Middletown transcript., 1896-11-07

: certain to elude you. ssSomebody told''
/ everybody; and it would seem that the
whole community, suddenly and mys-
, teriously conscious Of the damaging
, rumors. had turned and impaired them
to his neighbor.
u The Church of Our Savior, and in
, fact all Fairview, were in the tolls of
, another sensation. The substance of
, the agitating report was that DIR. Clar-
ence Whitney had wife whom he had
left at Silyerton over a year ago; and
J that he had received a clandestine visit
from a strange young woman who had
only stopped in the town for one
hour.
| 1t had spread far beyond the parish
house parlors. 1t lived no longer in
the low-toned condolences between yes.
trymen. 1t had become The theme for
jest in the office and the mart. The
corner cigar store was headquarters for
the latest flying reports. Stories null
| tiplied. Extravagancies increased
every day.
| Christ of sorrowing msrcyl In silent
anguish there were true hearts wrung
as His work languished in the church
that had been consecrated with His
holy name. Week by week the un-
happy state grew worse. Sides were
taken. Bitterness sprang NY between
lifelong friends. The lines were drawn
between factions. Pews that had been
the Inheritance of one generation from
another were vacant, even at the
monthly choral celebration of the
Holy Communion. Women who had
voted the social functions of the viii
lage decidedly stupid, now discovered
a new interest, and calls were made
and returned with punctuality that
would simply have charmed the digni-
taries who set up to be authority on
such matters.
And keen eyes at the windows in
the neighborhood kept faithful watch
upon that little door leading to the rec
tors study for hours, to see If per-
chance that strange young woman
should be drawn thither again.
Strangely enough, the rector, to all
appearances, did not become aware of
the brewing storm until it reached its
height. How it come to him none ever
knew. All, there we're brave vestry-
men who now could 90 to him and de-
mand an explanation Of the matter,
who could point Quito him the serious
consequences-according to their de-
clarations to their wives or in each
others offices when there was no dam
ger that the rector would drop in un-
awares. But alone with him, in the
presence of the calm, questioning,
waiting eyes something held the words
back, and the demand and the warning
were not given utterance.
But what of him-the subject of all
Fairview's comments, and the object
Of all Fairvisw's interest as he walked
along the streets2
The furrows were plowed deeper in
his high white brow. The silver came
thicker that sprinkled his hair. Un-
consciously he impaired a pathos to
his sermons. Yet with unshaken self |
possession and the old, familiar, priest
ly dignity, he led the congregation to |
the Throne of the Heavenly Grace Sum
day by Sunday.
Priestly hearts are human; and to the |
human heart even in its most exalted |
state Of spirituality-spirituality at
tanned by long, discouraging self-abne-
CATION. tedious strife with the flesh,
suffering's refining 6res-comes sub
tie, unconscious pride. 1t was so with
that sturdy old apostle of God, Paul,
who, withstanding Imprisonment, dis
grace, hunger and shipwreck, in his
unwavering faith, could not refrain
from reminding the saints at Philippi
that he knew both how to be abased
and how to abound, to be full and be
hungry, and to suffer need.
SWeeter is that pride when it deems
all around unworthy Of its condolences.
Hugging its burden closer. it smiles in
scorn Of lower spirits who cannot
know its weight, who cannot see its
CALLING wounds. i
In such mood the rector sat at a win
dow of his lonely lodge, and looked alb
sently over the scene adown the street.
through the twilight of an early sum-
mer evening. The midweek evening
song, which exhaustion of mind and
body had compelled him to entrust to
the lay-reader, was in progress at the
Church of Our Savior. The
stained glass glowed softly with the
bright illumination within, and family
the organ strains were borne upon the
evening zephyrs. Even then came with
it in the sweetness of voices blended
far away, the old familiar hymn:
star, Ear away like bells at evening pealing,
The voice of Jesus sounds DER land and sea,
And laden souls by thousands meekly steal
ing,
Kind Shepherd .urn thy weary steps to
Thee"
He listened with bowed head, and
then the pent up grief of weeks burst
forth, and burying his face in his arms,
be sobbed like child. |,
4
Another week passed and the vestry
inally decided to take steps in the
matter, and accordingly met in the ves-
.ry room after the Wednesday eve-
ming service. The meeting was