The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-01-12
IN THE FURROW.
Tho Sermon That Secured Row
MOultOn q Good Wife.

pulp and announced his text. the CON-
Ercgation settled themselves in the
pews with an mir of satisfaction. They
were confident that they were about to
listen to fine sermon, and they were
not to be disappointed. They admired
and esteemed Rev. Thomas Moulton.
who had come to them from u country
parish which his liberal views and tai.
ents had outgrown. Modest and sincere,
the young man appealed to his hearers,
by his good sense and by the simple
beauty of his thoughts In laundering
oratorical power he was deficient, but
his voice was clear and pleasant, his
manner was earnest and pleasing.
When he addressed an audience, me
won their confidence, and they believed
him to be what he was, n thorough
gentleman, u man chcrishing high
ideals and sympathizing warmly with
the trials OF his fellow men.
Rev. Mr.. Moulton was UNUSUALLY
happy in the sermon to which particu-
lar reference has been made. lie
spoke fcclingly in behalf of the thou
sands who are the victims of an unfa.
vorablc environment, who are pre-.
vented by thwarting circumstances
from attaining those places in society
in which their naturally high qualities
OF mind could best flourish There
was astrange inequality in life. Choice
gifts and excellent opportunities often
fell to the lot of dull or ignoblc per-
sons who failed to use them properly;
on the contrary, these good things
were as frequently unaccountably
70
were admirably adapted. Fortunate
ty, of the millions in the world who
hvcd IN poverty, sQualor and ignorance,
the greater part did not possess keen
scnslbilitics and ambition, and conse-
qucntly did not experience the suffer
ing which tcndcr-hc artcd but unphilo
sophie persons imagined for them. In
deed, the capabilities of this large class
OF people were so limited that when
they were sometimes placed by Jealous
phiianthropists in sphere higher
than that to which they were acccus-
toned, they became positively misera-
bic and longed to return to lower
condition. Nevertheless, n gradual i'm
provement in the environment of the
masses was accompanied by n like i'm
provement in these people themselves.
therefore the fact that they were SO
largely wonted to their present condi-
ton did not excuse the more fortunate
from ccasng their cndeavors TO elc-
vate them. Tho millions deserved at
tcntion, but inasmuch as they did not
suffer acutely, and in many instances
were happier than were people above
them, it was not necessary to lie awake
nights for the purpose of devisinr
plans in their behalf. But in the same
environment with the millions were
thousands of superior people who were
the great sufferers, and who deserved
speedy and generous aid and sym
pathy. They were daily and vainly
making desperate efforts to overcome
the circumstances that thwartcd them.
They were fitted for something better
and they longcd to attain it, but there
was some lack, either of health, of
money, of energy or of something else
which prevented them from escaping
from their unfayorable surroundings.
Only the strongest and best equipped,
unalded, surmounted greatest obsta-
clcs. Yet there were hundreds OF
others not less worthy. although less
able, who if they should receive time
ly assistance, could climb the heights
that now discourage them. Strange
to say, the laSt-mcntio ned class. AL
though they deserved the most atten-
ton. received the least. The unprom-
ising poor were pitied and given aims
and the successful great were laudcd.
But those who were gravcly but incf-
fectually struggling against adverse
circumstances were coolly ignored. 1t
was the much and undeservedly ner-
lected class, the noble unfortunate.
whose claims for sympathetic aid from
the Christian world were greater than
those of any other portion of humanity.
TO elucidate his subject in n manner
as effective as possible, the preacher
employed several illustrations. One of
them briefly outlined was as follows:
One day Il farmer while walking over
freshly-plowcd field. cspicd in fur
row something which glittered. He
bent down and picked up diamond
ring. There were spots of dry mud on
the rim, and the once clean ornament
looked neglected and wcather-beatcn.
a few years before the farmer found
it, it had been lost by rich city
woman during rural ramble. The
farmer took the ring home, washed it,
FURNISHED it. and then it looked as
beautiful as when it was new. He re-
stored it to the owner and she wore
it again.
Thus was it returned to it's proper
place, where it could fulfill the purpose
for which it was made, viz. to be an
ornament, to be n thing of beauty for
the admiration of all observers. But
had the farmer not CHANGED to go by,
or had he mistaken the diamond in the
ring for shining bit of quartz, and
been too indifferent to make an ex-
animation. the ring would hnvc re-