The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-03-16

at is what we should all strive for,
madam. And, if we will live always
according to the highest good that is in
us, 1 think our existence will prove a
blessing to ourselves and the human
family"
"Do you purpose remaining in Idaho
Flat ?" asked Aunt Judy.
"Yes, if the Lord have need of me-"
"Others may need you, if the Lord
DOESN'T" said Edna. 81 confess that
the constant speaking as though NOR
tails were necessary to the prosperity
and happiness of the Lord vibrates in a
sort of canting sound upon my ears"
The minister bIushed. Evidently he
hadn't thought of the subject in that
light before.
"There is plenty of work for you in
the mines," continued Edna. "Plenty
of it. We have any amount of profan-
ityand irreverence. We have drunken
ness and gambling, and every vice that
pertains to new countries where there is
no equilibrium of restraints. There is
much practical work for a preacher here,
but fear your ideal religion will not
take much effect upon the miners"
"What do you know about the ideal
ity of my religion, pray?"
"Nothing, except that your discourse
upon harmOnies was little impractical
ble?'
The clergyman was much discon-
certed. He was not accustomed to spar
ring upon technicaIities with ladies;
much less did he expect to encounter an
original, independent, thinking woman
in this miners hut, so far from the
comforts of civilization that he would
have fanoied her debarred from every
opportunity to exercise an individual
opinion, and every desire to express her
own ideas.
81 have studied the mysteries of ma
ture through the holes in the roof on
cloudless, star-lit nights" said Edna; 81
have contemplated the invisible uni
verse and measured it by that which my
! limited sight could scan. have never
reached the beginning; L shall never
reach the end. The microscope proves
that the divisibility of matter is infinite;
the telescope reveals the existence of
myriads of solar systems far transcend
ing this in which our lot is cast, and of
which we know almost nothing"
MADAM, hope you are not skepti-
cal p' said the clergyman, speaking loft
lily. 'T beg that you will not per-
jure your immortal soul byvague specu-
lations. We have the written, revealed
Word as lamp to our feet and light
to our path. Be careful how you stray
into the realms of unbelief through
vague imaginings."
"If you think 1 talk like an unbe-
lever, you have widely missed my
meaning, Mr.. Handel"
"Beg your pardon. am so anxious
that your immortal soul may be saved
from eternal condemnation that trem-
BILE lest you lose sight of the Rock Of
Ages"
81 do not recognize your Rock, sir.
My religion is the great ocean of Infini-
tude, into which my bark of thought
has glided, with sails full rugged and
banners flying. The waves of my ocean
have risen so far above your Rock that
though I grope and grapple, I may no
J find it,"
"Don't you believe in the Divinity o
Christ, madam? ?'
"Did say didn't, sir ?n
Again Mr.. Handel was puzzled.
"How anybody can doubt" continued
Edna, "the divinity of the religion o
[ Jesus when we have the record that h
: left the Sermon on the Mount and tn
Golden Rule as a heritage to the bar
l baric people of two thousand years ago
l one of the mysteries of human absurdity
The divinity of the human and the hu
, manity of the divine are the cardina
a points in the doctrines of Jesus. Hi
life was a erowning glory, his death
! fiendish relic of the barbarism of til
dark ages"
: MADAM, am astonished !" said til
d minister. "Shall we pray together?'
K mo; you will excuse me-"
e ''Edna, I beg that you will not b
a rude," exclaimed Aunt Judy, apologet
ieally.
g 81 do not mean to be rude, auntie,
g was the quick reply. 81 intend to ODE
# the religious advice of Jesus till I ca
e find something better. He tells US tha
r when we pray we must enter our closet
e and shut the doors and pray in secre
d and if we violate this command, b
r, says we are as the hypocrites who disfG
o ure their faces that they may appea
IS unto men to fast, and for pretense max
|, long prayers, and so forth"
a "If you have no objection, Mr.. Har
f del, should be pleased to unite wit
l. you in prayer" said Aunt Judy, meekly
, In spite of Edna's opposition, she fe
a quiet calmness stealing over hersen
n as simple hymn, sweet and plaintiv
n was waited out upon the air and fioate
If through the broken roof; and not MOI
fully did Aunt Judy join in the audib
Ie breathing of "Our Father which art j
% heaven" than did the intelligent wife
% the drunken inebriate respond to IL