Grace Darling | Page 2

knew, and hastens to their rescue with brave and inspiring words?
To draw the line which separates the right and wrong of other people's
actions, is always a difficult, if not an impossible thing, and yet it is
what almost everybody attempts. It is right, say some, for a woman to
instruct her own family in Biblical knowledge, and she may even invite
the children of her neighbour to be present while she does so. But if the
little social gathering should become a congregation, so that, instead of
meeting in the lady's own room, it should be necessary to borrow a
mission-hall or a chapel, then even her friends shake their heads, and
bring the blush to her face by suggesting that she is doing an
unwomanly thing. It is right and proper that she should know so much
of medicine as to be able successfully to doctor her own children. Nor
is she all that she ought to be unless she can tell, in an emergency, what
is best for her husband, and many of the poor who may seek her advice.
But if the joy of healing prove a fascination and a snare to her, and in
order that she may not be a burden to father or brother, or to enable her
to provide for orphan children left to her care, she endeavours to enter
the medical profession, and receive money for her services, what a
terrible hue-and-cry is raised against her.
The Lord Jesus Christ once uttered a very high eulogium upon a
woman, against whom words of bitter blame and indignation were
spoken. There was a supper at the house of Simon, the Leper, and to
him was given the honour of entertaining a Guest who was not only
royal, but divine. There were also present three members of a family
who owed the Saviour life-long thanks for benefits received. One of

them, a woman, whose name was Mary, felt so burdened that she could
not let so good an opportunity pass without in some way expressing her
emotions. She therefore brought a very expensive gift, an alabaster box
of precious ointment, and, breaking the box, she poured the ointment
on the head and feet of Jesus, thus performing a graceful act of
womanly ministration. It was uncommon in some respects, and this of
itself was sufficient to draw down upon her the scathing rebuke of the
unsympathetic on-lookers. "Why was this waste of the ointment made?
It might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have
been given to the poor. And they murmured against her." But He, who
is always woman's best friend, took Mary's part against her accusers.
"Let her alone; why trouble ye her? She hath wrought a good work on
Me, for ye have the poor with you always; and whensoever ye will, ye
may do them good, but Me ye have not always. SHE HATH DONE
WHAT SHE COULD."
In these words, we think we have an answer to the question, What is
woman's work? Is it not this?--SHE MAY DO WHAT SHE CAN. She
is not, of course, to go abroad seeking work, while work is ready to her
hand. She is not to neglect homely duties, for those which call her away
from friends and kindred who need her. She is not to stretch out her
hands beseechingly for higher service, if they are already full of lowly
tasks not yet accomplished. But if she have leisure, strength, and
ability--if there are no God-given ties that ought to hinder her--if she
sees fields white ready to harvest, and knows that the labourers are all
too few--then, in Christ's name, let her do with her might whatsoever
her hands find to do.
It is surely this which the voice of GRACE DARLING, the heroine
whom the hearts of men and women alike agree to love and revere, is
saying to us still, and has said ever since her brave deeds thrilled the
world. She gave her thoughts and powers, with conscientious diligence
and perseverance, to the common-place duties of her lot, but she was
none the less ready, when the occasion came, to go forth over the
stormy waters to do a most uncommon deed of daring. Usually, she
was happy and content in being a blessing to her own family; but she
was not afraid to forget herself, nor unable to rise above the natural

timidity of her sex, when the noblest and strongest passions of her heart
were aroused on behalf of men, women, and children, who were in
danger of a watery grave.
There are other great women, her sisters, of each of whom it may also
be said, "She hath done what she could." Most of these have been
helped by circumstances