The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-07-18


and so finally to the minister
Would it be really good for you if the
woman God gave you should sue
coed in making pneumatic world
for you, in which you might grow
great by avoiding all the jars of life
Would it be good for the dying world
to which you are sent if you were
rolled up in cotton-b batting for six
days in the week and only unrolled
on the seventh day to preach the
Gospel?
The speaker who reused these
questions in our mind, referred in his
remarks to the excellent sermon
which had been delivered before the
club by one of their number in
the morning session, for which the
preacher apologized, saying that he
had only been able to begin it's pre-
paration two hours before coming to
the meeting, and that during that
time the doorbell rang four times, re-
curing his attention. The speaker
said: eff Mrs. M. had done her duty
| we should have had better sermon"
This was playfully spoken, however,
for the sermon had merited and re-
ceived hearty and unanimous praise
as being most practical, spiritual and
inspiring. May we not rather con-
clude that the ability of the preacher
to prepare and preach so good SER
mon in such an emergency was de-
veloped by the wise course pursued
by his helpmeet?
Let us visit in Imagination that
minister's home on the eventful morn
ing in question. At the breakfast
table Mr.. M. says to his wife: my
dear, what are your plans for the
morning; is it specially busy day for
you?"
Mrs. M. replies with smiling face:
swell, no, not unusually 80. l must
wash the dishes, of course, make the
beds and tidy up the house, get your
clothes, which you brought home
from your trip last night, ready for
the laundry, then l must see WHY'S
teacher about that little misunder-
standing yesterday, then Alice needs
to go to the dentist, and I must take
her-and you know l must prepare
the luncheon before I go out, 80 that
it will be ready for the children when
they come from school; for l have
wedding engagement at noon-you
remember Myrtle Smiths wedding
you wished me to attend, because you
could not be there. And OH yes,
that committee from the missionary
society that you wanted me to see
for you will be here at nine o'clock.
No, I'm not specially busy. Is there
anything can do for youa"
And Mr.. M. replies: "No thank
you," and retires in silence to the
study and the doorbell, "and the
Lord succored him" and gave him
good sermon that warmed his hear
ers' hearts and made them feel,
"Here is man and brother"
On his way out of the house he
meets Mrs. M. hurrying through the
hall with the baby on her arm, and
he says: "Can you get into the club
to hear my sermon? You know it is
Ladies Day"
And she replies brightly, stopping
to brush the inevitable speck from
his coat collar: 81 cannot promise,
but I'll try. Anyway you'll have a
good sermon and a good time" And
she succeeded, and came in just as
her husband rose to speak.
Now other men, not ministers, have
to meet the world; they face the
financial problem every day; they
and their wives tug together at the
yawning sends" and make them meet,
they wrestle with bores and bills,
they take their turn in walking with
the sick baby and buying the boys
shoes; and when the bottom falls
out in the domestic department they
know that the top must fall in, and,
like Hawthorne, they take the phasis
of cook or housekeeper with as much
dignity and grace as that of financier
or philosopher.
Is not this the finest picture of
Hawthorne that we possess-taken
from Mrs. Hawthorne's letter to her
mother?
"He rose betimes in the morning,
and kindled fires in the kitchen and
breakfast room, ard by the time /
came down the teakettle boiled, po-
tatoes were baked and rice cooked,
and my lord sat with book, super
intending.
st was a magnificent comedy to
watch him so ready and willing to
do these things to save me an effort,
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