanitary regulations of your
house are under your supervision. To
regulate the food, and the apparel
and the habits, and decide the thous-
and questions of home life is tax upon
brain and nerve and general health alb
solutely appalling, if there be no Di-
vine alienation.
1t does not help you much to be told
that Elizabeth Fry did wonderful
things amid the criminals at Newgate.
It does not help you much to be told
that Mrs Judson was very brave among
the Bornesian cannibals. 1t does moi
help you very much to be told that
Florence Nightingale was very kind to
the wounded in the Crimea. 1t would
be better for me to tell you that the
Divine friend of Mary and Martha il
your friend, and that He sees all the
annoyances and disappointments ant
abrasions and exasperations of an or
binary housekeeper from morn til
night, and from the first day of the
wear until the last day of the year, ant
at your call He is ready with help ant
reinforcement.
They who provide the food of thu
world decide the health of the world
You have only to go on some errant
amid the taverns and the hotels of tn,
United States and Great Britain to APP
precate the fact that vast multitude
of the human race are slaughtered b.
incompetent cookery. Though youns
woman may have taken lessons il
music and may have taken lessons il
painting, and lessons in astronomy
she is not well educated unless she ha
taken lessons in dough! They who de
eide the apparel of the world and tn
food of the world decide the endurance
of the world.
An unthinking man may consider
matter of little importance-the care
of the household and the economies G
domestic life-but l tell you the cart
is strewn with the martyrs of kitche
and nursery. The health-shattere
womanhood of America cries out for
God who can help ordinary women i
the ordinary duties of housekeeping
The wearing, grinding, unappreciate
work goes on, but the same Christ VIII
stood on the bank of Galilee in tn
early morning and kindled the fire an
had the fish already cleaned and broi
ing when the sportsmen stepped ashor'
chilled and hungry, will help ever
other woman to prepare breakfas
whether by her own hand or the han
of her hired help. The God WI
made indestructible eulogy of Hal
nah, who made coat for San
uel. her son, and carried it
the temple every year, will help ever
woman in preparing the family war
robe. The God who opens the Bib
with the story of Abraham's entertain