National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-11-01
TO task for his incredulity regard
ing the second coming.

coming Just yet! 1t can't be you
could think that after hearing FL
uer IL. and Elder G. explain the
prophecies, and reading Mr.. Miller's
pook, and the signs of the Times.'r
Pooh, I've read the book. and
heard the elders, and I'm dead set
aGin' the whole thing. 'Taint the
Lords way o. doing things. If He'd
been going to end up the world on
the l1th Of April He'd a. gin us
more warning ont than He's done
yet, by good deal
Molly, of course, undertook to
fastcn upon him the words, Where
is the promise of his cOmingr &c.
and remind him of the conduct of
the antediluvians, but the bluff far
mer put in his disclaimer at once.
Now don't go to mixing Scriptur'
mother. Them words hahn: nOthin'
at all to do with it, as | see. eX-
pect to die, and don't know how
soon, and hore I'm ready when
that comes, and I'd be the last man
to try and argue it off, but | tell
you, when the Lord does come for
me intend He shall find me with
my lamp trimmed and burnig' and a
gO0d fire Go to work and enjoy
your woodpile, for from all | can SEQ
l reckon its the hand o Providence
that sent me to you with it, sure
enough. You'll find enough there
to last You till the middle o May.
and I'll venture the wOrldll be
standing all right and straight for
We them
There was no reasoning against
the solid captains good natured,
breezy assurance-tO say nothing
of his logic. The old couple felt
the contagiOn of his manner in spite
of themselves-and were mighty
glad of the wood
Now good day to ye,' said their
visitor, as he turned to 90, putting
on his great mittens, Il tell ye,'
with sly look) morn halt o these
folks that sing, and talk, and shout
so much about the great day comm
have a kind Of a secret hope that
'twOnt come, after all! Now you
jest go and take the good o your
life so long as God gives it to We,
and He'll never think any worse of
ye for lookin' a day or two ahead
He went away, leaving behind
him a gratulty of common sense as
big as his woodpile. Jakey clapped
his hands and capercd abOut in ir-
reprcssible glee. The old folks
made no effort to check him, and
said but little-and that little was
of their friend, the bluff captain,
and the substantial consignment he
had made them at their door. OF
his skepticism towards the new
doctrines they had nothing to say.
In truth, they did not feel very badly
about it. They knew Capt.Straight's
record as q Christian. Ever and
anon they went to the window to
Gus pile of fuel. The very sight of
it limbercd old David's rheumatism
and sent him out with his axe. The
Lord sent it, they had been in tho
pious habit of saying to all such
opportunc dispensatiOns, and they
said SO now.
But how oddly it sounded Would
God send them wood enough to
last till the middle of May when He
all the time to destroy tho
world on the 1lth of April {!
Much staggered in mind were the
good old people 10y this puzzling
view of the ease. BAt with ample
comforts of body, they did not find
that the seeming contradiction Of
Providence and prophecy worried
them very materially.
Again their hearthstone glowed
and cracked with the old merry
blaze. Some grain was sent to mill
by a ncighbor, who took advantage
Of the path made by the stout far
mcr with his shovel and heavy team.
The wolf withdrew from the door,
and David and Molly began to ap.
prcciatc the world again.
The predicted day of doom came
and passed, and they awoke from
their foolish dreams of millennial
glory to see the earth, as of old,
her bosom to the labors of
the sowcr, and repeating the ancient
promise that secd-time and harvest
should not fail.
The summer of 1S43 went by, but
to pious, Simple.hearted David
CroSsman it brought the end of tho
world indecd-not as he expected,
but the day found him as glad and
more iatclligcntly ready than he had
been in the spring. Before the fall
he departed in peace to the home
where he will never know the chill
of winter, and never be mistaken or
disappointed in looking for his Lord.
The boy Jakey is now minister
OF the Gospel, and holds the same
belief that his early experience
taught him. that the true way TO
wait for the Lord and prepare for
His coming, is to make the most OF
His proyidcntal gifts while we have
! them.
The Maine papers report hh Az
touishing fall in the price OF pork
] - in I'D llI.tS