The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1898-03-25


the lineaments of the woe BECOME coun-
tenance. Not Mary, nor Bertha, nor
Agnes, but Hagar in the wilderness.
May God have mercy upon woman in
her tolls, her struggles, her haldships,
her desolation, and may the great heart
of divine sympathy inclose her forever !!
Responsibility of Motherhood.
Again, I find in this oriental scene
the fact that every mother leads forth
tremendous destinies.
You say, "That isn't an unusual
scene-a mother leading her child by
the hand" Who is it that she is lead
ing? Ishmael, you say. Who is Ish-
mael? A great nation is to be founded
"a nation SO strong that it is to stand
for thousands of years against all the
armies of the world. Egypt and Assyria
thunder against it, but in vain. Gaulus
brings up his army, and his army is
smitten. Alexander decides upon a cam
paign, brings up his hosts and dies.
For a long while that nation monopo-
Lies the learning of the world. 1t is the
nation of the Arabs. Who founded it?
Ishmael, the lad that Hagar led into the
wilderness. She had no idea she was
leading forth such destinies. Neither
does any mother. You pass along the
street and see and pass boys and girls
who will yet make the earth quake
with their influence.
Who is that boy at Sutton pool, Plym-
outh, England barefooted, wading
down into the slush and slime until his
bare foot comes upon piece of glass;
and he lifts it bleeding and pain struck!
That wound in the foot decides that he
be sedentary in his life; decides that he
BIZ a student. That wound by the glass
in the foot decides that he shall be John
Kitto, who shall provide. the best reli-
gious encyclopedia the world has ever
had provided and, with his other writ
ings as we'll, throwing light upon the
word of God such as has come from no
other man in this century. Oh, mother,
mother, that little hand that wanders
over your face may yet be lifted to hurl
thunderbolts of war or drop benedic-
tions! That little voice may blaspheme
God in the grogshop or cry "For-
ward!" to the Lords hosts as they go
out for their last victory. My mind this
morning leaps 80 years ahead, and l
see a merchant prince of New York.
One stroke of his pen brings a ship out
of Canton. Another stroke of his pen
brings ship into Madras. He is mighty
in all the money markets of the world.
Who is he? He sits on Sabbaths beside
you in church. My mind leaps 80 years
forward from this time, and find my
self in relief association. A great null
titude of Christian women have met to-
gether for a generous purpose. There is
one woman in that crowd who seems to
have the confidence of all the others,
and they all look up to her for her
counsel and for her prayers. Who is
she? This afternoon you will find her in
the Sabbath school, while the teacher
tells her of that Christ who clothed TIE
naked and fed the hungry and healed
the sick Ny mind leaps forward 80
years from now, and l find myself iL
an African jungle, and there is mis-
sionary of the cross addressing the ma
tives, and their dusky countenances are
irradiated with the glad tidings of
great joy and salvation. Who is he?
Did you not hear his voice today in the
opening song of your church service?
My mind leaps forward 80 years from
now, and find myself looking through
the wickets of a prison. | see a face
SCARED with every crime His chin on
his open palm, his elbow on his knee,
picture of despair. AS open the wicket
he starts, and | hear his chain clank.
The jailkeeper tells me that he has
been in there now three times-first for
theft, then for arson, now for murder.
He steps upon the trapdoor, the rope is
fastened to his neck, the plank falls,
his body swings into the air, his soul
swings off into eternity. Who is he and
where is he? This afternoon playing
kite on the city common. Mother, you
are now hoisting throne or forging a
chain, you are kindling star or dig
ging dungeon
A Christian mother good many
years ago sat teaching lessons of religion
to her child, and he drank in those les
sons. She never knew that Lamphier
would come forth and establish the Full
ton street prayer meeting, and by one
meeting revolutionize the devotions of
the whole earth and thrill the eternities
with his Christian influence. Lamphier
said it was his mother who brought
him to Jesus Christ. She never had an
idea that she was leading forth such
destinies. But, oh, when | see a mother
reckless of her influence, rafting on
toward destruction, garlanded for the
sacrifice with unseemly mirth and god
lessness dancing on down to perdition,
taking her children in the same direc-
ton, preparing them for life of frivoli-
ty, death of shame and an eternity of
disaster, cannot help but say: "There
they gol There they go; Hagar and Ish-
maelp | tell you there are wilder des-
erts than Beersheba i'll many of the
fashionable circles of this day. Dissi-
pated parents leading dissipated chill
dren. Avaricious parents leading avari-
fious children. Prayerless parents lead
Ing prayerless children. They go through
every street, up every dark alley, into
every cellar, along every highway. Ha-
gar and Ishmael And while pronounce
their names it seems like the moaning