The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-01-25
IN THE FURRoW.
Tho Sermon That Secured Rev
Moulton q Good Wife.

S-
When the new minister arose In hii
pulpit and announced his text, the con.
gregation settled themselves in tho
pews with an air Of satisfaction. They
were confident that they were about "a
listen 10 Il fine sermon, and they were
not 70 be disappointed They admired
and esteemed Rev. Thomas Moulton,
who had come TO them from a country
parish which his liberal views and tai
INT 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 pheasant, hii
manner. was earnest and pleasing.
When he addressed an audience, he
won their confidence, and they believed
him 10 be what he was, a thorough
gentleman, a man c%herishing high
ideals and sy~mpathizing 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. He
spoke feelingly in behalf OF the thou
sands who are the victims Of an unfa-
vorable 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 ~unaccohntably
withheld from those to whom they
were admirably adapted. Fortunate
~, of the millions In the world who
lived inpoverty, squalor and ignorancet
the greater part did not possess keen
sensibilities and ambition, and conse.
quently did not experience the suffer-
ing which tender-hearted but nnphilo-
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
philanthropists in q sphere higher
than that to which they were acccus-
toned, they became positively miserar
bic and longed to return TO a lower
condition. Nevertheless, a gradual inn
provement in the environment Of the
masses vas accompanied by q like inn
provement in these people themselves.
Therefore the fact that they were so
ton did not excuse the more fortunate
from eeasing their endeaTors ! o ele.
vate them. The millions deserved at
tention, but inasmuch as they did not
suffer ncutely, and in many instances
were happier than were people above
them, 1t was not necessary to lie awake
nights for the purpose III devising
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 We're daily and vainly
making desperate efforts to overcome
the circumstances that thwarted them.
They were fitted for something better
and they longcd to attain 1t, but there
was some lack, either Of health, oil
money, of energy or of something else
which prevented them from escaping
from their unfavorable surroundings.
Only the strongest and best equipped,
unaided, surmounted greatest obsta.
Giles. Yet there were hundreds 81
others not less worthy. although less
able, who, If they should receive time
" assistance, could climb the heights
that now discourage them. Strange
to say, the last-mention 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 Landed,
But those who were gravelyg but inef
fectnally struggling against adverse
circumstances were coolly ignored. II
was the much and undeservediy neg
lected class, the noble unfortunate
whose claims for sympathetic aid from
the Christian world were greater thar
those of any other portion Of Humanity.
To eiucidate his subject in a manner
as effective as possible, the preacher
employed several illustrations. One o.
them briefly outlined was as follows:
One day afarmer while walking over
a freshly-plowed field, espied in a fur
row something which glittered Ht
bent down and picked up a diamond
ring There were spots Of dry mud or
the rim, and the once clean ornament
looked neglected and weather-beaten
a few years before the farmer fount
it, il had been lost by a rich city
woman during a rural ramble. The
farmer took the ring home, washed 1t
FURNISHED it, and then it looked al
beautiful as wAenit was new. He re
stored 1t 10 the owner and she wore
it again
Thus was it returned to its proper
place, where 1t coula fulfill the purpose
for which it was made. viz. to be al
ornament to be a thing of beauty fol
the admiration of all observers. Blu
had the farmer not CHANGED to go by
or had he mistaken the diamond In tn,
ring for a shining bit Of quartz, ant
been too Indifferent TO make an ex
animation, the ring would have re
manned in the furrow, It would hav
been left to its obscure fate. Soon |
would have been covered with cart