Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-01-11
CalnnaSe
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaae. d. d.

Christian mother as the queen OF nome,
the true helpmeet aud the bright ex-
emplar Of purity and benevolence. The
text Is Psalm xviii. IL OR. W. THE
Lord glveth the word-the women that
publish the tidlngs are a great host"
We are apt to associate the idea Of
publishing gospel tidlngs exclusively
with the pulpit. That Is the place
from which the tidings are usually
and chiefly published. But II is not
the only place There are other ways
of publishing the tidings than by
preaching. and one OF these Is indicat.
cd by the psalmist In my text. Who
can ever estimate how much good wo-
men have done In that way? The
world will never know how much the
publication Of the gospel tidings by
the mothers and wives OF men has
had to do with the usefulness Of their
sons aud husbands.
pity that man who. having been In
daily companionship for years with a
mother. Il sister. Il wife aud n daugh-
ter. has not grace enough In his heart
TO appreciate the nobility of woman.
When stood by the deathbed of that
great apostle OF temperance, Francis
Murphy. his youngest child said TO me:
The other day ! was alone with my
father. He took my hand and said.
Daughter. ever since ] was privileged
TO associate with your mother | have
never lost my faith In the purity OF
womanhood.' When Thomas De
Witt, the great New York pastor. was
on his deathbed he continually talked
to the girls about the noble. sweet and
gentle wife who had preceded him into
the land OF everlasting roses" and
he babe them never to forget her and
always TO pattern their lives after her
life. During the last walk DR.. Joseph
Parker took on earth he turned to his
companion and with "A faraway look.
ms though he was trying to pierce the
clouds and see TO the foot OF the great
white throne where his beloved wife
was then singing the song Of the re-
deemed In heaven, he said, Ever
since she left me l have always tried
TO do as she wished, and ! feel that
she has directed my steps" So with
most OF us. When we think OF what
We owe to woman We are surrounded
Mt once by a great number Of women,
both living and dead. whose gentle,
self sacrificing lives have nodded us
and purified US and made US what we
are.
Some time ago there came into my
possession suggestive epitaph, which
was chiseled upon q New England
tombstone. Let me read II to you.
Some one who knew her well had thus
sketched the life work Of good wom-
an as God had given II TO her TO do,
step 10y step: "A Sarah 10 her hus-
band. Eunice To her children. Lois
10 her grandchildren, u Lydia TO Gods
ministers, Martha TO her guests, a
Dorcas to the poor and an Anna to her
God" Was not that a beautiful testi-
mony to duty we'll done? Did not
that epitaph Ia a Scriptural combina-
ton round out a womans perfect life? ?
Most OF us have been surrounded by
our Sarahs and our Eunices and our
LOSES and our Lydias and our Mar
thas and our Decreases. Have they
not been TO us true eyangeiists, leading
us along the paths of truth and purity
and by the power of the holy spirit
nurifriue ani anunhifuO our cnirifua I
livesi Can you not thank God for
your Christian wives and mothers and
grandmothers. your Lydias, Marthas,
Decreases and Annasi Have not the
women whom you have seen publish
ing Gods tkiings been great host?
Giving Thanks For Good Wives.
First let us thank God for the Sa-
rahs--the Christian wives who are now
by our sides. How many men have
reason to thank God for the women
who. as young girls. gave them their
hands and hearts In marriage when
they too We're young and had nothing
and who with them have fought the
battle OF life? We ought TO thank God
for the wives who in more senses than
ole have merged their lives in our
lives and yet are never so happy as
when the world praises us for the
work which they TO Il great extent en-
abled us 10 achieve. ] once knew a
man who declared In the presence OF u
party OF friends that his wife had
nothing TO do with his success. He
boastfully said, Il have made my sue
cess entirely Independent OF my wife,
But do not believe there is one man
among us all who can honestly make
statement like that.
We know. deep down in our hearts,
that what we achieve In life is due TO
n great extent TO the wives who have
labored faithfully by our side Happy
Is the poor man who has a good wife.
She may be the foundation OF his sue
cess. The good wife does not become
a heavy drag upon her husband by ac-
cumulating lot OF unnecessary debts.
II were TO ask for the testimony OF
some of you today you would say: I'm