Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-01-02

Y JANUARY 2, 1908.
cared ror them ana looked after and
respected them because they we're
Gods ambassadors. And so our Chris
tian mothers and grandnothers not
only looked after us, but were always
the friends OF our pastors. They used
to say to us, "My child, you cannot
respect Gods house unless you respect
his messengers" Don't you remember
how, during all the church troubles Of
your childhood and young manhood,
your Christian mothers were always
the friends Of Gods ministers? Don't
you remember how, when the visiting
minister's used to come to your native
village, they were always entertained
at your mothers home? Don't you
remember how reprovingly your moth
err spoke at the dinner table when
your older brother one Sunday made
fun OF the morning sermon? And
though you are an old man today, yet,
through the example Of her early faith
fulness to her village pastor, you have
always been stanch friend Of your
pastors.
In this day, when ministers are too
often estimated from the commercial
standpoint, 1t is n blessed sight to find
our 1.ydias. The church of the Lord
Jesus Christ loses spiritual power
when she looks upon Gods ambassa-
doris simply from mercenary stand
point, as when a man buys house or
n piece Of land. Thank God for the
Phllippian woman who extended the
hospitality of her home TO tired Paul.
Thank God today for the multitude of
women who are so true to their
churches and their pastors all over the
land. Are not the Lydias. who are
spreading Gods tidings, a great host?
Tho Duties Of Martha.
But there is still another name upon
that New England tombstone. "A
Martha to her guests" We all know
who Martha was. We can all see her
bustling about the kitchen. We see
her hot. flushed face and her anxious
look. We hear her mutter. "Oh. what
shall do with 40 many guests coming
to dinner and nothing yet prepared?
Because Christ rebukcd her for lack
ing zone thing" we are apt to forget
how DESTROYS she was to put all her
friends at ease and make her home a
haven of rest for Jesus and his friends
And yet as Martha hustlcs around
does she not remind you Of your Chris
tan mother working in the old home
Can you not see her striving to put the
friends of your father and the friends
OF her children ut their ease and tc
make the home a haven of rest for al
the associates Of her dear ones?
And then your mother was a Dorca'
to the poor. All. yes, you did not real
lie how much she was doing for ths
poor and the helpless until after she
died. When you turn to the mint
chapter of Acts and read how. aftel
Dorcas death the women gathered II
! the outer room aud began to show thu
garments she had made and to tel
about the many errands of mercy sh,
! had gone on 1t seems as though LUX,
were writing about the obsequies o
your own mother. Your mother wal
4 q plain woman and lived IN a slna.
sphere, as some people might suppose
but 20 house would have been large
enough to hold that throng. And th,
beautiful part of that gathering wa
that not only the rich came. but III
poor as we'll. Those who attended you
mothers funeral We're all mourners
They did not come perfunctorily; the,
came because they wanted 10 come
Can you not see those mourners now
Can you not see that old man hobblin
along on his cane whom she had say
ed from going to the poorhouse? An,
there was the aged woman whom you
mother persuaded to take her daugh
ter back home after that scandal, an,
her daughter IS there by her side, AM
there was the weeping Washerwomal
whose children she had SO often cloth
cd And there was that poor cor
sumptive girl, grateful for the delica
cies your mother gave her. who cam
from her sickbcd TO look Mt the fac
Of her dear benefactor once more
Your father sometimes used to get an
cry because your mother did so mucl
for the poor. He would say: Mother
It doesn't pay. Stay home and let u
on that extra work" But at you
mothers funeral your father knew
did pay. For the first time he t.,
the children Began to catch a slimpS
Of how much your mother had don
for others. Thank God that you
mother was Dorcas. Thank Co
that the women who publish It'd
ings Of great joy among the poor an
the helpless and the suffering are
great host.
Would yo' not like to be Sarah
your husband. n Eunice to your chi
dren, Lois to your grandchildren.
Lydia TO Gods ministers. a Martha t
your guests. Dorcas to the poor an
an Anna TO your God? In other ~ord'
would you not like to eXpend your lif
IN Christian service for others, as you
mother did, rather than live selfisl
worldly life? Happiness is not foun
In the frivolous life and the tribes {
the social world. where so many thin
1t Is found
Would you not thank God if som
day the epitaph found in the old Ne'
England graveyard could be write
upon your tombstone and that wit
the psalmist of old il might be said {
you, "She hath joined the women tn;
1;