The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-12-26
Mrs. HOneyweiss' Perplexity.

BaTSs nOHty WelSb IbTpIe4lbys
81 want" said Mrs. Honeyweiss, the
opinion of this club on question that
greatly troubles me. The greatest desire
of my heart is to see my children grow up
noble Christian men and women. My life
is bound up in them. And my husband
is, am sure, as much in earnest as l am
But we pursue different ways; and some
times think he is wrong and sometimes
l think l am wrong; and sometimes do
not know but that we are both wrong.
He gives all the time he can possibly spare
outside his business to church work. He
attends all the church meetings-prayer-
meetings, sociables, teachers meetings,
choir meetings.; he is on the executive
committee of the Young Mems Christian
Association, and when he isn't at church
meeting he is at cottage prayer. meeting,
or service in the hall, or with district
visitation committee, or something's
don't pretend to keep the run of them all.
Sundays we never pretend to see him.
After an early breakfast he sits down to
finish the study for his Bible-class, and
then hurries off to Sunday.school. OF
course we are all at church together; but
after dinner he goes round to the Young
Mems Christian Association to their after
noon meeting; and that and an inquiry
meeting, which he always attends, keep
him till tea time. Right after tea he
goes over to the church to the young peo-
pies prayer-meeting; and then to church
and by the time he gets back from church
the young children are in bed and asleep,
and am pretty we'll tired out in trying to
! make Sunday pleasant and profitable for
them, and he is pretty we'll tired out with
his missionary work. He never gets time
on Sunday to study the Bible with the
children, nor in the week time to look
into their lessons and see how they are
getting along. And as to their games, l
kop't believe he knows anything about
what they do out of school hours, or what
they read in the evenings. He never gets
time to take them on his knee and talk to
them of the Jesus for whom he is working
so earnestly, or to go up with them at
night and pray with them, as my dear
father used to do with me. And l can't
help asking myself sometimes whether
these children of ours are not the ones
first to be prayed with, first to be talked
with, first to be labored with and
then, on the other hand, / sometimes
think that have been driven into the
other extreme of neglecting church work.
The pastor, here, wants me to take charge
of the infant class. He holds up before
me my husband as pattern of what an
active Christian ought to be. And l
must confess am very far from follow
ing his example. ! am striving as we'll
as know how and here Mrs. Honey
weiss voice trembled a little, and l
thought could detect little dimness
about her eyes" to live Christian life
in my own home, and to help my chill
dren to live Christian lives. spend the
evenings with them at home, and | can't
bear to go off and leave them alone. l
don't even always 60 to the church
prayer-meeting almost never 60 to the
women's prayer-meeting | can pray with
my children, but can't pray in public.
| know | should break down if tried.
study the Sunday -school lesson with my
children while Mr.. Honeyweiss is getting
out his lesson for his Bible class. should
have to give that up if l took the infant
class. And if | worked with the class
for an hour, and then went to church for
an hour and a half more, don't believe
should be very fresh to give my children
pleasant Sunday afternoon, which al
ways try to do. And yet, as it is, seem
10 be an utterly useless member of the
church. | am just a passenger, nothing
more. | want TO do what is right to the
church; | want to satisfy my pastor (;
and yet can't neglect my own children /;
and | wish some one would tell me what
ought to do"
Mrs. Honeyweiss had begun in tremb-
ling, timid voice; but it had grown
stronger as she proceeded, and when she
finished there was that kind OF silence
which is more significant of attention and
interest than any applause can ever be.
Then the deacon said
ale that provideth not for his own
family is worse than an infidel."
"But, Deacon" said Mrs. Honeyweiss,
flushing, and speaking very quickly and
earnestly, he does provide for his fam
lily. L don't want you to think that L
find fault with him. / have no doubt he
is right. | don't see how the church and
the Sunday-school and the Young Mems
Christian Association could get along
without him. Aud he's good husband
and good father. Oh hope haven't
done him that Injustice"
"Not at all, madam" said the deacon ;
al am sure you have not. We all know
aud honor Mr.. Honeyweiss, and you
couldn't do him an injustice if you tried.
The fault is ours, not his. He is willing
TO work, and we are willing that he
should. 1t is the misfortune of man
who possesses the rare abilities of your
husband that everybody calls on him, and
= he is too good.natured or too conscien'