Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-12-18


if light were breaking into her mind.
"Yes, ma'am," Miss Lane went on, at is your
duty in the church that we have come to talk
about, not your husbands; and hope you will
not take it i'll of us if we speak out plainly"
"Not by any MEANS" replied Mrs. Newton.
| noticed a slight quiver in her voice. a slight
flushing of her cheeks, and Frightening of her
soft hazel eyes. But it was plain that she was
fully selfpossessed, and in no way intimidated
by this unexpected citation to answer for delin-
quencies.
"Not by any MEANS" she repeated. "Speak
out plainly, and if in any thing have been dere-
lct, will confess my fault, and do all can to
lead better life"
"Plain speaking is always best" said our
mouth h-piece, oracuarly. $50 we will speak
plainly. The fact is, Mrs. Newton, you have
failed almost entirely to meet the expectations
of our people"
"Indeed! am grieved to learn this" Mrs.
Newton spoke seriously, but with no sign of
disturbance. 81 was not before aware that the
people had any special claims upon me-"
"No special claims upon you" Miss Lane
uttered the words in undisguised astonshment.
mo special claims " she repeated, "and you
the wife of our minister !"
"What do you expect Of ?" calmly inquir-
cd Mrs. Newton.
1--WE have already intimated our expectations
in various ways. There is the girls senior class
in Sunday-school; that of course, we expected
You to take. And you are wanted on the Wis.,
iting Committee and our Missionary Society,"
Unless our minister's wife takes the lead in the
temporalites of the church, nothing will pros
per.
"lhen," said Mrs Newton, "it is understood
that while my husbands duties relate mainly to
the spirimai,ies of the church, mine have spec
ial regard to its tcmporaties."
Certainly, manm' W" - --;r-c~aad the
difference of relation exactly" replied Miss Lane,
leu un u, the peculiar way in which Mrs New
ton put the question to admit the existence of
very wide range Of duties as required of that
lady by the congregation of st. Charity.
'''Ihs is all new to me, ladies'" said the min
ister's wife, IL was not aware before that any
one III the congregation regarded me as having
failed in duty"
Every one so regards you" Our spokes-
woman was parsonage who used great plain
ness of speech.
This should have been stated in the begin
ming" said Mrs Newton. "IIow was to know
your views on the matter? | saw all of my hus-
bands correspondence, but not a word was said
about his wife or the parish requirements in her
case. Now it appears that her range of duties
is almost as wide as his | ought to have
known this before | came here ladies' and |
really think the complaint of failure in duty is
against YOU instead of me. Let me ask, so as
to reach a clear understanding in this matter,
what salary YOU pay your minister's wife,"
Salary" gasped Miss Lam, her under jaw
falling, and her eyes projecting at least quar-
ter Of an inch beyond their ordinary position.
"Salary. ~ she repeated, in bewildered, half
confoundcd way.
AYES" quietly remarked Mrs. Newton. The
salary. You do not, of course, require the
services OF your minister's wife in the way you
! propose without compensation"
"Prcposterous ~ Miss Lane had recovered
% , T%a 81 "ra ned s Hind ind iP&Rn9f09 S j'
ever hear thing so absurd In hiring your
husband for our minister"
"You did not hire me- interrupted Mrs.
Newton with calm dignity. "Bear that in
mind, if you please
THANK YOU for the remark. Mrs. Newton
said |, coming almost involuntarily to her aid
at throws flood of light upon the whole sub
ject. True gospel We did not hire you
and have no claim upon single hour of your
time. All that the church of St. Charity has a
right to ask you is, that you do your duty as
wife and mother"
Mrs. Newton turned to ME with a grateful
look, and grasping my hand, said,
Thank you !" in return.
a little while she paused but no one spoke
in the deep silence. l think some wholesome
convictions Of truth were finding their way into
the mind of Miss Lane, who somehow, remind
cd me of n wlted leaf, or a piece of stiff,
starched muslin suddenly drenched with water
"My husbands duties are clear very evcnl,
spoke Mrs. Newton-very kindly yet very
warmly, and very lucidly. "My husbands du.
ties are clear. He has come to you as n spirit
ual guide and instructor. His office is to point
to Heaven and lead the way. 1t is high and
holy Office. | honor him in it, and sustain him
to the best of my ability. My duties are also
clear, am simply wife and mother; and Goo
being my helper, i will faithfully discharge
wife and mothers sacred obligations. A,
| present these duties take up all my tiuIe AMI
conscience will not permit me TO neglect rea
duties for the performance of imaginary ones
In doing such duties l best serve the Church
This is my religion, and have learned it from
the bible.'
She paused for few moments. No one re-
plying to her remarks, she went on:
at has been alleged that l am not piou,
enough for the people here. Perhaps not
But OF one thing you may all be certain: | am
no hypocrite. | shall never put on q pious ex.
terror to hide the want of charity in my heart
AS am you will always see me-"
Mrs. Newton paused again; but as none OF
her visitors showed any inclination to speak
she continued:
"My religion is somewhat peculiar, believe
/ do not keep it as a snowy Sunday suit but
wear it every day. My essential worship con
sists in daily discharge of my duty as wife
and mother my formal worship, in the piou,
prostration of body and spirit before my I1eav
emily Father at set times, either in my closet OF
in the public assembly. The Sabbath to me
is the golden clasp that binds together the cir
Gle of weekly duties. 1t is blessing and {
consolation, just in the degree that the worship
of my six days has been essential worship
sand are we to expect nothing of our minis
ter's wife ?" said Miss Lane in very subduet
voice. She was evidently conscious of having
made great mistake in her estimate of Mrs
Newton's character.
"Nothing more than her duty as a woman.--
If she have qualities that will give her lead
ing social influence, and have time to spare
from home dutes-which are always frst-sht
ought to let these qualities become active fol
good. But no more can, with justice, be re
quired of her than from any other woman il
the congregation. Your contract for service il
with her husband, and not with her; and yol
have no more just claim upon her time, nol
right to control her freedom, than you have
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