and to love Him with all his heart, with all his mind, with all his soul
and with all his strength, to worship Him, to give Him thanks, to put
his whole trust in Him, to call on Him, to honor His holy name and His
word and to love Him truly all the days of his life; that his duty
towards his neighbor--was to love him as himself, and to do to all men as
he would have them do unto him, to love, honor and succor his father and
mother, to honor and obey the civil authority, to hurt nobody by word or
deed, to be true and just in all his dealings, to bear no malice or
hatred in his heart, to keep his hands from picking and stealing, and
his tongue from evil speaking, lying and slandering, to keep his body in
temperance, soberness and chastity. Not to covet or desire other men's
goods, but to learn and labor truly to get his own living and to do his
duty in that state of life unto which it should please God to call him.
We know this was the rule of his life. The Father of his Country found
his solace, inspiration and help, as many of us have found it, in the
love of a Christian wife. There are no fairer names in our country's
history than Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Elizabeth Schuyler
Hamilton, Sally Foster Otis, Alice DeLancy Izard, Jane Ketelas Beekman,
and many more, who made up the republican court of Washington; and we do
not forget humble names like Mollie Stark, whose lives were consecrated
to their country. Wives, mothers, daughters! none have places of
greater influence in shaping and moulding our country than you. Your
power is the power of a Christian mother, a Christian wife, a Christian
daughter. In the darkest hour look to God, believe that your mission is
a nobler one than to be a slave of fashion or the leader of a party.
Plant your feet on the rock of eternal truth--never speak with uncertain
voice of the verities of the Christian faith. For you St. Paul said:
"How knowest thou, O Woman, but thou mayest save thy husband and thy
child," and saving them a nation is saved.