The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1859-03-04
A SWISS FARMER AND THE SABBATH

In the fertile valley Of Emmenthai, in Swift
zerand, lived farmer, who cared neither for
God nor man. One Sabbath afternoon, having
a large quantity Of uncut grain in the field, anc
observing the clouds gathering round the tops
OF the mountains, and the sprng becoming full
of water, he called on his domesics: saying.
'Let US go 10 the field, gather and bind, for to-
wards evening We shall have storm. II you
house q thousand sheeves before it rains, you
shall be rewarded tor so doing
He was overheard by his grandmother, a
good old lady OF Eighty .eals OF age, who walk
ed supported by two crutches. She approach
I'd her grandson With difficulty.
John, John, dosi thou consider As far as
] can remember, in my " hole life | never saw
an ear Of corn housed on the Sabbath day; and
vel we have always been loaded with dressings,
we have never wanted for any thing granting it
might Be done If there was famine, John, or a
long continuance of bad weather, but thus far
the year has been very dry, and If the grain
get little wet, there IS nothing in 1T very
alarming. Besides, God VIM gives the rain,
gives the grain, also, and Ne must take things
as be sends them. John, do not violate the
rest Of this holy day, earnestly beseech you"
At these words Of the grandmother, all the do
ruesticS came around her; the oldest understood
the wisdom oi her advice, but the young treat
ed it with ridicuIe, and said to each olher, ''Oid
customs are out of date; prejudice abolished; the
world is now altered"
'.Grandmother,7 said the farmer, ''every thing
must have beginning, but there is no evil in
this II is quite Indifferent TO our God whether
we spend tue day IN sleeping or 10 labor, and
he will be altogether as much pleased to see the
IN -I.ff9 tN a tr,
rain; that which we get under shelter w:ll nour
jsh u.s. and nabodp cani-ll lvhai sArt al 'v,.:lih-
er il will be Tomorrow"
"John. John, within doors and out OF doors
are at the Lords disposal, and thou dost not
know what may happen this evening; 5ui thou
kaowest am thy grandmother: | rntrfat thee
tor the love Of God, not to work tod y: would
much rather cal no bread Tor a whole year"
"Grandmother, doing thing tor one time Is
not habit; besides il is hot wickednrss 10
preserve ones harvest, and to better ones cir
cumstanceS.'
ssBut, John, Gods commandments are al
WAYS the same, and what VIII it profit thee t.
have the grain in thy barn, if thou lose thy
soul ,"
s.Ab, don't be uneasy about that said John
sand now boys go to work time aud weather
wait for no man"
"John, John,'' for The last time said the good
old lady; but alas. it was in vain; aud while
she was weeping and praying, John was hon-
sing his sheares; il might BE- said that they flew,
men and beasts, 50 great was the dispatch.
\ thousand sheaves wrre in the barn, when
the first drop of RAIN fill John enter ed the
house followed BY his people, and exclaimed
with an air OF triumph, 'Now, grandmoihrr,
all is secure let the tempest roar, let the elr-
mrnts rage, little concerns me, my harvest is
under my roof"
..Yes, John" said the grandmother sOIemnly,
"but above Thy Ioof spreads the Lords root"
While she was thus spraking, the building
was suddenly Illuminated, and l,ar was printed
on every countenance.
A tremendous clap Of thunder made the
house tremble to its foundations. sob - rx-
claimed the first who could speak, ''lhe light
ming has struck the barn" All hurried out of
doors. The b8A bAildhioG Ii & ssIs in flames and = lbf
10 Jno Meloy for rye, % 30