Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-10-16
Church Methods Little Later on.
4 FRAGMENT.

He had been an energetic curate from
1870 to 1850, filled to the brim with all the
schemes and methods of his time. He was
now, in 1900 an energetic rector, whose
principal thought, day and night was for
his parish and the church he served. by
his side sat his curate, a young man with
a puzzled and hunted expression of coun-
tenance, and on the opposite side of the
room another young mantle organist-
sat before a small harmOnium, turning
over a heap of music. The three appear
ed to be discussing harvest Thanksgiving
for the following week.
1--WE begin at the Lords Prayer, of
course" said the rector, ''then VeRite, one
PSALM think it had better be Psalm cXvII.
"a lesson land, Smith, | shall only read
two verses), the TIE Deum, a hymn, the
Greed hamOnized, an anthem, one collect
and hymn. VIII you make note of it,
BrOwn?'
you will not introduce a sermon?"
asked the curate.
Better not" said the rector Don't
you remember what a fuss they made when
you preached on Good Friday?'
at was not more than five minutes, -
said the curate humbly.
But said his rector, "they said it was
the thin edge of the wedge, and that it
took all the brightness out of the service !;
and you know it is of the last importance
to get the young men to church.
There was young man at church last
Sunday" said the organist hopefully.
at was Gubbens, and he yawned," said
! the curate.
"Yawned" said the horror-stricken
rector; that must not occur again. We
must leave out the collect or something.
| What can we do to amuse him? He must
be amused! Brown, can you suggest any
thing?"
Il did stand on my head on the organ
stool at the end of the lesson said the
Organist, rather aggrieved; ''but some OF
them didn't notice me, and some of them
said they had seen it better done. can't
think of anything else at the moment
lyon are always kind said the rector
warmly, " and you know how difficult it is
to keep up the interest. When was a GU
rate the banjo was one great means of OBJ
tanning influence in a parish, but now
even the infant school refuses to listen tC
itr'
"Still few men used to come OCCASION
ally" said the organist Robinson, fol
instance
IL am afraid Robinson isn't as steady as
he was said the rector. "He is not a:
regular at billiards and the bi-weekly
dances as he used to be-
The three good men looked at one an
other wearied and cast down.
81 spoke to him about it, said the GU
rate "and he explained that billiards anC
dancing were too stale; but he would join q
balloon club if we started one
Eyes" said the rector, 81 wish we could
but balloons are so frightfully expensive
and the Duchess won't help, because sh'
says she had to give e100 to the choir eX
cursion to the West Indies, and she wa
perfectly certain they were not satisfied
because they heard Parkinson took hi
choir to Khiva"
at was the society for sending every
body to Hamburg for a fortnight tina
spoiled our choir treat" said the Organist
"Before the S. E. II. F. they were quit,
contented with Boulogne for day or two
"And you must remember" said the GU
rate, "that the Duke was not encOred wheI
he sang comic song in character at tn,
Half Hourly Amusement club.
"Well," interposed the organist, che o
the 'Free-Clothing guild complains tina
the women will not wear dress which il
not imported from Parish
and continued the rector, 'there wa
a row at the Free Board today, becaus,
you put a clear turtle on the menu tw'
days running"
The curate hesitated.
"SuppOse," said the curate, diffidently
1--WE were to try little religion?"
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