Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-10-24
BRATTLEBORO, W.: OCT. "a, 1857.

OF life have the flavor of the ancient times in il,
some of that sweetest content nent which ia all
there can be Of earthly happiness, and which
soonest attracts both the admir- ton and excus-
able envy Of all lookers-on. A happy family is
so rare sight in these times as 10 make one
stop and study the beautiful phenomenon. There
are the sons and daughters around the table
coming up TO be ornaments to society. and al
ready chief ornaments of the harmonious house
hold. Love is at the b0tlom aud the top and
love runs all the way through How duiilu-
how obedient-h0w allcrtionalr! This indeed
is "stting beneath ones own vine md fig.trec :"
and lovely is the vision TO eyes not accustomed
to bchodng such
The minister in the city may know more of
human nature, and of the human heart under
varied and contradictory circumstances; but the
country minister is drawn nearest 10 Nature, the
common mother. He studies his discourses in
the pleasant fields, and out among the farm
lands, stretching wide and far their limits The
fresh airs Of the woods and pastures should drift
through his sermons, and make them fresh and
revlving to all who hear them spoken. And the
clOscness OF the pastoral relation in sickness in
death, in baptism, and in the Office of marriage
is something not known so well to those whose
settlement is in cities and VIII, lay their hearts
against the beating breasts Of their people but
seldom. Every association that pertains to coun-
try life is capable of making the Offices and cx.
perlcnces OF a minister settled in such n parish
something different from corresponding Offices
and experiences Of his brnihcr of the city That
"God made the country and man made the
town" is Just as striking n truth to-day rs on the
very day II was written by the unhappy poet.
1t would be well If we all remembered It.
The country minister, like the country school
,,,ac cf.aVt 4, ,rfVa =, 1
his brother of the large city. The Argus ewes
that watch him from morning till night, and the
critical tongues that measure him wherever he
goes, compel linn to he SO in spite Of himself -
Hence his ways are in a sense stilled ana stiff,
He meyer unhends and le's himself out. Ire
acts rs If he were surrounded BY spies, though
harmless ones, and his words we're watched, and
weighed, and translated as closely as those Of
| Holy Writ itself The female part of his parish
are apt 10 he lnqulsiivc, even when they flock
in to perform kid Offices They can hardly
help taking toll for their charities as th " 90
along.
On the whole, it would be hard to say that
the situation OF the minister in the country is the
| pleasaniest one in the world. He has some of
tie toughest obstacles to cuntcud with that can
well be imagined. lie has his patience tried in
every way There are so many little things he
Is called io endure. So much gossip, so much
envy aud Jealousy in respect of his family, and
he is so often headed oil just where he had :
right TO expect nothing but ;, s,nlp1thy I'd as
sisance, that his place is sometimes made too
wlrm even for man with the qualifications o
job to retain it with any dcaree Of comfort. -
And then again, there Is the dinger, finally, o
a ycnng mans relapsing into these very customs
and habits which hc 50 strongly dlslikes. Thai
IS worse than all. To sra fine and fresh unwcr,