Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-10-26
Experience,

is devout christian, a shrewd thinker,
and keen Judge of character, though he
murders the Kings English. However in
many country towns and backwoods settle
ments, not to say occasionally cities, such
characters are met, and their originality
wins attention:
"Doyoum mean to say, Miss Mary, it would
be great joy to you, one you have been
iongin' and hankerin' after, for to jine
the church an come to the Lords table,
an be one with them that has been baptiz-
ed, an confess the Lord Jesus afore gain
sayin' world?"
ooh, yes indeed do mean to say it
1t would be the greatest possible joy and
privilege to be baptized, thus confessing
Christ before men, uniting with the church,
remembering the Lords death at his table,
and being one with his dear people"
"'Tis refreshing to hear you speak so,
Miss May, when there is so many of our
young convarts that oughter to come out
an confess the Lord, that we can't per-
suade for to take up their cross an dot.
You don't seem to think it would even be
a cross to your"
"a cross By cross you mean some
thing distasteful, unpleasant; a hard dis
agreeable thing, to be done as duty and |
not as privilege. Is that it ?"
'Sartain; that's Jest the idee. Now
wouldn't it be any cross for you to be bap-
TIED and jine the church,"
"No, no; thousand times no. Not a
cross, but the greatest possible honor, joy,
privilege thus to profess myself a penitent
believer in Jesus Christ before all the world
all the universe, were that possiblep
can you think you wouldn't mind moth
ing that might be said by the folks to the
to'her church, an them that is alters ready
to cast shame an contempt on them that
comes out to be separator"
ooh, no. How could you think l would
care for any reproach of men for such an
act?' said Mary, with serene look of
wonder
"There is another thing thatseems TO be
a mighty burden on the tender conscienccs
of some of our young convarts. They feel
so powerful weak, an so amazin unworthy,
they think they oughter to wait awhile for
to make themselves better, afore they pro-
fess the Lords name afore men. Might do
somethin' another, yousee, for to dishonor
the Lords name, if they owned right up
that they was his"
Mary smiled quietly as she replied,
That seems TO me strange excuse
The profession we are speaking of sup
pose to be profession not of goodness, but
of sinfulness and weakness; an act of self
remuneration, a confession of utter depend
ence upon God for grace to live Alright
Ny weakness and unworthiness make me
feel the need of being inside the fold OF
the church. What evil may not befall a
tender lamb that does not seek shelter
there? feel too weak to stand alone, yet
! suppose | must"
Suppose you must Who or what is
a-going' tohender you from comm into the
blessed fold? Sartain the Lord won't an
sartain man can't"
81 fear you are notquite right, Mr.. Jones
Ny father has forbidden me even to entel
your place of worship, and mother would
never give her consent to anything contra
ry to his wishes. What can do but obey q
! "You can disobey," said Mr. Jones, de
cidedly. "Nothin' can be sartainer thai
! this, namely, no mortal bein' has a right t.
!. bender you from fOllerin' the Lord Jesu
4 in the way ofhis ointment, in baptism, il
=. confessin' of his name, in communion a
his table. You're commanded to obey you
! parents in the Lord, not outer the Lord
: an the words of Jesus is plain as print cal
4 make em, that one is not only to love hin
better than father an mother, but that on
is to forsake father an mother if needs b
= for to foller him."
j A dark shadow of suffering swept all tn
light from Mary's cOuntenance, as she re
, piled,
=, "Do you think such is the meaning c
: Christ's words? never thought it coul
/ be. Do you really mean that you think
/ my duty to come out and unite with tn
church without the consent of my par
ents?"
- eyes, Miss May; in your case l do thin
!! t is plain case of dooty, though mabb
y it might MT alters be for gal of your year,
D" whose parents was unwillin' Now, there
y Sarah Elton, about your age, she's in
IL mighty hurry for to jine the church, spit
y Of everything, an seems a sight more sui
IL missive to the idee Of its bein' her doOty
oppose her parents wishes than of its b,
~ in her dooty to yield to 'em. Now he
u folks is good religious people, only powel
~ full afeared of new notions, but never hs
u jined our church themselves, cause the
vi differ from us on sartain p'ints of dot
'e trine an practice. For all that, they al
u rejoiced that their darter has found tl
- Lord-if so she has-an' they be r a'ly an,
10 ious to have her do her dooty; but the
W forbid her unitin' with the church now, Fl
&c the follerin' reasons:
~ Fustly, they don't feel 'sured of her col
no varson.
;" Secondarily, they want her to take tin
nc to consider forIto get her mind better i
Vi formed and better settled on them sa
~ p'ints wherein she thinks she is wiser tn,
oA they be. .......
g, Thirdly and finally, they think it will
vi good test of her religion for to bear Il
NJ cross of waitin' in submission to the
Is wishes. I
ms Now | s'pose you think vised Sarah
-'n up an jine the church, forthwith, spite
ue her father an her mother; but on the co
:" terary done just the conterary. So sa
PIC to Sarah,
ne Sarah Elton says /, you're willin'
90 you, to take up any cross the blessed Jes
IN lays in your path?' An she answered, ga
an she,
- Yes. brother Jones' says she, with h
y" Handkerchief TO her eyes, I'm willin' to ia
m up my cross an follow Jesus to parsec
las ton and death.
2re WELL says |, 'mabby you be- say
zoe but It's a powerful happy circumstan
" for you that persecution an death amt
ars all the question in your case but only,
elf the conterary, aquestion of waitin' patiel
to ly few months for your parents conse
tor to jine the church. There amt the LEI
~ question to my mind, but they be as r'a
Up anxious to have you do your dooty as y
CHI be to do Z, an in the end will consent
at whatever's the Lords will. Furthermo
aro it seems they don't see that evidence Il
the Sner;t in vour heart AM life But the fr
der of the Sperit is love, joy, peace, long S