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

he knows IL, he is drawn away from his
family TO work that is a great deal less
sacred and less important. But the test
applies, nevertheless. For a wife and
mother is more than housekeeper and
husband and father is more than a
steward and they don't provide for their
own family unless they give them time,
and love, and thought, and personal care.
l don't have bit of trouble with your
problem. The home is a great deal more
sacred than the church and you'd better
stay at home and take care Of your own
infant class"
"I wish you would put that sentiment
on postal card, and send it to one woman
know Of" said Mr.. Geer. al was out
at the Valley school last week, and Mrs.
Best was packing up Joshua Paling's
things to send him home. He is not very
strong, poor fellow And he has been
having chills, and the doctor is afraid of
malarial fever so Mrs. Best was going to
send him home. He was begging like a
good fellow to stay. Il don't want to go
home,' he said; Il don't believe Pm going
to be sick, and if l am, I'd rather be sick
hereP At that you may believe pricked
up my ears. why, my poor boy said
Mrs. Best you'll be great deal more
comfortable at home mo, l shant,'
pleaded the boy; there's only pa and
grandpa at home to keep house; and we
have to do the cooking ourselves, for we
haven't any girl mas away lecturing.'"
"But can't agree with you, deacon"
said the Parson, Gin your saying that the
home is more sacred than the church.
God founded the church in the wilder
ness"
And God founded the family in the
garden" said the deacon.
"Christ died for the church on the
CROSS" said the parson.
"And Christ was born into the family
in the manger," said the deacon.
God will at last present the church
perfect church, without spot or wrinkle,
or any such thing" said the parson.
"When we all come home," said the
deacon, "to join the great family of re-
deemed in the household of faith around
our Father which is in heaven"
But, Deacon" said l, suppose every
body stayed at home and took care Of her
own children, what would become of the
church 2"
"And suppose everybody goes off to
church," replied the deacon, what's to
become of the children at home
"There must be golden mean, I sup
pose," said Mr.. Geer.
"No said the deacon; "there is no
golden mean. Means are not golden.
They're brass, or lead, or pewter. Every
mans first duty is to his own home. He
ought to invest his first money there; and
put his first energies there and concen.
trate his first thoughts there; and give
his first time there. Then, if he has any
left let him give it to the church."
The parson shook his head.
"Parson," said the deacon, energetic
ally, "didnt you think Mr.. Wheaton did
a good thing last year when he undertook
to pay the expenses of young Whitcomb
through college and the theological semi
nary 2"
eyes," said the parson; az certainly
did"
"But here's Mr.. Hardcap," continued
the deacon, "who is not only paying for
the schooling, but for the food, and cloth
ing and shelter, all the expenses, of four
or five boys and girls, and that not for
five or six or seven years--he has assumed
the cost of each of them for fifteen years
or So"
1t was a sight to behold the pleased ex.
preston on Mr.. Hardcsp's face at this I'M
expected discovery of his before unsus-
pected beneficence.
"But they're his own children" said
the parson.
Certainly" said the deacon "what
OF thatP Somebody's got to take care of
them. And 1 should like somebody to
tell me why it is not just as benevolent
for Mr.. Hardcap to take care of his own
children as for Mr.. Wheaton to take care
of somebody elses child and why it does
not do just as much good"
81 never thought of it in that way be-
FORE" said the psrson.
You may depend upon it, it is the
right way" said the deacon. "God has
given every man his own children to take
care Otto feed, to clothe, to house, to
educate. If we all did our duty, there
would be no need of any philanthropic
charity. That's Gods way of taking
care of everybody. The man who neglects
his own children to take care of some.
body else's children starts all wrong. The
father and mother who have reared, cared
for, educated, and put into life well
endowed for life's work half a dozen chill
dren, have done good life work, if they
never do anything else. That's the main
thing; anything else they may do i.
extra, be it little or much."-Chris. Union