The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-12
A MODERN VALENTINE.
HE WILL MARRY, COMFORT AND
BURY THE GOOD OR TaE BAD.

re Is Mr.. HOughtOn of the
Little Church Around the Corner.
Peculiar Cases Where the Doctor
Has Been a Peacemaker-How &c
Made Two Darkies Happy
Harding Davis Van Blbber Story Is
Not Overdrswn-He Answered the
"Lovey Dewey" Letter.
(Copyrfqht1
NEW YORK, Feb. 11.-Dr. Houghton sat
in his oozy study in the parsonage Of the
Little Church Around the Corner" 1t
was Saturday night, and the doctor wore a
peaceful look as one who had done good
weeks work. Callers had come and callers
had gone, and the good doctor himself had
been out on many an errand of mercy.
Surely, on Saturday night it was pleasant
to sit in the rays Of the log fire and enjoy
the plessantest Of the weeks memories.
But across the rays Of the freight there
fell shadow, and into the midst Of the solid
comforts Of home there came one as an in
truder-the ubiquitous newsgather-hs who
asketh questions.
is 1t true that 1 am the st. Valentine
or New York; repeated the doctor, with an
amused smile, in answer to q question.
Most certainly not. do not pose as being
a saint Of any kind. but 1 do love young
people, and If my sympathy for them in
their rights and wrongs entities me TO
become competitor of the good old priest
who was bsheaded in the days of Claujius
on account of his popularity with lovers,
why, then, | suppose that may be called
the modern ST. Valentine.
baHOW did get nv free Viawg1 We'll IN
begin with, l have no free views. And if
people think so they are mistaken. l am a
rigid ohurchman and l teach and preach
only the orthodox teachings and preachIngs
Of the church. Ipresume that l have gained
the reputation of being somewhat free in
my views from the fact that do things
which many orthodox cergymen, such as |
am, do not do.
For instance, | officiate at every funeral
to which may be called. II Carlyle Harris
we're to die to-day, with the uncertainty of
guilt upon him, would bury him as piously
as though l we're officiating at the obsequieS
OF Phillips Brooks. | would, of course, feel
differently, and 1 could not say the same
prayers over his body. Perhaps, too, the
feeling of Christian resignation and pious
exaltation which l always feel when pray
ing over the body of great and good man
would be lacking. But there would be
other feelings present.
81 should say to myself: Here is the
body of a talented young WAINWRIGHT,
learned and too clever to die so soon. He
has been in a network Of circumssances-
nightly unfortunate. And God only
knows whether ne did right or wrong. As
for NE, l am going TO give him Christian
burial and pray every prayer that l can TO
comfort his friends over his unfortunate
fate
81 have buried a great many people
whose lives were openly and avOWedlv bad
Women who have gone wrong and who
have died in the depth of their degradation
have received Christian burials, and so have
confessed murdereTs and suicides. For these
people | have service OF my own which
answers the purpose nicely and does not in
any way infringe upon the church service,
which, of course, cannot use.
There is a common error in the minds
of people, but one which is not shared by
my brother cIergymen, to the effect that l
use the regular church service for the dead
in such cases as this.
1.-THE prayer book says that the regular
church service cannot be used over any who
die unbeptized or who are excommuni-
Gated, OF who have laid violent hands upon
themselves. Therefore, having pledged to
follow these rules, l cannot always go
through the regular service. But there is
no law against making up a service of my
own. The MasOns cannot bury q man with
Masonic rites unless he has been a Mason.
And so cannot bury a man with church
rites unless he has been a churchman. But
| can bury him with my own rite.
"What do l do besides burying all the
dead who are brought TO meIWell, marry
all who come to me and want TO be married.
or course, have to use a great deal Of
judgment in these cases and show
almost the wisdom of the serpent.
I 1a md
and make them solemnly swear that they
are free to marry. II they look very
young | make tolerably sure that they are
Of marriageable age. Then / 90 ahead,
and, sometimes, help out the marriage
service with q hLtle private prayer of my
own that they may be happy together.
Richard Harding Davis Van Bibber story
Of the young runaWays whom l married is
not overdrawn. They were far from home.
They we're young and alone in New York.
Were they not better married?
''What do regard as my spsoial forte?
Well, perhaps, it is that Of advice-givlng. [
think I am a born peacemaker. Aud l
know that with the grace of God l have
patched Up many home quarrel.
"What do the people generally come to
me about? That's a nice thing to ask me,
and here the doctors benign countenance
grew quite indignant. do you suppose l
am going to tell yous OF course not. For
then my mission of confidential adviser
would be gone. But what do want TO say
is this. If man were to say one-half Of
the thing to society people whom he meets
at receptions that he says at homo
to his wife, he would be kicked
out Of society speedily. And If a woman
were to be one-half as discourteous to her
neighbor as she Is TO her husband, she would
have to move to another street. Yet there
is no doubt that these snappy wives and
disoourteous husbands are very much In
love with each other. Only they do not
take the time TO say so. They say hasty,
brutal things instead.
"WhaJ do l do when 1 am consulted in
cases like this9 And do scold them4 Or do
pray with themi Well, l do not scold
That is certain. They are in trouble
enough already. But IL either one has ever
told me anything especially nice about the
other. bring it out at this time. And then,
when they understand each other, they are
at peace again.
Nov. / will tell you little story. Once
upon a time there worked for me in the
little church around the corner a darby
named Osborn. Osborn's wife died, and
soon after he married another, and, in the
course of time, had darby twins, one of
which he named after me.
"One night, l was seated in my study
very busy with a sermon, when Osborn
came to my study door and knocked.
Doctor said he, will you come with me
to see Amelial We bin quarrelin' bad.
And ] and Amelia Can'k make No no mora