Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-12-13
BETTER MOTHERS.

Here is a pen picture of that true,
cold fashioned mother of Bible times
dIan1Eh-and there are so many points
worthy Of consideration by mothers of
ethe present time that The Journal is
sSiiBg to quote portion of the sketch:
90 Hannah as a mother was enthusi-
=sstie. She believed that children were
blessings from the Lord and that
amotherhood was the highest possible
honor. Another thing, when Hannah Is
child came she considered it part of
her religious duty to take care of it.
anatead, therefore, of going up to Shi-
3Sh to attend all the great feasts, as
she had done before, she stayed at
home to give personal attention to the
little eHe that God had given her. No
denbt she supposed she was worship
ing God just as acceptably in doing
sthis as II she had gone up TO all the
fgreat meetings. And who will say that
she was not right7 A mothers first
obligations are to her children. She
can have no holier or more sacred du-
ties than those which relate to them.
''She may run to temperance and
missionary meetings and abound in all
Kinds of charitable activities, and may
do very much good among the poor,
carrying blessings to many other homes
and being a blessing to other people s
children through the Sabbath or mis-
sion schools, hut If she fails meanwhile
to care for her own children, she can
scarcely be commended as faithful
Christian mother. She has overlooked
her first and most sacred duties, to
give her hand and heart to those that
arc but secondary to her.
Hannah $ was the true one
A mother would better be missed il
the church circles and at the public
gatherings than be missed in her own
household. Some things must be crowd
cd out of every earnest life, but the
Iast thing to be crowded out of q
mother's life should be the faithful
and loving care of her children. The
preacher may urge that every one
iah0uid do something in the genera
work of the church, and the superin
tendent may appear for teachers FOL
the Sabbath school, but the mother
Aerself must decide whether the Mas
Ter really wants her TO take mp any re
ligiaus work outside Of her own home
FOr the work there she is surely re
sponsible until the other is well done
The best thing about Hannah wa
that she took care Of her own child
she did not 20 to an intelligence of
Zee and hire foreign nurse at 81
mnch week aud then commit her ten
Sler child to the nurse that she hersel
might he free from social and relig
sous duties She was oldfashione'
enough 10 prefer to care for her owl
child. She does not seem TO have fel
il any great personal privation, eth
er. She even appears to have though
Il high honor and distinguishe,
privilege to 10 with her own hands
mothers duties. And when we thin
what this child became in after years
what the outcome was of all her pains
taking and toll, II certainly looks a
if Hannah was right. III anything hal
so good would come ordinarily out o
faithful mothcring. there are certain
ly few occupations open to womer
even in these advanced nineteeut
century days, which will yield sue
satisfactory results in the end as th
wise and true bringing up Of thei
children, The great want Of this ag
is mothers who win live with thei
.o1R children and throw over thei
scnder lives all the mighty power O
their own rich, loving natures IL W