Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-05-24
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IL TENT AND PRETEXT. !.
!. J. !. !. i. !. j. j. !. !. !. J. J. y.
Tho Meaning Of Motherhood.


Sunday Constitution, May Id
When we come to the annual celc-
bration Of Mothers Day the preacher
wants a sure enough text. Where
could one be found Of rarer beauty
or more real Significance than this
picture given by one Of the biog-
raphcrs Of Jesus:
"Thcrc was standing by tho cross
of Jesus, Ills mother. When Jesus
therefore saw His mother and tho
disciple standing by, whom Ho
loved, Hc saith unto His mother,
Woman, behold thy Son. Then
saith Hc to tho disciple, Behold
thy mother"
Here is humanity at its best. A
mother who could bear son to die
for others would Of course be found
near the cross in this hour Of Ills
deepest need. That she could rear
such Il Son might be explained on
the ground Of His unique origin. But
.lt0C SIG "oulV Dc llllHS " SNc UP
such a Son for the service of human
ity is the supreme triumph Of mo-
therhood. Here she rcars the stand
ard Of womanhoOd to its lOftieSt
limits. That soft sentimentality
which sings its selfishness in the
song, 81 Did Not Rear My Boy to Be
a Soldier" could never climb the
heights Of Golgotha and stand by
redeeming cross. Here motherhood
rises responsive to the noblest ap-
peal.
The Significance of tho Feast.
Then there is the other side Of the
picture. There was conferred upon
john that day the highest honor ever
bestowed upon a man. Jesus gave
into his keeping the most sacred Of
all trusts, with the words only Mo-
thcr' and "Thy Mother" 1t is said
tlat from that hour the home Of
John became the home Of Mary. But
! | believe we shall miss the deeper
meaning Of His words if we do not
| clearly understand, that, as was His
wont, He was speaking to Il world
Of men through this man. Here man.
| hood in this highest and hottest mo-
ment commends motherhood to the
| chiyalric care Of men as the most
sacred obligation. The significance
Of the scene comes with profound
ly solemn meaning when we can hear
Jesus saying to the men Of to-day,
as He points to the womanhood OF
the world, "Behold thy Mother" And
it is something infinitely more than
the mere appeal to physical streng 9Th
to protect physical weakness. 1t is
an appeal for the actual preservation
Of the human race. 1t calls for the
conservation OF those faculties and
forces by which civilization has come
thus far, and by which alone we can
ever hope to reach the highest levels
OF life.
How many Of the most Familiar
experiences are the profoEndest mys-
terieS? Stand before any mother and
her babe, and you arc standing in
the presence Of the miracle of crca-
ton. Look for mcmcu. from the
face Of the child, vita it's well-nigh
limitless possibilities of reason and
emotion, ambition and accomplish
ment, into the face Of the mother.
She has brought into existence a
pcrson-the clearest expression that
we have Of the Mint and will Of God.
Here is a permanent contribution to
the conscious forces Of the universe.
Here is something more than a mere
energy, which will be driven along
pathway preordained by unchange-
able law. Here is a force which
shall choose its own ways and I'M
press tho universe in which 1t moves
by the quality Of its own thought
AID aspiration. In this little bundle
Of possibilities, which we call a babe,
lie latent, inevitable and Irresistible
forces which shall help to make maps
and point the pathway Of history.
Tho Conservation Of Life.
This life force then Is our most
precious possession and our most sa-
cred trust. Instead OF the shamed
veil which we have drawn across this
sacred office we should here focus
our hest thought and most reyerent