The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-02
DIR. TALMACE'S SERMON.
BY THE REV. FRANK DE WITT rALmAos. D. Q.

AHA- AsA=ht tAfaANf~
 Chicago, July 26-In these days of so- eial and domestic struggle the problem of family help is rapidly becoming one of the first importance in our great cities. Dr. Talmage's sermon shows that domestic service. far from being a vocation to be despised. should rightly be regarded as one of honor and lucrative reward. The text is Matthew xx. 2. sWhosoever will be chief among you. let him be your ser vant'
 Startling themel Apparently a contra dietion in terms but really a profound truth proved by reason and experience The men most honored in the world to- day and the men of the past. whose names history will never forget are the men who have rendered the world the best service. Emnence and lasting fame are won not by riches or titles. but by doing something that benefits others. That is sound general principle which applies not only to the highest walks of life. but to the humblest. It may correct our views of a station which is now the fash ion to hold in small esteem if we sec how it Is affected by this principle. l speak of the girls who in performing the humble duties of domestic service. contribute so much to the comfort and happiness of a family
 The tremendous opportunities of useful ness open to a conseerated domestic is the subject No position today accessible to woman of ordinary mental and phy- sieal capabilities will bring greater re- turns financially and spiritually than that offered to the average servant girl The gods were supposed to have allowed the beautiful queen of Cyprus to bless her little Kingdom in a wonderful way. Every place of the rocky island which her foot might touch would instantly be covered with brilliantly colored flora or with rich green verdure Not so does God endow any human being; but in a better way does the fable come true. The humble domes- tic servant, be she cook in the kitchen or guardian in the nursery or a waitress in the dining room, or simply a chamber maid, may live life which will carry fragrance wherever 1t goes
 Two Classes of Servants.
 But this sermonc theme has it's dark side well as It's bright. It is shadowed either by avoidance because in despislng 1t and seeking other occupa tions incon- veniences and social difficulties are en- tailed on others; by slothfulness because no one can do a duty badly or carelessly without deteriorating in character. The Kitchen or the nursery may be q throne room, with q consecrated domestic ser want as q queen, or it may be den of miserable drudgery and the scene of con stant pickering and discontent In olden times there were two classes of servants, both male and female. The one was that consecrRted band of workers which clear ly realized that true service 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 or the great Elijah, and Eliezer was the servant of Abraham and Samuel of Eli These men knew that they, in their hum ble sphere, were working for the advance ment of the world as truly as were their masters in their more conspicuous sphere
 The second class of servants were com posed of the sullen slaves captured in war. They were, for the most part. dis gruntled and rebellous servltors They Tell that the tyranny of fate had placed the eaptiVes manacles upon their wrists, and as soon as possible they would flee when chance of escape offered So there are women today serving In the Kitchen ana In the nursery who act as If they be- lleVe that they are captured slaves. They are sfumbling against their work and Heaser pay. They are spending one-hnlf of their time in finding fault with their nistfesses and the other half in trying to ma out way of escape Into some o'her occupation where they can have nio'e Hperty and Increased emoluments As We would praise the grand work of .he eonsecrated domestic, so we would denounce the evil behavior of the "wicl,ed ana slothful servant" We would try to SHOW mat the servant girl who buries her one talent in napkin and refuses to do her legitimate work Is Just as reprehen- sioie Ill Gods sight as the king or oueen who deliberately squanders d lifes can't 'ai or ten talents. Divine rewards and pulishments are not dependent upon inc amount or returns accomplished by Gods ehllaren' but upon the faithfuness and cohsecraton with which We perform the tasks He has given us to do.
 Concerning the Word "RoyaIv
 The word ''royal' is not restricted to station. 1t Is legitmately applied to any woman whose conduct in her own sphere ,s hooie ana taithful-eonduet which is becoming and fitting to queen. Nor IS the hnancial compensation for her ser wee inadequate. Her remuneration is as large as any other wage earner in pro- poFtioh 10 the physical labor and mental iaiilhg which are required of her Prove IL Will Compare today the net finan- ciai returns Of the average servant and those of the unskilled worker in any other departments of life In our large cities the nurse girl receives at least S3 6O to $4 and S5 per week. the good cool. rom $4 to v, even to S10, per week the. waitress A per week. the ehambermaid NJ per week. That means that each one or the household servants receives. usual ", wages running anywhere from ST to $25 per month. That Is more than many of the well dressed 1oorwalkers in the large city stores get. That is more than the average typewriter receives, for she has to pay rent and board which the do- mestic servant gets free. That is as much as farm hand or a private sol dier in the United States army receives .oh, no" some one answers, that is not true. fioorwaker will get SIP per week There Is many typewriter re- ceiving BIO per week, or about $40 per month" But my brother, when you es- innate the salary of the downtown clerks you must at the same time estimate their expenses. As l remarked the ser want girl receives a greater net return not gross, than any other class of labor requiring equal mental and physical equipment.
 A merchant never considers the gross returns of his business, but the net He says to himsef These goods were sold for so much. Now l must find out my expenses-so much for store rent. so much for night watchman, so much for eXpressage so much for commercial travellers, so much for advertising so much for taxes so much for this and SO