The San Francisco call., 1897-07-04

luxuries, suited to women and children.
What would have been thought OF Deacon
Olmstead and Granther Baldwin had
they yielded to the weakness of foot
stove?
"The age OF comfortable meeting g houses
and churches in country towns was sub
sequent to this, some twenty or thirty
years. All improvement is gradual and
frequently advances only by conflict vi n
prejudice and victory over opposition. In
certain country town within my knowl-
edge, the introduction OF stoves into the
meeting house, about the year 1880,
threatened to overturn society. The incl
,, dent may be worth detailing, for
| trhe often throw light upon inn
porlant subjects. In this case, the
metropolis, which we will call H,
had adopted stoves in the churches, and,
| naturally enough, some people OF tho
| ni,hboiing town OF E set about in
PRODUCING this custom into the meeting
house in their own village. Now, the two
master spirits of society-the demon OF
progress and the angel of conservatism
| somehow or other had got into the place,
and as oon as this reform was suggested
they began 10 wrestle with the people
un,il at last the church and society were
divided into two violent factions, the stove
party and the anti-slove party.
''At the head of the first was Mrs. Deacon
K, and at the head of the latter was Mrs.
Deacon P. The battle ragged portentously,
very much like the crowned tempest in
tea pot. Society was indeed lashed into
foam. The minister, between the con-
tending factions. scarcely dared to say his
soul was his own. He could scar cely find
text from Genesis 10 Jude that might
not com nit him on one side or the other.
The strife, OF course, ran into politics, and
the representative to the Assembly got in
By happy knack at lodging the question
in such wise as 10 be clai med by both par
ties.
FINALLY the progressionists prevailed
the stove party triumphed, and the stoves
were accordingly installed. Great was the
humiliation of the anti stoveites; never
theless, they concluded to be submissive
10 the disponsation of providence. On
the Sa abbath succeeding the installation of
stoves. Mrs. Deacon P. instead OF staying
away, did as she ought and went TO church.
AS she moved up the broad aisle, it was
remarked that she looked pale but calm,as
struggling to forgive. Nevertheless, when
the minister named his text Romans ii:20
and spoke about heaping Goals of fire on the
head, she slid from the seat and subsided
gently upon the floor. The train OF ideas
suggested was, in fact, too much for her
heated brain and shattered nerves. There
was rush to her pew and the faintIng
lady was taken out. When she came TO
the air she revived.
pray what is the matter'" said Mrs.
Deacon K, who bent over her, holding q
smelling bottle to her nose.
"'Oh, it is the heat of those awful
stoves" said Mrs. Deacon P.
"'No, no. my dear. said Mrs. Deacon K,
that cah't be; its warm day, you know,
and there's no fire in Them
"'No fire in the stoves, said Mrs. Dea-
con P
"'Not particle, said Mrs. Deacon K.
"'Well, 1 feel better, said the poor lady.
And SO, bidding her friends good-by, she
went home in n amer suited to the oc-
casion." "-Eyangelisu.
Observing BARRIERS declare th at men with