The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-04-13

are the diamond and the ruby. The ruby is next to the diamond in hard ness and because of its high coloring and exquisite beauty, it was of greater value even than the diamond. s1n fact, at the time my text was written, the most precious and withal the>s most beautiful thing of it's size on the earth was the ruby. The ruby is mentioned in. thF Bible only seven times. Wher- eyer reference has been made concern ing it's value, the comparison is made between two things and only two-- wisdom" and sswomanp The pas sages have an interesting relation. Jcb 28 ;1S--''the price of wisdom is above rubies." Job 2S:2S-"the fear of the Lord, that is. wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding. Proverbs S:11-"for wisdom is better than rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it." Prov erbs 31S30-"A woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised" The text Prov. 31 :10-"WhS can find vir. tsious or wise woman for her price is far above rubies.' By connecting these passages of scripture, we get the foll lowing formula: the price of wisdom is above rubies, the fear of the Lord'' is wisdom, the price of woman ~sthat feareth the Lord' is far above rubies.
 The two highest priced commodities on the market of tbe Bible are "wis- dom" and woman that feareth the Lord" A woman is not valuable be- cause she is a female; it is not her gender alone,s but her gender and char acter that make her valuable The fear of the Lord" or wisdom" sieni- fies the whole content of Christian character-the highest test of which is supreme sacrifice. When God called upon Abraham to offer his only son and stopped him in the very act of obedience with the knife raised above the. bosom of his boy, God said to him, T know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me-" This supreme character which God proclaims as more precious than the ruby. the most costly gem on earth, is according to his definition, the embodiment of all those high moral traits of character which would qualify and fortify her for the highest sacrifice and most perfect and unquestionable obedience to God and His laws.
 A graphic aaa interesting picture of this supreme character closes the Book of Proverbs. "A fitting close of the book of wisdom is the portrait of the |pwise woman. Interesting connections here. Ignoring criticisms of authorship, taking the Bible as we find it.. which after all is the simplest, safest and best way to teach the Book, we have the wisest man who. has ever lived closing the Book of Proverbs, his wisest pro- duction, with picture of a woman that "feareth the Lord, N "the wisest woman.Y phe brush of the eminent character painter brings us some lumi- nous trait with every touch upon the canvas. First she is a good wife "The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her" Second, she is a good homekeeper-"She risest early, giveth meat to her household and a portion to her maidens." Third, she is a good mother-"She looketh well to the ways of her household" Fourth, she dresses we'll" Strength and honor are her clothing" Fifth, she is charitable woman-"S She stretcheth out her hands to the poor" Sixth, she deserves and secures the honor of her husband and her children-"H Her children rise up and call her blessed, her husband also and he praiseth her" Seventh, she is a helpmate in the home expepses-ssShe maketh fine linen and selleth it and deliveretl girdles unto the merchant" !"
 This is a picture of an old-fashioned wife and JAother. The woman who arose early, gave breakfast to the fam fly. that her husband and sons might go to their daily work; and divided a portion or task to each of the maids of the home > who with the loom and the needle made the home a help to the general welfare of the family; who So influenced her husband that he took rank among the elders of the land and was known fin the gates" which meant the honorable places of the city; who raised family, from the lips of every member of whom she had the most ar dent praise; q woman whose hand was extended to the needy and helpless just such a character as some of us remember as the precious being who was the center of the home and the charm of all it's activities, the object of all its affections and the fountain of all it's best influences-a God-fearing wife and mothera
 \ There is a, similar New Testament picture. When St. Paul sent Titus to the rich, cultured and pagan island of