The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-11-20

with the same mail letter from the pastor
of q Protestant church of that city saying
that he has secured DIR. Jordan Of Stan
ford's and Professor lie Conte of the State
University. and if / will only consent to
appear, etc. He also asks TO know the way
so he can drive up and see me.
Let me answer briefly here. In the first
place do not drive up." Ii you are too
lazy and worthless to walk up this hill, up
which / have carried plants. seeds, trees.
even bread for my family, OF my back Tor
years, please do not come. AS for the rest,
answer you as | answer the Jews. When
you are willing TO preach and practice the
gospel of toll as it is set down in the Book,
and about the Interpretation OF which there
has never yet been the slightest doubt or
division OF opinion, then, and not till then,
Will | be with you. Meantime, no doubt,
my feeble voice piping in between those of
the great and good men Of the two universe
ties.
Finally. let me say to the new rich OF
America that we are all nightly mistaken
about the attitude of the clergy and the
noblemen of that ablest nation on earth. /
never knew an English clergyman who did
not have some sort of garden plat. 1t is
his boast and pride to raise the roses and
flowers for the altar, flowers for the poor at
their marriages, funerals, and so on. He is
always a healthy, hard worker with his
own hands in some way or another. An
English clergyman despisesa carriage-goes
on foot.
AS for the nobility, they are the hardest
worked people on this earth. Even her
Majesty has not child or grandchild that
could not to-day go out and make living
with its own hands. OF course / need not
say that l am not hand and glove" with
royalty. But. perhaps, you know i spent a
season with Lord Lorne when Governor of
Canada. And the industry OF Princess
Louise! Painting rowing. picking wild
flowers, wild berries, tramping all alone
miles and miles away in the woods with no
guide or protection at all save two big,
black dogs. Now, what American girl Is
toes, marshes. brlers, netties, snakes. In
dams, to get me, or any man or woman or
child, basket of wild blaekberries? God
bless the Queen"
do not know Tolstoi personally. but /
know William Morris well. And, like the
great Russian nobleman. he does not need
to work; but he works, and he works per-
ssteGtly. He says if he is idle single day
some poor man will have to do work for
two that day. He is right. 1t can all be
cooked right down TO that. Ii is only a
coward, q craven, o sneak who skulks his
share of honest, open-handed toll.
"Oh, but, cries some great. intellectual
egotist. Il am 4 profound thinker, a poet
a reiormer, shrewd politician, builder of
States, and ! must do my work in think
ing'
Is it so written in the Book? Is it so
nominated in the bond, thou soft. silken-
handed, sexleSs skulker 10 the fight?
Pardon me II / have shown a bit OF ardor
in this last sketch on these things. But for
six years, silently, patiently, / have lived
this which / have tried TO teach by word
ard example. And in ali that time / have
had just one follower, q Jew, and for only
two hours. do not know how Tolstoi is
getting on with his utterannes and ex-
amples, whether he has had even that much
following. Nor do know exactly how il is
With Morris. i only know they have gone
right along and have done their work and
never mnrmured. Nor have |. But. my
good pastors Of the great city, wnen you
ask me to stand up with the wise, learned
is not my place. l am a laboring man. Ny
place is with those who work or are willin 2
TO work and teach others TO work, as COM
maDded in the Book. JOAQUIN MILLER.