Полліанна
Sermons and Woodboxes
Theentireworkofthechurchwasatastandstill. TheSundayservices,theweek-dayprayermeeting,themissionaryteas,eventhesuppersandsocialswerebecominglessandlesswellattended. True,afewconscientiousworkerswerestillleft. Buttheypulledatcrosspurposes,usually; andalwaystheyshowedthemselvestobeacutelyawareofthecriticaleyesallaboutthem,andofthetonguesthathadnothingtodobuttotalkaboutwhattheeyessaw.
Andbecauseofallthis,theRev.PaulFordunderstoodverywellthathe(God’sminister),thechurch,thetown,andevenChristianityitselfwassuffering; andmustsufferstillmoreunless—
Clearlysomethingmustbedone,anddoneatonce. Butwhat?
SlowlytheministertookfromhispocketthenoteshehadmadeforhisnextSunday’ssermon. Frowninglyhelookedatthem. Hismouthsettledintosternlines,asaloud,veryimpressively,hereadtheversesonwhichhehaddeterminedtospeak:
"‘Butwoeuntoyou,scribesandPharisees,hypocrites! foryeshutupthekingdomofheavenagainstmen:foryeneithergoinyourselves,neithersufferyethemthatareenteringtogoin.’
"‘Woeuntoyou,scribesandPharisees,hypocrites! foryedevourwidows’houses,andforapretencemakelongprayer:thereforeyeshallreceivethegreaterdamnation.’
"‘Woeuntoyou,scribesandPharisees,hypocrites! foryepaytitheofmintandaniseandcummin,andhaveomittedtheweightiermattersofthelaw,judgment,mercy,andfaith:theseoughtyetohavedone,andnottoleavetheotherundone.
