Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-09-07
Wet SUNDAYS.

A writer in the sunday Magazine re-
marks
One day in seven invariably fair that no
providcntial hindrancc might be offered to
the assembling Of men for worship, or the
work of eyangcliation, would have meant
not only that the claims of Gods great
family outside the circle of humanity were
weekly set aside in mans favor, but that
everything affecting human welfare was
subordinated to public worship and rcIig.
ious teaching Considering how limited is
the influence Of these compared with the
universal benefit conferred 10y the present
order Of nature, we may be thankful that
the great wheel rcyolve, with the christian
liberty Of esteeming every day alike.
Wet Sundays are sort Of natural pro-
test against that religious red tapcsm into
which men are apt to sink whose thoughts
and energies are all directed to one form
of doing good. The imprisonment of a wet
Sunday may itself prove a means Of grace
Wherever attendance on public worship i.
so habitual that any omission of it is dis
tinctly felt, the feelings associated Will
that day and its usual occupation may bC
more powerfully stirred by the sense O
void than by any appeal that would hav,
touched them at church. There are thou
sands who would at any time prefer tn,
baldest service and the dullest preacher
that could just hold their attention, to be
ing left alone with their own thoughts
An unoccupied hour, for which nothing
has been provided is a rare opportunity
for conscience. Many a sermon, with
most unmistakable application, is preached
while both preacher and nearer are looking
through the same pair of eyes into the fir,
or on the streaming clouds as they scud be
fore the wind.
The enforced leisure Of wet Sunday af
fords opportunity for guaging the qualit,
and strength Of our spiritual tastes. \ MAJ
has surely some reason to suspect that hi
ordinary interest in the service Of the sane
tuary is aesthetic rathcrthan religious, NOR
intellectual than spiritual, if he cannot fin,
employment for his unexpected leisure il
his bible. An hour or two with nothin,
to do, which under other circumstance
would have been spent in Gods house, j.
a plain an invitation to read through
gospel, or group ofepistles, or to spend al
extra quarter Of an hour in prayer, as 6
man could look for. The higher tastes O
the soul must have become Initiated, or new
err have been formed, if such a way o
spending part Of a wet Sunday seems irk
some.
In family the head of it may enlarge
his usual functions as priest in his owl
house and gather his children about hin
for an extemporizcd service that will furn
ish them with hallowcd treasures of mem
DRY in years to come or he may take tn,
opportunity to show the interest he feel
in their religious instruction by DRAWN,
them into that kind Of talk which to be i'm
pressive must be rare, and kept for time
which are recognized by common feeling
as sacred.
Some may think that it makes an un
worthy concession in allowing that we
Sunday need not keep any one but the age,
and inyalids at home. 1t is admitted tina
the inconvenience and risk loom larger il
the Imagination than they are really foun,
to be when actually encountered. Thos
whose office obliges them to be in thei
place in spite Of hail, rain, blow, or snow.
do not often suffer for their attention t.
duty. But then they have the cxcitemen
OF activity to prevent them suffering tn
chill that may seize those who wait OF
their ministry. Still, within limits, one O
the uses of a wet sunday is to test the re
hgious earnestness of congregation.