The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1902-01-03


the Overlooking populations OF our
crowded cities will have to take to the
fields. Instead Of ten merchants in
rivalry as to who shall sell that one ap.
pie we want at least eight Of them to
60 out and raise apples. Instead OF ten
merchants desiring to sell that one
bushel of wheat, we want at least eight
OF them to go out and raise wheat.
The world wants ow more hard hands,
more bronzed cheeks, more muscular
arms. To the fields! God honored
them when he woke up the shepherds
by the midnight anthem, and He Will
while the world lasts continue to honor
the fields. When the shepherds crook
was that famous night stood against
the wall of the Bethlehem khan, it was
prophesy of the time when thrasher's
fail and farmers pillow and woodlands
ak and ox's yoke and sheaf binders
rake shall surrender to the God.who
made the country as man made the
town.
Behold also that on that Christmaa
night God honored motherhood. Two
angels on their wings might have
brought an infant Saviour to Bethle-
hem without Mary's being there at all.
When the villagers on the morning OF
December 90 awoke, by Divine arrange
ment and in some unexplained way the
child Jesus might have been found In
some comfortable cradle of the village.
But no, no! Motherhood for all time
was to be consecrated, and one OF the
tenderest relations was to be the ma
ternal relation and one OF the sweet
est words "mother." In all ages God
has honored good motherhood. st.
Bernard had good mother. Samuel
Budget good mother. Doddridge
good mother. Walter Scott a good
mother. Benjamin West a good
mother. In great audience, most OF
whom were Christians, ] asked that all
those who had been blessed of Chris.
tian mothers arise, and almost the en-.
tire assembly stood up. Do you not see
how important it is that all mother
hood be consecrated? Why did Titan.
the Italian artist, when he sketched the
Madonna, make it an Italian face?
Why did Rubens, the German artist, in
his Madonna, make it German facef
Why did Joshua Reynolds, the English
artist, in his Madonna, make it an Eng
lish face? Why did Murillo, the Span
ish artist, in his Madonna, make it
Spanish face? never heard, but !
think they took their own mothers as
the type Of Mary, the mother OF Christ.
When you hear some one in sermon or
Grafton speak in the abstract OF good,
faithful, honest mother, your eyes NIL
up with tears, while you say to your
self: "That was my mother"
The first word child utters is apt
to be "Mother!" and the old man in his
dying dream, calls: Mother,
mother!" It matters not whether she
was brought up in the surroundings OF
a city and in affluent home and was
dressed appropriately with reference
to the demands Of modern life or
whether she wore the old time cap and
great round spectacles and apron OF
her own make, and knit your socks
with her own needles seated by the
broad fireplace, with great backlog
ablaze, on q winters night; it matters
not how many wrinkles crossed and re-
crossed her face or how much her
shoulders stopped with the burdens OF
a long life, If you painted Madonna
hers would be the face. What gentle
hand she had when we were sick and
what a voice to soothe pain, and was
there anyone who could SO fill up a
room with peace and purity and light?
And what sad day that was when
we came home and she could greetfus
not, for her lips were forever still.
Come back, mother, in these Christian
times and take your old place, and as
ten or 20 or so years ago come and open
the old Bible as You used to, read and
kneel in the same place where you
used to pray and look upon us as OF
old when you wished us a merry
Christmas or happy New Year. But
no! That would not be fair to call you
back. You had troubles enough and
aches enough. and bereavements
enough while you were here. larry by
! the throne, mother, till We join YOU
! there, your prayers all answered, and
in the eternal homestead of our God
we shall again keep Christmas jubilee
toge Their. But speak from your
thrones, all you glorified mothers. and
say to all these, your sons and daugh.
tiers, words of love, words Of warning
words of cheer. They need your voice
| for they have travelled far and with
many heartbreak since you left them
and you do well to call from the heights
of Heaven to the valleys of earth
Hail, enthroned ancestry! We are
coming. Keep place right beside you
ut the banquet.