1 Martha’s Sabbath Lessons: Spiritual Insights from the Journals of Martha E. McMillan, 1867-1913. Selective journal entries chosen by the transcribers of the McMillan Journals Introduction Who was Martha McMillan? Martha Elizabeth Murdock, born January 26, 1844, in Clinton County, Ohio, was married to James McMillan on January 15, 1867. They lived in the McMillan homestead northeast of Cedarville on Route 42. The home is still there. James was a farmer well-known for the raising of sheep, hogs, and high-bred trotting horses as well as the usual field crops. From the day of her marriage until about a week before her death, Martha kept a journal of the daily events in the home and on the farm, as well as community activities and family experiences. The journals, covering 46 years, comprise over 12,000 handwritten pages and are now a part of the collections of the Cedarville University Archives. Martha McMillan, a mother of 10 children, had no special qualifications to write these journals; she was a farmer’s wife who went to church and sent her children to school in this community and to colleges beyond. But her eloquence, insights, and faith are clearly evident in her recollections. What are these lessons? Martha was a strongly-committed believer in Christ. She was serious about her faith, most evident in her devotion to the Lord’s day, Sunday and Martha’s sabbath, as well as to other times when her church was having services. Whenever the doors of Cedarville’s Reformed Presbyterian Church were open on the corner of Main and Church streets, her family was there as much as possible. On most Sundays, Martha recorded the basic content of the weekly sermon. For example, in the Journal entry below for May 7, 1893, Martha includes the date [1], the biblical text of the sermon [2], the subject [3], and her thoughts [4] on the meaning of the sermon from her perspective and its application to her life and those in her world and beyond. Martha’s Sunday experiences were rich! [1] 7” May. Sabb. Rather a pleasant day but a little cool. Helen sick and did not go to church. Paul at home with Frank – Clara, Clayton and Jason at Sabbath School and church – Mr Mc and I there – Mr Mortons text [2] “My soul cleaveth unto the dust. Quicken thou me according to thy word.” [3] Subject. Christian experience. [4] The Souls condition is described in these words “My soul cleaveth to the dust. Cleaveth to the perishing things of the world. We give the attention to time that eternity ought to have – to the body that the Soul should have – We are so encumbered with our cares that we
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=