The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-01-18

pe1ng planned Then the man OF the
house came forward and said to the
stranger: stranger. We are a rough
and rude people out here. and we work
hard for living We make orr living
by hunting, and when we come to the
nightfall we are tired and we are apt
to 90 to bed early and before retiring
We are always in the habit of reading a
chapter from the word of God and max
ing prayer If you don't like such
things, if you will just step outside the
door until we get through Ill be great
ly obliged to you" Of course the
stranger tarried in the room. and the
old hunter took hold of the horns of the
altar ard brought down the blessing of
God upon his household and upon the
stranger within their gates. Rude but
glorious Christian hospitality!
Woman's Sympathy.
Again. this woman of my text was
great in her kindness toward Gods
messenger Elisha may have been a
stranger in that household. but as she
found out he had come on a divine mis-
sion he was cordially welcomed We
have a great many books in our day
about the hardships of ministers and
the trials of Christian ministers. wish
somebody woulG write book about the
JOYS of the Christian minister, about
the sympathies all around about him,
about the kindness, about the genial
considerations of him. Does sorrow
come to our home. and is there a shadow
On the cradle. there are hundreds Of
hands to help and many who weary not
through the night watching and hun
dreds of prayers going up that God
would restore the sick. Is there burn
ing. brimming cup of calamity placed
on the pastors table. are there not
many to help him drink of that cup and
who will not be comforted because he
is strickenI Oh, for somebody to write
a book about the rewards Of the Chris
tan ministry-about his surroundings
of Christian sympathy!
This woman of the text was only a
type of thousands Of men and women
who come down from mansion and from
cot to do kindness to the Lord S serv-
ants conld tell you of something that
you might think a romance young
man graduated from New Brunswick
Theological seminary was called to Il
village church He had not the means
to furnish the parsonage After three
or four weeks of preaching committee
of the officers of the church waited on
him and told him he looked tired and
thought he had better take vacation
of few days. The young pastor took
it as an intimation that his work was
done or not acceptable. He took the va
cation. and at the end Of a few days
came back. when an old elder said
Here is the key of the parsonage. We
have been cleaning it up You had bet
ter go up and look at it. y So the young
pastor took the key. went up to the par
sonage, opened the door, and 10, it was
carpeted. and there was the hatrach all
ready for the canes and the umbrellas
and the overcoats, and on the left hand
of the hall was the parlor, sofaed.
chaired, pictured He passed on to the
other side Of the hall. and there was
the study table in the center of the floor
with stationery upon it, bookshelves
built. long ranges of new volumes, far
beyond the reach of the means Of the
young pastor, many OF these volumes.
The young pastor went up stairs and
found all the sleeping apartments fur
nished, came down stairs and entered
the pantry, and there were the spices.
and the coffces, and the sugars, and the
groceries for six months. He went down
into the cellar, and there was the coal
for all the coming winter. He went into
the dining hall. and there was the table
already set-the glass and the silver
ware. He went into the kitchen, and
there were all the culinary implements
and a great stove. The young pastor
lifted one lid Of the stove, and he found
the fuel all ready for ignition. Putting
back the cover of the stove, he saw in
another part Of it a lucifer match, and
all that young man had to do in start
ing to keep house was to strike the
match. You tell me that is apocryphal
Oh. no. that was my own experience
Oh, the kindnesses, oh. the enlarged
sympathies sometimes clustered around
those who enter the gospel ministry
suppose the man of Shunem had to pay
the bills. but it was the large hearted
Christian. symnathies Of thu. woman OF