The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-02-23
1 NOBLE WOMANHOOD.
1r. Talmage Draws Lessons from an
Unnamed Bible Character.

0eR Coco 0U1shsscs SSs HVEs~ ne
n..e on the shuttle-The Create
.ess Of Christian Char
acteristics.
,w.shinrton, Copyright
Scripture character whose name is
,ot piyen becomes the subject cf DR..
ralmages sermon, in which he sets
forth the qualities of good and noble
vomanbood; text, II Kings AS, "Elisha
raaeed to Shunem, where was great
woman"
The hotel of our time haG no counter
mart in any entertainment Of olden
time. The vast majority OF travellers
mut then be entertained at private
abode. Here comes Elisha, servant
al the Lord, or Divine mission, and he
must find shelter. A balcony overlook
/. irr the valley of Esdraeion is offered
him in private house, and it is espe-
eially furnished for his cccupancy-a
chair to sit on, a table from which to
ct, candlestick by which to read and
bed on which to slumber, the whole
establishment belonging to great and
rood woman. Her husband, it seems.
was 4 godly man, but he was entirely
overshadowed lg his wife: excellences,
lust as now you sometimes find in a
household the wife the center Of dig
I nifty and influence and power, not by
sany arrogance or presumption, but by
superior intellect and force of moral
stature welding domestic affairs and at
he same time supervising all financial
business affairs. The wife's hard on
the shuttle, or the banking house, or
the worldly business.
You see hundreds of men who are sue
cessiul only because there is reason at
home Why they are successful. II a man
1Arry good, honest soul, he makes his
fortune. II he marry fool, the Lord
I help him! The wife may be the silent
partner in the firm, there may be only
Masculine voices down en- exchange.
but there oftentimes comes from the
home circle potential and elevating in
! 1uence. This woman of my text was
athe superior of her husband. He. as far
as can understand, was what we often
eee in our day, man Of large fortune
and only modicum of brain, intensely
quiet. sitting long while in the same
place, without moving hand or foot; i:
Jon say "Yes," responding "Yes;" if
you say "No," responding "No"-inane.
eyes half shut. mouth wide open, main
taining his position in society oily be-
cause he has large patrimony. But
his wife. my text says, was a great
woman. Her name has not come down
70 NJ. She belonged to that collection
e9 people who need no name to dis
tlnguish them. What would title of
dnchess or princess or queen-what
would escutcheon or cleaning diadem
y to this woman of my text, wEo. by
her intelligence and her behavior, cha.-
lenges the admiration of all ages? Long
after the brilliant women of the court
sf Louis XIV. have been forgotten, and
The brilliant women Of the court OF
spain have been forgotten. and the bril-
Aant woman who sat on the thrcne o1
1 Alssia have been forgotten, some
eIandfather will put on his spectaclea
aad. holding the book the other side the
light, read to his grandchildren the
story Of this great woman of Shunem
Who was 50 kind and courteous and
SAristian to tie good prophet Elisha
\ 1es. she was great woman.
n the first place, she was great in her
aospitalities. Cncivilized and barbar-
eas nations have this virtue. Jupiter
aad the surname of the Hospitable and
ae was said especially to avenge the
wrongs of strangers. Homer extolled
sn IN his verse. The Arabs are punctili-
1 eas on this subject, and among some OF
1neir tribes it is not until the ninth day
g tarrying that the occupant has a
neht to ask his guest: "Who and
! Whence art thou?" If this virtue is SO
aonored among barbarians, how ought
% be honored among those of US who
eelieve in the Bible, which commands
= to use hospitality one toward an
! staef without grudging?
" course. do not mean under this
cover to give any idea that approve OF
saat vagrant class who go around from
FACE to place. ranging their whole life.
ane perhaps under the auspices OF
one beneyolenst or philauthropic so.
81. ley quartering themselves on Chris.
n families with great pile of trunk,
3 me hall and carpetbag portentous Of
Nrsying. There is many a country
ersonage that looks out week by week
spon the ominous arrival of wagon
MN ereaking wheel and lank horse and
papated driver, come under the aus.
- Of some charitable institution to
4 snd few weeks and canvass the
noorhood. Let no such religion.
ss.nps take advantage of this beauti.
49, s'ftue OF Christian hospitality. Not
nucn the sunptuousness of you,
and the regality of your abode will
sess the friend or the stranger tba,
across your threshold as tba
th Of your greeting. the infor
szs 10y q your reception, the reitera
81 " grasp and by look and by i
and attentions. insignificant at
ssons, Of your earnestness of wei
-, There will \. h;rh