"In His Steps" by Charles M. Sheldon

     Hard times have come to the town of Raymond.  The wealthy take little interest in the plight of the poor and down-trodden.  They avoid the worst part of Raymond, referred to as the Triangle by the locals.  
     A lone man, jobless, wanders the streets of Raymond, searching in vain for help.  Eventually, he arrives at the home of a local pastor, Henry Maxwell.  Rev. Maxwell, preoccupied with composing his Sunday sermon, speaks briefly with the man.  He is sorry about the man's unfortunate condition, but he has no job to offer the man.  
     The next day, Sunday, the wealthy members of Rev. Maxwell's church arrive to listen to the well-written sermon and enjoy the lovely voice of Rachel Winslow, a singer in the church choir.
     As the sermon begins, a man, the same man who had been desperately seeking help, stands.  He comes slowly down the aisle, towards the front of the church.  Addressing the congregation, he asks, "What do you Christians mean by following the steps of Jesus? . . . Of course I don't expect you people can prevent everyone from dying of starvation, lack of proper nourishment, and tenement air, but what does following Jesus mean?" (Sheldon, 17 & 18)
     This plain, honest question challenges Rev. Maxwell and, for the better or worse, affects the entire town of Raymond.  Although this story was written over a hundred years ago, the questions the man asks challenges both Christians and non-Christians today.  "What does it mean to be a Christian?"  "How should Christians approach the social ills and troubles of the world?"   "If they did, what would be the consequences in our cities, our society?"

                                                            Matthew 16:24-25  


Sheldon, Charles M.  In His Steps.  23rd ed.  United States of America:  Spire Books a division of Baker Book House Co., 1999.  Paperback.

"Hours with Girls" by Mrs. Margaret E. Sangster

     I cannot take the credit for discovering this treasure.  My mother found it one day and thought it might interest me greatly.  It once belonged to my great-grandmother, Dora Lackner.  On the page leaf, in lovely, old-fashioned penmanship, is written 'Presented to Dora Lackner for learning Beatitudes  Sept. 29, 1900.' 
     "Hours with Girls" grants readers a unique chance to understand the culture and the ideals that shaped the young women of the late Victorian era.  Mrs. Sangster gives advice on such varied topics as dress, leisure time, friends, admirers, faith, and individuality.  Although some of the advice is a little out dated (such as the number of dresses a young lady should have), the majority of wise counsel is relevant to the twenty-first century young lady (such as time management).
     This small book sheds new light on a woman's role in Victorian America.  Mrs. Sangster encouraged girls not to be idle or simply wait to be married.  " . . . do not regard marriage as the only thing worth living for," she says.  "A happy marriage is indeed the crown of a woman's life, but many women live in a large, noble, and useful way, blessing all around them, and yet are never married."
     "Hours with Girls", published in 1881, is a wonderful and relatively easy read.  If you have read Jane Austen, this book will be a breeze!  
     Chapter topics include:  Self-Control, On Paying Your Way, Hospitality, Courage, Reading the Bible, Being Yourself, and Economy and Extravagance.