As the men of the early days of this republic gave much in brain power and physical endurance that makes it possible for us to enjoy and inherit the freedom and wealth of the greatest republic of history, so the fathers in the church a century ago fought the battles, endured hardships, traveled through the snows of winter and heat of summer, in persecutions often--that liberty and union in Christ might be established. We inherit the fruit of their labor, we rejoice in this liberty. This is ours to enjoy, ours to preserve, ours to transmit.

      Our appeal in regard to the trust committed, is made to-day especially to the women of the church.

      Are we entering into the fullness of joy in Christ? Are we preserving the liberty wherein Christ has made us free? Are we transmitting the teaching in its purity and power to our children?

      Woman is only this century discovering her power and responsibility. Are we preparing ourselves to meet this responsibility and use our power in a telling way for Christ and the church? As we view the home life, the social life, the church life of to-day, what manner of women are needed to meet the demands, sustain the right standards of womanhood and inherit the benediction of our Lord, "She hath chosen the better part"?

      With the masses, entertainment is placed above attainment. The nickelodeon, the cheap shows, the light, frivolous theaters are crowded, while the prayer-meetings, the high-grade literary entertainments, the thrilling accounts of our missionary workers go begging for hearers. The crowds that walk the streets of our smaller cities and county-seat towns on Saturday nights for gossip and pleasure, spending hard-earned money for indulgences that are beneficial neither to physical nor spiritual development, are far greater than walk the same streets on Lord's Day morning, and the offerings that go into the Lord's treasury much less than used for self-indulgence the previous night.

      Children from many so-called Christian homes go more regularly to the Saturday afternoon matinee than to the Sunday afternoon Junior Endeavor society. In the majority of our homes more time is spent in the study of the

MRS. WICKIZER.

fashion journals than in the reading of religious and missionary magazines. They must know before the season opens just how to dress the hair in the latest style; whether it is to be flat or pompadour, with rat or without rat; whether the sleeves are to be so large that circulation is stopped without, or so small that circulation is stopped within; whether the hat is to be modeled after the farmer's favorite measure or the bird-nest of the forest.

      The beginning of our work is in the home, the most sacred place on earth. Yet how many dangers beset it in this age of business push, social functions, club life, lodges and orders.

      The late Dr. Cuyler said: "For one, I care but little for the government which presides at Washington in comparison with the government which rules the eight or ten millions of American homes. No administration can seriously harm us if our home life is pure, frugal and godly. No statesmanship or legislation can save us if once our homes become abodes of ignorance or the nesting-places of profligacy. The home rules the nation. If the home is demoralized, it will ruin it."

      The woman for the hour in the home is one who realizes that souls have been intrusted to her care and their lives here and hereafter depend largely on her teaching and example; one who [51] takes as the basic principle of life, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God." This means an exaltation of the mental and spiritual development of the children. The foundation for this development is the word of God. The command in the old law was, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words which I command thee this day shall be upon thine heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up" (Deut. 6:5-7).

      The first part of the command is, "They shall be upon thine heart." Mothers, we must know his word before we can talk it in the home and by the way. When more of our Shakespearian Clubs and French Reading Circles are transplanted by teacher-training classes and Bible courses this condition will be improved.

      One of our Centennial aims has been family worship in every home; yet how far short we came and how little has been said concerning it through press and pulpit and laymen. May we not find an explanation in the fact that we do not enjoy preaching what we do not practice?

      Mothers, if we spent more evenings with the children in reading and discussing good books and magazines, it would in a great measure settle the question of cheap shows, card-parties and questionable amusements. We must begin at an early age to create an appetite for the good and pure and instructive, then advance with the children. The boys will enjoy the lives of real heroes better than imaginary ones. The experiences of Livingstone and Stanley are as thrilling and more impressive than of any pirate or wild-west stories. They will become more absorbed in the island life of John G. Paton than in the tale of Robinson Crusoe. Our seed-sowing in the hearts of the children will bear fruit in the characters of our men and women. We lay the foundation, they erect the superstructure.

      Mothers, before God we can not plead that we have not time to devote to the pleasure, social life and instruction of our children. We have all the time God has given us. Are we busy about the things he would have us busy about? The mother we need for the home is one who is not so much concerned about the number of point-lace collars and hand-embroidered gowns for her daughter as she is concerned about her soul decoration and heart aspirations. She is fixing life standards.

      The question of tithing is being discussed with some vigor, and may its popularity increase; but we want also to impress the thought that time is God-given--in him we live and move and have our being, and a due portion of our time ought to be used for soul development--the decorating of the inner being, that created in the image of God. "Is not the life more than the food and the body than the raiment?" We would not subtract the beautiful nor take away the pleasures of life, but we would have the world think more of the life beautiful and take more pleasure in higher and holier things.

      May we not by our holy example impress this on the young hearts to-day, and not subtract one real pleasure from their lives?

      The woman for the hour in social circles is a woman of conviction, of principle, and independent enough to stand for what she believes to be right. The church conforms so closely to the world we scarce can tell the two apart. We hear the woman in society say, "I do not like to serve wine with my drinks, but the members of my club all do, and they would think me strange if I did not." A mother comes home, hiding away her prize won at the card-table with the thought, "I would not have my son see that, or he would not care much for my lectures on gambling. I had to take it or they would have called me a fanatic." Another endures a headache and gives the family the fruit of overstrained nerves, because of burdening her head with a hat of undue dimensions and weight. "Everybody wears them, and whatever the condition of my head or nerves I would not appear odd."

      A fond and aspiring mother says, "I know the public dance has a very black record, but how can I refuse the young people when nearly all the mothers of [52] the high school class permit them to dance in their homes"?

      Mothers, if our children see us compromise with sin from their earliest memory, can we hope to raise up a generation of stalwart, honest Christians?

      How much real loss would it be to a life, if it should be set aside from certain circles or called fanatical or peculiar by some people?

      Hear Frances Willard: "We Christians must not sit by and let the fires of evil burn on; we must not permit poverty to shiver, and squalor to send forth its stench, and disease to fester in the heart of great populations. All this must be stopped, and we are the Christ-men and the Christ-women to stop it, or else we are pitiable dreamers and deluded professors of what we do not believe. We have cast anchor for a little time before this island of a world, but we are bound for the continent of immortality, and since the ship must so soon lift its anchor, since its gleaming sails beckon us now even as a friend's hand toward yonder fair and mysterious horizon, let us take on board a cargo that shall be worth something in the country where we are to spend the longest time."

      Paul says we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. Peter says, "Ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession [old version, "a peculiar people"], that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." If we are God's workmanship, God's possession and belong to the household of God, we ought to have a heart of gratitude for our Maker and manifest an interest in his household.

      Jesus said, "I came not to do mine own will, but the will of him who sent me." The ruling passion of Christ's life was to do his Father's will. The kingdom of God was first with him.

      The woman for the hour in the church is one who, with her Elder Brother, has inherited this same ruling passion of doing the Father's will. The one who has a living, vital interest in extending God's kingdom. We need women who have a hungering and thirsting after righteousness; who want to grow in knowledge of his Word and kingdom; who are eager students of the world-wide work of the church; who first provide in their calendar of time for the meetings of the church and its auxiliaries--all other things being secondary; women who realize they are bought with a price, they are not their own, but stewards of God, to whom each must give an account of stewardship.

      Sisters, when the scroll of life is unrolled, will it exhibit hay and stubble, chaff fit only for the fire, or will our souls delight in beholding redeemed lives, hearts comforted, souls developed, and our own precious children kept pure in His kingdom? We are choosing their and our eternal inheritances.

      There is greater responsibility in the right use of time than in the right use of money. The right use of time means soul growth and redemption; the wrong use means decline and decay. Many things may not be sinful in themselves, but if they occupy our time that ought to be used for a better purpose, they become sins for us.

      God wants our love and worship so fully that it will be joy to choose the best things. "If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments."

      Love is the basis of service. Frances Willard had no husband to save, no brothers to redeem, no father who needed her life of sacrifice to rescue, but she did have love for all humanity. Our own leader, Helen E. Moses, in her physical weakness, pressed on in that high calling of service, because of that inborn spirit of God which is love. She loved, therefore she wrought. The fruits of love will not perish in the flames. They will be an inheritance in that fuller life.

      The hour demands it, the redemption of the world requires it, the Lord desires it, that the vast army of women wearing the name "Christian" shall love God, love Christ, love dying humanity more than we love all things else. Seek ye first the kingdom of God.

      Christ said, "If ye love me, I will manifest myself unto you."

      The woman for the hour is the one who has loved and opened her life to His manifestation and incoming, and in turn is giving out this light and love in the home, in society and in the church. One who knows that she is the Lord's [53] possession and is eager to share silver and gold, time and talent in his kingdom.

      May the coming century multiply such unto His glory and the hastening of His coming!

[CCR 51-54]