The Van Buren press., 1876-09-12
MISCELLANY.
Deacon ii.

The greatest of these is charity. -
lhe morning meal was completed and
as Deacon ii took his Bible for the usual
deVotlons, he cast satisfied glance
around the room, and on the faces of the
rosy,cheeked little group that surround.
ed the table
The chapter chosen was the thirteenth
oil / rsi rinthians. Faith, hope, char
ity, read the deacon at its close, "but
the greatest of tn Sc is charity Then
! followed long prayer, in which the dea
con- "fter giving tne LoId various bits
of information concerning matters of
which it was quite essential He should
be cognizant, earnestly invoked the gra
ces of the Spirit, and solicited help for
tha duties of the dav
Stop moment husband said Mrs.
IL, as the deacon, at the close of the ex-
erclse, was preparing to leave the room.
81 forgot to mention that Mrs. Connor
called here yesterday. She wants to
know if gou can find place in your store
tor her eldest boy. Poor woman she is
in great distress, inferred from what
she said that her husband is drinking
again; and her boy has for weeks been
vainly seeking for work | gave her some
sewing for which she seemed very crate
full, though she looks too feeble to do
much"
The complacent smile that had been
playing on the deacons face suddenly
changed to a gloomy Town.
Take that drunkard's bcy into my
store Mary wonder at the woman s
presumption. Like father, like son, is
IA true saying; I'll have no vagabouds
around me-
"But James is a bright active boy,
husband, and is surrounded by the right
influences | doubt not he will tdo well
Surely the family should not suffer for
the fathers faults. Could YOU have seen
the anxiety ofthe poor mother, you would
try in some way to aid her 1t made my
heart ache to look at her sad, worn face.
Do, husband, consider the matter. |
cannot bear TO tell her you will not try
her son"
Then do not go near her. was the
harsh reply. "ll is no place for such as
YOU; if they are suffering the town will
look out for them have enough to do
to attend to my own affairs, If you have
work for her, give it to her and pay her
for it. These dsunkards are perfect
pests, it is useless trying to reform them
Now. resume Connor has signed the
pledge half dozen times, but what good
does it do 7"
Charity sufrereth long, and is kind"
repeated Mrs II. softly. Il believe YOU
read that this morning and this verse al
SO - The greatest OF these is charity
Do these passages mean anything9'
Mean anything of course they do"
angrily replied her husband; but they
don mean that should support every
drunkard family You women take ev
eythingg !i5crally, @,a.' really believe
you'd give away your last penny; but
my money is my own, aud | shall use il
as please, and shutting the door in a
very undeaconlke manner, the angry man
hastily lett the house.
The silver and gold are mine; shall
require mine with usury," sad dly murmur-
ed the wife
Deacon Fl and his wife were speci-
mtns of that strange dssimilarity of
character that is so often seen in mar
ried life. He, although an officer in the
church, and active, so far as talking an
praying mere concerned, was extremely
penurluus, giving to beneveient objects
just as little as was possible for one in
his position,
With the poor and unfortunate he had
no sympathy; he had been successful,
why could not they be ? How such man
ever became an officer in the church one
might well ask, But the fact only proves
that the wsest and the best are not al
ways selected for offices so important,
His wife, as before intmatcd, was Just
the opposite Many adollar found its way
from her purse into the channels of be-
nevolence. The heaat of many a sad,