The Responsibilities of the Pastor's Wife [pp. 379-383]

THE LADIES' REPOSITORY.
unremitting efforts, do not neglect to sound the
timely alarm, and say,
"Not on your studies too intently fix,
But exercise and air discreetly mix."
This is your Sabbath; you must have your
weekly rest.
9. You may be a "helper" to him by atten tion to his personal appearance. Slovenly neg lect will lessen the influence of any one, but
neatness and cleanliness in his appearance and
dress especially become the man of God. The
want of it will reflect unfavorably upon you.
The great Wesley was a model of neatness,
and the world has echoed with his proverb,
"Cleanliness is the next thing to godliness."
Whatever is awkward in habit or offensive in
spirit, you may hope to cure or modify as no
one else can or will.
Io. You may be his "hlelper" by keeping
pace with him in his growth in knowledge.
You may be a helpmeet for him by being his
companion in that progress he must make or
fail. A man on leaving school or college goes
on acquiring knowledge at compound interest;
a woman after marriage is considered fortunate
if she can keep her principal intact. Still, by
devoting your spare moments to the current
literature of the day, you can so manage that
he may not get so far in advance of you that he
will be solitary. Let him ever find in you a
congenial spirit in the ru gged paths of knowl edgcl,e and science.
iI. You may be a "hlelpmeet" for him by
wisely criticising his pulpit labors and his social
intercourse. You can say to him just what
others will say of him, but you must study his
temperament and know him well in order to
criticise without wounding. By this means he
can free himself from many habits of speech,
and manner, and temper, which would otherwise cling to him for life.
I12. You may aid your companion by your
dress. If your husband preaches against the
putting on of gold and costly apparel, as the
Bible enjoins, let your dress, at least, be "as
becometh women professing godliness." The
showy, expensive dress of the members of our
Churches prevent many poor persons from attending the ministry of the Word. Their limited means will not allow them to compete in
millinery and worldly fashions with the Christian butterflies that flutter in the assembly of
the saints. See to it that your influence is on
the right side.
13. You may be a "helper" to your husband
by proper respect and hospitality to his ministerial brethren. Let them always find a pleasant and hearty greeting at the parsonage; and
though you may be oblliged to perform Martha's
labor, remember that you will share Mary's
commendation, " She hath done what she could."
Womani's mission of sympathy, aid, and love
has been accomplished in a tlhousand of the
written and unwritten histories of earth. Not
all have smothered innate nobleness. The
names of "honorable women not a fewv" adorn
the chronicles of the ages past, both in secular
and sacred circles. The larger part of the dclis ciples of Christ have in every age been found
in our sisterhood. The golden flame upon the
holy altars of the Churches in Christ would
have been often extinguished but for womian's
constancy, love, and hope. None but the Om niscient knows her success in preserving brotlh ers, husbands, sons, and daughters firom the
pathls of the destroyer.
Thle women of Calvary were but types of
Christian women every-where.
"Not she with traitorous lip the Savior stung;
Not she denied him with the unholy throng;
She, when apostles shrunk, could dangers brave;
Last at the cross and earliest at the grave."
The last chapter of Paul's letter to the Ro mans is a monument to the memory of the holy
women who labored so assiduously with the
apostles in building up the Church of Christ in
Rome-a monument that shall outlast the pyra mids. How ennobling to our nature, and cheer ing to our hopes, are the salutations "to the
sisterhood at Rome of such a one as Paul the
aged!" How sweetly he writes: "I commend
unto you Phoebe our sister, which is a servant
of the Church which is at Cenchrea: and assist
her: for she hath been a succorer of many,
and of myself also. Greet Priscilla, my helper
in Christ Jesus, unto whom, with her husband
Aquila, not only I give thanks, but also all
the Churches of the Gentiles. Salute my well beloved Epenetus, who is the first-fruits of
Achaia unto Christ. Salute Junia, who is of
note among the apostles. Greet Mary, who
bestowed much labor on us. Salute Tryphena
and Tryphosa, and the beloved Persis. Salute
Julia, Nereus, and his sister."
The mystery of mysteries is seen in that
God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, to
redeem those that were under the law and its
withering curse, and in pursuance of the prophecy, "from henceforth all generations shall call
me blessed," the Christian world has honored
the mother of Jesus, "the blessed Mary."
Sisters, be encouraged to go forward. You
will not lose your reward. You can afford to
go on with patient continuance in well-doing
without the applause of the multitude. You
will share in your husband's reward at the rev
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