Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-07-23
EVERYDAY RELIGION.
BY MRS. A. W. CURTIS.

\ solid substantial-looking woman was
examining dress goods in one of our stores.
Fabrics Of every style and quality were
| thrown out upon the counter, and She eX-
aminei them Criucally, one by one until
the dappoT little clerk grew uneasy, and
began to recommend various styles, hop.
| ing no doubt to hasten her in the choice.
| She paid no heed TO him, but went on
with he careful examination as before.
AT length she said;
young man, don't intend to buy any
| tlimsy stuff, nor any that IS all shine, and
no wear in it. | intend to have dress
that will bear good solid, every day use,
and soap and wafer when it needs IT, |
want dress that will stand the sun with
out fading or shower without lliZzling
up, and if yOu'll give me time enough I'll
see if you have got any such thing here" 1"
did not stop long enough to know
whether she found Il fabric that would en-
dure so many severe tests, but her words
set me to thinking. / thought, we all
need just that kind of religion that will
stand the hard, every day wear of life; ;
that will not fade in the sun of prosperity,
nor "friZ2le up in the storms of adversi-
tyi u religion that is no flimsy affair, but
solid and substantial enough to use every
day.
began thinking over the various quail
tiles of religion with which | was most
familiar among our best regulated Ortho-
doX people, and ii proved most interest
ing study. There Wa5 brother A.,
whose religion is very conspicuous on
SUNDAYS and at the prayer meeting His
prayers tervent and full of feeling; his eX-
hOrtatiOns recount with junction. his great
attainments in the Christian life He is
distressed over the condition of the
church, and the world the lack of piety
and conservation in ministers and Christ
ians He is alive and earnest, hardly able
TO restrain his exalted emotions. But lie
somehow lays it all away with his Sunday
clothes, for ii doesn't stand everyday wear.
Bro. A at prayer meeting and Bro.
A at home are two different beings.
HIS religion is not strong enough TO keep
him from making everybody miserable
and unhappy about him. 1t will not
stand IL single test; it is only fit to be
carefully worn on special occasions. No
doubt Bro, As religion is means of
grace to some, but to others 1t is Stun
bling block-all sham and shoddy.
Bro. b rarely goes to prayer meet
ing; when he does, sits utterly silent
through it all We know he had a hard
bringing up, fighting his own way as best
he could, and even now lie has II host of
besetting sins and temptations to struggle
against every day that he lives. We
tremble for him, knowing his weakness,
knowing how slight a hold he has on his
small hope in Christ, how strong IL hold
the world, the flesh, and the devil have on
him. We sympathize with him, we pray
for him; we bear patiently with many
things he would not duTe to excuse in our
selves. His religion is good as far as it
goes, and it does help him over good
many hard places.
Bro. c. has good, solid, substan-
tial article, that stands the wear and tear
Of lite grandly. He has quick temper,
and il helps him to hold ii in check. He
has countless "thorns in the flesh, and
trials and hindrances on every side, and
it helps him to be patient and cheerful
under them all He makes poor, STUN
bling little prayers, but they are genuine,
and there is true, tender depth TO every
WQTdl
Sister D. Is one of the humblest,
most unassuming women in the world.
She has little trembling hope in Christ,
out feels altogether unworthy of his mer-
cy. Sometimes in our ladies' meetings
she will venture touching little prayer
to her Savior, that we will strain our ears
TO hear, because we are sure it is going up
to him from full, loving heart. Her
life is sermon in itself. Never a word
from her lips that could gFieye or wound
another, for abe speaks with utmost char
ity and tenderness of every one. She
shames us all with her quiet forbearance
and sweet submission in the midst of trial
and great Affections, Patient, cheerful,
with a steadfast loving trust in her Sa-
vior, she is living epistle, known and
read of ALL Oh, that we all had rich
supply of such religion
II is good to be peaceful and happy on
Sunday; it is better still il Mondays fret
and toll, and worry Of mind and body can
he met with patient endurance and stead
fast courage that will take us through,
resting IN God, doing and bearing all
things In his strength. II Is good to hasR
in the sunshine Of Christian fellowship,