J. H. Moore was a long-time editor of the Gospel Messenger.
The following writing of his is titled, Some Observation at Church
One Saturday Night
While seated in the pulpit, one Sunday morning, I observed a care-worn woman entering, carrying one child and leading another. Three other children followed. She gathered them around her as a hen would her little chicks. Presently the husband entered, a strong man, looking as though he enjoyed life as well as the table. He picked out a good, comfortable seat at one end of the bench, and fixed himself to take things easy. So far as I could discover he had no concern about the mother and her five children. He came to meeting to enjoy it, and meant to get all the good possible out of the service.
I looked at the woman. She seemed tired and yet she did her best to appear cheerful. Hers were good children, accustomed to attending services, and yet they required her constant attention. She was a hard-working woman in her home, for the family was poor. Instead of having to care for the entire little flock she should have been relieved in some manner. I wondered why that strong husband of hers could not have taken at least two of the children to the seat with him. That would have been a relief to the overworked mother. Then it would have looked manly for him to have assumed at least part of the family burden. It would have given the mother a better opportunity to enjoy the service and get some of the rest she needed. I certainly pitied the woman, and felt very much like preaching a sermon on the text, "Husbands, love your wives."
Presently, a man entered, carrying a child, which he took care of during the meeting. His wife looked real cheerful and happy. She occupied another seat with some of the larger children. To me that looked sensible, and I felt like commending the man for his fatherly and sensible conduct. His good wife got the full benefit of the service and went away from the meeting a stronger woman, spiritually. To her the service was restful as well as instructive.
Source: She Hath Done What She Could, Pamela Brubaker
