Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-10-01
l)ort O obarro Ginles
PORT TOB BACCO:
Friday Morning, October l, ...'.... 1873.
For "I'he Times.
Our Parish InyaIids.

MR.. EDITOR: be pleased 10 puollSn III youf
good Journal the following piece from "7he
Church JourHal.' 1t does apply almost every
where: Because, poor human nature is every
where the same fear the ''invalidso spoken
of are 'legion' in less than a hundred miles
from the place, in which your paper is printed.
T.
Ny parish is in town which is reputed
wealthy. | may entertain different opinion
upon this subject, indeed; but the inhabitants
often speak in enthusiastic terms of our brac-
ing atmosphere and the general saluhsity of
this region. | am about, however, to record
my experience with the vast number of invalids
who dwell around me.
| have, belonging to my parish say about
four hundred souls. OF these about one hum
dred are children; and supposing that fifty
adult persons are detained at home, this would
leave about two hundred and fifty persons who
ought TO be in regular attendance upon the
Sunday service; but, on the contrary, seventy
five is regarded rs a large attendance We
seldom have more than fifty present So here
are from one hundred and seventy-fve 10 two
hundred persons absenting themselves from the
sanctuary. And what is the cause? Why, |
meet one and another of the abSentees during
the week. and ask why missed them. The
feeling very we'll. But when there comes
an unpleasant Sunday, then the number OF in
valids is greatly increased and on very bad
DAYS my congregation numbers not over q
dozen; and of course must be content, for /
cannot expect those in feeble health to expose
themselves in inclement weather.
But there is something peculiar about the
yaletudinarians OF this parish. ! go TO their
place of business on week day, and am sure
to find them there, or not far of; and 10 my
inquiry 'llow are you?i they almost invaria-
bly, answer Very well, l thank you, sir.
And if sometimes they tell me they are mot
feeling very well, This does not keep them
from their place of business. Even on rainy
DAYS ii Is the same and, Vi hat is more, | often
meet on such DAYS ladies whose health never
permits them to leave home on inclemeut Sun
days picking their way through mud aud wet
tremble for the consequences, and expecting
certainly 10 be sent for with message saying
that Mrs So-and-so who has been in feeble
health for some time. imprudenty ventured
out on an unpleasant day. and i not expected
TO live but no such message comes. ! never
hear Of our ladies being mot very we'll until
the next Sunday.
Bat perhaps II will lie conjcvturcd that these
are only cases OF Sunday sickness This Is en-
ircly = mistake. have services in the church
once during he week aud then my CougFeEa-
iion i very much smaller than the Lord ;
Day; and If it rains, nobody comes. have a
theory that the locality OF the church mas
something to do with this matter fOv We have
in pIuribus [ mum Hall, in our town, frequent
public lectures and exhibitions on week dals.
and sure as ! go there, sure am | 10 ind
all my invalids prc>cni, and apparently enjoy
iug themselves. II IS not long since Gen. Tom
Thumb and his suite gave an entertainment IN
our town. The General was 50 Kind as 70
Sead ne 4 ticket, did not intend TO he pre-
sent ut all but when the day arrived. II MAS SO
stormy that began 10 pity the LT;ipui'au.
said To myself, Poor iiiilc fellow you have
cone to a place where !nyAilds abound and on
such a day Is this, YOU will be under the ne
eessity OF exhibiting TO empty seats. Ausing
in this manner, ana thinking how dIshcartcn-
Ing it i TO me 10 discourse 10 an empty house,
made up my mind to 90, SO that tie should
have an audience of one at least. Accordingly,
went: and, will you believe ii? PlurIhns
Unum Hall was crow ded There were all my
inTalids-,hc delicate men and the feeble wo-
men. and their children. Neither rain, snow
nor mud kept them back on that day, and
never learned that their health suffered in the
least.
Bu; perhaps il may be suggested that, while
IL is uagues,lOnably ill-heaiih that keeps the
larger portion Of my parish at home on Sun
DAYS, ii is the pressing demands of business
that keeps Them from weekday prayers. |
will confess that this idea has occurred TO me,
but will give the result OF my inquiries on
the subject There is Mr. Higgins, the best
and most active man have in the parish; but
he is seldom, and NIGH, almost say never.
present al a eek-day service. Now frequent
ly drop in AT his Office during business hours,
and find him as frequently out AS in and 10
my inquiry If he is sick. the answer is no, but
he is attending a meeting of the National Jews
harp Association. or of the Society for the
Termination Of Trlobites or he is on a COM
miitee auditing the accounts of the Independent
Order of AntIfumigators. Thus | know that
he does not absent himself from weekday ser
vice because he cannot leave his business. Ii
is unquestionably with him as with others
the atmosphere of the church is unfavorable to
his health.
But have further proof of the correctness
Of my theory. enter the church on Sunday,
and find that of those who are strong enough
TO lee present, quite number find their health
too delicate to allow them TO assume the pos
lures required by the rubrics. Very few of
them have sufficient strength 10 stand through
the singing of the psalm or hymn, or the read
ing OF the Psalter or Gospel; and that this
lassitude comes upon them only on Sundays,
and at church. know, from close observation.
mus ~ 10 iiOt lOHS siHNt nas present ~ an
evening party, where were but very few seats
for the large number present, and there | saw
DOZENS yes scores, of my parishioners-whom
had always observed 10 be too feeble TO OBJ
serve the standing postures required by the
Prayer Book-standing or promenading Ito
say nothing of dancing) for one, two and three
hours together, without apparent fatigue.
Now, ! have no doubt that some persons, on
reading this article will be so uncharitable AS
to insnuate that there is no real case of sick
ness at all that my parish is composed of idle,
lazy, indifferent, lukewarm Christians. Now
wish 10 hold no argument with any such
uncharitable persons. ! stand up for my
parish. ! am not to lie convinced that those
to whom | preach so earnestly about their
Christian duties. have such low sense of duty
rs some would imagine. | only wish | was a
physician, as well as Il clergyman, and feel
sure could substantate my theory.