The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-05-21
9bort 9ermrons
For
5unnap Dalf-Dour
Theme:
THE MODEL WOMAN
OF TO-DAY
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By Rev. William M, Carr
a. 4. a.

BY Rev. William M. Carr
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Text: "Many daughters have done
vlrtuously, but thou excellest them
all."-Proverbs, XXI, 29.
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This is what the wise man tells us
of the ideal woman of his day.
A woman may be model, married or
single, but not ideal. The ideal wom-
an is the wife and mother The model
wife reigns as queen in her home,
exerting a tremendous influence by
comforting and inspiring her husband
in life's battle. Such was the wife OF
the late President Mckinley. Though
weak and i'll much of the time, yet
love armed her for her task, and no
bly, did she do her part in the worlds
work. OF the mother some one has
we'll said: "The hand that rocks the
cradle guides the world" Her con-
stant presence with the children IN
the home, while the husband ana
father tolls at his daily task, gives
her the opportunity of exercising the
preponderating influence for good or
i'll upon the characters OF the chill
dren in the formative period OF their
lives. During these golden days the
ideal mother will both by precept and
example mould the minds and hearts
of her children into beautiful symme-
| try.
But there is a model single woman
hood as well. Multitudes of young
women, especially in America, are
single either by choice or by force OF
circumstance, and yet nobly do their
part. We need but glance at the
great companies of deaconesses in our
various churches who have taken up
the work these last years, as the Sis
ters of Charity have for much longer
period, of visiting the homes of sick
ness and poverty, bringing aid and
comfort in the name Of Christ, or the
army of nurses in our hospitals, who
are as brave in their conservation to
duty in the face of disease and conga-
tiongion as the soldier who cnlists for
battle. Add to these the untold thou
sands of young women who quietly
and modestly engage in service 70
eke out family expenses, to care for
father or mother, or to educate for
ife's battle younger brothers and Sis
ters. So that many a man would say,
if he told the whole truth, Il owe my
position in life to my self-sacriticing
sister" Shall we say of her as Gray
In his "Elegy": Full many flower
is born to blush unseen and waste it's
sweetness on the desert air?' No,
the sweet sacrifice of such a life is
not a waste, but rises as an "odor of
sweet incense" to Heaven.
How much fills the lands and heart
of the ideal mother! The responsible
ity for rearing correctly and the care
full and proper training of the chill
dren necessarily rests upon her. To
see that the children are properly
fed and clothed, and with the passing
years to be properly educated and to be
careful that the associates are all
they should be, devolve largely upon
her. Then there is the temptation to
be too strict on the one hand or too
lenient on the other. If the former,
then the danger that when the day
comes when the child is released from
all parental restraint there be re-
bound in the other direction and lib
erty be turned to license; if the lat
ter, the danger that the liberty per-
: mitted be abused.
The American people know how the
mothers of President Garfield and
| President Mckinley were asked to be
present when their sons were inaugu.
rated-a tribute of love and devotion
. on the part of these noble sons, who
. appreciated the part their mothers
had in their success. All are familiar
, with the saying of the martyr Presi
, dent, Abraham Lincoln: "All I am
owe to my angel mother" Thank God
for the opportunities for American
, women, and thank God more for the
noble uses made of their opportuni
ties. May not the words of the wise
man aptly apply: MANY daughters
have done virtuously, but thou ex
cellest them all"?