The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-10-28
Jacobs Sermon.

81 Had a good sermon, Jacob?' my
wife asked me last night, when i
came home from church. Complete,
Rachel" said l. Rachel was poorly,
and couldn't 90 to meeting much, so
she always wanted me to tell her about
the sermon and the singing and the
people. "Good singing, jacob" Pm
sure couldn't tell you" Many peo-
pie out to-day?'' 81 don't know"
g Why, Jacob, what's the matter?
What were you thinking about?' The
sermon" What was the teXt?" 81
don't think there was any. l didn't
hear it," q" l declare, Jacob, l do be-
lieve you slept all the time.' " Indeed
l didn't. l never was so wide awake"
I" What was the subject, then?" AS
near as l can remember, it was me-"
" You? Jacob Gay!" eyes, ma'am.
You think it poor subject. Pm sure
| thought so, too.n Who preached?
Our Minister" "No. lie didn't
preach-not to me, at any rate. Twas
woman-a young woman, too"
" Why, Mr. Gay! You don't mean it,
surely. Those womans right folks
haven't got into our pulpit" " Well
not exactly. The minister preached
from the pulpit, but could not listen.
| was thinking about my sermon. |
will tell you about it. You know that
young woman at the post-ofiice, Mrs.
Hyde's niece. She and were the first
ones at meeting, and we sat by the
stove, warming. l have seen her a
good deal in the post-otiice and at her
aunt's, when | was there at work. She
is pleasant spoken, and a nice, pretty
girl. We were talking about the meet
ings. You know there's quite refor-
nation going on. She was speaking
of this one and that one, who was con-
verted There was quite a silence, and
then she said, sort of low, and tremb-
ling in her voice, and with little pink
blush on her cheek, and the tears just a
starting: 'Oh, Mr.. Gay, some of us
were saying at the prayer-meeting, last
night, that we did so want you to be a
Christian Her cheeks flushed redder,
and the tears fell. / knew she felt it
and it was cross to say it. l never
was so taken back in all my life
Why, bless your SOUL / said, my
child, | have been member of the
church forty years. My tears came
then, and | guess my cheeks would
have been redder than hers, if they
warn't so tanned. Do excuse me,
Mr.. Cay she said. Excuse me fol
hurting your feelings, but | didn't know
you were Christian. | never see you
at prayer-meeting or Sabbath-school
and | never noticed you at communion
I'm sorry I've hurt your feelings.
Tut, tut, child | answered. NC
harm done. Pm glad you thought about
an old man. Pm member, as | said
but haven't worked at it much, I'll al
low. l don't go to prayermeeting OIL
Sunday-school because-well-I made
the excuse to myself and other folks
that Rachel was poorly, and needed mt
to stay with her, but I'm afraid the
Lord wouldn't accept it, Just ther
the people began to come, and | tool
my seat, but the looks and words o.
that young woman went to my heart
couldn't think of anything else. They
preached to me all the meeting time
To think that some of the young folks
in Wharton didn't know | was mem
Der, and were concerned for the ole
man. l said to myself, by way of APP
plication, Jacob Gay, you've been {
silent partner long enough. 1t is time
you woke up and worked for the Lore
time to let your light shine so that thu
young folks can see it. '"-Golden Rule