The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-06-27


and who can play the violin (hea
ven save the mark), and now she led
the chorus of little angels, or chill
dren which comes to the same, and
her exuberant, jubilant heart felt SO
buoyant that she almost laughed
from sheer joyousness on this auspi
cious, gladstone day. Her monstrous
balloonsleeves were not the outcome
of fashion, but merely the repository
of pair of wings with which she
may fly away anytime, an angel or
fairy. A small tot of boy, some
what belated, walked Up to the altar
with his cap on. She managed to
draw his attention to her, and with
the sheer magic of her bewitching
smile she doffed the cap of that little
lad. How easy it would be to obey
if the rebuke always were wrapt up
in a smile.
There was only 'sermonette" to-
day. The children recited poems in
praise of the vernal and summer sea-
sons, instead [ could not catch much
of what the little white-clad darlings
said, for, being bashful young old
man, l had naturally taken a back
seat, but the angel-whisper of one lit
tie babe just reached me in one line
the gist of all sermons, for young
or old: eff we only have clear con-
science"
At one little girl the quivering au-
dience laughed. l say "quivering,"
for they were all on tiptoe of expec-
tation to hear how their several little
pets would deliver their poetical mes
sages from Damsel June; laughed, l
say, or Uttered, as the wee thing re-
lated how she had fallen off a chair,
and the little darling said: Sand
why did l not laugh? Because l was
the one that FELL" May she never
fall again from her high and noble
pedestal of pure and innocent child
is the parental wish of loving child
friend.
Then there was one little truant,
who in true American spirit of indie
pendence had absented herself, and
to the inquiry if she may not still
come, her venerable grandpa gave an
equally characteristic American la
comic reply: 81 guess Aot."
The smallest, sweetest reciter of
floral verse was little girl of per-
haps three summers, who lisped forth
something that l could only trans
late as the faint fragrance of the
water-lily. which lay just above her
head, and in her white, one-founced
frock she just looked as if the water
lily had expanded into the shape of
the little girl, and was awhispering
her innermost thoughts to the be-
witched auditors.
One little girl, in white raiment, the
timidest of all, ascended to the altar
and was expected to say her piece
but 10 and behold, she had nothing
to say; her welcomed lesson was all
a blank to her, and / ruminated to
myself how young, errant soul
would arrive at the throne of God,
and with uplifted, pleading eyes ex-
press: "Lord God, have forgotten
all your precepts, and have nothing
to say for myself; l only rely upon
your grace"
And the little culprit was gently
led away by the ministering official,
and told she would be called next
time, next Children's Sunday; and 1
began specializing upon the possi-
bility of re-incarnation for those who
had totally lost their opportunity in
life.
Tears came into my eyes, for the
first time these many years, when the
minister with earnest spirit invoked
the blessings of heaven on the two
recipients of baptismal communion
in Christ. Fold ye all your hands
in fervent prayer, as sponsors to that
holy act.
We are all creatures of circum.
stances,-our surroundings impress
upon us their character. Who, then,
can sojourn in this most lovely ar
boreal resort in America, and help
becoming a day-dreamer, philoso-
pher,-a Christian philosopher
ALBERT ALBERG.
CHICAGO, June IS.