The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1859-01-19

professor. She didn't stay to the com.
munion last Sunday Just to think of
that-and she's the minister's wife Its
been the talk of the congregation ever
since We fully expected her to take
class in the Sunday school-but mol wo
invited her to be present Mt our sewing
cirele-but no! she couldn't leave her
children! A mere excuse, of course!---
Then wo elected her President of our In.
dian Missionary Society; but she declin-
ed the honor, saying that she had neither
time nor taste for such public duties;
that with her, charity, for the present,
must begin at home. Now isn't that
Christian spirit for youl Our minister's
wife to talk of charity beginning at home
Why, she's heather"
My church acquaintance waxed warm.
Z" Some Of our people were eager enough
to get rid of DEAR good Mrs. Wharton"
she added. "She wasn't bright and
fashionable enough for them; but | rath-
er think they've got their dose now"
| met here and there, lady Of our
church who belonged to the home duty
mind your-own- business class, who did
not join in the hue and cry against Mrs,
Newton; and who thought that, if she
had neither taste nor inclination for Sab
bath school teaching, sewing circles, or
missionary societies, the congregation
should not interfere with these peculiari.
ties. She had three little children, to
whom she gavo all mothers care; and
as the slender income which her husband
derived from the parish Of st. Charity
-four hundred year and the parsonage)
would warrant her in keeping only sim
gle domestic, large part Of her time had,
necessarily, to be given to hous 2hold du-
ties. Nobody can say" remarked ono
of these ladies, in my hearing, that she
neglects her children, or wastes her hus.
bands income. The little parsonage has
never looked half so attractive, inside OF
out, as now. Mrs. Wharton was not Ii.
dy, as we all know; and things around
her were generally at skies and sevens,
and as for her children, they were always
neglected. Many times have / seen them
playing in the dirt, while their mother
was at the sewing circle, or somewhere
else that she had no business to be-"
But the ladies who talked in this way
were among the "queer" ones Of the con-
gregation. They were not Of the pious
kind. So all they said went for nothing.
Without variableness or shadow Of
turning" as Paul says, did Mrs. Newton
keep on her way. Home was her parish,
and she was content to do her duty
there. Occasionally she accepted an in
vitation to take tea and spend an evening
abroad; but in most cases she declined
these pleasant entertainments, and though
over three months had passed there had
yet been no tea-drnking at the parsonage.
Mr.. Newton, on the other hand, mingled
very freely with his congregation-sat
with them at their tables, and Joined
them in their social gatherings. Of course.
the absence Of Mrs. Newton on these oc-
casions always formed subject Of re-
mark, and it was generally voted that
her failure to accompany her husband
very seriously marred the pleasures of the
evening.
"Ah, if his wife were only like him p
This was invariably the signing ejacula-
tion Of Phoebe Lane, or some Of her
party.
At last the matter assumed so serious
shape in the minds of certain leading
ladies in the parish that it was determin.
cd to wait upon Mrs. Newton and remon.
strate with her on the course she was pur-
suing" course Of conduct" urged
Miss Lane, "that is working untold in-
jury TO our church. Ever since she came
here change for the worse has been go
ing on in the congregation. Members are
growing cold or Indifferent. Our sewing
circles are losing their interest, the month
ly concerts of prayer are badly attended,
the Sabbath school is dwindling away
The social sphere, always so warm and
attractive under the genial influence of
good Mrs. Wharton, is fast losing its pow
er-and all from this strange conduct on
the part of our minister's wife. She must
be talked to on the subject II she does
not know her duty she must be taught
it. If she won't hear her husband, she
must hear the congregation"
A committee of ladies--Miss Lane at
the head of them, and voluntary spokes-
woman-fnally undertook to set Mrs.
Newton right in regard TO her duties to
the parish, and formally waited upon her
for that purpose. Curiosity prompted
me TO accept an offered membership in