November 8, 2011
The Diary of a Godly Housewife (Pt. 34 “Mr Chown preached at the Metropolitan Tabernacle”)
November 3, 2011
The Diary of a Godly Housewife (Pt. 33 Emily’s advice for training infants)
January 24th 1885 “Went down to dear Father’s Tuesday previous much to my joy and against my expectation. Dear Alfred ever forgetful of himself took a deal of pains to make us comfortable. I believe he and father were repaid by the comparatively cheerful time we spent together.
My much loved baby who I had hoped would give cause for commendation for her good behaviour was however excitable, irritable, unwilling for me to turn my back and this troubled me much more because I knew she had hitherto been unchecked and paid far too much attention to by us all.
Dear Alf once more increased my obligation to him by helping me to teach her to go to bed awake and understand she was laid down for the purpose of going to sleep. Also that it is naughty to cry and she must not have what she cries for. What a mistake do people make who think babies do not know when they can have their own way!”
October 20, 2011
The Diary of a Godly Housewife (Pt. 32 Mr. Spurgeon “Tenderness in the midst of Almightiness”)
Sunday Evening, Nov. 16th 1884. This morning heard young Mr. Spurgeon (this was not C. H. Spurgeon but one of his sons) from “The Lamb in the midst of the Throne.” He formed his remarks on a paraphrase which ran thus “Tenderness in the midst of Almightiness”. Grace Clarke came to tea. Tom and she went to the Tabernacle. My sweet babe gone to bed after what I call one of the best of ‘baby days.’ She has had a very bad cold with slight bronchitis. But Friday, Sat. and today has been well again and shown signs of such good temper as to please me much.
October 12, 2011
The Diary of a Godly Housewife (Pt. 31 Training the children to be “well behaved in God’s house”)
Oct. 12 1884 Sunday evening. Being wet, Tom has gone to the Tabernacle instead of me, so I am housekeeper. Dear little Lizzie is gone to bed without a whimper. She gets more good tempered as she gets older indeed never cries unless uncomfortable or in pain. She is a great delight to us all, sits up at the table and is quite one of the family. Her aunt Jennie sent her a pair of cardinal knitted socks which she has worn today. She gets too noisy for the morning service unless asleep, but today I managed to hear most of the sermon with her awake. I am not sure that I shall venture again until she can understand she must be well behaved in God’s house, a thing I trust she will early learn.
October 3, 2011
The Diary of a Godly Housewife (Pt. 30 Prayer for brother’s Marriage)
Sept. 24th 1884 My birthday! And last Saturday my little daughter was 6 months old. She cut her first tooth in the night of Saturday and in the early morning I felt it and was quite delighted. She gives promise of much sweetness as each day she makes progress in some little way. I cannot think she is very irritable as she never cries merely at being put out of her way, as for instance in bus or cab at night she smiles and plays even when sleepy.
I seldom subject her to this but did tonight from 7.30 to 9.00 coming from Mrs. Pepper’s. This morning I received four beautiful birthday cards which I greatly appreciate. Also a loving letter from poor dear Father who is in bitter sorrow through Alfred’s unfortunate marriage.
He and his wife were legally separated about August 4th the Sat before bank holiday. They have gone through untold bitterness through her annoying aggravating ways. By God’s mercy in answer to our prayers dear Alf was restrained from doing her personal violence and only by God’s mercy has it been. ‘Tis a most mysterious trial in its character and weight but God has his own purpose to answer by it. My chief prayer now is that dear Father may be more cheerful and take less heavily the cares which oppress him. Also that we may be an unbroken circle in Heaven where we shall know what we cannot understand here. My precious husband is the subject of God’s kind providence and our prayers together for him have been and are wonderfully answered. He takes a holiday from business next week.
September 29, 2011
The Diary of a Godly Housewife (Pt. 29 The first child “His ways prove always the right and best”)
March 7th 1884 I am rather weary of waiting and hope soon to have the object of our solicitude to care for and attend to. I pray to be spared to those who love me.
April 21. I would now record the Lord’s wondrous mercy in bringing me safely through the last month and answering our many prayers. His ways with us have been rather perplexing, but as time passes they prove always the right and best. I have regained strength much quicker than in Jan 1883 and my precious little daughter has been a great delight to me every day. When I look at her she seems as lovely an object for me to call my very own and a closer bond of union between dear Tom and myself.
He is most tenderly affectionate to us both and I want by each look and act to add to his joy. The baby has been of a restless turn but now seems to be taking an opposite one and sleeps much more. I did feel amazingly perplexed for the first 10 days after nurse left me for the hindrance dear baby caused was a new thing for me; I hope now to take it with a more quiet mind. Above all I want God’s gracious direction in respect to training it even from now; to help me mould its habits so that it may be a comfort to itself and us. Lord help me is my hourly prayer. We took tea at Grandpa’s on the 14 day of darling’s little life and yesterday (Sunday 20th) one calendar month we had tea and supper at dear Mrs. Goddard’s; spent a most pleasant evening. 6:30 pm have just now for the first time laid her down awake and lulled her off to sleep.
September 27, 2011
The Diary of a Godly Housewife (Pt. 28 The Evidence of Charity)
Jan. 7th 1884 I went to stay with dear Father, this being my fourth visit since the previous February – We much enjoy each other’s company he is intellectual and withal greatly softened down of late years, taking a far more charitable view of other men and their view of things than formerly.
September 23, 2011
The Diary of a Godly Housewife (Pt. 27 A “well blended Christian, wife and mother”)
Dec. 31st 1883. Our dearly loved mother passed to the Heavenly rest after an affliction of 11 years duration. Up to the previous June when I visited her she still appeared the loving tender mother she had always been and I said it would be hard to part with her. The next time I went in September she had got so much more helpless and afflicted that my chief feeling was sorrow at her state and after my return to London my grief was unceasing night and day. She and dear father were subjects of earnest prayer and solicitude. Her departure assuaged my grief, a truth which I think all will understand in a daughter who knew well that her gentle spirit would at once wing its way to her Saviour’s bosom and find its true rest in heaven. In her, well blended the Christian, the wife, the mother. Beyond the sphere of home she did not wish to shine. Some few will remember her as an excellent neighbour ready to render aid in sickness either night or day.
It was a great loss to us as a family to be so early deprived of her help in the capacity she had to ably and industriously filled. Yet though it was all too early it is mete we should gratefully record the fact that she was spared to see us reach maturity and I her youngest child was happily married 1 ¾ years before her death. Much mercy is mixed with this to me, though it made the burden of home life fall more heavily on dear Father. Dear Ma’s memory will ever be fragrant to us and the patience with which her affliction was borne a standing witness to the promise “my Grace is sufficient for thee.” May we follow her as she followed Christ.
September 8, 2011
The Diary of a Godly Housewife (Pt.25 Metropolitan Tabernacle 1861 “…influence of the service upon me was good and never effaced”
“March 25th 1883 Very sweet season in hearing Mr. C. H. Spurgeon from John 10. “Other Sheep I have etc.” Memory went back to the time before I knew the Saviour, when the verse seemed like a ledge on the mountainside on which I could get a slight foothold and hope to advance in the distant prospect, when some of the “other sheep” should be running to the fold. I thought too of the time when dear Ma brought us to London and sat with dear Pa and me in the top gallery (in 1861 or 62) I do not know the subject of the discourse but am conscious that the influence of the service upon me was good and never effaced. Dear Ma’s present condition in contrast to what she was then brought me tears. I grieved to write that Mr. Horace Smith of Mansfield St. S. S. Died at 11:30 tonight.”
NB. The Metropolitan Tabernacle opened in March 1861.
Spurgeon’s sermon on the date of this diary entry was titled “Other Sheep and One Flock” (#1713)
August 27, 2011
