WOMEN OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

White Ribbon, Volume 32, Issue 375, 18 September 1926, Page 4

WOMEN OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

(Paper read by Mrs J. Voss, at a meeting of the Spreydon Branch of the W.C.T.U., Christchurch.) Whenever we survey the galleries of the Gentile world, the one spot absent to the modern eye is the woman’s Empire at home. In India, woman was. and in most oases still is, a prisoner. In Japan she was. and still is. not the mistress of the home, but simply a housekeeper. In China she was, and still continues to be. subordinate to man; for there the relation of father and son precedes that of mother and daughter. In the palmiest days of old Rome, she was but a possession of a man just like a piece of furniture. In Greece she rose sometimes to distinction, but not as mistress of the house. But amid the galleries of the Ancient World, there is one where woman's portraits are unique; it is that of the Bible. The triumph and the merit of this Book are that, at a time when woman was practically a slave, it painted a gallery in which she was free. Here we find womanhood rejoicing in the freeing of her shackles; and in exalting woman. Christianity as embodied in the New Testament'has transformed the ideal of human greatness, n*t by adding a new ideal but by dethroning the old one. The woman’s charter was the Sermon on the Mount. It elevated what had previously been condemned. Its paradox is, not that womanly qualities have received the favour of God. but that they have received the favour of man. The teaching of the beatitudes that Christ pronounces on feminine virtues is that woman shall become one of the dominant factors in human development, shall guide the policy of nations and become the standard not only for woman, but also for man. In the short time at my disposal, 1 can refer only briefly to the characteristics of the principal women mentioned in the New' Testament. I take it for granted that the Biblical accounts of these women are fairly well-known to those present.. For that reason. I think it better to refer to them as influencing present-day thoughts and organizations. For some years T was a member of a Sewing Guild or Dorcas Society,

which devoted its energies to make up garments for Herrick’s Home and similar Benevolent Institutions in and around Christchurch. What is the origin of the name “Dorcas Society?” We find the answer in the New Testament (Acts 9:38l; There was at Joppa a certain disciple called Tabitha or Dorcas, a woman skilled in needlework and the head of a sisterhood of mercy, the precursor of many Benevolent Dorcas Societies and Guilds of the present day, helping the widows, the fatherless, the poor and the needy, abounding in good works of every kind. Dorcas and her fellow-workers gave not merely their sympathy to those in distress, but also, through goodness of heart, rendered practical assistance, and, in blessing others, they were blessed themselves. What a tine example for us to imitate! May we endeavour to be as full of good works and almsdeeds as Dorcas was!

How often we hear the expression, “The Widow's Mite.” Whence is it derived? Read Mark 12 and we soon discover its origin. The crowd descending from the Temple no doubt presented a grand spectacle. \ttracted by national memories and hopes still centred there, the people give freely to the Treasury from patriotic as well as from religious motives. Amongst the rich givers, appears one doubly poor by reason of her widowhood and lack of means; yet doubtless she had learned the Compassion of our Lord. and had therefore worshipped with content and gratitude, which was expressed in the only material offering possible to her. Unnoticed by others, she is seen, appreciated and commended by Christ. “She, of her want, did cast in all that she had.” so says the Scripture. She did not give merely what she thought she could spare; she gave all, poor as she was. Her contribution was the greatest sacrifice of all, therefore the most valued. No wonder her example has been held up before the world, and is recognised to-day as the truest type of Christian giving.

Paul, Barnabas, and other apostles found it easiest to make proselytes of women. Thus, when Paul was in Macedonia, preaching on the Sabbath by the riverside, he spoke to the women assembled Amongst them was Lydia, one of a Corporation of purple sellers who listened to the

earnest words of the preacher witli looks and tears that told of deep emotion, and who thereby bcoame possessed of the consciousness of a new life. When she was baptized with her household, she showed large-hearted hospitality in offering to receive the preachers into her home as her guests. In this respect, Lydia was a type of those devout women who, in our day, entertain the preachers of the Gospel. Thus, women were the Agents, as it were, of the Christian missions of our Lord's time. From being agents, the devout women have developed by different stages until these modern times when we have our deaconesses, women missionaries, lecturers and preachers.

As to the question of the human nativity of Jesus, contraversy has raged and is raging still; but we will that over to ask what wus the particular work which Mary, the Mother of Jesus, had to do for her Son. We commonly say that it is the mother’s province to train her child for Heaven; but in this case, the Child Himself was from Heaven. Should she not, then, be really guided by Him? I think it must be conceded that her mission was, not the guidance of his spiritual, but of his outward or physical nature. She was not to stimulate the higher, but to prevent that higher life from making Him forget his lower needs. There had been committed t,o her care a great trust, the preservation of a gifted Son for a heavenly mission. The greatest danger his early yeiars had to encounter came from that very mission. He was or might be so absorbed in it that He was in peril of losing sight of his earthly existence and of his physical needs. Mary’s whole thought was to give Him strength of body to prepare Him for the toil of inind. She was proud of her son. His wisdom and learning were the admiration of all. He had been spoken of e vr; wh°re a r the Coming Man, thv Coming King, the One Who was to ;gualu‘* the next generation. But the * ostcace of the soul requires in a human being a body, so a guardian must be Tound for the wants of the human Christ. The Heavenly Father ptovidt’d for the divine Christ; someone must grovidt for tlie Man Jesus; that mission fe Ito Mary. We have often lamen - ed the meagreness of the records oi

Christ’s early life. How oan this be explained but for the maternal plan to surround Jesus in His early years with the commonplace, to prevent the too-early maturity of the growing lad? In this, she was evidently successful, and for this she is to he commended. What was the chief characteristic of Mary, the sister of Lazarui? Was it not the power to detect, in those she met, what was the main thing needing their sympathy. In other words, was she not a kind of thoughtreader who had the ability at a special moment to put the hand upon the special want of a human soul? She could read the thoughts of Jesus. She could see that He sought the joy of humian friendship, the establishment of an earthly brotherhood, and the kindling of a divine love which would result in the Communion of soul w-ith soul. Her brother Lazarus was dead. Mary had gone to meet Jesus. She had thrown herself at His feet and cried: “Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died!” What abundant faith she thus expressed! Martha loved our Lord as well as Mary. The former attended to His physical needs by giving of her best at the feast she prepared for Him. We see Mary sitting at His feet listening to His words, and Martha busying herself in getting ready the meals, both anxious for His welfare. To the general public, Mary of Magdala, or Mary Magdalene is one of the most interesting women of the Bible, because she portrays the darkness of sin into the brilliant light of the redeemed. Being rescued from sin by Christ, Mary Magdalene, from bring helped, had a desire to help others. We read in Mark lh that she, amongst other good women, ministered sympathically where she could give nothing but her presence; she was present at the burial. Mary Magdalene had the first vision of the rLen Lord. She came to the grave with great expectations to preserve His dead body. There she had a vision of Jesus and mistook Him for the gardener. When she finally recognized Him, just the word “Master!” escaped her 1 ips. She was sent for on an apostolic mission as an apostle to the apostles to tell of a risen Saviour. The most beautiful ornament in Mary's life consisted in her tender w’orks of mercy and pHv;

and in memory of this side of her character there have l>een established, in various parts of the world, Magdala hospitals for the reformation of the fallen sisters of humanity. Mary took a box of the costliest ointment, broke in into fragments and poured it upon His head in gratitude. The box was shattered, but, w ith the shattering the fragrance began. While it was whole, its perfume was confined, hut the breaking ga\e it wings; it tilled all the house. This act of Mary's told Jesus that, though His body might he broken, though His earthly tabernacle might be shattered. His influence would never he buried. The fragrance of His life would spread far and wide. Jesus realised the power of this symbol, for H<* said: “Wheresoever the Gospel is preached throughout the world, there shall that, which this woman hath done, be spoken of.” May we all have such a record given to us! May we break the bo\ so that the ointment of brotherly and sisterly kindness may flow- in order to give sympathy and so lessen life’s burdens! When the disciples assembled in the Upper Room, after they had witnessed the Ascension of our Lord, we are told that, gathered toget *r with them, were the Christian women, amongst whom were Mary, the Mother of J* sus, and possibly Mary Magdalene, Salome, Susanna. Joanna, Mary and Martha of Bethany. In St. Luke’s Gospel we read of n woman’s faith in Christ. She had paid her all to physicians for healing, hut had received none, and w-ho, when she heard of Christ, pressed among the crowd to touch the hem of His garment, believing that, in so doing, she w f ould be healed. Christ a. ked: “Who touched Me?” The woman, trembling, fell down before Him and told all. Our Saviour said “Daughter, he of good comfort, thy faith hatli made thee whole; go in peace." Thus faith gained for her the blessing. Time will not allow r me to reft r to the evil influence exerted by some of the women of the New Testament. Suffice it to say that, without Christian graces, woman may become a source of temptation and of injustice. In conclusion, I venture the thought that that which has bridged

the gulf between the man and the woman has not been altogether the recognition of woman by Christianity, nor the honoured place assigned to her in Christian service. It has really resulted from a source deeper down namely the character of the Master. The heroism of the Son of Man is the heroism of ideal womanhood. The virtues which he lifted to the Mount were those that shone in His own soul, precisely those virtues which the past ages had despised as feminine. Thus, through tin* influence of the teaching of Christ, the qualities which were once deemed lowly have now been esteemed lofty, and the attributes of Christian service have been the badges of royalty. May the Son of Man he blessed for ever and ever for lighting in the sky a new star, the star of emancipated w oman hood. “Woman may err. woman may Mve her mind To evil thoughts and lose her pure estate; But for one woman who affronts her kind By wicked passions and remorseless hate A thousand make amends in age and youth By heavenly pity, by sweet sympathy. By patient kindness, by enduring truth, By love, supmnest in adversity. Theirs is the task to succour the distressed, To f eed the hungry and to cheer the sad. To pour the halm upon the wounded breast And find dear pity even for the had.” “In the battle, in the pulpit, in the conflicts of the land On fame’s high and dizzy summit. woman’s form may never stand; But more holy is her mission, noblest work that God has given, Her’s to lift, with hands so tenA?r, our poor w-orld up nearer Heaven.”