Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1903-11-07

me so much money
Self Sacrifice.
But though the value Of some articles
may be judged by the criterion OF Sill
yer and gold others are sometimes
Judged by the higher standard OF hesn
and blood. If in order to save your
country you had to sacrifice upon the
field Of battle an arm or leg or an
eye, would you not on account OF that
sacrifice love your country more than
if. like John Jacob Astor, you merely
made to it the gift Of an artillery bat
terry, or, like old Cornelius Vanderbilt,
YOU fitted out for 1t man-of-war! Ii
in order to save your child, who had
been gripped with the poisonous bite
Of dangerous serpent. you had placed
your mouth against the bleeding lips
of the wound and sucked that poison
into your own system, would you not
love that child more for whom you
were willing to imperil your life than
If you had given to her mere Offering
of silver and gold? Yes, yes! OF course
you would. The law Is universal. The
greater the sacrifice we make for our
loved ones the greater becomes our
love for them.
This premise is granted. Where, then,
can you find richer, deeper, truer sacrl-
fees and therefore richer love than
that exhibited by a widowed mother
toward her helpless children? Tender
ly as you and love our children, does
our love glow with such fervent heat
as does that of the widowed mother
who has toiled and contrived and de-
MED herself for their welfare? In or
der TO raise them she has to pay for
their education and food with the price
of blood. Does not that young g1rps
graduation day address mean more to
her mother, who perhaps had to scruD
for it as well as sew together the white
dress in which 1t was delivered? Dur
ing the civil war a soldier boys arm
was amputated After the lad came
out from under the influence OF the an
aesthetic he asked the surgeon II he
might see his arm. The nurse handed
ii to him. The boy looked the arm
over very carefully as he said: Good
by, old arm. You have been good
friend to me. Those fingers have work
ed for me very hard" Then turning,
he said to the surgeon: Doctor, do not
think | am a coward or that l regre'
the sacrifice. If necessary l would cut
off my other arm to save my country
I never knew what II truly meant tc
love my flag until bespattered 1t with
nv own blood" So, . widow, by your
very sacrifices l see with what intensi
ty you love your children because oi
the self denial and the toll you nave
given them. BY the very sacrinces
which you have made for their phys
ical. intellectual and spiritual develop
ment congratulate you upon th'
heights and depths and intensites o.
your maternal affectioss. 1t is one JOY
to plant garden within stone wal
| Enclosure for your own eyes to see. 1
J is a greater and holier happiness Il
plant q flower garden that others ma!
enjoy also.
Certainty OF Gods Promises.
The consecrated widow is rich be
cause she has been able by persona
experience to prove the certainty ant
faithfulness of Gods promises. A life
boat is sometimes used as a pleasur
craft along the shores Of Massachusett
and Long Island. You can see tn
fishermen take and rig in it smal
sail and go spinning over the waters
while they laugh and joke as the.
draw In the bluefish or the shad. .
people sometimes use the gospel lie
boat merely for a pleasure craft. Whe
the sky is clear and the sea smooth the
set sail for q frolic But, oh, m
friends. the lifeboat is far differen
craft when on a stormy night the LII
saving men launch it into the SURF
fight their way out to the ship agroun
in the offing, where it Is being sha'
tered to pieces by the ceaseless bon
bardments of the mighty seas. An
the promises Of God, out Of which To
gospel lifeboat is made, mean far NOR
TO a widowed mariner sailing the sea
of life alone than they do to tn
Young daughter who has always bee
shielded from every storm. And ye
mother. | would ask you a peruneI
question, which | know you Will al
swer well. Though you may haV
buried your husband many years ag
was there ever a time when II 20
trusted In God his love and protectio
and care failed you? Was there eve
, n time when Christ was not willing
stand by the cradle Of your living chill
. as in olden times he once stood by Il
bier of one who was the only son
: his mother. and she was widow.
t Oh. the blessed enjoyment OF hayir
t had the opportunity Of fully testir
: the love and care and the gentlene
r of a protecting God! Many years al
at a large infidel meeting In Englan
3 at which Charles Bradlaugh. the not
? English agnostic was speaking,
$ old. gray haired woman arose. AS 81
] looked about her she slowly said to u
speaker: "Sir, 1t is very easy for yc
to attack the Best Friend l ever ha
!, You ~ not know HIN as | know hlI
He came into my life many years ag
7 once knew him merely as an a
. ouaintance, but after my husband di'
!, he was more to me than an acqualr
ance-he was q friend, blood frien
Sir. that friend helped me to feed al
clothe my babies. That friend ga
. me physical strength to go on when
y thought | must die. That friend, sir,
nv dear Saviour. That is what
Christ has done for me. Now, sir, wb
\ has your infdelity been able to do
youY" O mother, bereft' Of your hi
10 band. It has been a blessed oppor'
If nifty for you to test the greatness a
10 goodness Of God Do not tell me y
If are poor. You are rich; rich her
IT spherically and celestially rich; rich
IN God is rich.
s. Heavenly Rewards.