American essays -- 19th century; Short stories, American
From this disgusting farce let me take you to the lecture-room of the
Rev. Dr. Tyng. It is the first Sunday afternoon of the month (when he
regularly meets the children of his parish, who are mostly members of
his Sabbath-school). It would seem an easy thing to address a company
of children. Let him who thinks so, try it! Let him be familiar without
being flat; let him be instructive, and at the same time entertaining;
let him fix roving eyes; let him nail skittish ears; let him stop just
at the moment when a child’s mental appetite has lost its digestive
power. All this requires a--Dr. Tyng.
See--group after group of bright faces gather around him, and take
their seats; not one is afraid of “the minister.” He has a smile of love
and a word of kindness for all. He has closed his church _purposely_ to
meet them, and given the grown-folks to understand, that the soul of a
child is as priceless as an adult’s, and that he has a message from God
for each little one, as well as for father and mother and uncle John. He
asks some question aloud. Instantly a score of little voices hasten to
reply, as fearlessly as if they were by their own fire-side. He wishes
to fix some important idea in their mind: he illustrates it by an
anecdote, which straightway discloses rows of little pearly teeth about
him. He holds up no reproving finger when some lawless, gleeful little
two-year-older rings out a laugh musical as a robin’s carol. He calls on
“John,” and “Susy,” and “Fanny,” and “Mary,” with the most parental
familiarity and freedom. He asks _their opinion_ on some point (children
like that!), he repeats little things they have said to him (_their_
minister has time to remember what even a little child says!) He takes
his hymn-book and reads a few sweet, simple verses; he pitches the tune
_himself_, and, at a wave of his hand, the bright-eyed cherubs join him.
Look around. There is a little Fifth Avenue pet, glossy haired, velvet
skinned--her dainty limbs clad in silk and velvet. Close by her side,
sits a sturdy, freckled, red-fisted little Erin-ite, scantily clad
enough for November, but as happy, and as unconscious of the deficiency
as his tiny elbow neighbor; on the same seat is a little African, whose
shiny eye-balls and glittering teeth, say as plainly as if he gave
utterance to it, _we are all equal, all welcome here_.
Oh, _this_ is Christianity--this is the Sabbath--this is millennial.
Look around that room, listen to those voices, if you can, without a
tear in your eye, a prayer in your heart, and Christ’s sweet words upon
your lips: “_Feed my Lambs_.”
ANNIVERSARY TIME.
MR. GOUGH AT THE OPERA HOUSE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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