have a brighter home in heaven at the
windows of which this moment are familiar faces watching for our
arrival and wondering why so long we tarry.

FOOTNOTES:

[3] Dr. Talmage, in common with many critics, here censures Mr. James
Anthony Froude for making the disclosures. It is, however, due to that
eminent historian to say that he gives a different explanation of his
motives than that suggested by Dr. Talmage of a regard for "shekels." He
states that as Mr. Carlyle had selected him as his biographer and given
the materials for the work into his hands, he conceived that his duty as
a conscientious man was to tell the whole truth. He did it also as a
matter of policy as well as of principle. Had he kept back any part, it
would have been told with less accuracy by others who knew some of the
facts but not all of them.--ED.

MATERNITY.

"Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to
him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to
offer the yearly sacrifice."--I SAMUEL 2:19.

The stories of Deborah and Abigail are very apt to discourage a
woman's soul. She says within herself: "It is impossible that I ever
can achieve any such grandeur of character, and I don't mean to try;"
as though a child should refuse to play the eight notes because he
cannot execute a "William Tell." This Hannah of the text differs from
the persons I just now named. She was an ordinary woman, with ordinary
intellectual capacity, placed in the ordinary circumstances, and yet,
by extraordinary piety, standing out before all the ages to come.

THE MODEL CHRISTIAN MOTHER.

Hannah was the wife of Elkanah, who was a person very much like
herself--unromantic and plain, never having fought a battle or been
the subject of a marvelous escape. Neither of them would have been
called a genius. Just what you and I might be, that was Elkanah and
Hannah. The brightest time in all the history of that family was the
birth of Samuel. Although no star ran along the heavens pointing down
to his birthplace, I think the angels of God stooped at the coming of
so wonderful a prophet.

As Samuel had been given in answer to prayer, Elkanah and all his
family, save Hannah, started up to Shiloh to offer sacrifices of
thanksgiving. The cradle where the child slept was altar enough for
Hannah's grateful heart, but when the boy was old enough she took him
to Shiloh and took three bullocks, and an ephah of flour, and a bott