Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1895-05-27
BOSTON LETTER.

the hill back of the State House, may
some times see a man in such unusual
garb, for an American city, that most
of the people who meet him turn back
to look at him more closely. A long
gray cloak envelopes his figure, COM
| ing to the knees, while on his head he
wears low felt hat with broad brim
such as are to be seen in the pictures
of Spanish priests. He is one of the
Brothers who have been sent over
from England and who are in charge
of the church of St. John the Evange-
list, on Bowdoin street. This is the
church in which the famous Father
Hall now Bishop of Vermont did his
work and achieved that success which
caused so great an cutlery to be made
when he was recalled by the leader of
the society in England. His wonder
full genius raised this old church on a
back street from a mere mission, to a
place among the great churches of
the city. St. Johns is of the Episco-
pal faith but of the most extreme
high church order. The church itself
is severely plain butt the altar is rich
ly decorated and very elaborate. The
service is of course very formal. The
church is open all the time, and many
a weary or worried man or woman
finds it blessed relief to drop in
here for moment and leave the rush
and struggle of the city behind. The
Brothers who are vowed to celibacy,
live in an old wooden house just back
of the church, which opens on
Temple ST. Above a gate on that
street is a plain wooden cross and
a small sign which tells that this is the
OMISSION House of st. John the Evan
gelist''. The amount Of good which
these earnest men are doing in this
crowded and poor part of the city is
wonderful, and to one who knows
them and understands their mission
their peculiar dress is mark of hon
or. Among other good works which
they have in hand is that of having
almost wholly built and managed the
new ST. Augustine's church, the only
Episcopal church for colored people
in the city. Speaking of colored peo-
pie it is a never ceasing source of
amusement for me to merely walk
down Cambridge street and watch
the negro children, of all sizes and
shades. This part of the town is al
most wholly theirs and you meet
three dark persons to one Whine,
Many of them are in business here
and you will meet not only here but
all over the city many of the race who
are we'll dressed, intelligent, and
evidently we'll to do people. In
watching the parade of the High
School Regiment last week | noticed
one of the companies was command
ed by colored boy of perhaps six
teen, and I did not see a brighter,
better face among the whole crowd,
or a captain who managed his COM
pany better.
Speaking of Episcopal churches, 1
had occasion to attend, some little
time ago, ST. James Episcopal church
in Cambridge. The rector of st. James
is brilliant man. He is brother of
Lyman Abbott and left the Congrega-
tional denomination for the Episcopal
church nearly twenty years ago. He
has been at st. James some ten or
twelve years and done great work
there. He is man who has the cour-
age of his convictions, and l was par
ticularly interested in his sermon that
day, since it was upon the proper OBJ
servance of the Lords day. He took
the ground that any business was
wrong, even that which completed
what was left undone Saturday night,
and that it was wrong to make bust
ness engagement for Sunday with the
man who "could not meet you any
other day in the week" He depre
Gated the necessity for Sunday cars,
trains, and boats, but thought they
were sometimes necessary. Never
theless he would have every one who
used them remember that they were
making some one else work for them
and be as forebearing as possible. In
regard to amusements, he considered
decidedly iwrong the theater, Sunday
concert, and excursion, but he did adj
vocate opening libraries and picture
galleries He was aware that the lat
ter sentiment would cause him to be
criticised, but he took the ground de-
liberately and was prepared to stand
byit.
And apropos Of this, one can not
but notice the greater effort which is
being made every year, that if the
people will not come to the churches
to reach the people and influence