*From The Excellent Woman of Proverbs 31 written in 1847 by Anne Pratt (1806-1893)
"The whole of this beautiful description of female excellence consists of twenty‐two verses, distinct from the remaining part of the chapter, and forming, in themselves, a poem, of which each verse commences with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
The simple reader of Scripture would infer from it one of two things.
*Either that it was the description of some woman whose character was present to the mind of the writer;
*or that it was a picture of such a woman as the inspired writer would propose as a general example.
Some of the fathers of the church, not content to see in this description a beautiful exhibition of female character, searched for a hidden meaning in its simple declarations.
*One believed that the virtuous woman shadowed forth the sensitive soul, subject to the understanding and the reason.
*Another considered that God's holy word, the Scripture of truth, was thus signified.
*Some thought, with more apparent reason, that it was emblematic of wisdom;
*and many, with Ambrose and Bede, have regarded the virtuous woman as a type of the church of Christ.
--Leaving, however, these mystical and spiritual interpretations of the passage, we shall consider it as an example of moral and religious excellence, presented by God to every woman whose standard of life and character is found in his written word.
Our Christian profession requires indeed to be held with firmness, in days when those who are called Christian women are often found conforming so much to the spirit and manners of the world. "Hold fast," says the apostle, "the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end" (Hbr 3:6); and we are to "hold fast our profession," seeing that we have "a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens" (Hbr 4:14), and therefore by him we may approach boldly unto the throne of grace, to ask for that firmness and consistency which we so much need.
There was Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, who in those days when Israel's God had led them through the dry land, and overwhelmed their enemies in the deep waters, left the privacy of domestic life, and joined with all the Hebrew women in publicly praising their Great Deliverer; and in a noble fervor of inspired feeling, sang that song, which no poet of later ages has ever equalled in sublimity:
Again-She is to be well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. "In behavior," good wives were to be "as becometh holiness: not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;-to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children. To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home" (Tts 2:3-5).
Even in that deeply solemn hour, when the blessed Savior yielded his life on the cross, to atone for sinful man; when his disciples forsook him and fled, yet holy women shrunk not from following him to the cross."
WHO CAN FIND A VIRTUOUS WOMAN?
FOR HER PRICE IS FAR ABOVE RUBIES.
FOR HER PRICE IS FAR ABOVE RUBIES.
Proverbs 31:10
"The whole of this beautiful description of female excellence consists of twenty‐two verses, distinct from the remaining part of the chapter, and forming, in themselves, a poem, of which each verse commences with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
The simple reader of Scripture would infer from it one of two things.
*Either that it was the description of some woman whose character was present to the mind of the writer;
*or that it was a picture of such a woman as the inspired writer would propose as a general example.
Some of the fathers of the church, not content to see in this description a beautiful exhibition of female character, searched for a hidden meaning in its simple declarations.
*One believed that the virtuous woman shadowed forth the sensitive soul, subject to the understanding and the reason.
*Another considered that God's holy word, the Scripture of truth, was thus signified.
*Some thought, with more apparent reason, that it was emblematic of wisdom;
*and many, with Ambrose and Bede, have regarded the virtuous woman as a type of the church of Christ.
--Leaving, however, these mystical and spiritual interpretations of the passage, we shall consider it as an example of moral and religious excellence, presented by God to every woman whose standard of life and character is found in his written word.
There was Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, who in those days when Israel's God had led them through the dry land, and overwhelmed their enemies in the deep waters, left the privacy of domestic life, and joined with all the Hebrew women in publicly praising their Great Deliverer; and in a noble fervor of inspired feeling, sang that song, which no poet of later ages has ever equalled in sublimity:
"Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously;
The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea." (Exd 15:21)
Again-She is to be well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. "In behavior," good wives were to be "as becometh holiness: not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;-to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children. To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home" (Tts 2:3-5).
Even in that deeply solemn hour, when the blessed Savior yielded his life on the cross, to atone for sinful man; when his disciples forsook him and fled, yet holy women shrunk not from following him to the cross."
