Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-06-06
The Vermont Farmers In their Homes


daus and Country Pfeacfing-T The Erils of
Small Chlrches-4 Plan for something
Better.
1t is not more money that men need IN
this world to make them comfortable ana
happy. but better knowledge o. the art oil
living.
Neither do think . getting living,
which phrase is often made to mean getting
a competence, a surplus, Of 50 much more
Importance than the hriHg itself. Some
gentlemen were speaking the other day OF
the small salaries that clergymen receive,
when one ofthem remarked, at may be well
enough to talk about our poorly paid minis
tiers, but I've watched this thing fora number
of years and find that these very ill-paid
gentlemen are. As a rule, livin.- more com
fortably than any other class in the commu-
nifty. Why, in a country church the pastor
with large family, and seven, or six, or
| five hundred dollars a year, will have
| pleasant home, dress in good style, keep
his carriage, send his boys to college, and
really get more Of this worlds good things
1 than most Of his Pensioners who have ten
or twenty times as much property. And
the reply was, - You may be right, but it Is
because he knows so much better how to
live than the rest of Us.
And can think of family farmer peo-
pie the value Of whose earthly possessions
reckoned in money would not have gone
very far up in the thousands, xho yet lived
in a very pleasant and profitable manner.
They had their books, magazines and
newspapers, and their home reading
circle their collections Of botanical, geo
logical and geological specimens in which
different members of the family were in
tercsted their piano, and family concerts
IN the sumner twilight or during the long
evenings of winter Each member of the
family worked with his hands, but the
work was made the means to an end. The
definite objects they set themselves from
time to time, served to brighten and
giyea zest to toll otherwise monotonous.
And then am sure there was a sort Of edu-
cation in making, as they did, prospec-
tive journey, a desirable book, choice en-
craving, or aid for some charitable purpose,
the reward TO be looked forward to,after
the necessary bodily wants had been sup
piled
The grand object these parents named to
themselves was to educate their children
in such a way that they might make the
most of their lives Doing this in the fear
OF God, they educated themselves in a won
deriul degree. This family had a happy
life together, and to-day believe earth
and, say It reyerenty, heaven, are richer
for their having lived here.
The other families Of the neighborhood,
some with less money, some with more,
lived for the most part in the manner de
-eribed in some Of these papers, and the
best that can be said ofthe one class is that
they have spent their money for that which
is not bread :" Of the other, that they have
'heaped up riches knowing not who shall
gather them
And So our bright young people, those
whom we most care TO keep, 90 away for
more genia. society. because they like the
refinement Of city homes. because they meet
men Of larger minds whom it Is something
of an education to know, and because
there are other advantages In the ' gather
ing places Of souls that they do not find in
the ' country wilds"
But We may have iustas delightful homes
in the country. if We viii take littlepaia-
for them We may have men and women Of
culture ON the hrm-ands Of Vermont. if
our men and women there viii only work in
the right direction.
DO our business men. lawyers, ply sicaus,
have any more time to spend with litera-
turo OF study than our farmers Yet these
men have turned out some respectable
thinkers-some men for whom the world
has had occasion u thank God. We re |
member .he farmer statesmen of Rome |
When Cincinnatus laid down his Dictator
ship he came back to MS pillow and his quiet, |
simple life
Our children may % away to see the /
world, to have a career but when they /
come back and find just as intelligent, ap-
preciative friends as they have met abroad,
just as pleasant homes, and purer air , free
dom from shams, conventionalities. and
from false standards Of well-being, they
viii say, d" It is good for Us to be here"
and they Will build their homes in the clear
mountain air. ana settle down T. living in
the reality of nature. As in the presence of
the Most High
VIII they miss the other Advantages
Not the art galleries, for our horizon is
hung with views which the most talented
artist can but ieehly initiate. Not the
fine buildings, for the lodges Of rock and
chnging vines, the dainty. graceful tree.
the groves and the hOary forests, Surpass the
finest architecture. ThcamuSements2 The
saudy Alterations of the city theatre are
not TO be named with our home renderiugS
OF the greatest dramas in the world As
tor the masters in art, the great actors.
musicians, orators. - travel and change of
scene are part of our plan,-we will % to
the city once year, if these artists do not
come to us, and enjoy the cream of city de-
lights. Then the society half dozen
families of the right sort, living within a.
many miles Of each other will not need to be
told how to make their social life delight
tul There are the reading circles, and
musicals on an extended plan; there are
the afternoon teas on the lawn; picnic ex-
,ursi0n~ 10 the woods and mountains: rows
and sails on the river. Then in winter. the
snow, and all the nice things that come of
il the long bright evenings when every
thing Is possible To people who are in their
right mlnds.-cOmmend me to the country /
Tor pleasant things and really good times
Only on sabbath days there will be a
'enSe OF isappOintment-some lack
ng that yOu need. There Is the drive To
church, under a glorious sky. in the pres
snce Of the worshipping mountains, ;here is ]
The sound of the church-g0ilg bell. and the /
'hurch Spire glittering through the trees,
Is we have II in pictures and poems. The
preparation Is all on a grand scale but-the /
'hurch service Is neither attractive or in
'piring. The PRAYER and Bible-reading are
SeariSome ; the singing lively, but not 50
good as select choir ought to make it
he reed organ squeaks fearfully, and the
congregation DO not Join. The sermon is a
generalization of commonplace theories
Ibout God and His DEGREES, with statements.
arrest enough. about the general duties of I
repentance and faith, finished up with ,
Olemu references to eternity.
But 1t lisa life on,earth You have been lead
nc; real life, made up of details and par :
iculars. You cannot always manage it, ,
ither, and things sometimes happen (?l
Have You not a right to expect .
elp from one who spends his life finding
mt . the ways of God to men," and makes -,
profession of teaching the people :
?' There Is no solution Of YOUR
IN the preacher homily, neither !
re You helped out Of yourself, drawn any !,
carer the Great Unseen, or even made to :,
eel the beatings of another human heart. y
When you have sat Sabbath after Sabbath
rying to give force and significance to the
of the :. sacrel dol >, .-nu