Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-02-06
speclal correspondence Of Evory Eveninr

OF st. Anthony over and over again
A saint and woman, and the woman
is backed by the devil, and the saint
we'll, not la Kipling indeed, no, it is
the same story. IL was told about st.
Anthony this story, long, long ago;
and then, in away, Hawthorne told
it in the "Scarlet Letter." and then
more modern novelist told it again.
but not quite in the same way, mas
much as ii was the saint and not the
syTen, who did the tempting. But now
"a modern dramatist puts it upon the
stage and audiences are Mortified or
pleased, wearied or delighted. But no.
body seems to realize that some part OF
the same story is being told every day
When woman was made, an experiment
had already been tried on man and
subtlety was left out of his compost
tion. In the creation of woman it was
not omitted. From the very first she
hae what might be called little ways
of her own, and these little ways wcre
approved of and increased by her close
acquaintanceship with the serpent.
WOMEN BEFORE cLERGYMEN.
Too often, and | am woman who
says it, religion in woman is hysterical
and dramatic; consequently, in ap-
preaching clergyman, nine times
out Of ten she looks for a certain
amount of spiritual enjoyment. She
joys in laying bare her heart to him,
she feels keen delight in telling of
her sins, and lingering over them as IL
they were virtues, and, | will give her
the benefit of the doubt, she forgets
that this Clergyman is man as well
as a priest. Ii she is dainty, sympa-
thetic, charming to look upon. and of
that mysterious age which gives her
the privilege of speaking little more
plainly than girl would, she becomes
firebrand that touches not only the
soul, but the heart Of the man who
meets her. Take the man in the play.
lie is High Churchman who fasts rig
orously, who is stern and cold severe,
and really more than bitter with the
sinner. Most people are who have never
been tempted. He forces an unhappy
girl to confess her weakness before the
whole congregation. Then there comes
to his life woman, hard of heart and
sweet OF face; charming in manner and
ftippant of speech; exquisite in dress,
and with all the dainty touches that
individualize woman, such as sweet
perfume, about her
HE CLAIMS 1T WAS FATE
that threw this woman into his arms,
that made him realize that he was a
man and not spirit, and then, poor,
conceited wretch, he thought he did
penance for his sin when he got up
before the congregation and told them
that he was the greatest sinner among
them, but, like David, he had fallen,
and that he asked their prayers
Where was the. .dramatist's skill? Or
Ii1 Dh nIl - H.
being stupid? That wasn't penance
for that man. You and know that
once we talk thing over we feel
better. 1t was a magnificent exhibi.
tlon OF the vanity ot clergyman. If,
instead Of getting up in the congrega-
tion and speaking his little speech, IN
which he compared himself to David
he had kept quiet with his sin ever
before him, fed the hungry, warmed
the cold, cared for the sick. and made
his life the penance for his sin, il
would have amounted to something.
But no, with his magnificent VANITY.
he takes it for granted that all The
world, or all his world, is interested in
his sin. My dear friend, generalizinp,
the world doesn't care about our sins
unless they happen to be the kind thai
are considered bad form. There are
only two people interested in oul
temptations and our falling or our re.
slstlng, and these are God and Satan.
The sum and substance of it all was,
that this melo. dramatic clergyman,
VINO, to the very last, says the only hap
plness he ever had was when lie was
SHINING, simply gave to his copgrcpa.
tion a sort OF gossip, kind Of cxag
gerated essay, with himself as the hero
and hla c "a ,hfaf l..
nobody was the better for it. Ht
shamed the church to which he be
longed; he shamed the father whose
name he bore, and he did nobody an,
good. The best expression of penanc,
is good works.
My dear good woman, Just remember
that
ThE CLERGYMAN WITH WHOM you FLTRT
spiritually, is physically, man, anf
the toss of the hand, the droopinr q
the eyelid, tho quIver of the lin anr
the whole dainty get up is as attfac
tive 70 him as il is TO any other man
and his temptations are three time
AS great because you make them SO, 1
you ieel that you must tell a clergyman
your sins do it with i chaper0ne, TIL
lovely library with its stained pIas
windows, the rows Of beautiful hook
whose bindings tend To make sof
framing to the pictures the tabln cover
Ell with religious books and with re
liglous symbols, the prie dieu, the gof
carpet which sends forth no sound Al
the clergyman approaches YOU. Al
tend TO what might be called al
aesthetic penitence on your part. Tn,
place ism cold it ia warm. The fra
GRANGE OF flowers is in the room, ant
you feel how good thing it IS 10 n
sinner Then You tell this man o
the SINS on your soul You dilate q,
your temptations. You quote from
your fayorite authors, you whisner 4
the woman or the man whose eifee
upon you Is least good, and YOU O
away ieellng yourself saint. Th0ugl
you remember that Reverend iced Pur
PIE pressed your hand in such a
expressive way when you left! An
there ls pleasant smile abou
your lips ana You feel sure that th
pressure OF the hand was from The ma
and not from the priest. paseibiv ~
next time or the acxt time he riyos vn,
special blessing which inclnaca i i,ia
ON your forehead, and then well tber
IS another story But YOU see hoe
begins. IL would be a good ilrn
yau would remember that. whiIe NJ
Magdalene confessed 10 Christ apd "a
forgiven, there is nothing told af bn
going around the world announcing ha
SINS and dwelling on tic quality j
lhem from tue various churches.
WHEN PETEE FrLts
he went out alone and wept bitterly II
may nave Fepented IN sarEcaih. Iii
he rought out his salvation in 600