Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-01
Is II Abandoned BY City Christians al
WatefinS.PlaceS?
AT THE COUNTRY CHURCHES.
A Very smnll Percentage Of yisN-
tors in Attendnnce-What MANN !
Does and What She Ought to Do :
Sabbath Days.

1t does not matter whether. as at New
port. where the Vanderbilts fight out
| their high-caste quarrel, or at Long
Branch, where the Astors and Calvin
| Brices hobnob In Partisan gowns. What
I mean is the place where people gather
for their summer outing. Be IT water
Ing place." or modest country boarding
house. somewhere in its vicinity there Is
a church. Unless the place is very small
there may be several churches. Some
times In more pretentious resorts denomi-
national pride puts up splendid edifices
"for the accommodation Of the summer
guests" 1t is all right about the
churches-one or more-they are there.
How about the people? IL is 10 the neg
Letters OF these churches. those who.
leaving their own houses OF worship In
distant cities. habitually absent them
selves from attendance at any other, that
some one should say word, very likely
to fall upon ears as deaf as the Venus
of Milo's. The trouble with summer-visit-
Ing Christians Is not that they leave their
religion at home-perhaps they have not
very much-but what they do IS 10 give
up the church-going habit For all EVIL
oence to the contrary most Of our sum
mer-hotel guests might Just as well be-
heve In the ancient Druids. or be follow
ers OF Mohammed. as reputable Method
ISIS. Baptists, Epscopaians, &c.
PERHAPS A REST UP"
One is tempted to ask: Is church
service In towns so onerou. that mem.
bers In good standing and full fellow
snip. Should entirely abstain from
church-going while they rest I'D for
three months In each year? And II II
were. is not this a gain OF physical. to
the detriment OF Spiritual health? The
average distance Of country chapels and
churches OF different denominations would
rareIy exceed two miles in any locality.
Within radius Of five miles from our
mountain hamlet are as many houses.
sacred 10 the worship Of God. In each Of
these there has been this summer ASSOC
Citations. protracted meetings, Endeavor
societies, and the regular Sabbath-day
service. With count OF over two hun
dred guests at the hotels how many OF
these have mingled In song or prayer
with the country brethren? One perfect
day just eight were counted, and on
another occasion ten. while the
stay-aways were grouped by families
Where the father and mother set an
example. children follow. and so the sum-
mer visitors stroll out among the
rocks or Toll on shady piazzas. But
they are devotees to public sentiment
The pretty hymnal or gold-clasped prayer
book travel with my young belle-she
would not feel safe without-and repose
among the dainty laces in her trunk
tray. often. too often, TO 60 back as they
came-unopened.
THE STAY-AvAYS.
Mamma, for whom time IS mar
rowing in its limits. compromises
with conscience and out under the
spreading trees she takes her Tes-
lament. and devoutly reads a chapter
or two, and really feels and appreciates
what she reads. But right down the
winding road, not very far away. is the
little mountain church. TO which she
might go and contribute OF her means,
or, better yet, perhaps aid some toll
worn country sister with cheering word
one often hears city folks, when they
are in the mountains. talk romantically
about "worshipping God in natures tenn
pie" or Of having looked from nature
unto natures God"-pretty phrases. en-
phonic and euphemistlc: but they are
not religion. Rhetoric. however. resorted
TO or dexterously all!terated, never yet
condoned a neglect . or saved a soul.
Country people. especially country wo-
men, dearly like the little glimpse Of city
brightness which comes with the at
tendance Of city boarders "a the coun-
try churches, and would gladly fraternize
IL met with the spontaneity of Christian
womanhood.
TAKES HIS REST
1t is in this ianguid quiet OF late August.
when the corn is "laid by and the stub
bic stands thick In the shorn wheat-ilelds.
when the thrcshing- has gone It's
g. to or
and left its wealth OF grain In the last
big barn, that the busy husbandman takes
his rest. 1t is the resting spell Of nature.
and tn. good old farmers make a Sab
bath of each day. II is at this time tina.
"big meetings are usually held. City
Christians. you can help them out. While
you are gaining health by the still wa
tiers and green pastures" get in draught
OF pure old-fashioned religion. 1t Will do
you lots OF good
PRESBYTERY MEETING.
The West Hanover Presbytery met at
Lebanon church Tuesday night at o'clock
and closed Friday. There was a full at
tendance Of delegates and large congrega-
tons. Ample arrangements had been
made by the ladies' Committee. and VS.
tors were elegantly and Hospitality enter
tanned. Among the elders was a native
Persian. whose sermons and appearance
added very much TO the interest OF the
meeting.
Colonel III. c. Marrow. OF Hampton. who
has been recuperating ut Mr.. Critters. re-
turned home Wednesday.
Lieutenant ii. kmmell OF the United
States navy, and family will spend the
remainder of the season in the mountains.
Mrs. JAMES Heron. of birmingham.
Ala, returned South Thursday.
X ell4m of Atlanta
Ga, is visiting her sister. Mrs. L. II.
Mays, near Alton.
Mr. William Mills. OF Baltimore. is the
guest Of his sister. Mrs. G. w. Goodloe.
Rev. J. Il. Hawthorne and wife left for
Atlanta Friday.
Miss Helen h. Hays and cousin, Miss
BERTHE Goodwin, left to-day for the Green
Springs. Louisa county.
FOX-CHASE.
a lot of well-known fox-hunters gath
cred Thursday morning at 'The Alton"
for a chase. The fox was turned loose.
and given twenty minutes start. Among
the riders were DR.. Hawthorne. Z. w.
Goodloe Mr.. Freed. Of Waynesboro': II.
X. Hawthorne. J. X. Goodloe. Mrs. J. j.
McHenry, Miss Irene Wright. and Miss
Mary Goodloe. All the participants were
well up at the finish. and the run was q
pretty one.
Messrs. Zeke Hall. William Grayson
Goodloe. and J. S. Hays. Jr. went down
by the sea- with the Masonic excursion
from Charlottesville TO Old Point Tuesday.
CHARLES CITY COUNTY.
Hot and Dry-Damagc to the Corn
Crop-Partrldges and Turkeys.
pINN9 HALL VA, August U-(Spe-