Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-09-18
THE VILLAGE PARSON.
He has Holiday and Finds some "Grist >
for the MIIl--A Pleasant Article.

JlOn OF teVerlSn eXclUemenJ 10 KNOW |
whether Parson Lawrence would come
home at the time appointed. "His holi-
day was only for the month of August"
Deacon Suttler said at the village store,
"but Heaven knows but he'll stretch it
another week, leaving us to pay the sup
ply on Sunday. The old mans got
bee in his bunnet, an theirs no krowin'
where it'll lead him."
Smith, the grocer, nodded emphati-
cally as he tied up apound of sugar for
the widow Potts. 1t was your doings,
deacon. City ways, city waysl Our
pastor must be off like the others to rest
after his hard work. Well have stained
glass and choir boys next. Rest, in
deed Writing two bits of sermons
week If he'd stood behind the coun-
ter shoveling out coffee and sugar the
year round !" The widow Potts said
nothing but she thought of her year of
drudgery over the sewing machine and
the parsons work seemed very light to
her, indeed. She "could have stood
up and talked for an hour twice week
if she had had the college edication,"
she said at home. "Talkin' of the
laws of the Jews and the old Romans
and prophecies There's mighty small
amount of food for my soul in such
talk, anyhow" There are many more
of the congregation who, when they
saw the parsons gray head among the
passengers in the old coach, remember
ed it was Saturday night and wondered
when he meant to write his next days
sermon. He always took half the week
to write one.
When the parson went away in the red
coach his heart was heavy within him.
The other passengers kept aloof from
the gloomy old man with his meek eyes
and sharp, tired voice. He had not
been out of the Oldtown circuit for ten
years. 1t was the new member, Porter,
who had given him the money for this
holiday. "Go find some grist for the
mill, he said, "otherwise it will grind
nothing but dust" Grist? 1t occurred
to the old man for the first time in his
life that something more was needed for
his work than earnest endeavor and
prayers. His salary was too small for
him to buy books or current literature.
His reading was confined to small
theological library which he had owned
for years, and weekly religious news
paper. Year in and year out he talked
with the half-dozen brethren and sisters
of his own church, and the dozen fami-
lies outside. He knew every crook and
Granny of their characters, as they did
his; they were exaggerated in each
others eyes as bugs in microscope.
They shaped and measured all the great
Christian graces by their own inch rule.
Charity was represented by the annual
fair in the lecture room for the cause Of
missions, and faith by the vigor with
which they sent all the world outside Of
their own sect to perdition. Vague
rumors reached them of great move
ments in this religious body and that
but Sister Potts and Brother Suttlel
only shook their heads and talked of the
unregenerate. The evil spirit was
typiied to the village by drunken ole
Drum, who was very unhopeful case
it is true, but still human.
There was a good deal of discussion
as to where the parson should go for hi'
holiday. Many of the brethren wished
that he should improve it by making 6
collecting tour, begging for a new
steeple others recommended some O.
the large religious gatherings at thu
seashore or mountains. But the parson
once awakened by the word "griat,
took the matter into his own hand. GO
am going a fishing" he said. 81 uset
to go fishing when was boy, and i
will do me good to be boy again" 81
, he went fishing, tramped over the emoun
tains, stood to the waist in water, forgo
his trout as he looked up to the grea
heights or listened to the thunder among
/ them. The petty gossip and carking
moldy cares of the village slipped ava,
) from his mind and left it fresh and free
r It seemed to him that he could hear nov
/ in the thunder in the solemn height, il
, the movement of the little wind fowe
in the grass, the words of his omnipo
} tent gracious Master, "Be not afraid
it is l." He never had heard them i
. the moldy books or weekly newspaper
: He tied up his rod and line and went t
s a little seaside watering place. Their
Q were not more people than in his ow
s church, but they were of many differen
+ kinds. There were Jews, Roma
Catholics, Unitarians, Friends. ii
: threw himself into all their fun an
o work, and as far as he could into thei
thoughts. 1t was a genial, jolly timt
o He discovered some good, graciou
Y woman, some clever fellow, every day
s He woke every morning with fresh az
8 tonishment that there were so man
e good people in the world.
: There was terrible accident durin
d his stay; man drowned, his wife an
!, children left helpless; and in the sudde
!, surge of feeling which laid bare ever
n heart about him in the tenderness, til
d humanity, the Christ-like pity and hel
q which came to the widow and orphans
rs he began to understand the meaning {
;, the word brother as his Master used /