The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1867-02-08
THE CALIFORNIAN.
Gi0OiinG Girls.

his article was written lOr the DOStOI
CongrcgationaliSt. and therefore is no,
applicable TO any girls in this latitude.
Not long since took my little Ellen tc
IN evening meeting, i'll the hope that she
might there lind the Saviour whom she hac
begun to seek. Three girls tool. their seat.
III front of Us, two of them members o.
the church. Mods and becks anc
wrcahed smiles" began to pass between
them Immediately. \ lame old man
came in, striking the floor with his cane
at every step as lie went up the aisle
The girls shook with smothered laughter
so wonderfully amusing did this seem &c
them
\ woman in an old-fashioned bonnet
sat near by, absorbed in reading hen
hyuu book. "D,ar," sad Mary H.. =
did hope Mrs. - would &c something
to wear this fall besides that hideous ole
thing" Have YOU got your new ha
trimmed yet y asked one Of her compan
ions
TIE minister rose and opened the ser
vice with an affecting prayer, in which
he bcsouoht the presence of Jesus and th'
Quit curing Of tAe Holy Spirit as if be
had Teen already pleading in Lis closet
forgot my young nei2hbors, and prayec
wilit iulI heart and hope that Ellen NIGH
that hour receive her Lord
HE singing commenced, and some ON,
sung too SLOW. The Girls nudged eacl
other, whispered, and finally laughed out
right: which they coa!d do with compara
tive security under cover Of the organ
Ellen looked at me with surprise and in
dignaIun.
\ warm-heartcd but timil brother aroS,
10 speak He was all aglow with low,
and zeal that overcamc his shrinking ans
kindcd IN answering flame i'll other hearts
Eut in the rush OF speech he mis-pro
nomccd a word. \ cigele from the Girl:
behind lin reached lis ear and s. check
cd the flow Of his thoughts that he sal
down, overcome with modification, con
scious ouv Of being ridlculcd at the very
IN, me!It OF revealing his most sacred feel
ings.
An awkward silence followed, for those
in front did not know the reason OF tic
sudln pause | could SEE that the authors
OF Tie mischief were little uneasy, and
after til, they made no more audible de-
MISUNDERSTANDING themselves tic
remainder of the evering with occasional
restless movements, and airs Of Indifference
OF cnaui saw in Elen'S face an en-
pre- m that chilled and panied me, and
when We were walking home after the
meeting, she said, Mother. | don't see
but | can be Us good a Christian as those
girls are without much trouble. | am
sue never would behave 50 anywher,
but. Of all things, not in a meeting"
Dear Ellen" | replied, 1T is your
own soul You have 10 answer for, not
theirs. Then sins will not make yours
li-ht." And tried hard to remove the
bad impression made upon her mind. but
failed completely. Her anxiety was gone
and >hc went on through the week at
ease III impenilcncc. Oh how my heart
burncl within ne at the rtxt evening ser
VICE. - which Ellen was not willing to
accompany me, when | saw those same
porics>cdly Christian Girls behaving in the
same ilppanl, injurious WY. After the
ser> ice joined them iii their homcwarl
walk, and, with an inward prayer for
CMi>l's love and gcnilene>S, | lold them
about my poor Ellen, ard what an in
ilntnce their conduct WAS likely to exert.
know | wrpt, for the sorrow and the
earnyStncsS felt. The girls looked
shocked and sorry, and finally wcpt too,
when told them how they were grie,,
Ing the Saviour whose work they had
linderrd.
lam happy TO add that they promised
and kept then promise to reform. They
even came TO Ellen and confessed thei
fault to her, and the sincerity Of their re
lntance seemed TO touch her heart a
new. They became a help, instead of ;
hindrancc, and were the first to rejoc
over the conservation OF her young lie Il
Jesus
Dear young Christian, you may no
know-thcre may he none to sell you-
the harm YOU are doing by mere needless
ness. Remember the immense inhucnc
yoa may have lor good upon your a>soci
a'cs. simply by keeping close to Chris