The Coolidge examiner., 1938-08-18

GOLDEN TEXT-Her chlldreh aIlse
UP, and call her blessed. Proverbs 81 20
Cody Motherhood" - All the
power and grace of the infinite COD
working in and through the most
tender and at the same time most
potent human relationship-mother-
hood! There indeed is the solution
of many of our national and social
problems. For we agree with the
poet that man, who regards himself
as being mighty, ruling over land
and sea. must defer to mighter
power.
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
Hannah was the mother Of Sam
ueI. who became one Of Israers out
standing leaders-a priest, proph-
ct. and 1.-The maker of kings. - God
needed a great man, SO He chose
for him a great mother.
Our study for today will be topical
rather than textual and extended to
related portions in chapters l and
2. We consider Hannah as mother
who was spiritual and sacrifcial,
but at the same time practical IN
her daily life and service.
/. Spiritual.
Many are the tributes offered TO
mothers, but none has deeper sig
nifcance than the testimony OF a
boy or girl that their mother has
led them both by precept and eX-
ample to have faith in God. Though
other advantages may be beyond
the reach even of the most self
denying mother. this most impor-
tant of all benefits she may bring
her children, but only if she herself
is an earnest and faithful follower
of the Lord.
/. Hannah trusted God in her hour
of trial and sorrow Q:l0). Although
her husband was a man of good
qualities, he had followed the Gus
tom of his times and taken a second
wife. Hannah, childless in the pres
ence of Penninah and her children,
was in deep sorrow. But she knew
where to take her burdens; she
brought them to the Lord in prayer.
2. She prayed-fervently and eff
fectually G:l7, 10, compare James
5:16b). Mothers prayers have fol-
lowed many a wayward boy and
girl and brought them back to God.
When every other influence for good
had been swept aside, they have
been unable to forget mother s
prayers. One wonders what will
happen to boys and girls who go out
to face wicked and bewildering
world, with the memory Of prayer
less, worldly mother to blight rather
than to bless them.
3. She recognized children as a
gift of God Q:1D. And surely they
are. Christian men and women
should protest by both word and
deed against the vicious modern
theory that children are sort of
biological accident to be avoided
III. Sacrificial.
The most precious possession a
woman can have is a child of her
own. II was, then, the deepest and
finest sacrifice of noble mother
heart when she
l. Dedicated her boy TO God, even
before his birth d:1D. Yet this
act so fine and commendable was
in reality only an intelligent recog-
milton of the fact that children are a
gift of God. Your children and mine
belong to God. Let US not stand
in His way COR their way) as He
graciously leads them out into serv-
ice for Him.
2. She kept her promise Q:24-28).
Many parents have solemnly dedi-
Gated their children to God before
their birth, and then later the pros
pect of separation from them has
been too much for the parents,
and the promise to God has been
thrust aside. The writer has on
many occasions seen young men
and women weep with broken
hearted dismay because mother
or father has forbidden them to GO
/ to China, Africa, or elsewhere at
| Gods call. Mother, have you kept
your promise to God regarding your
boy, your girl?
Ill. Practical.
Hannah not only promised her
boy to God; she made the compile
ton of that promise certain.
l. By guiding her boy in the right
way u:24. AS matter of fact,
she went with him to the temple.
A mother who sends" her boy to
Sunday school or church will never
help him like the mother of whom
it may be said ''she brought him
unto the house of the Lord"
2. BY providing for her boy t2:l8,
19). There is no more tender and
meaningful story in all literature
than that of Hannah bringing heI
boy his little coat" 1t is still true
that the best support" a mission
airy of the Cross can have is a home
that Stands by"
The story is told of "a missionary
candidate who had no board" back
of her but the ''washboard" of &
godly mother, and who made {
valiant and useful servant in the