Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-01-21
THE IDEAL WOMAN.
OR. TALmAGE DIscouRses ON FeMl-
NINE ATTRIBUTES.

The Hand ON the shuttIe-The Nobil-
ity Of woman hood-The Greatness
Duties OF Women.
Copyright 1889. by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
WASHINGTON. Jan ia Scripture
character whose name Is not given becomes
the subject OF DIR Talmagc's sermon, in
which he sets forth the qualities of good
and noble womanhood: text. ii Kings Nv,
5. Elisha passed To Shuncm. where was
"A great woman.
The hotel of our time had no Counterpart
IN any entertainment of olden time. The
vast majority Of travellers must then be
entertained at private abode. Here comes
Elisha. n servant Of the Lord. on divine
mission. and he must find shelter. A bal
cony overlooking the valley Of Esdraelon
Is offered him i'm private house, and it Is
especially furnished for his occupancy-a
chair 10 sit on. n table from which TO eat,
n candlcstick by which To read and n bed
on which to slumbcr the whole establish
mcnt belonging 10 a great and good wofn
an Her husband. it seems, was n godly
man. but he was entirely overshadowed by
his wife's excellenccs. just as now you
sometimes find I'm a household the wife the
center Of dignity and influence and power.
not by any arrogance or presumption, but
by superior intellect and force Of moral
nature welding domestic affairs and at
the same time supervising all financial
and business affairs The wife's hand on
the shuttle. or the banking house. or the
worldly business
You sec hundreds of men who arc sue.
ccssful only because there is a reason at
home why they are successful II man
marry n good. honest soul. he makes his
fortune. II he marry n fool. the Lord help
himl The wife may he the silent partner
IN the firm. there may be only masculine
voices down on Exchange. but there often
time comes from the home circle a potcn
tial and elevating influence This woman
Of my text was the superior of her hus
hand He. as far as | can understand,
was what we often see I'm our day. n man
81 large fortune and only modicum OF
brain. intensely quiet. sitting long while
I'm the same place. without moving hand
or foot: II you say Yes" responding
Yes: II you say NO. responding
"No"-inanc eyes half shut. mouth wide
open. maintaining his position in society
only because no has large patrimony
But his wife. my text says. was "a great
woman Her name has not come down TO
us she belonged Ia that collection of pco
pie who need no name to distinguish them
What would title Of duchess or princess or
quccn-what would escutcheon or CLEAN.
ing diadem be To this woman Of my text
who. by her intelligence and her behavior,
challenges the admiration Of all ages.
Long after. the brilliant women Of the
court of Louis XIV have been forgotten, and
the brilliant women of the court OF Spain
have been forgotten. and the brilliant wo
men who sat ON the throne of Russia have
been forgotten, some grandfather will put
on his spcctaclcs and. holding the book the
other side the light. read TO his grandchil.
drcn the story Of this great woman Of
Shunem who was SO kind and courteous
and Christian to the good prophet Elisha
Yes. she was n great woman
The HospitnbIe Woman.
In the first place. she was great i'm her
Inequalities Uncivilizcd and barbarous
nations have this virtue Jupiter had the
surname Of the Hospitable. and he was
said especially TO avcnge the wrongs of
strangers Homer cxiollcd IL In his verse
The Arabs are punctilious ON this subject
and among some 81 their tribes IL is not
until the ninth day Of tarrying that the
occupant has right 20 ask his guest
Who and whence art thous' II this vir
tue Is 50 honorcd among barbarians. how
ought IL to be honorcd among those of us
who believe In the Bible, which commands
us Ia usc hospitality one toward another
without grudgingy
OF course. do not mean under this
cover 10 give any idea that I approve Of
that vagrnnt class who go around from
place u place. ranging their whole life
time perhaps under the auspices az some
benevolent or philanthropic society. quar-
tcring themselves on Christian families
with n great pile Of trunks In the hall and
carpetbag portentous of tarrying There
Is many country parsonage TINT looks
out week by weck upon the ominous ar.
rival OF wagon with cracking wheel and
lank horse and dilapidated driver come
under the auspices Of some charitable In.
stitution to spend few weeks and canvass
the neighborhood Let no such religious
trnmps take advantage Of this BEAUTIFUL
virtue Of Christian hospitality. Not 50
much the sumptuousness Of your diet and
the rcgality Of your abode will impress the
friend OF the stranger that steps across
your threshold rs the warmth II your
grecting. the informally Of your reccp.
ton. the rciteration by grasp and by look
and by Thousand attentions. insignifl.
cant attentions. Of your earncsfness Of
welcome There will be high appreciation
of your welcome though you have moth
ing but the brazcn candlcstick and the
plain ch..ir 20 offer Elisha when he comes
90 Shuncm Most beautiful Is this grace
Of hospitality when shown In the house Of
God am thankful that have always
becn pastor Of churches where strangers
nrc welcome But have entered churches
where there was no hospitality A stranger
would stand I'm the vcstibulc for awhile
and then make pilgrimage up the long
aisle No door opened Ia him until flushed
and excited and embarrassed. III started
hack again. and coming 10 some ialf filled
pew with apologctic air entered il, while
the occupant glarcd ON him with look
which seem I 90 say. We'll. II | must, l
must " Away with such accurscd indie
cency from the house of Cod Let every
church that would maintain large Chris
tinn influence in community culture Sab
bath by sabbath this beautiful grace Of
Christian hospitality
a good man travelling in the far west In
the wilderness was ovcrtaken By night
and storm. and he put in Mt "A cabi.. He
saw firearms along the beams Of the cabin.
and he felt alarmed He did not know
but that he nd fallen into den OF thieves
He sat th e greatly perturbel After
awhile the ian ~ the house came home
with "A gun on his shoulder and set 10
DOWN I'm ae rner The stranger was still
more alirn ri After awhile tie man of
the hon-e whispered with his Hit and
thu stranger thought his destruction was
,ring plannh Then the man Of the
hiIISt. tziiie inrwari ard said IA me strsin
E't stranger we arr rough and rude
priuir oGi isrn and We work hard for a
living Va mnsc nur living hy hunting
ANA when W ',iiiir go the uightfill we arc
tinri anil wr ~ APT Ia ", la bed early
and lp'fur. rfiring we nrr always In the
habit oi rs.tlinR q chapter frpm the word
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