Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1898-01-08
HOUSEHOLD CARES.
REV. DR.. TALMAGE BREACHES ON THE
DUTIES OF HOME LIFE.

Words of Cheer For All Wives, Mother
Daughters and Sisters He Remind
, Them That They Are Deciding TT
' Eternal Resting Of the Race.
=, Copyright 1898. by American Press Assu
ciation.l
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2.-Dr. Talmage'
sermon today goes through home lif
with the tread of one who has seen al
its departments and sympathizes witt
all he sees and has words of cheer TO
all wives, mothers, daughters and sis
ters; text, Luke X 40: Lord dost thor
not care that my sister hath left me tt
serve alone? Bid her, therefore, that sh,
help me.
Yonder is beautiful village home
stead. The man of the house is dead
and his widow is taking charge of the
premises. This is the widow Martha Of
Bethany. Yes. I will show you also the
pet of the household. This is Mary, the
younger sister, with book under her
arm and her face having no appearance
of anxiety or care. Company has come.
Christ stands outside the door, and of
course there is good deal of excite.
ment inside the door. The disarranged
furniture is hastily put aside, and the
hair is brushed back, and the dresses
are adjusted as we'll as in SO short q
time Mary and Martha can attend to
these matters. They did not keep Christ
standing at the door until they were
newly appareled or until they had elab-
orately arranged their tresses, then COM
ing out with their affected surprise as
though they had not heard the two or
three previous knockings, saying, "Why,
is that you?" No They were ladies
and were always presentable, although
they may not have always had Oh their
best, for none Of us always has on our
best. If we did, our best would not be
worth having on. They throw open the
door and greet Christ. They say:
Good morning, Master. Come in and
be seated. -
Christ did not come alone. He had
group of friends with him, and such al
influx of city visitors would throw any
country home into perturbation. I sup
pose also the walk from the city had
been good appetizer. The kitchen de-
partment that day was very important
department., and 1 suppose that Martha
had no sooner greeted the guests than
she fled to that room. Mary had no wor-
riment about household affairs. She had
full confidence that Martha could get
up the best dinner in Bethany. She
seems to say: "Now let US have a divi-
sion of labor. Martha, you cook, and I'll
sit down and be good" So you have Of
ten seen great difference between two
sisters.
Everyday PerpleIities.
There is Martha, hard working, pains
taking, good manager, ever inventive
of some new pastry or discovering some
thing in the art of cookery and house.
keeping. There is Mary, also fond of
conversation, literary, SO engaged in |
deep questions of ethics she has no time |
to attend to the questions Of household |
welfare. 1t is noon. Mary is in the par
lor with Christ. Martha is in the kitch-
en-. 1t would have been better if they
had divided the work. and then they
could have divided the opportunity of
listening to Jesus, but Mary monopolizes
Christ while Martha swelters at the
are. 1t was very important thing that
they should have good dinner that
lay. Christ was hungry, and he did not
often have luxurious entertainment.
Alas me, If the duty had devolved upon
Mary, what repast that would have
,eenl But something went wrong in the
kitchen. Perhaps the fire would not
ourn, or the bread would not bake, or
Martha scalded her hand, or something
was burned black that ought only to
nave been made brown, and Martha lost
Ter patience and forgetting the proprie-
les Of the occasion, with besweated
row, and, perhaps, with pitcher in one
land and tongs in the other, she rushes
ut Of the kitchen into the presence of
christ, saying, Lord, dost thou not
are that my sister hath left me to serve
Ilone?" Christ scolded not word If !
t were scolding, I should rather have
lis scolding than anybody elses bless !
ng. There was nothing acerb. He knew ]
1artha had almost worked herself to +,
cath to get him something to eat, and {,
D he throws world Of tenderness into '
is intonation as be seems to say: "My t
ear woman, do not worry. Let the din
er 60. Sit down on this ottoman beside r
larry, your younger sister. Martha, +
lartha. thou are careful and troubled C
bout many things, but one thing is t
eedful - AS Martha throws open that C
itchen door, 1 look in and see a great q
,any household perplexities and ankle I
es t.
Trials of transportation. t
First there is the trial of nonappre- e
alton. That is what made Martha so u
ad with Mary. The younger sister
i'd no estimate Of her older sister ia V
CUES. AS now, men bothered with the O
lxieties Of the store and Office and O
Top, or, coming from the Stock Ex- W
lange, they say when they get home: b
Oh, you ought to be in our factory IL
tile while. You ought to have to man q
70 s or 10 or 90 subordinates, and Of
en- you would know what trouble and 81
lxiety are. y Oh, sir, the wife and the =
other has to conduct at tic same time to
university, clothing establishment, tt
a laundry, a library, while al
e is health officer, police and pres I'll
ent of her realm. She must do a thou al
nd things and do them we'll in order ne
keep things going smoothly, and so nj
T brain and her nerves are taxed to
e utmost know there are housekeep- be
9 who are so fortunate that they can II
!; in an armchair in the library or lie N
the belated pillow and throw off all o
e care upon subordinates who, hav ne
g large wages and great experience, III
4 attend to all OF the affairs of the gr
Those are the exceptions. ! th