The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-06-12
DR.. TALMAGE'S SERMON.


- HF3A-s0FF6 ~ 80 -
husband, while he works on and on,
weaving out his life work in a rope OF
straw But that is not my idea OF the
true wife The true wife is a consumer
as man is a consumer. but she is also
financial producer. Like man, she pro-
duees far more than she consumes. As the
book of Proverbs pictures: She is like the
merchant ships; she bringeth her food
from afar. She considereth a field and
buyeth 1t; with the fruit OF her hands
she planteth vineyard. She maheth
herself coverings of tapestry: her cloth
ing is silk and purple" Mark well these
words: A true wife "perceiveth that her
merchandise is good;'' not a siattern, nor
a female doll not a painted millinery es-
adjustment I am speaking or such a
wife as the book of Proverbs describes.
1t is a faithful portrait, the fidelity of
which many man in this church could
attest by his own experience
Power Behind the Throne.
"Oh. no." says the masculine egotist,
woman Is not the breadwinner of the
family. 1t Is the husband who as q
lawyer wins fees in the courtroom: as
g physician, gains money from patients;
as a legislator enacts laws, which the
male executive enforces; he is the mer-
chairman who sells the goods he is the
foundryman who manufacturers the
steel rails. Man, man, everywhere is
man the breadwinner. We find that man
tills the fields, and man rules the money
markets. and man sits upon the judicial
bench and the professional chairs Is
that fact, my brother? Tis true man
Is the visible breadwnner But when
you arc looking for the driving force
which produces results in society do not
mo tel.
is no power but what you see.
The power behind the throne is some
times greater than hte throne itself II
this be not true, how can you account
for the wonderful results which come
into many mems lives at the marriage
altar and end with the deaths of or the
separations from their female silent part
ners. Who was Napoleon Boneparte?
The greatest military strategist
of the ages? Yes. But after all you
can find his wonderful success thanked by
two incidents in his life They started
with the marriage to Josephine. They
ended with his divorce. Had Josephine s
partnership nothing to do with Napol-
cons success? Who was William e.
Gladstone? That statesman whose
energy and commanding genius were the
wonder. of his countrymen, acknowledged
that the reverence and trust of his de-
voted wife had been source of inspira-
ton and stimulus to him all through his
long career, and that to have her sitting
by MIN on the political rostrum or look
ing down on him from the gallery of the
house of commons quiekened all his pow
ers. Who was John Bright. the great
commoner? He also was the husband
of woman his equal In personality. On
the day of their marriage she turned and
said to him, John, attend to thy bust
ness and thy public affairs, and | will
provide for the home and relieve thee
from all cares at home" And so great is
the value of a true wife in relation to
her husbands success that nearly all
great men are ready to testify to this
fact and declare that they can never re-
pay the obligations which their wives
have placed upon them
laugh Obligation.
I was taught the obligation which a
true husband owes to a true wife some
years ago by an eastern minister, whom
l consider one of the greatest pulpit gem
fuses of his age. l was about to be mar
ried and was talking with him, when he
gave to me the characteristic advice:
Always love your wife But more than
that, always learn to respect and follow
her Judgment, because she can be your
best adviser. When | was young man
l started out with some success. l knew
| could speak, and | could also write.
And often when [ would write something
l thought very fine l would take 1t down
to my wife and read it. Sometimes she
would look up from her sewing and say:
John, don't say that With that
would throw down my manuscript and
stalk up and down the room in disgust.
Why do you say that? / would ask.
Do you know how to preach? Are you
a better judge of preaching than myself?
Haven't | spent four years in college and
three years in the seminary What bus
mess have you to tell me what to do? You
are nothing but woman anyway But
after a long experience | found that my
wife's judgment could always be de-
pended upon. When l followed her judg-
ment | always came out right, and when
/ followed my own against hers l al
ways came out wrong And, though I
am now an old man and one of much ex-
periencey yet whenever / am In doubt
about anything l have ever written I al
ways go to her. And when she saws.
John, don't say that l take my pen
and scratch out the whole page. MY sue
cess is due in a great measure to my
wifes Judgment and not to my own"
Susan Tamage's Influence.
I know that the world honors NV IA
Tiers memory. But personally l know
T. De Witt Talmages success was due to