Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-05-11
yERnoNr,s LADY PREACHER.
Rey, Myra Kinusbury at tho Unitarian
church. Yesterday.

Rev, Myra kinusbury at the Unitarian
church, Yesterday.
The pulpit of the Unitarian church was
occupied Sunday morning and evening by
Rev Myra Kingsbury of Williston, Yer
monrs lady preacher. A good sized audi
ence OF our people gathered 10 hear her dis
courses, at 10th services. Miss kingsbury
Is tall, slendery built lady, Of middle age.
Her appearance in the pulpit is detid
edly prepossessing. She has strong
and thoughtful face, quiet but hrm
and self-possessed manner, and clear, well
modulated voice, which renders her delivery
pleasing and effective. Her dress was of plain
black, close-fitting and without ornament.
Altogether, Miss Kingsbury is just about such
a person, in outward appearance. as one
would be likely to picture lady preacher.
She Is entirely devoid of self-consciousness
and pretension, and seems 10 be utterly una
ware, while in the pulpit, that she is per
forming any service unusual to her sex. She
preached, yesterday morning, written dis
course displaying considerable fertility OF I'M
agination and grace of expression, But marx.
ed by the common feminine defect OF lack of
continuous definite anu decp-reaching
thought. 1t was more an essay than a ser
a brief newspaper abstract can do no justice.
We present, however, a brief report of the
discourse
Miss ISingsbury's Discourse.
The preachers subject was 1.-THE Vision
of Jacob" and her text was from
Genesis xviii, II; "rhis is none other but
the house of God, and this the gate of heav-
en-" Studying the vision of the traveller and
patriarch Jacob more deeply and freely. we
find beyond its historical import, a
symbolism peculiar as oharacterzng the out
ward life, political and social, of the He
brcws. Jacob. is the type of the political and
national life of the Hebrews, as Abraham is
the type of its spiritual and religious life.
In view of our own political and national
blessings, it would seem that the peculiar in
dication of watchfuncss and blessing display
ed to Jacob in the wilderness might apply
TO us also. The vision is not confined to
Jacob 1t has a striking significance for all
people through all time. What he behcld Is
symboical of truth so grand and universal,
that il would be well if we could rest for n
time upon the contemplation of this great
spiritual reality, of God in all and through
ALL Verify, it were better, if, over and be-
You'd all mere conventional and out ward real
ity, we could come to keen consciousness
of the fact that God is present every
where. Particularly emphatic the first
lesson coming to Jacob from the
vision-that L was one of reality.
No region is shut out from Gods care, or un-
filed by his presence. Each result of scicn-
tific investigation is a symbol Of Gods i'm
mediate presence and all-pervading will. 1t
seems of small account TO know simply the
surface or material aspect of things. Who
can find full satisfaction in material knowl-
edge alone? Does not the soul of man dis
cover in all the diversified powers aud
forms of nature no higher reality, that cor
responds to itself? | think, in all love
to science, we may say that the scientific
vision is not the only and true vision, but
only ladder set upon the earth, reaching to
heaven, and bearing upon its rounds the
heavenly visitants. So we are assured that
behind the material veil of the universe are
realities corresponding to the soul Of man.
Back OF all causes we recognize an lntelll-
gencc, Mind or Power, ascending and de-
scending in all the series of events. Where
ever we look, We may discover this connec-
ton between the divine nature and material
things. Place this vision beside tue process
ses going on in nature, and trace Its truth in
all her processes.
SO likewise in human actions and expert
enccs is the vision true. Is it not still the
God cares for man and the best interests of
man As lie appeared to Jacob, SO He
| appears to each one Of us. No matter how
small our human life, God is ever over us
with bis illustrations. Is there not peace
and rest in the thought that back of the diff
culties, the wear and tear of human life,
there is great intelligence working
through instrumentalities, whose name is le-
gi N, for our good Cannot you and | re-
member incidents in our own lives proving
this! Therefore, the leavcn OF Righteousness
will spread. Truth must inevitably prevail
1.-The mills of God grind slowly, but they
grind exceeding fine" 1t would appear
sometimes as though evil rrospercd, but II W,
have faith in God like Jacob's,we shall sec
Him at the summit of all earthly events, Anc
where this truth is realized, it is no
difficult for every man 10 have realizing
sense of Gods presence in life. Such ia,l
as this makes Gods ministers of love ant
truth reality to us. We are ascending an,
descending on this ladder Of vision conlnu
ally; and VIC must, wherever We are, hav,
in our hearts the ascending and descending
angels. What Jacob saw in the wilder
ness should be seen by you and me, If We hav
truly learned Christ's character and life
lie has made God warm realit
to our souls. Not only in the worship Of TIL
sanctuary, but in the associations and world
~ affairs Of ife-on the street, in the maikt
: place, at the counterfeit us recognize llir
, as our Master May God give to us th
spirit. May we go about doing good in III
, spirit of Him who taught us tho Way, til
. Truth and the Life. May angels ascend al
I descend upon the ladders OF our daily lives
r deeds of kindness and OF love.