Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1869-12-02

Capt. Phillips was about the village
almost every day. and had occasion to
call equally often on the laymen and
society men-in a business way. lie
was a farmer. but farmer on scale
that brought him into dealings with
every trade. aud SO he came in repeat
Ell contact with a gool many who OPP
posed his opinion in parish matters, but
whom he kept on good terms with him
in spite ofthemselvcs. ever if it hal
not been for their interest
Ii was business sometimes which
took him TO Parson lrclani's; some
times not. lie never stayed long, whe,h-
\ er or no. but nj any rate he called fire.
quently.
The good parson found himself be-
tween two fires. Heartily in favor OF
the frec-seat movement himself he felt
obliged by his position As peacemaker,
10 mngle as little a pps.ibl. in the ac-
tual controversy. ant. while he did not
conceal his own views, to counsel com
promise a. far as could consist with
Christian integrity.
There were MANY. however. who
would misi ,errret his motive. and he
was good deaf baigercd by both par
ties. The trial cost him many unhappy
days aud not few fits Of downright
despondcncv.
lie was IN the midst of one OF these
one day when the worthy captain call
al It. h -.
village street, singing beside hi- team
he conmJnlv drove horse when away
from home, but that day he had a yoke
of oxen.
The hit OF Zion yields
\ thousand -ac.esI - sscst-"
"God bless him." though. Parson Ire I.
land. II wish that he could be in my
place. or that had his dispo~ ton
The captain stopped his team and
walked into the kitchen door, a. hc al .
WAYS did. without knocking. ---- ~
''liow dye DO, all on yc." he said in
HIS usual bluff, CHEEKY way. at the
same time setting down basket Of
eggs and winking to the "hcp,"' 50
that she understood it; "ilows the
parson an his fo!kst
But at that moment Mrs Ireland ap-
dcarcd 10 speak for himself aud her
good man.
"ie told me 10 ask You up 10 the
study" said she, an~werin. his quc,-
tons "hc wants 10 see YOU. He is
feeling dow hearted .o-day."
Up went the stout captain. quite a,
home, and in n moment passed through
the study door, carrying breeze of
health and comfort with him.
"liavin the b.ue devils. was ve?"
he said to the minister and his burly
frame shook with gooi humored
laugh.
All" said the minister, handing
him chair, II wanted you 10 come in
= inmate aud spread Your mantle over
me. Its big enough Tor both, I'm
thinking. There are times like now
when r el alone"
Wont the mantle of the Lord do"
Yes, YES, good brother, but how
can one be warm alone: Ny vitality
is low now, aud want COMPANY
real human. irsh aul blood salnt-to
keep me warm. even under the wlng
OF the Almighty
Bat yc must hearten up, brother
Ireland. MANS the good thing ye've
comforted Us ~lth in the pulpit, an
you're not goin' 10 forget 1t here in
\ your study. The Lords borne more
and got more 10 bear from this people
than YOU or | have. Why, I've had
sech views.
Now good Captain Phillips was al
WAYS having views. Every confer
en,e meeting was sure 10 bring out
some new secret Of his wayside medi-
tatlons or closet comnunings. Some
times it was dream. sometimes 3
fresh illu mining OF an old but precious
pro! l!hecy-''l will pour out nv Spirit
upon all hesh'-or the like. Thi,
time II was on the text. For the d.
visions of Reuben there were great
searchlngs of heart, and he opened it
in a way that made Parson Ireland
smile in spite of his melancholy. A
revival Of religion would surely come
'hb W tut
Then. all in his blue farmers frock
as he was, the great. awkward. strong
man knelt down To pray with his min
ister. l should not dare attempt 10
put his PRAYER IN print | could not
put on paper the tercency and tome Of
the good captains devo,ions. an,: these
were all that redeemed them, for they
were marselously bad compositions,
humaply speaking. lie never modified
his Inspirations by the rules Of gram
mar. His thoughts were comets, fol- |
lowing no line or orbit but the Divine
dssd3tion, and So<~f,is aspirations
came up hearty and incoherent as the
song Of a mocaing bird. | could bare
lv tell how he always began: AL |
mighty and everlasting God - and |
having planted himself upon these two
attributes that gave him most delight,
all the rest had to be understood by
those who were lin the spirit as much
as him self.
His recognition of the Divine con-
troll commonly came next to the ad-
dress, backed by quotation, more
droli than apt. soIuetimes-"We thank
thee that we're here an 'taint by luck
nor chance that we're mere, nuther, and
wouldn't be il we was dead. for we
read that where the carcass is, there
will the eagles be gathered together
But we cannot repor. him. A visitor
who heard him pray once, declared
rather irreverently, that Ibis IDEAS
were like basket of eels-all heads
and tails"
Well, the captain prayed with the
minister, and prayed JUNCTION, too. and