Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-05-18


me that every word you said was true.
have learned to know these people, to
know something Of their courage, their
devotion, their generosity, their zest for
work. The hope OF the nation is here,
the hope Of the church, and all that is
needed Is men-men," he CRIED with
unexpected strength, who love God, who
love their fellows and who are willing
to come here and work for them and with
them until they both grow together into
the knowledge and into the stature Of the
Son Of Men. Not men broken as ! am"
He sank back in his chair exhausted
Neither man spoke for little time.
Presently the bishop, who had been
thinking deeply, broke the silence:
And SO you think you are failure,
do you, and that you have done nothing
for the West, do your You remember
your first confirmation class?"
my first confirmation classl" ex-
claimed the old man in surprise. why,
that must have been nearly so years ago!"
Yes, all Of that, 1 Think answered
the bishop.
Yes certainly recall IT.; in fact, 1
think 1 remember II more clearly than
any other which ever presented"
How many were in it?'' asked the
Bishop.
"One," answered the old man, smiling.
1T seems to me / began with a failure,
just as l am ending with one"
Tell mo something about him, or her,
that made up the class" said tile bishop.
We'll, sir, that was my first charge
I Ell W eSIBuo kIuo km 'sIql ldsox9
came out Of the seminary with all OF
the hopes and anticipations Of youth and
/ took charge Of that parish imagining
that / was going to effect a religious
revolution in that town. Presently the
bishop-old Bishop Griswold-named a
date for his first visitation, and / began
the preparation Of confirmation class.
/ was young then and enthusiastic and
interesting, l suppose, and lots of people
came to the church. / brought together
all the young people l could find--I be-
lieve 40 or 50-and ] labored with them
as l have never worked with anybody,
except during these last six months out
here. ! preached to them, reasoned with
them, read to them, discussed with them,
| prayed over them; 1t seems TO me that
all mortal man could do did ]
| thought was 10 have the most glorious
class to present 20 the bishop for con-
firmation that that town had ever seen.
Finally he came, and / could offer him
but one-jusu one solitary little girl! ]
| declare, bishop, my heart was almost
broken at this small result Of all my
labors, au thar little ending OF all my
hopes. 1t seemed to me that 1t fairly took
the heart out OF me for years. have had
large as anybody could expect in such. a
town. but never got over that sense OF
| impouent failure. You see. as / said, ]
began the way ! am ending"
do you remember what became OF
that little girl?" asked the bishop, quiet
ly. DO you remember anything about
her character. what she was?"
"She was a good little girl, a lovely
girl. as / recall, and babe fair to grow
| into a noble woman"
| do you remember whether she did OF
notY'
mo. She went West few years after
her confirmation. and / lost sight OF her
| can only say that while ] knew her she
lived up to the promise OF her confirma-
| tion."
Il can tell you something about her
my friend" said the bishop. "She did
| go West-or what was West In those
days; we call II East now-and she grew
/ up into womanhood- She built her charac-
ter upon the solid foundation which
| you had laid In her childhood. and she
pursued her course In that path wherein
you, under God, had planted her feet
| Presently she met a young man in the
city in which she lived-a young mar
who did not know whether he had a sou
to save or not and who would not have
| cared II he had known It; and the youns
returned his affection. She showed thai
young man his own soul. She led him
TO his Master, then she married him
| God called BIN to the ministry OF this
church. The call came through hel
SWEEP lips. She remained by him and
helped him as he studied to perfect him.
self for the work. and when he was or.
dained to the priesthood she stood by
him through days OF TOLL and struggle
while he fought his way upward. Friends
| said II was a miracle, but II was not; 4
was the grace OF God and a woman.
love. Presently God wanted a bishop fo
this great western field, and he took THU
and set him down and babe him work
Oh, my brother, my brother, he stands
before you today, and thanks you anC
blesses you for the work that you did n
that little maiden's heart in that littl,
eastern town.
The bishop paused; his voice had riser
as he had talked. but now 1t sank int,
sofuness again as he took up his stor!
once more. She's gone now, like you
own wife, and Of the children tina
blessed u.s. some are asleep and som,
are away, but am here, and God is will
me. Whatever / have done. whatever
shall do, has come from my association
with that little girl whom you brough
to Christ Never say again that YOU
|
done nothing in this world My friend
have you not learned that the failures o.
men are the successes OF God?"
The bishop sank down on his knee.
and rested his head upon the knee OF thu
other. The older man laid his hand upor
The bent gray head OF the bishop and
whispered a few words OF prayer and
benediction. Presently the bishop aross
and walked out Of the room. Like mos
men, he felt ashamed Of himself for hav.
ing given way to his emotion, and he
wished to get away until he could recover
his equipoise again. The old man was
left in the room alone. The rain hac
ceased. There was rift through the
gray cloud on the horizon; the light Of
the sun shone gloriously through inuC
the bare chamber 1t fell upon the
happy face of the old man in loving colder
touch. lord" he murmured, closing
his eyes, "now lettesu Thou Thy servant
depart in peace"-[Cyrus Townsend
Brady in The Outlook.
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