Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-03-21
LONG.FACED PITY

/ ifCANp-H hOi1b lhl
have seen a deacon in the pride Of his
deep humility. He combed his hair straight,
aud looked studiously after the main chance
and while he looked, he employed himself in
setting good example. His dress was rig
/ idly plain, and his wife was not INDUCED in
the vanties Of millinery and mantua- making
lie never joked. He did not know what
joke was, any further than to know that il
was sin. lie carried Sunday face through
the week. He did not minglo in the happy
social parties Of his neighborhood. lie was
deacon He starved his social nature be-
cause he was deacon. He rcfrained from
all participation in a free and generous life
because he vas deacon. lie made his child
rem hate Sunday because he was a deacon
He so brought them up that they learned to
consider themselves unfortunate in being the
children Of a deacon. They were piticd by
other children because they were the children
Of deacon His wife was ptied by other
women because she was the wife Of deacon
Nobody loved him. If he came into circle
where men we're laughing or telling stories,
they always stopped until he went out No
body ever grasped his hand cordially, or slap
ped him on the shoulder, or spoke Of him as
good fellow. lie seemed as dry aud hard
and tough as piece of ierked beef There
was no soltness of character--no iuciness-
no loneliness in him
Now, it is OF no use for me to undertake
to realize to myself that God admires such a
character as this. | do not doubt that He
loves the man, as He loves all men but to
admire his style OF manhood and piety is inn
possible for any intelligent being. 1t lacks
the roundness and fulness, and richness anu
sweetness, that belong to truly admirable
character. Such man oaricatures Christian
ity, and scares other men away from it.. Such
man ostehtatiously presents himself as one
in whose life religion is dominant. II is reli-
gion that is suppt sed to rub down that long
face, and inspire that stiff demeanor, and to
make him at all points an unattractive and
unloyablo man. OF course, it is not religion
that does anything Of the kind, but it has the
credit Of it with the world, and the world
does not like it. 1t looks around. and sees a
great many men who do not pretend to reli-
gon at all, and yet who are very lovable
men II religion can transform pleasant
man into most unpleasant one, and change
free, bright and happy home into dismal
place of slavery, and blot out a mans psth-
etc and social nature, the world naturally
thinks that getting religion would be almost
as much of misfortune as getting some
melancholy chronic disease, and | do not
blame it. 1t is not to be wondered at, that
the world should mistake, very much, the
true nature of Christianity when Christians
,hemselver entertain such grievous errors
about it.
suppose God is attracted to very much
the same style of character that men are
Christ loved a young man at first sight, who
lacked the very thing essential to his highest
manhood But He loved the kind of man
He saw before Him He was upright, rank
hearted, open-minded and bright md Jesus
beheld him, loved HIM" There are men
whom one cannot help loving aud admiring
though they lack great many things-things
very "neediul' to make them perfect men,
Now, put it to good, conscientious Christian
men and women, whether they do not take
more pleasure in the society of warm-heart-
ed, generous, ohivalrous, we'll fed man of the
world, than in the society Of any of that class
OF Christians of whom the deacon l have
mentioned is type l know they do, and
they cannot help it.
There is more of that which belongs to a
frst-class Christian character in the former
than in the latter, and if | were called upon
to test the two men by commanding them
respectively to sell what they have and give
to the poor, should be disappointed were the
deacon to behave the best A character which
religion does not fructify-does not soften,
enlarge, beautify, and enrich--is NOT benefit
ed by religion--or, rather, has not possessed
itself OF religion. God loves that which is
beautiful and attractive in character, lst as
much we do, and it makes no difference
where he sees it. He does not dislike the
amiable traits OF sinner because he is sim
ner, nor does he admire those traits Of
Christian which we feel to be contemplate,
and simply because they belong to Chris
tian. a Christian sucked dry of his humani-
ty is as juiceless and as favorIess as a suck
ed orange, and | believe that God regards
him in the same light that we do. He will
save such doubt not, for their faith and in
the coming world they will learn what they
do not know here but the question whether
they are as well worth saving as some of their
neighbors may, think, be legitmatey enter
tanned. In saying this, | mean to be neither
light nor irreverent. mean simply to ndi-
cate that some men are worth great deal
more to themselves and to their fellows than
others Timothy Titcomb.