Encouragement to Christian Mothers by Nathaniel Purdy Bailey

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 11, 1873

Encouragement to Christian Mothers.

By Nathaniel Purdy Bailey

Some time since, there were held in the First Presbyterian church, Warren, Ohio, a brief series of union meetings. At the opening of the service on the second afternoon, the first fifteen minutes were devoted to praise meeting, the object being to give every person present an opportunity to mention something for which he desired to praise God. Among the many blessings named, several persons wished to praise God for a Christian mother. One of the pastors present noticing the repetition of that subject, requested Mr. Douglas, who had charge of the meeting, to ask all in the audience, who felt that they could praise God for a pious mother, to hold up the hand. Instantly, nearly, or quite, every one in that large congregation raised his hand.

In the front seat was an old, grayheaded man, an elder in the church, loved and honored by all. At first he raised his hand as high as his head; then he stretched it as far as possible above his head; then he rose to his feet and reached up on tiptoe; then he sprang upon the seat, and stretched his hand as far as possible toward heaven. By this most impressive action he declared the impossibility of expressing his thanks to God for such a pious mother as had blessed his early life.

When that venerable good man took his seat, there were many, many tearful eyes all over the house; and many a young mother, doubtless, sent to Heaven a fervent, silent prayer for grace so to live and train her children that, when she should lie in the quiet grave and her sons should be old and grayheaded, they too might be unable to reach up high enough to measure their praise to God for a pious mother.

That scene will never be forgotten by those who witnessed it. One of the pastors afterward remarked that “it was the most impressive and eloquent sermon he ever saw.”

There is no earthly power so great, so sweet, so lasting, as that of a pious, devoted, Christian mother. Yet it is a power within the reach of every mother. It is a power worthy of her highest ambition and effort. To secure it, she can afford to sacrifice all else. Such an incident is full of encouragement. It bids praying mothers toil on, for in due time they shall reap.

Surely, there is not on earth a higher womanly honor than that which comes from rearing up children in an atmosphere of prayer and love to Jesus, so that when the mother's lips lie cold in the grave, the sons, even the old and grayheaded, shall be unable to express their debt of love to God for a praying mother.

A mother may have wealth, beauty, social position; she may be an eloquent lecturer; she may be able to moderate a convention or govern a State, but none, nor all of these, will fill the hearts of her sons and daughters with such happy reflections, and with so much thankfulness, as the recollection that she was a praying, Christian mother.—Rev. Nathaniel Purdy Bailey.