Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-10-17
y D u . e B a p 10
BRANDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER Is, 1888.

BRANDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER Is, 1888.
Thank the brother for the favor below. 1t needs
to be read through, to be understood.
Brother MURRAY: The following is an
extract from an unpublished sermon, which,
By request, send to YOU, Should you find
it adapted to the latitude of Vermont, and
calculated TO do good, you may insert it in
your valuable paper. --s
Yours truly, VIM. d. UPHAM.
For the Vermont Telegraph.
A FAMILIAR SCENE.
II is an autumnal evening. The last lin
gering traces Of twilight have faded away.
But the air is mild, and the seemingly I'M
wonted brilllancy of the stars inparts very
cheerful tone to the spirits. After few
minutes walk you arrive at the village chap
ell. All is still and solitary. You enter,
and, by the aid Of faint light cleaning
from the window of a neighboring dwelling,
you pass along the aisle to a retired seat
No one is present. The hallowed associa-
tons and dark silence of the place inspire
you with lively sense Of the presence of
Jehovah. After some twenty minutes spent
in meditation, footsteps are heard, accompa-
MED with faint voices in an under-tone.-
Two or thee females en,er-one of whom
bears lighted candle in her hand, which
she puts upon the desk, and all are seated.
a heavier step is upon the stone Of the door,
and man entering, proceeds with downcast
look, and places himself upon the farther ex-
tremity Of an unoccupied seat. Soon sever
al more females come 1.-two or three of
whom, whose countenanees are more famil-
lar, advance 10 the front seats, while the
others take more retired position. After
look around, they draw their shawls more
closely about them, as if struck with the
cold cheerlessness of the place, and relapse
into peculiar fredness, in apparent med
itation. Al intervals one after another, as
iC by accident, joins the company, until there
are scattered over the room in solitary one
ness, some five or six males and eight or ten
females. Presently man with quicker step
and 6rmer tread passes in, with pensive
air, and seats himself at the desk. AT a
glance over the assembly, an involuntary
sigh escapes him, so touchingly sad, that IT
seems as if the cold cherries aspect o. the
empty seats, made but the more lonely by
an occasional occupant, had sent an icy
chill 10 his heart. After a moments wait
ing, be rises and makes few observations
the tone and emphasis of which indicate 4
spirit struggling to cherish hope under the
pressure of an overwhelming dependency
He kneels and ut;ers the language of suppl
cation, 10 manner that seems TO have caugh
something of the sympathy Of the place
Again all is silent.-All appear to be wait
ing for something but for what, no on
knows. The silence still continues. A re
mark of impatient regret at the waste of tim
drops from the man at the desk, and accord
ingly some one kneels and offers the sam
language Of duplication, in tae same neoHot
onous tone in which it has before been owe
and over again repeated. Another pause en-
sues, interrupted only by the moving Of
foot upon the sandy Aoor-a sleepy yaw
from one Of the men, or female whlspe
in the remote part of the room. Meanwhile
the unsnuffed candle grows dim; and ate
few more applications. preceded by Ion
intervals of expressive silence, the man
the desk requests that some one would vo
unfairly close the interview. A few glanct
are exchanged towards each other BY Il
men, but nothing is said. No one respon
TO the CALL After little further waitin
another invitation is given by name "a
other mono,onous supplication is offered,
when all spontaneously rise and retire, wit
out remark, leaving you to The quietness
your own meditations. And qDhGt, do y
ask, was the object Of this assembly II lr
a prayer meeting far the qrorld's co1r,
sion. 1t was uOited entreaty for the s.
cial exercise of thar power which alone c
dispel the darkness of sin, and spread
light Of holiness throughout the earth. A
how much Joy, think you, there is, amc
the angels in heaven, over such scene
Look again at that picture, and remem
that there are perhaps from serenity to
mildred, who call themselves christie
living within twenty minutes walk of I
room. And what is worse, NOT more Il
one church out OF three has interest suffici
to sustain even such a meeting. These
the professed lights Of the porid.-