The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-24

the sermon" be only said: "Whai new IDEA
are you trying to develop now, MY dsa-2'
but be did not dream that every Homan in
the church was trying to develop The same
idea, and had no thought that the ssrmon of
the week before had anything TO ds With his
wife's new idea.
The Rev. Timothy Lawrence has learned
tha. his sermon hsd been displsssi.ig TO the
women OF his congregation, and he lad pre-.
pared soothing balm tor their Wounds IN
the shape Of q sermon on the iEiA1encs of
women for good, setting forth the1 inhasnce
OF n other over her children, OF sisters over
brothers, wives over husbands ant maidens
over lovers; of woman's infuen;s in the
home, in the Sabbath school, in sfciety. ev-
erywhere save in the pulpit aud ssthe ballot
box. He dselt on the olinging, tendsr wife
UNFOLDING weak husband, and tae white
W. manly hand outstretched toslift fallen
manhood from the gutter Tbs sermon
sbouI ded in touching imagery os womanly
devotion. But imagine the sfnszsment
Of the Rev. Timothy on, coming
into the pulpit OF st Pauls with bis precious
manuscript in his breast pocket, Jlst az the
bell had ceased ringing. =
Not woman in the church. I'D could not
believe his eyes. He glanced frok choir TO
esllery, TO apews; from pews to tal cry, to
choir Not woman anywheee in the
church. What should ne dc? He could not
preach extemporaneously, and t;:st sermon
was for women especially. He losked again.
If there were only one woman they he could
preach to her. But there wss nxne. The
men and boys were all in their A'a-es but
not woman or girl. What co3d be tina
matter?
Every man in the church had lien asking
himself the same question. Ii haa seemed a
simple enough thing when his oxsl vile az
daughter staid at home. but wren every
other mans wife and daughter st. id away il
seemed anything bat simple.
But the Rev. Timothy Lawrents realized
that he could not stand gazing about the
church, and he mechanically gale ont the
hymn. The men OF this church a has bee
stated were true men and loyal christians.
Bass and tenor voices took up theswords, and
such volume of melody and araise filed
| the church SIS glsdGened the minister's heart
Prayer ard sopg followed, and thsa the min
lister opened his manuscript and Logan. As
| the words fell from his lips he ,.lst himself
in his theme; for, in truth, it vac q wond.r-
full theme and be treated it well.
But think OF the effect OF such \ discourse
on such an audience. Go back stew years
sDd recall how the agents Of f9e United
| States Sanitary Commission appez ed to con.
| gregations of women for supplies f4r w3unde |
soldiers. and told how our Bravo boys Ia
| blue were laying down their livls for Is OF
| the battle field.
Boys sobbed aloud, strong meg unusel %
weep openly wiped away theiIsears ani
many strangers whom chance or SroviieHcs
| bad led tbither, wept IS they hfi not done
| since they were boys at their mo Slers knee.
| It vas an appeal for women fro:s a man t,
Elen. and the effect was msrvelots.
The last hymn was suug, the lenedictcD
was pronounced and the congreh alton dis.
| psred. The minister was STOPPED by sab.
bing men whose memories OF wiis or mother
had been so wrought upon by tn sermon as
| to lead them IS seek her God and4her Savior,
and in ministerlDg 10 them he fSrgot 10 as <
| an explain alton of the absence OF 4le ladies OF
his Il OK.
The men conversed in grouss as they
wended their way home. They .rec0gniZ -
the fact that the absence OF the women Vas a
| pfeconc erted plan, and though t:ey guessed
at the motive, and at the moEys of the
morning sermon, the whole effect lai bssn
SO marvellous that they did not Dire TO dis.
cuEs II but wondered how long She women
would keep Ii up.
On his return from church N. Fielding
said. wife, you ought to hste bean ct
church this morning. We bad 4 wonderful
| sermen.n
"Ab what was itP'
about woman's IN fiuen &c, argi there was
J not woman or girl in the house, But what
a sermon for such an audienceS Mr.. Law
renee looked perfectlY bewilderA when he
came into the pulpit and no wfnder, with
that sermon in his pocket. He Alever could
have imagined such al effect though. mol
any one else either for that mstter. There
was not dry eye in the house. Aut,my dear
was that your new idea"'
"Yesu
| Sabbath-school came, but the Snen had re
allied the situation and came tG the rescue
sgsin. They were able 10 teschi Sabbath
school class and teach they did2so we'll tina
the boys were almost reconcilearto the aD
sence OF Misses Mary, Susan sno'Annie afore
said, but not quite.
The minister was still bev. ldered. Ht
sought Mr.. Somers aud said: Mas. Somers il
not i'll is she2 ] missed her froi church THU
morning and che is not at Sabbath school
| this afternoon"
There was peculiar look in Mr. Some IS
face as he replied, OH my wife is perfectly
well, but she ASKED ne at home as you I'D
vised last Sabbath
Did all the women do so?"
II am only authorized to speSx 70. one.
May come round to your bfuse this ey
eniDg and talk with Mrs. Somef about it?'
81 beg your pardon, but strs. Somer
wished me TO say that stree ede teaching
she received last Sabbath she e.n not With
propriety receive visits from geINlemen."
us she so angry az that2"
my dear sir, she is not angrjSat all nor
offended, she simply acted on iyour teach
ing"
The minister was more perpl sSed than ev
er. lie called at Mr.. Warren'c just before
tea-time, as he had frequently zone. He VA
warmly welcomed by Mr.. War IN, who y ts
emily said: "It's a curious fIiak of thss,
women OF ours to ape their As fic SISTERS oil
eighteen years ago. Ny daughter hal no
been out OF the house ell day, a. ID she said [,
me this afternoons: Father. irsis inc3mp ~
ibe with modettY aud proprieis for me to
receive gentlemen visitors. So isany call you
will have TO excuse me and entertain the q
yourEei.' Now silly ~ thinE II is | oi1
not in this enliehtened 3se CON e.
her 10 do otherwise. can onlyfwait till tn.
whm wears out But IL Is raxIer hard al
you my frie1d."
This wss the heaviest blowi OF al. Ne
Lawrence was stunned. He e,;l!d only , (
"How long doyou thinx Ii wills take 10 y a
out2'
~ can not guess; can onlyshops It WI
not lsst long,"
When tea was announced Ir LSwre c.
sto HE bread and jam aud draIsx his ten ~
tenty, and soon after left 10. the event "
services. Fortunately, he hsd:not addressed
his sermon this evening 10 tho women. sa'
he got along better than Ia he moraiag
7 or.k -. al.~. .l.,X -