Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1891-04-03

TO prospcrous enterprises As long as q
church Is feeble, and the singing is discord-
ant, and the minister, through the poverty Of
the church, must go with threadbare coat,
and here and there worshiper sits in the
end of a pew, having all the seat to himself,
religious sympathizers OF other churches will
say, What a pityF' But let great day OF
prosperity come and even ministers of the
gospel, who ought TO be rejoiced at the large
ness and extent OF the work, denounce and
misrepresent and falsity starting the suspic-
ION in regard TO themselves that the reason
they do not like the corn is because it Is not
ground in their own mill. How long before
we shall learn to be fair in our religious criti-
cismsl The keenest jealouses on earth are
church iealousics. The field OF Christian
work Is so large that there Is no need that
our hoo handles hit
Next speak OF social lies This evil makes
much of society insincere You know not
what TO believe. When people ask you to
come you do not know whether or not they
want you TO come. When they send their
regards you do not know whether it is an ex-
preston OF their heart or an external civil.
ity. We have learned TO take almost every
thing at discount. Word is sent Not at
home," when they are only too lazy to dress
themselves. They say, THE furnace has
Just gone out" when in truth they have had
no fire IN it all winter. They apologize for
the unusual barrenneSs OF their table when
they never live any better. They decry theif
most luxurious entertainments to win a
shower Of approval! They apologize for their
appearance, as though it were unusual, when
always at home they look Just so. They
would make you believe that some nice
sketch on the wall wes the work OF a master
painter. ut was an heirloom. and once
hung on the walls OF castle and duke
gave it to their grandfather When tho
fact is that painting was made by a man
down cast and baked so as to make 1t
look old and sold with others for ten dol
lars dozen. People who will lie about
nothing else will lie about picture. On
small income we must make tho world be.
lievo that we are atlluent, and our life be-
comes a cheat n counterfeit and sham.
Few persons ara really natural. When |
say this do not mean to slur cultured man
ners 1t is right that we should have more
admiration for tho scuIptured marble than
for the unknown block OF the quarry. From
mauy circles in life insincerity has driven
out vivacity aud enthusiasm. frozen dig
nifty instead floats about the room, and ice
berg grinds against Iceberg. You must not
laugh outright: it is vulgar. You must
smile. You must not dash rapidly across
the room; you must glide There is round
OF bows and grins AMI batteries and ohSl
and abs and simpering aud nanbypamby-
good round, honest peal Of laughter From
such hollow round the tortured guest re-
/ tires at the close II the evening and assures
his host that he has enjoyed himself.
/ What round Of insincerty many people
run in order to win the favor Of the worldl
+ Their life Is sham and their death an un-
speakable sadness. Alas for the poor butter
flies when the frost strikes them!
! Compare the lie and death Of such one
I t.is hat nf t'hrictinn who
once q blessing to your household do not
/ know that she was ever offered the hand In
marriage. She lived single, that untram-
meled she might be eyerybo1y's blessing
Whenever the sick were TO be v!Site', or the
poor to be provided with bread, she went
with blessing She could pray, or sing
Rock of Ages for any SIGH pauper who
asked her As she got older there were days
( when she was a little sharp, but for the most
part auutie was a sunheam-just the one for
Christmas eve. She knew better than any
one else how to FIX things. Her every prayer,
ms God heard II, was fun Of everybody who
had trouble The brightest things in all tue
house dropped from her fingers. She had
peculiar notions, but the erandest notion
sho ever had was to make you happy. She
dressed well-auntie always dressed well !;
but her highest adornment was that OF a
meek an iquet spirit, which, in the sight OF
God, is OF grsat price. When she died you
all gathered lovingly about her, and as you
carried her ont u rest the Sunday-schooi
class almost cOvere the coffin with Japoni-
cas- and the poor people stood at the end OF
the alley, with their aprons to their eyes
sobbirg bitterly and the man OF the world
said, with solomon, Her price was above
rubies' and Jesus. as unto the maiden IN
Judea commanded. II say unto thee, arise" "
But TO many. through insincerity, this
life is a masquerade ball. AS at such en-
tertaium ants gentlemen and ladies appear
in tho dress OF kings or queens, mountain
bandits or clowns, AMI at the close of the
dance throw Off their DISCUSSES so in this
diSsipated life Rll uucleaa passions move
in mask. Across tho floor they trip mer-
rily. The lights sparkle along the wall or
drop from the C,ilug-a cohort or hre|
The music charms The diamonds glitter.
The feet bound. Gemmed bands stretched
out clasped gemmed hands. Dancing feet
respond to dancing feet. Cleaning brow
bends to cleaning brow. On with the
dancel Flash and rustic and laughter and
immeasurable morry making! But the
langour OF death comes over the limbs and
blurs the sight.
Lights lower! Floor hollow with sepul.
chraI echo. Music saddens into a wall. Lights
lowerl The maskers can hardly now be seen.
Flowers exchange their fragrance for sick
ening odor, such as comes from garlands
that have lain In vaults Of cemeteries. Lights
lower! Mists fill the room. Glasses rattle
as though shaken by sullen thunder. Sighs
seem caught among the curtains. Scarf fall:
from the shoulder of beauty--a shroud
Lights lower Over the slippery boards in
dance of death, glide jealousies, Nisappoint
ments, lust despair Torn leaves and with
cred garlands only half hide the ulcered fees
The stencil Of smoking lamp wicks almost
quenched. Choking damps Chilliness. Feet
still Hands folded. Eyes shut Voices
hushed. Lights outl