Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-07-30
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE, DID,,
Pastor OF Jefferson Pask Prceby.
terion Church. Chico DO


lem of family help is rapidly becoming
one of the first Importance in our great
cities. DR.. Tnlmage's sermon shows
that domestic service. fur from being
vocation to be dcspised. should right
ly be regarded as one Of honor and lu
crative reward. The text is Matthew
Xxx, r. whatsoever will be chief among
YOU. let him I've your servant"
Startling theme. Apparently CON
tradiction In terms, but really a pro
found truth proved by reason and cx-
pertence. The men most honOred in the
world today and the mon of tho past
whose names history will never for
get, are the men who have rendered the
world the best service Emincncc and
lasting fame are won not by riches or
titles. but by dotrc something that ben
Gifts others. That is a sound general
principle which applies not only to the
highest walks of life, but TO the
humblest 1t may correct our views of
station which it Is now the fashion
to hold in small esteem if we see how
1t is affected by this principle. | speak
of the girls who, in performing the
humble duties Of domestic service, con-
tribute so much to the comfort and
happiness of Il family.
The tremendous opportunities of Use
fulness open to Il consccrated domestic
is the subject No position today &C
cessible to n woman of ordinary men
tai and physical capabilities will bring
greater returns, financially and spirit
ually, than that offered TO the average
servant girl The gods werc supposed to
have allowed the beautiful queen of
Cyprus to bless her little kingdom in
wonderful way. Every place of the
.ocky island which her foot might
;ouch would instantly be covered with
brilliantly colurcd fora or with rich
green vcrdure Not so docs God cndow
any human being; but in a better way
does Tho fable come true The humble
domestic servant, be she cook in the
kitchen, or a guardian in the nursery,
or a waitress in the dining room, or
simply chambermnid, may live life
which viii carry fragrance wherever it
goes.
Two Classes of Servants.
But this sermonic theme has its dark
side as we'll MS its bright. 1t is shad-
owed either by avoidance or by sloth-
fulness-by avoidance because in de
spising 1t and seeking other occupa-
tons Inconvenience and social diff
cult1es are entailed on others by sloth-
fulness because no one can do a duty
badly or carelessly without deteriorat-
ing in charactr:. The kitchen or the
nursery may be n throne room, with
Consecrated domestic servant as n
queen, or 1t may be a den of miserable
drudgery and the scene Of constant
pickering and discomfort. In Olden
times there were two classes of serv-
ants, both male and female. The one
was that consecrated band Of workers
which clearly realized that true serv-
ice, no matter how humble. implied
honor and usefulness Thus Joshua,
great man that he was, gladly and
willingly became the servant Of Moses
and Elisha was the servant Of the
great Elijah, and Eliezer was the serv-
ant Of Abraham and Samuel OF Ell.
These men knew that they, In their
humble sphere, were working for the
were their masters in their more con-
splcuous sphere.
The second class Of servants was
composed of the sullcn slaves captured
in war. They Were, for the most part,
disgrunted and rebellous scrvitors.
They felt that the tyranny of fate had
placed the captives' manacles upon
their wrists, and as soon as possible
they would fee when chance for es-
cape offered. So there are women to-
day serving in the kitchen and in the
nursery who act as If they believe that
they are captured slaves. They are
grumbling against their work and
lneager pay. They are spending one
half Of their time in finding fault
with their mistresses and the other
half In trying to find out a way of es-
cape into some other occupation where
they can have more liberty and in
creased emoluments. AS we would
praise the grand work of the conse-
Grated domestic so we would denounce
the evil behavior of the wicked and
slothful servant" We would try to
show that the servant girl who buries
her one talent in napkin and refuses
TO do her Legitimate work is Just as
reprehenslble in Gods sight rs the
king or queen who deliberately squan-
ders life's capital OF ten talents. Dl-
vine rewards and punishments are not
dependent upon the amount of returns
accomplished by Gods children, but
upon the faithfulness and consecra-
ton with which we perform the tasks
he has given us TO do
Concerning the Word "RoynI"
The word royal" IS not restricted TO
station. 1t is legitimatcly applied to
any woman whose conduct in her own
sphere is noble and faithful conduct
(which is becoming or fitting TO n
queen Nor is tho financial compen-
sation for her service inadequate. Her
remuneration IS MS large as any other
wage Garner in proportion to the phys
zeal labor and mental training which
are requirId of her Prove It? | will
Compare Today the net financial re-
turns of the average servant and those
of the unskllcd worker in any other
departments of life. In our largo cities
the nurse girl receives Mt least $3.50 to
81 and s. per week, the good cook
FROM 81 to 81, even to $40, per week
the waitress ~ per week, tho cham