The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-25
Brown S Altered Viewpoint
A Story of a Man Who Delayed Too Long

IT want to introduce you to Mrs
Brown
1t was after a Sunday morning ser
vice. The speaker was one Of those
helpful women OF the congregation
who do not forget that strangers
spiritual impression from the worship
is often warmed to a sustaining heat
by friendly greeting from a nearby
pew neighbor. BY her side was a
young lady with her little golden
haired girl. l shook hands with Mrs.
Brown and learned that she was a
newcomer TO the city who had at
tended our church before. AS we said
good morning, after little chat, !
carried away from the brief CONVEX
sation the impressions OF rare at
Effectiveness and charm.
When the opportunity offered, Mrs.
Brown attended a meeting Of the Wo-
mans society and evinced a real de-
sire to be friendly. AS / started to
make my call, therefore, ! had the
pleasant anticipation of finding a
home where an interest in the church
was already present. So far as the
wife was concerned. I was not disap-
pointed. 1t was quite clear in a few
moments conversation that she had
been accustomed to look to the
church for help in her life. and in
turn had given herself in various ways
Of service to its welfare. ] did not
see Mr.. Brown. but / received SO cor
dial an invitation to call some even
ing when he would be at home that
/ gladly promised to do so.
I expected to find. as I did discover,
a good looking, clean-cut, capable.
| pleasant spoken young man. provid-
! ing we'll for his family, a considerable,
I Il
would not ask for a better companion
with whom to go off on a yachting
cruise or play eighteen holes at golf.
( Before leaving I brought our CONVEX
/ sation around to the church and told
/ him we wished he would keep Mrs.
Brown company in the good her COM
| ing had done us.
oh" he said jokingly, my wife
has the religion for us both. But
I tell you how II is" he went on to
say with more seriousness. II work
pretty hard all the week and Sunday
1 take off. / rarely go out in the
morning. 1t is the only day / can
take things easily and I rather feel ]
am entitled to the time for myself"
| The contention he made has been
answered so many times It Is easy
enough to refute it with logic. ]
knew however, that merely to defeat
port. So l merely said
| Il think there's something to be said
on the other side. Sometime I'd like
to talk it over further. But we'll
count on seeing you occasionally, at
any rate"
About a month later 7 met him
one morning going into the city and
had another delightful chat. Just be-
fore we separated in New York he
said, heartily:
Mrs. Brown certainly enjoys the
people at the church. They have been
very kind. She was greatly attached
to her old church and / did not know
as she would ever feel contented else
where. But l really think she feels
quite at home in your church"
l told him how glad l was to know
this. There was only opportunity to
add:
I'VE are counting on having you
come in and help u.s. too
He laughed good-naturedly.
I'm no good at that game, you
know; but I'm coming round to see
you some day, just the same"
1t was some weeks after this that
had occasion to go to New England
and took the Fall River steamer.
After the boat had swung around the
end OF Manhattan and slipped under
the four great bridges upon which the
traffic of five millions GIBBS and flows
in ceaseless tides, / walked around
the decks looking for possible ac-
quaintance on board. My reward was
Brown, comfortably ensconced in the
lee Of the upper decks saloon. AS
twilight deepened into night we went
below for dinner. Finally. having
cided the bright moonlight. despite
the cold. was too good to be resisted
and we settled down again, sheltered
from the wind in our former nook.
At length Brown opened up the
subject about which had hoped he
would feel inclined to speak.
II expect you think I'm a pretty
poor Christian" he said, land I don't
do much for the church, that's fact.
But as 1 told you once, Sunday Is the
only day I have to myself. Then,
moreover. II you won't mind my say
ing so. II man goes around to a
church much he is pretty sure to get
stuck for a subscription to the church
benevolences. One evening when !
met him at social affair he said to
me, with humorous glance at his
wife:
Don't you think I am standing
the racket pretty well? / find ! have
gained five pounds this fall despite
my labors in getting to church Sunday
mornings. When we get chance"
he went on, II want to talk with you
about some things that have puzzled
me-"
We'll do that soon."I said.
But We were not destined to have
this talk together as we had planned
1t. A week later, answering a call to
the phone, l. found Brown on the
other end of the wire.
Are you very busy this evening ?"
he asked. Not at ALL" said. know
ing by the tone of his voice that some
thing had happensd..
Gould you drop around for 4 MIG