Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-05-18
MOTHER, THE UNCROWNED
QUEEN OF THE WORLD

Sermon delivered BY Rev. 6.
tlickinger, d. D., in Christ Reform
church, on mothers day, Nav l4,h.
1922. Published by request.
Give her of the fruit OF her hands
and let her own works praise her in
the gates--Prov. 81 81.
This Is mothers day. The ceJehr,.
ton OF this day began fourteen wears
ago with Miss Anna Jarvis, of phil.
aoeiphia, who set apart the second Sun.
DAY in May to do honor TO the uIemorv
OF her departed mother. Unconscious
ly Miss Jarvis touched a latent sent
ment which all had felt, but did no,
Know how to express. What Miss lar.
Wis did we all want TO do The 80
has been endorsed in proclamations hv
Governors and Presidents and the dav
is now observed throughout the world
Inc early church, and, following thai
oeautiful ancient custom, the Roman
CathoNc Church, has set apart Ger
tain days for the saints IL there ever
were any saints on earth, surely the
good mothers are among them and
around their heads there should bo a
halo Of praise. -
! wish therefore to speak this morn
ing on Mother, the Uncrowncd Queen
OF the World. The world has had many
crowned queens, but when Won wan.
the grandest idea of a queen Won do
not think OF Catherine of Russia, or of
Anne of England, or Of Maria Theresa
OF Austria-when you want the grand
est idea of a queen YOU think of The
woman who sat opposite your father AZ
the table, and walked with him. arm
in arm, along life's pathway, some
times where roses bloom, sometimes
mid sorrows deepest gloom; you think
or the woman who soothed your child J.
ish griefs, corrected your childish mis-
takes, Joined in your childish sports.
ana listened to your "Now | lay me
down to sleep;" who toiled for YOU
during the day and tugged you TO bed
at night. Oh, she is queen; yes, mother.
is the queen.
What an hour that was when the
thought OF mother was first conceived
in the heart Of God; when the plan was
wrought out in the councils OF heaven
to nourish the seed Of life in her flesh,
to warm it into life by the warmth of
her blood, to make her soul its shelter
and her heart its cradle.
How beautiful motherhood isl The
mother and her child! What a picture
No wonder sculptors, painters, poets,
and orators vie with each other 10
portray 1t. There are many beautiful
things in the world-an orchard in
bloom, a bed Of flowers, the autumn
woods-a sunrise in the mountains,
who can describe il? and the glory OF
a sunset over our West Virginia hills,
who can picture it? But there is
nothing that surpasses the beauty OF
motherhood.
How wonderful motherhood is!-in
patient endurance, in unweary wait
ing, in answering calls every hour OF
the day and often every hour of the
night, in ministries that strain the
soul. Will her arms never tire? Will
her fingers never grow weary? BY
what alchemy is her feminine weakness
turned into such strength? Love is
the alchemist. Love of a mother for
her child. Love links her to her task
and love links her to the Infinite, who
is Love-
How divine motherhood is! Several
years ago a sheriff in Texas was taking
some prisoners to the State peniten-
tiary. AS they sat in little junction
depot, handcuffed together, a little wo-
man whose face was lined with sor7
row came into the waiting room. Look
ing intently at the string of prisoners
her face suddenly lighted up with rec
ignition, for her son was among the
number. When he recognized her
he sobbed out, ooh, mother, what are
you doing here?" She answered, az
came, my son, to see you off. When
you were such small boy that you
had never been out of the home yard
alone, went to the gate with you the
first day you went to the store by your
self and watched you til you we're safe
ly there. Then you were six and start.
ed for school, ! went to the gate and
told you how to conduct yourself in the
school-room. You went away on a Wis
it when you were ten and went to
the depot and kissed you goodbye
When you were sixteen you wanted to
go to st. Louis, and while it was hard
to part with you | went to the depot
and again kissed you goodbye. Then
you were married, and went to see
you bound by law to that dear, sweet
girl who is now dead of broken
heart. Now you are going away once
more, and | may never see you again
so | came to tell you goodbye. The
train is coming now, kiss your old
mother, John" No one but a mother
could love like that. Such love is d.
vine-gloriously infinite-and infinitely
glorious-love that includes kindness
and tenderness, sympathy and patience
cheer and forgiveness. Mother-love
Who can define it? 1t is God in wo.
man; it is the God-love breathing ou
into the soul Of man-and after the
love of God it is the divinest thing
in the world.
Mother, the Uncrowned Queen Of the