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A THOUGHT FOR MOTHERS

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 27, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 4.

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A THOUGHT FOR MOTHERS.

By Mary F. Butts

HERE and there the success of eminent women in literature, art, charity, the story of the lives of what might be called great mothers, who trained from infancy the valuable workers of the world, brings to our mind anew the conviction that no hand is so potent as the one that "rocks the cradle."
Often my thoughts go back of the eloquent word, the noble deed, to the old hearthstones, to the mothers waiting, trusting, working, enduring amid discouragements, difficulties, and perhaps hardships. They could see but the one step directly before them, the duty of each moment, and with earnest faith in the divine help took that step, fulfilled that duty, pressing on through the hours, the days, the years, doing their utmost to make the home a place from which their children should go forth as noble, self-forgetful, loving workers in the great hive of humanity. To them the issue was unknown; from their eyes was hidden what we see,—the children for whom they gave their lives changed to faithful soldiers in the army of the Lord.
Tired, discouraged mother, go on hopefully, bravely, bringing up children for the great world's work. From among your little brood may go forth one who will lead, lift, encourage. Your son, or your son's son, or one still farther down the line, may be the color-bearer in some great cause. Your daughter, or your daughter's daughter, may help to ennoble womanhood forever, may pour into thousands of hearts the sacred wine of enthusiasm for the weak and the suffering. Go on making the bread, sewing the seam, teaching the lesson, nursing, guiding, developing the young life. Do not forget that in the divine heart is fullness of strength for the mother's heart, strength sorely needed, strength that can not be neglected without loss, failure, sorrow. Believe in God; believe in your children as the children of God; reverence yourself as one to whom has been committed a great charge; reverence your little ones as the heirs of a king, princes by right of their sonship to the King and Lord of all.—Mary F. Butts.