Julia Ward Howe Part 43

Then she turned to the president, and said, "The woman minister is often lonely. I want to thank Mrs. Howe, who welcomed me at the beginning of my ministry. Her hand-clasp has stayed with me ever since."

Our mother was never ordained: it is doubtful whether she ever contemplated such a step; but she felt herself consecrated to the work; wherever she was asked to preach, she went as if on wings, feeling this call more sacred than any other. She preached in all parts of the country, from Maine to California, from Minnesota to Louisiana; but the pulpit in which she felt most truly at home was that of the Church of the Disciples. Mr. Clarke had first welcomed her there: his successor, Charles Gordon Ames, became in turn her valued friend and pastor.

The congregation were all her friends. On Sundays they gathered round her after service, with greetings and kind words. She was ready enough to respond. "Congregationing," as she called this little function, was her delight; after listening devoutly to the sermon, there was always a reaction to her gayest mood. Her spirit came to church with folded hands of prayer, but departed on dancing feet. Sometimes she reproached herself with over-friskiness; but mostly she was too wise for this, and let the sun s.h.i.+ne when and where it would.

She preached many times in the Church of the Disciples. The white-clad figure, the clasped hands, the upturned face s.h.i.+ning with the inner light, will be remembered by some who read these pages.

END OF VOLUME I

JULIA WARD HOWE

1819-1910

VOLUME II

CONTENTS VOLUME II

I. EUROPE REVISITED. 1877 3

II. A ROMAN WINTER. 1878-1879 28

III. NEWPORT. 1879-1882 46

IV. 241 BEACON STREET: THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1882-1885 80

V. MORE CHANGES. 1886-1888 115

VI. SEVENTY YEARS YOUNG. 1889-1890 143

VII. A SUMMER ABROAD. 1892-1893 164

VIII. "DIVERS GOOD CAUSES." 1890-1896 186

IX. IN THE HOUSE OF LABOR. 1896-1897 214

X. THE LAST ROMAN WINTER. 1897-1898 237

XI. EIGHTY YEARS. 1899-1900 258

XII. STEPPING WESTWARD. 1901-1902 282

XIII. LOOKING TOWARD SUNSET. 1903-1905 308

XIV. "THE SUNDOWN SPLENDID AND SERENE." 1906-1907 342

XV. "MINE EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF THE COMING OF THE LORD."

1808-1910 369

JULIA WARD HOWE

CHAPTER I

EUROPE REVISITED

1877; _aet._ 58

A MOMENT'S MEDITATION IN COLOGNE CATHEDRAL

Enter Life's high cathedral With reverential heart, Its lofty oppositions Matched with divinest art.

Thought with its other climbing To meet and blend on high; Man's mortal and immortal Wed for eternity.

When noon's high ma.s.s is over, Muse in the silent aisles; Wait for the coming vespers In which new promise smiles.

When from the dome height echoes An "_Ite, missa est_,"

Whisper thy last thanksgiving, Depart, and take thy rest.

J. W. H.

From the time of the Doctor's death till her marriage in 1887, the youngest daughter was her mother's companion and yoke-fellow. In all records of travel, of cheer, of merriment, she can say thankfully: "_Et ego in Arcadia vixi_."

The spring of 1877 found the elder comrade weary with much lecturing and presiding, the younger somewhat out of health. Change of air and scene was prescribed, and the two sailed for Europe early in May.

Throughout the journeyings which followed, our mother had two objects in view: to see her own kind of people, the seekers, the students, the reformers, and their works; and to give Maud the most vivid first impression of all that would be interesting and valuable to her. These objects were not always easy to combine.

After a few days at Chester (where she laments the "restoration" of the fine old oak of the cathedral, "now s.h.i.+ning like new, after a boiling in potash") and a glimpse of Hawarden and Warwick, they proceeded to London and took lodgings in Bloomsbury (a quarter of high fas.h.i.+on when she first knew London, now given over to lodgings). Once settled, she lost no time in establis.h.i.+ng relations with friends old and new. The Unitarian a.s.sociation was holding its annual conference; one of the first entries in the Journal tells of her attending the Unitarian breakfast where she spoke about "the poor children and the Sunday schools."

Among her earliest visitors was Charles Stewart Parnell, of whom she says:--

"Mrs. Delia Stewart Parnell, whom I had known in America, had given me a letter of introduction to her son, Charles, who was already conspicuous as an advocate of Home Rule for Ireland. He called upon me and appointed a day when I should go with him to the House of Commons. He came in his brougham and saw me safely deposited in the ladies' gallery. He was then at the outset of his stormy career, and his sister f.a.n.n.y told me that he had in Parliament but one supporter of his views, 'a man named Biggar.'

He certainly had admirers elsewhere, for I remember having met a disciple of his, O'Connor by name, at a 'rout' given by Mrs. Justin McCarthy. I asked this lady if her husband agreed with Mr. Parnell. She replied with warmth, 'Of course; we are all Home Rulers here.'"