Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-03-29
Hepsey Burke
A Sister to David H0raA771
By F. N. Westcott

By F. N. Westcott
CHAPTER Xxx ~
MuaouIar Christianity

= SUI struggling 10 Ilnlsn sermon
~ Importance Of foreign missions.
afnari1y, the work would have been
kgsniL and easy for him, because
was an enthusiast in the matter
~ missionary work: but now for some
6son his thoughts were confused;
- enthusiasm was lacking, and his
IN dragged. He tried hard to pull
nself together, but over and over
ain the question kept repeating It.
~ In his tired brain: Why should
- church support foreign missions,
.NAils she let's her hard working cler.
~ at home suffer and half starve in
6sir old age, and even fails to give
Asm decent support while they are
t3oFling in their prime? why should
b Doctor reach his highest profession
u value at seventy. and parson be
DAst the dead line" at sorty-five?
nses hs was, subject to the caprice
I'D Ill will of sour and miserly Sen
~ Warden. and cowed and at least
partially "bossed" vestry-and he, the
SECTOR, with no practical power of ap-
D8al for the enforcement of his legal
eontract. It was only thanks to Jona-
,than jackson, the Junior Warden, that
ny revenue at all reached him; for
9ascom had used every grain Of in
Gusnce he possessed to reduce or stop
NAIwell's salary. Mrs. Betty, plucky
and CHEEKY though she was, already
moved the results of the weary strug-
de: It was not the work that took the
color from her cheeks and the fresh
Aess from her face, but the worry incl
dental to causes which, in any other
calling in life but his, would be re-
movable.
Already he had parted with con-
siderable number of his books to exc
out, and meet the many calls upon
htm-urgent and insistent calls. 1t be-
came abundantly clear, as his mind
strayed from the manuscript before
him and turned to their immediate
situation. that he was already forced
10 choose between two alternatives:
either he must give up, and own him
self and all the better influences In
the place beaten by Bascom and his
satellites; or he must find some means
OF augmenting his means of living,
to be monopolized to the neglect of
essential parish and church duties.
AS he thought on these things,
somehow his enthusiasm for foreign
missions ebbed away, and left him
desperately tired and worried. He
made several abortive attempts to
put some fire into his missionary plea,
but 1t was useless; and he was about
20 give up when he heard Mrs. Betty's
gentle voice inQuiring from the next
room:
MAY I come In? Haven't you fin
ished that wretched old missionary
sermon YETI"
mo dear. but why aren't you
asleep?"
II have been anxious about you.
You are worn out and you need your
rest. Now Just let the heather rage,
and go to bed"
Maxwell made no reply, but picked
at his manuscript aimlessly with his
pen. Betty looked into his face, and
then the whole stress of the situation
pierced her; and sitting down by his
side she dropped her head on his
shoulder and with one arm around his
neck stroked his cheek with her fin
gers. For few moments neither of
them spoke; and then Maxwell said
quietly: v-,..s,. s5.
Betty, love, am going to work"
'But Donny you are one Of the hard
est working men in this town. What
do you mean?'
"Oh, l mean that I'm going to find
secular work, the work of a day labor
or, IL necessary. Matters have come
I'd crisis, and simply cannot stand
this sort of thing any longer. II l were
alone / might get along; but / have
you, sweetheart, and"
Maxwell stopped suddenly and the
brave little woman at his side said:
Eyes, l know all about it Donald,
end / think you are fully justified in
doing anything you think best"
''And you wouldn't feel ashamed of
me il handled shovel or dug in the
street,"
'Td be the proudest woman in town,
Donny; you are just your fine dear
self, whatever you do; and II you have
the courage to put your pride In your
pocket and work in oyeralls, that
would make you all the finer to me.
Manual work would relieve the ten.
sions of your nerves. You seem to be
IN fairly good physical condition. Don't
you worry one bit about me. j am go
Sng to wash some lace curtains for
Mrs. Roscoe Jones. and that will keep
me out of mischief. Now. II you will
allow me, am going to tear up that
sermon on foreign missions. and start
q little home mission of my own by
sending you to bed"
The aecond morning after this ruth
less destruction of MayWell's eloauent