Connecticut western news., 1891-03-25

isters of the gospel who ought to be re- joiced at the largeness and extent of the work, denounce and misrepresent and falsify, starting the suspicion in re- gard 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 criticismsf The keenest jealousies on earth are church jealous ies. The field of Christian work is SO large that there is no need that our hoe handles hit. ..
 THE LIES OF SOCIETY. ...
 Next speak of social lies. This evil makes much of society insincere. You know not what to believe When peo- pie 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 expression of their heart or an external civility. We have learned to take almost everything at discount. Word is sent, Mot at home" when they are only too lazy to dress themselves. They say, "The fur mace has just gone out, }" when in truth they have had no fire in it all winter. They apologize for the unusual bar renness of their table when they never live any better. They decry their most luxurious entertainments to win a shower of approval They apologize for their appearance as though it were unusual, when always at homo they look just so They would make you believe that some nice sketch on the wall was the work of master painter ''It was an heirloom, and once hung on the walls of castle, aud a duke gave it to their grandfather. When the fact is that painting was made by a man 'down east" and baked so as to make it look old, and sold with others for ten dollars dozen. People who will lie about nothing else will lie about picture. On small income we must make the world believe that we are affuent, and our life becomes a cheat. counterfeit and a sham.
 Few persons are really natural. When say this do not mean to slur cultured manners. It is right that we should have more admiration for the sculptured marble than for the un- known block of the quarry From many circles in life insincerity has driven out vivacity and enthusiasm. A frozen dignity instead floats about the room, and iceberg grinds against iceberg. You must not laugh outright; it is vul- gar You must smile. You must not dash rapidly across the room, you must glide. There is round of bows and grins and flatteries and ohsl and ahs! and simpering and nambypambyism- a world of which is not worth one good, round, honest peal of laughter. From such hollow round the tor tured guest retires at the close of the evening, ana assures his host that he has enjoyed himself!
 What round of insincerities many people run in order to win the favor of the world Their life is a sham and their death an unspeakable sadness. Alas for the poor butterflies when the frost strikes them!
 LIFE A MAsQUERADE TO SOME.
 Compare the life and death of such a one with that of some Christian aunt who was once blessing to your house hold do not know that she was ever offered the hand in marriage. She lived single, that untrammeled she might be everybody's blessing. When ever the sick were to be visited, or the poor to be provided with bread, she went with blessing. She could pray or sing Rock of Ages" for any sick pauper who asked her. As she got older there were days when she was a little sharp, but for the most part auntie was sunbeam-just the one for Christmas eve. She knew better than any one else how to fix things Her every prayer, as God heard it, was full of everybody who had trouble. The brightest things in all the house dropped from her fingers. She had pc culiar notions, but tho grandest notion she ever had was to make you happy. She dressed well-auntie always dressed well-but her highest adornment was that of a m.sc.s and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price. When she died you all gathered lov- ingly about her, and as you carried her out to rest the Sunday school class al most covered the coffin with japonicas, and the poor people stood at the end of the alley with their aprons to their eyes, sobbins bitterly; and the man of the world said, with Solomon, Her price was above rubies," and Jesus, as unto the maiden in Judea commanded. ''I say unto thee. arisar
 But to many, through insincerity, this life is masquerade ball. As at such entertainments gentlemen and la- dies appear in the dress of kings or queens, mountain bandits or clowns, and at the close of the dance throw off their disguises, so in this dissipated life all unclean persons move in mask. Across the floor they trip merrily. The lights sparkle along the wall or drop from the ceiling--a cohort of fire! The music charms. The diamonds glitter. The feet bound Gemmed hands stretched out clasped gemmed hands. Dancing feet respond to dancing feet. Cleaning brow bends to gleaming brow. On with the dance! Flash and rustic and laughter and immeasurable merry making! But the languor of death comes over the limbs and blurs the sight. @ ~...
 Lights lower! Floor hollow with .sepulchral echo Music saddens into a vail. Lights lower! The lnaskers can hardly now be seen. Flowers exchange