The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-03-23
WOMAN IN THE HOME
NJ. Talmage breaches on the Trials
Of Wives and Mothers.
.,. from the story of Mary and
x.rtha-AnnOyanc OF Home
Life Are steps to High
Reward.

,w..,;np.on. Copyright, 1897
Tb;s discourse of DR.. Talmage seems
- omen all the doors of home life and
rouses appreciation of work not or
d;nariIy recognized; text, Luke 1o:4O:
.Iord, dost thou not care that my sis
,.r hath left me to serve alone? Bid
~ theref ,re that she help me-
Youder is beautiful village home
.t,ad. The man of the house is dead
md his widow has charge of the prem
;ses. II is Widow Martha, of Bethany.
Yes. will show you also the pet OF the
household It is Mary, the younger sis
ter, with book under her arm, and in
her face no sign of care or anxiety
about anything. Company has come.
Christ appearing at the outside OF the
door makes some excitement inside the
door. The sister set back the disar-
ranged furniture, arrange their hair
and in fash prepare to open the door.
They do not keep Christ waiting out
side until they have newly appareled
themselves or elaborately arranged
their tresses, and then with affected
surprise come out and pretend not to
haye heard the two or three previous
knockings say: why is that you?'
No, they were ladies and always pre-
sentable. although, perhaps, they had
mot on their best. None of ~; always
have on our best. Otherwise very soon
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 brought company of friends
with Him, and the influx of so many
city visitors, you do not wonder, threw
the country home into some perturba-
tion. suppose the walk from the city
had been keen appetizer. The kitch.
en- department that day was a very i'm
portant department, and l think as
soon as Martha had greeted her guests
she went to that room. Mary had no
anxiety about the dinner. She had
full confidence that her sister Martha
could get up the best dinner in Bethany
and she practically said: Now, let us
have division of labor. Martha, you
cook. and I'll sit down and learn"
The same difference you now some.
times see between sisters. There is
Martha, Industrious, painstaking, 4
good manager. ever inventive of some
new pastry, discovering something in
household affairs. Here is Mary. fond
Of conversation. literary. so full OF
questions of ethics she has no time to
discuss questions of household welfare
i IS noon. Mary is in the parlor
Martha is in the kitchen. 1t would have
been better for them to have divided the
toll, and then they could have divided
the opportunity of listening to Christ
But Mary monopolizes Christ while
Martha swelters before the fire. 1t was
very important that they have good
dinner that day, for Christ was hungry
and he did not often have luxurious en-
tertainment. Alas, me! if all the re
sponsibility of that entertainment hat
rested with Mary, what a repast they
would have had! But something wen,
wrong in the kitchen. Either the fire
would not burn, or the bread would not
Make, Or something was turned black
that ought to have been only turned
brown, or Martha scolded herself and
forgetting all the proprietios of the oc
casiOn, with besweated brow she rushed
out OF the kitchen into the parlor, per
maps with tongs in one hand ant
Pitcher in the other, and she cried out;
Lord, dost thou not care that my sis
yer has left me to serve alone? Bid hel
therefore that she help me-" Christ
tcoided not a word. If it were scolding
would rather have Him scold me thar
anybody else bless me. There wa:
nothing acerb in the Saviour's reply
de knew that Martha had been working
herseH almost to death to get Hin
something to eat, and he appreciated
aer kindness. and He practically said
" dear woman, do not worry. Le
me dinner go. Sit down here on thi.
couch beside your younger sister Mary
Lei us talk about something else
Martha, Martha, thou art careful ant
troubled about many things, but on,
thingis needful."
As Martha throws open the door
look in to-day, and | see great man,
household anxieties, and about then
am going to speak of the Lord o
Nary and Martha and Lazarus will hel,
ne BY His grace.
As ! look into that door. in the frs
paace, ! see the trial of nonappreciation
1nat was what made Martha so vexe,
= Mary, Mary, the younger sister, ha,
re proper estimate of the elder sister
fatigue, just as now men having annoy
saces OF store and factory and shop o
8 the stock exchange come home a
night and hear of some household an
noyance, and they say: 'Oh. that
aotning! You ought to be in factor,
sosy and have ten or fifteen or twent,
ssene hundred subordina;es. Then yo1
w2uid know something about annoy
snce and trouble" Oh, man, let me tel
yous that a wife and mother has I
sonouct at the same time university
saotning establishment, restauran1
Nondry. a library, ard has 10 b