The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1868-11-19

The next day was Sunday, but this
time the widow did not sit alone
Strange locks, and low mlrmured words
ran through the congregation, and the
minister seemed to share the surprise
of his audience. and looked and preached
as though under painful embarrass-
ment. He recognized in the stranger,
minister, whose reputation was world
wide-no other than the rich and the
distinguished President of. - Col
lege, from which he was a graduate.
Professor @. remembered his former
pupil. but it must be confessed he was
both surprised and disappointed. He
had given the young man credit for in
dividual talent, but this sermon was
repetition of poor platitudes, and a
trucking to public opinion, which
showed weak and little mind.
After service, the President stopped
moment until the preacher came for
ward, and when the greetings were over
he said, kindly: "My sister wrote me
that Richard Forbes was preaching here,
but [ did not connect the name with
the memory of my former pupil"
"Yorr sister!' said the embarrassed
young man. IT was not aware that |
had ever had the honor of preaching
before such hearer. You do not mean
to say that the woman with whom you
entered is your sister?'
"And why not 2" 1t is now Prof
Tte turn to Iool, curpricaH
Sure enough, why not? What did
he know against the woman of whom all
had been "speaking evil'' for the last
three months. He hal taken these
cruel surmises for granted, and had
been so far influenced, by the scandal
that he had failed to call upon the
stranger. A sense of the 4impropriety
and guilt of his conduct rushed across
his mind-suppose the woman was real
ly the disgraced aud guilty being that
public opinion-the public opinion of
the viIlage-claihled, was it not his
duty to save sinners? Christ came,
''not to call the righteous, but sinners
to repentance p How had he fulfilled
his mission F.? And yet he stood in his
pulpit and claimed to be a follower Of
the meek and lowly Saviour.
"There is something about this mat
ter that [ cannot understand" said
Prof. c., as he scanned the changing
countcnance of the young preacher
"You do not mean to say that my Sis
ter has been a resident of your place
and listener to your preaching for
three months, without your Ealing up n
her? The duties of preacher are
surely better defined" ~
but did not dare !'-and here the
poor man stammered and stopped; for
he could not excuse himself, without
exposing the gossip of thecongregation
''Did not dare to call on my sister.
the widow of General Finch ?''-and
the tinge Of contempt mingled with the
look of surprise and Indignation with
which he contemplated the abashed and
crest fallen young preacher.
After reaching his sisters residence,
he questioned her in regard to the mat
ter but here he was again baffled. She
could only tell him that, since her resi-
dence in the place, she had been slet
alone" in the full acceptance of the
term. Determined to understand the
W therefore of such proceeding, he again
demanded an explanation of the minis
ter, who was finally compelled to admit
that he. had supposed, from the gossip
of his church members, that the woman
was very outcast from society, and
that there had been talk of drying her
from the place.
"She will not care to remain" said
the professor; ''but before she goes, |
shall sift this matter thoroughly;" and
SO he did, gathering up, link by link,
the whole chain of scandal until he
came to Mrs. Lawrence. But this the
latter utterly denied, and Mrs. Thomas
was 1T last obliged to confess that Mrs.
Lawrence bad ner,ly shrugged her
shoulders and curled her lip, when
asked her opinion of her new neighhor.
"Ah, indeedp' was Mrs. LaWrence's
reioinder II remember of thinking
she could not be much Of lady, as she
wore faded delaine and did her own
washingp'
And there the matter rested. Mrs
Lawrence, with look and shrug of
the shoulders, and Mrs. Thomas by
jealous surmises, had caused sorrow and
pain to an innocent person-they had,
in fact, stolen the good name of one
who had never injured them; and but
for the timely appearance of her broth
er, the consequences might have still
been more serious.
Z The professor preached the following
Sunday, and at the conclusion of the
discourse he repeated the tale Of wrong,
adding, 'Had this woman really been
poor and friendless, as supposed, what
would the end have been? Deprived
of her good name and, in consequence,
of all means of earning livelihood, she
would doubtless have been discouraged
and despondent, and sunk down to the
grave victim of the scandal of those
falsely calling themselves Christians
and you in the sight of God, would not
only have been classed among liars, but
mgrderers, q afs
WORTH KNowING.-A correspon-
dt - tba Mr,.ne E,rr3,1e7 saws .Mapy