The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-12-25

To this she responded merely with
= shrug. Perhaps the bishop suspect.
ID that such n calm confidence In
the future indicated more or less
definite plans. for he gave her n
eArewd and searching look. but there
was nothing to be said. The lovely
lady continued 20 stare at the soft
turf with unsmiline eyes. and the
clergyman could only watch her In
puzzled silence.
after ALL" Rachael said. present
~. giving him rueful glance. what
orc the statistics! One marriage In
1s fails-falis openly. mcan-tor,
pe course. there are hundreds that
cDn't get that far. Sixty thousand
Inst year,
sIf those are the statistics" said
tho bishop, warmly. 1T is a Disgrace
20 a Christian country
But YOU don't call this Christian
country" Rachael said. perversely.
1T Is supposedly so" the clergy
man asserted.
supposedly Christian" she unused.
sand yet one marriage out OF every IL
ENDS In divorce. and you Christians
well. you don't cut usl We may
not keep holy the Sabbath day. we
II may not honor our fathers and moth
ers. we may envy. our neighbours
Foods. yes. and his wife. II we like.
but still--you don't refuse to come
% our houses
II don't know you In this mood.
mid Bishop Thomas. coldiy.
"Cali II Neroisrn. or Commonscns-
orn. or Modernism. or anything you
!" Rachael said. with sudden FIRE.
FIT while you go on calling what
you profess Christianity. Bishop. you
nmpiy subscribe to an untruth- You
know what our lives are. myself and
Arforence and Gardner and Clarence:
a there a comma ndmeent we don't
break ali day long and every dayT
Do we give our coats away. do we
/. POSSESS neither silver nor gold In our
purses. DO We love our nclghbors1
Why don't you denouncs nsg Why
don't you shun the women in your
parish who won't have children an
murierersg Why don't you brand
npme OF tho men who come to your
church--men whose business methods
700 know. and I know. and all the
world knows---as thieves
And What would my branding
them as murdercrs and thieves
avaiIY" asked the bishop. actually
Nttie pale now. and rising to face
her as she rose. Arc We to judge
cur felIowmen7-
I'm not" Rachael said. suddenly
weary. but should think you
might. II would be at least refresh
ing TO have you. or some one. demon
.oernte what Christianity L. II would
- good for our souls. Instead" she
ADDED bitterly, instead. you select
~ne little thing here. and one little
LINZ there. and putter. and tinker
~ temporixe. and gloss over. and
Md big churches. with mortgages
ana taxes and Insurance to pay. In
The name OF Christianity II J were
IfttIe Annie Smith. down In the VII
1hge here. I could get a divorce for
as, and you would never hear OF H..
Hut Clarence Breckenridge IL mil.
15onaire. and the breckenridge have
none to your church for hundred
years. and 10 It's a scandal that must
- averted II possibler'
s'The church frowns on divorce.
& lid the bishop. sterniy. at tho very
nrpsent moment the house OF bish-
oo9. 10 which I have the distin-
~xtshed honor 20 belong. IL consid-
or1ng taking a decided stand In the
after. Divorce is n sin--a sin
against one OF Gods Institutions.
but when / find n lady I'm this mood"
~ continued. with a sort OF magnifi-
cent forbearance. II never attempt
% combat her views. no matter how
extraordinarily jumbied ard--a n
childish they are. As clergyman,
ana as an old friend. ! am grieved
when SEQ hasty and undisciplined
nature about TO do that which will
\ wreck it's own happiness, but l can
1 only give a friendly warning. and
n pass on. I do not propose to defend
NJ the institutions TO which have ded-
icatsd my life before you or before
any one. Shall we go back TO the
house,"
Perhaps we had better" Rachael
agreed. And as they went slowly
1 along the wide brick walk she added
Y In a softened voice: IT do appreciate
4 4oAr afYectionate interest in--in us,
Bishop. But--but IL does exasperate
me, when no many strange things
are done in the name OF Christianity.
% have-well. Florence for instance
-cai.nly decreeing that just these
other certain things shall not be
doner
Then, because We can't all be per
feet, II would be better not TO try TO
b good at ali?" the bishop asked,
restored TO equanimity by what he
chose to consider an unqualified apol-
ogy, and resuming his favorite att
tuce of benignant adviser.
Rachael sighed YEARLY I'm the
depth of her soul. She knew that
kindly admonitory tone, that compla-
cent misconception OF her meaning. |
She said 10 herself that In a moment
ne would begin to ask himself ques
lions. and answer them himself.
I'VE are not perfect ourselves"
said the clergyman. benevolently,
"yet we expect perfection in others.
\ Before we will even change our own |
Z lives we like 10 look around and see
what other people are doing. Per
sectiy natural7 OF course, IT'S per
xoctiy natural, but at the same time
- one Of the things we must fight.
I ] shall have to tell you little story
OF our Rose, as i sometimes tell
some Of my boys at the College OF
Divinity" continued the good man.
Rose, an exemplary unmarried wom-
IN Il 20. was the bishops daughter.