Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-08

+, One much harried mother confessed
to a group Of us that under the guise
Of saying her prayers she gave herself
a short daily respite from all thinking
or doing. She had fitted little prayer
place which she called chapel in the
closet under the stairs. the closet that
! is chiefly devoted to overshoes and un :
brellas and tools and old hats in most
houses. When she shut the door on
herself there the children were too
awed and the one old servant too
sympathctically romantic to break in
uron her. Her husband. who further
complicated her existence by being u
GOOD deal about the house. was in
dulgent. il somewhat scoiling. of her
''high churchncss,'' and the caller or
huckster was withheld by astonishment
from pressing his claims on be ing told !:
The missus. she's saying her
prayers
Whether she was or not. in the usual
meaning of the word. was secret she
kept to herself. The vital fact was that
she was getting u brief time alone in
the only way the cxigcncies Of her
situation would permit her. unless she
took to her bed and fcigned illness.
CIIRISTIANITY gave to the West
~ and to all of us European races an
excuse for being alone as n daily prac-
tice which physically and mentally as
well as spiritually we would do we'll not
10 disregard. Indeed. both by command
and by example The founder of Chris
tianity made il a vital part of life.
Before all great demands on His
strength. Christ sought solitude. and
after most of the strenuous days of his
short and exceedingly forthputting life
IIc rpcoupcd His vital forces by break
ing from the crowd and even from His
disciples 10 be alone. If n man ~
stored with spiritual force as lie was
found this n necessity of His soul and
mind many. many times during the
brief three years that were His for the
imparting Of the good tidings He had
come to deliver to mankind. how I'M
pcrativr il must be for ordinary men
and women 10 follow His example there. |
rs well as in active good works and
prdrnt propaganda.
But except for the Society Of Friends !
aud f"w scattered rrligiOnists here and |!
there scarcely any Of His followers |
preach even the worship of silence. let
alone solitude and rcposc. The nearest !
most Christians come 10 II is the Holy !,
Sunday Nap" but as that is more
often the result of heavy midday !
Sunday dinner with ronSt hpcf and tiX-
ings. not so much voluntary ns an |
going apart the habit !
adds pounds to our stature rather than ,
sraces to our souls.
have sometimes thought that It !
would be- very profitable for those of !
is who candidly desire to 'be like !
l'hrist" to look at His life from the .
viewpoint of His times alone quite as
much as from the viewpoint of His !
good deeds or words of wisdom. Those .
times alone might throw very reveal
ing light upon both the deeds and the !
words which followed. Certain 1t is .
that until all houses that are called .
Gods houses-all churches that is-are
made ready to receive the followers Of
Our Lord at the times when they wish
to be alone. neither hearing preaching
acr joining congregation in praying
md praising, will they he wholly ade- 1
luatc for the service to which they have
been dedicated.
ITO ME always the most uplifting
i sound In any church Is the one /
sometimes hear in the Cathedral of st.
Peter and st. Paul. when once or so in