Evening journal., 1911-11-04
SUNDAY COMPANY
BY The REV. R. |. JACKSON

In the exercise of my pastoral Office
II Is my duty from time TO time TO
ask some of my parishoners why I
have not seen them at church To
this question a great variety OF an
swers is given, but one of the most
frequent is Company" In many in
stances it is given with such a sig
nliicant sigh that I surmise that the
company is not always Of their own
election, but that it partakes of the
character os gross imposition upon
their hospitality. In view of this as
we'll as the fact that it operates to
keep the host and hostess from
church, feel moved to address a few
expostulatory words TO the guilty par
ties. I shall endeavor TO make them
as gentle and considerate as | can so
that If any of my long suffering read
ers have relatives or friends. who
could profit by what | have TO say
they can safely mail them a marked
copy Of this paper ] should be very
sorry 10 cause a GOODNESS to arise
between msn and his wife's relations
or to be the means Of causing grand
father and grandmother to think they
were not wanted. What j desire is &c
make them realize that they and
everybody else related and unrelated
are not wanted every Sunday in the
year, that there are Sundays when
their friends desire 20 be alone
Sunday should be a day OF rest.
When a half q dozen o. you swoop
down upon n man and a woman wnc
have worked hard all the week. and
register for dinner and supper in the
face of the painful fact that the wo-
man has no maid. you are guilty of
cruelty TO your kind. They may be
honestly glad to see you. but there
are Sundays when your photographs
would answer just as we'll. Sunday
should be a day of worship. You
may belong TO the big church that
holds no meetings and therefore feel
free to sally forth of a Sunday morn
ing 10 gladden. your friends with your
II presence. They being like many
others give up going to church en-
Sc icing you enter the house. I wish
they we're as some Of my parishoners
who never permit their Sunday COM
pany TO keep them at home, but who
come themselves and bring their com-
> pany also. hope that when you get
new set Of friends they will be of
this character.
In conclusion, allow me TO say that
it Is barely possible that you over
estimate the worth Of your society II
may be that you imagine you are
more interesting aud inspiring than
you really are. I hope it is not the
case but there is a possibility that IT
is. Permit mo 10 say that If your con-
yersstion is OF the small gossipy va
riety that Is so commonly current
then you need not fstter yourselves
that you have made II worth while for
same already overworked woman &c
hang over A hot stove a good part of
the Lords day in order to give you q
big steaming meal.
Would il not be a good idea to look
this whole business Of camping down
on your friends all day Sunday fairly
+, and squarely in the face with a view
10 ascertaining the honest effect of
. It upon both yourselves and them? 7
do not say stay away habituauy. not
at all But let the-e be a little more
! rarity about your visits. and when
you venture forth. let il be with the
purpose to make your presence SO
stimulating and inspiring that the
days high value VIII be greatly en-
HANGED TO both yourselves and your
host and hostess.