The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-07-26
CORRESPONDEN NOE.
Vacation Notes.


AeSSrs. EIditorS,-Some Notes of
travel" and observations, during re-
cent vacation, may interest the readers
of the Central Presbyterian. The writer
had been informed that he would find
new departures, from former times, in
the observance of the Sabbath in New
England, and in the substitution of the
Continental for the old Puritan" Sun
day. A brief account of two Sundays
may be some contribution of testimony to
the contrary. The cities were purposely
avoided on Sunday, the quiet of the
rural districts (if there are any rural
districts in Massachusetts, being pre-
ferred At South Natick in that State,
the first Sunday was spent. The village
population seems to be composed of ma
tives of the New England type, with no
small number of the foreign population
who are employed in the factories. The
Catholic and Unitarian houses of worship
are the largest church buildings; but the
Congregationalists worship in a smaller
church, which was well filed by people
Of village and country. The sermon,
from minister who had been a stated
supply, and who is now probably on his
way to japan as missionary, was very
sound and practical discourse. The music
was hearty, the congregation preferring
their own worship 6f God to rendering
1t by quartette committee. The cour-
tesy to strangers was marked and cordial
There were no loungers about the hotel
or at street corners, and at 1870 A. NJ,
church goers occupied the streets. A
number of strangers from the West and
North were at the hotel After dinner,
the proprietor furnished conveyances,
free of charge, to the guests to attend the
Mackenzie, of Cambridge, Mass, at the
chapel at Wellesley College, a mile or
more distant. An audience of probably
six or seven hundred, including the sixty
graduates, the professors students, and
friends, heard the discourse with pleas
ure and profit. While it came from a
scholar, it was plain, practical, and full
of wise counsels. The whole audience
led by most skilled performer on the
large organ, united in praise. The text
was Luke xii: Is, "To whom much hath
been given, of him much shall be re-
quired. The world was represented to
be stern creditor, saying to those who
have much given in opportunities for use
fulness, Pay me what you owe me-
and the responsibility of all such was
we'll presented. If we are to be like
Christ, said the preacher in substance, il
is not merely in purity and piety, but in
giving the best of what we have. The
world, the Church, society-all demand
help of US, and all these demands are
Gods. X X y All that we give to God
we receive back an hundred fold. We
Iaust have something in our lives besides
the book education we gain in our stud
les we need something besides litera
ture, history, language, and mathematics
TO make our work successful in the world
We are going out where we shall NEE
men and women forsaken, alone, sinful
and suffering, and we are to trv ant
bring to them comfort, happiness. and
peace. AS well might you try to feed 8
hungry body with a demonstration O
geometry as to strengthen failing SOU
with literature and history. 1t is the
great heart of God that we need to heir
us in this work the faith and devotion
Of the Christ. Young ladies Of the grad
uating class, ] might have said other
things to you to-day; but all the way
through your life's pathway, l see hand.
stretched out toward you. The world
waits for your coming most eagerly and
ainxiously; the blind men by the way.
SIDE, the weak and helpless everywhere
ana you are to bring to their comfort
and cheer the grand truths you have
learned. Carry them with bravery and
honesty, giving ungrudgingly and gen
erously, for from her to whom much is
given, much will be required. Make up
your lives, not as though it was seventy
years that was. to be filed out, but as
though you were preparing for the end
less ages. So shall your lives be full and
rounded, having in them the true spirit