The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-09-17
AFTER THE VACATION.

The vacation is nearly over In two
or three weeks the last visitor will have
left the seaside or the mountains, and re-
turned to his home Most Of those who
have been gone wiz return with bodies
invigorated and minds refreshed-in good
physical and mental condition for hard
work. Will the standard of piety have
been as much elevated as the standard Of
health? That depends. An old descrip-
ton of the simmer kind Of piety runs as
follows: For morning dress, loose
gown of neglected deyotions and careless
gossip. For out dtSe,Sostume, cool in
difference to religious professions while
away from home, trimmed with plalts of
grumbling at hot weather For gentle
mems wear, of-in-the-country swagger
and iaunty suit of silly or vulgar wit. "
But there are many Christian people
who do not forget to take their religion
with them when they go a-summering.-
They will come back at least as full Of
zeal as when they went away, Like SEN
sible people, they have spent their yaca-
ton in some quiet place, equally removed
from the dissipation Of the resorts that
society" patronizes and from the hurly-
burly Of fashionably religious " wa
tering-place. Such Christian work as
they could find to do they have done, and
soul as well as body has profted by the
change of scene and activity. 1t is by
these, and by the faithful ones in the
noble army of stay-at-homes," that the
work of the churches always has been
done; it is by them that it will be done
in the future. The people who fail to
take their religion with them when they
go away have little to spare when they
are at home.
We have observed two errors in the
way in which work is resumed after the
summer vacation. Perhaps the more com
mon error is the lack of vigor. Things
have gone on in a sort of dead-and-alive
way during the summer months, and they
continue to 90 on in this way during the
fall and early winter Pastor and people
seem to have made up their minds that
there is no use in attempting to do any
thing of moment until the week of prayer
comes around. 1t requires some special
effort to overcome the inertia of the
church, or something out Of the ordinary
routine of things, and as the week OF
prayer seems to supply this something, it
is easier to wait for its coming than to
devise anything to take its place. An
other less common error, but quite as
grave in results, is to begin work with
great enthusiasm in the early fall, expect
ing great results Immediately; and if
these do not come, disappointment chills
effort and the year passes with no more
real aggressive or organized work done.
Either Of these two courses is mischiey-
Gus. 1t seems to be a settled thing with
most churches that the summer shall be
time of rest-a comparative cessation
from active labor People need rest and
change, as well as pastor But at best
this is a necessary evil, and should be
offset by making the most of the remain
ing nine months of the year A church
should not attempt to do the whole work
of the year in few weeks, whether those
weeks be in the fall or Just after the week
of prayer. Happy that church which
has learned that the presence and bless
ingof the Spirit of God may be had in its
work at all times. Happy that church
which does not wait for times and fol
seasons, but SO pushes It's work that the
whole wear is revival. -EcoDli'cJ. d.