Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-05-06
Rev. j. L. Vance Discusses
Poem "The Sons of Mar
tina" in Sermon.
FINDS 1T is MISLEADING
Poor Taught to Pity Themselves
Through Perverted Idea of
Destiny.

evening delivered most interesting |
and instructive sermon on THE Chill |
drcn of the Sisters of Bethany" He |
took as the theme for his sermon the |
story of Martha and Mary and Mar
thas' complaint to the Lord because |
she was left to serve alone, and on
which passage of scripture Rudyar1 |
Kipling based his poem, The Sons OF
Martha" The sermon was also a dis
cussion of the socialism proposition as
well as a critique on the great poem.
THE Sons of Martha from Kipling'S
pen, has been widely read and much |
talked about said Mr.. Vance. But |
have a conviction that the Christian |
and the secularist are to be alike dis
satisfied with these lines. This is
meant to be a poem with a moral. II |
would seem to persuade the manual la
borer TO pity himself and to intimate |
that all others should be ashamed of
themselves. It's tendency, | fear, would |
be to embitter still more such as may
already think their own lot hard one.
Jesus brought to view in the case of |
Mary and Martha a simple contrast be-
tween the religious and nOn-religiOus |
person, but Kipling's use of the Incl
dent would make il seem that he meant |
to contrast the busy person with the |
idle, and even to put a premium upon |
the latter. BY Selling upon what is in
cidental in the narrative and treating |
that as the essential thing, he exposes |
himself to the charge Of unfairneSS or
inadvertance. 1t is freely granted that
the author displays high poetic genius
in his portrayal of modern industrial |
activity and the servitude of man to
man, but doubtless he himself wouli
make no claim to such training as
would exalt him to Moses seat as an
interpreter Of scripture. He gives us
a lay view of certain matters, and
while the bible is not Il book for eX-
elusive clerical handling, he has fallen
into a use of it here as harmful as It |
may seem happy at first
Mary and Martha's Work Contrasted.
Mr.. Vance then contrasts Mary and
Martha, and the results of the work OF
each, and gives Jesus view of the two
women. He lastly enters into a dis
cussion as TO whom are the proper pos
terity of Mary and Martha, and con-
cludes with:
But can we classify men as the sons
of Martha and Mary? Because it is
my lot to work hard is no reason why
should be called son of Martha in
stead of a son of Mary. nor that
should be unhappy and complaining or
irreligious That good part is not
| life of ease, and it does not come by
| inheritance 1t is not riches, nor leis-
ure. nor talents that make character.
Our self-effacing literary friend canon
ICES manual labor. and is fOrgetful of
other tOilers. such as the teacher, mis-
sionary, physician, and many others
whose tasks begin not nor end with
| the day. No one questions that the
life which serves others is the worthy
lone. while the life which burdens 9th
ers is unworthy. And we all know
which one of these is learned at Jesus
| feet, and ever commended from his
| lips And the only classification of
men to which Martha and Mary can
be fairly made to lend. their names,
must turn upon their attitude towards
our Lord Jesus Christ. Whether they
are rich or poor, high or low, laborer
or capitalist, is apart from the reai
question. And to magnify these super
fetal distinctions is only to create CON
fusion. Character and industry make
life a delight. while wOrldliness and
bitterness degrade it; and to have a
good. easy time is an unworthy aim
for any one. The inequality of earthly
conditions did not begin with Martha
and Mary. nor did they have anything
to do with perpetuating it. The elder
has served the younger from the days
of Jacob and Esau; and from the time
of NOah's sons some men have been in
bondage to their brethren. But the cir
lcumstances of life do not excuse or
hinder any of us from serving God and
choosing the good part. And the great
est mistake that any worker anywhere
in this world can make. or that false
friends can lead him to make, is like
Martha, to give too little consideration
to religion. the thing of first impor
| ltance. Even social reformers would
| lpromote better human welfare by keep
ing cool in judgment and sweet il
spirit, by sitting at Jesus feet. NJ
workman need nor should be irrelig
ious or non-religious. Choose the gool
: part.
y Poem Nisstates Truth.
. "The whole point about Martha il
< the story is that she was in error, an,
8 Inc amount of poetic genius can conjur
< from that virtue in herself or in pos
. terity Mary has been one of on
3 ideals. as Christ meant she should BIZ
9 And my objection to Kiplfng's Son
3 of Martha is not simply that it put
& down one and sets up another, but tina
B lit does so unjustifiably. 1t misstate
q truth in way that would tend to mis-
b Head. If Roosevelt had written thi
& poem as a bid for the labor vote, h