Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-06-11
Calnnage
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaae, d. ID.

NOrce. ana When the Integrity al the
home is assaulted from without and
within. the advice of the preacher who
takes love for his theme may help to dis
pei the clouds that now ovcrhang many
a household. The text is Ephesinns
V. -. Husbands. love your wives
Two startling facts about Paul's per-
sonality have always vividly impressed
me. The one IL the estimate of his
physical personality formed 10y his en-
emies i'm the Corinthian church who
had sat under his ministry and there
fore knew him we'll. Paul himself
tells us that they said. Ills bodily
presence is weak AMI his speech con
teInptible." chrysostom. according To
Albert Barnes. declared that ''paul's
stature was low. his back crooked AMI
his head bald" According To Nice
phorus. Paul was little man with
curvature of the spine and Il pale
countenance long and wrinkled. and
with n head like Julius Caesar. noted
for its scarcity of hair. Whether these
descriptions are true. we know not:
but II is little likely that the corin-
thians would have spoken of him rs
they did. and that writers So near his
own time as Chrysostom ami \icepho-
rus would have so described him. il
this intellectual and spiritual giant had
possessed an imposing personality. And
yet. all through the Pauline writings.
figures Of speech bristle with the
symbols of the athletes arena. The
runner, the fighter. the gladiator the
struggle with the beasts of Ephesus.
all have their Inspirations and gospel
teachings.
The second fact. which stands side
10y side with the first. about the per-
sonality of Paul is this: Paul was a
bachelor. IL has been contended that
he was a member of the sanhe,lrin
and. If SD. must have been married,
but the expression in Acts XVI. IN. on
which the theory of his membership
Is based. Is vague and may have
amounted To no more than the tcsti-
mony of a witness. On the other hand.
his argument in Corinthians tx. ;.
clearly implies that both he and Bar
nabas were unmarried. This condi-
ton. however. by no means indicates
that he was deficient I'm the affection
ate side of his nature. His letters
show that he lavishcd ON his children
in the faith the love that other men
give to their offspring and that he was
an exceedingly affectionate. warm
hearted man. lie taught parents that
they should love their children and
children that they should care for their
parents. wives that they should honor
their husbands an! husbands that they
should love their wives. IL is in refer
would speak today.
Marital Affection.
There liz Il special reason nj this time
for showing the need of husband
being truly devoted and loving To his
wife. because there seems Ia Ice n pop
ular theory abroad that the old fash
Toned idea of Il family home is gone
and gone forever. But. instead of be-
lieving that the old fashioned idea of
love should be done away with. be-
lieve that. like the garden beds which
used to be planted in our ancestors
front yards. they should he cultivat-
Ell more and more. Marital affection
may lie old fashioned. but believe II
is one of the noblest. finest. most beau
tiful things in life. What could be
more tender. more pathetic. than the
words uttered by the great DIR. Thomas
DE Witt when. struggling with I'M
trollable grief. he stood by the open
grave in which he had just laid the
mortal remains OF his beloved wife!
He said: Farewell. my beloved and
honored and faithful wife The tie
that united us is severed. Thou art
with Jesus in glory. and he Is with
me by his grace. | shall soon be with
you. Farewell" The Holy Book de-
clares. Whose findeth a wife findeth Il
good thing" II is no part of my pur-
pose TO tell young men how they
should proceed In trying TO win the
affections of the girls they desire 10
marry. My design rather is 10 urge
married men TO show their wives the
same Difference. the same love and de-
the twain stood at the marriage altar
hearing and saying the solemn words
which made them one flesh
Why Is the true wifc's value above
the price of rubies. rs King Solomon
declared: She is her husbands bust
ness partner: her husbands equal in
brain as well rs in heart power. She
fights with him. In financial way
the great battle of life; therefore. ike
her husband. she has right To expect
the same rewards for her labors that
he has for his. Ii has been the habit
OF some cynics TO represent Il wife as
a mere parasite. n hanger on. Il cling
ing vine. a barnacle or Il human lcech
sucking out the lifc's blood Of her mas
culine partner. POlygnotus. the great
Grecian artist. painted her I26 II. &.
a. a four legged beast i'm The Rope of
Genus" devouring all the labors Of her
husband. while he works on and on
weaving out his life work in rope
OF straw. But that Is not my idea OF
the true wife The true wife Is con
sumner as man Is a consumer but she is