Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-03-18

Why the wild beautiful lake, which lay
snuggled up in the further corner OF the
town. was called Cedar Lake" | never
knew certainly not because it was over
shadowed by cedarS, for the memory ot
man could not recall cedar within five
miles of it. But there it was-lull OF
fish in the summer, and the very pa radise
for the boys to skate on during the win
ter. Many litlo fish had lost his life
by the pin fish.hook. and many hard
fall, as well as many a graceful curve,
had marked the ice.
At the south end of the pond was the
outlet, over which was wooden bridge,
withou, any rails at either end TO protect
the traveller in crossing it. The out
let was large. clear brook. that went
singing off through the lots-nobody
seemed TO know where, till at length
about mile of il was again found tum-
bling down a steep hill. Here dam
was built, and the water had now 10 go
10 work, as if its time OF play was over.
At the bottom OF this very steep hill was
a grist mill. with huge over-shot wheel,
very house of bread to all the region
How the boys used to come with the bags
OF grain thrown across the horses backs,
and dreading to go down this hill more
than all the rest oft the journey. How amaz-
ing TO them. the power of water brought
in small trough. that could dash down
upon the old wheel. and set il in motion.
and make every wheel in the building TO
creakand move, and help change the grain
into -four.
This mill was owned and managed By
Gen. Willard. large. noble-looking,
good-natured man. full of kindness, COM
mon sense, shrewdness and theology,
On the latter attainment he PROBABLY
prided himself somewhat, for there was
no man. far or near. who liked TO have
the General charge down upon him with
his texts, catechism and his hymn book.
He was what we call Calvinist albeit
doubt whether he ever heard Of Calvin,
O, knew the difference between Calvin
and Calcutta. lie studied his Bible much,
and went 10 his catechism for definitions.
He had great jealousy toward anything
that made God small He wanted to eX-
alt him, and felt that everything, even
the smallest events, must be under the
Divine presence and guidance. He not
only believed that God foreknew every
thing, but if he did foreknow whatsoever
comes to pass, then il must be certain TO
come to pass. And what should make it
certaiu' Nothing surely but the Divine
will. lie believed then in the DEGREES,
aS they are called, and that everything,
great or small, must be part of the
Divine plan, even to the falling of hair,
or the dropping ola seed, Orthe crawling
OF worm 10 feed the sparrow with. His
minister-though not gifted man,
though consistent and true, and who
taught all the sailor boys the science of
navigation-could never make what the
neighbors called real deep theology as
plain as the General. Nay, they even
said ''he couldn't hold stick to him."
the General though What holding q stick
had TO DO with it, is more than know.
About mile to the west of the mill
lived Mr.. Lines, plain, simple, honest
farmer. who had large family of boys,
whom he fed on the plainest food, and
clothed with the cOarsest garments, but
trained the wild, high-spirited fellows as
well as he could. This Mr.. Lines held q
milder type of theology, and always took
man as his starting point, and so clothed
him with theological power and free will,
and held that all was poised on this self
same point OF free will that there was
very little room or need of God 10 act
at all in the salvation of men. What are
called The DEGREES" or The Divine
Purpose" he did battle against, always
alleging that it was utterly impossible
for God TO plan and mark out everything
without destroying the free agency of
the creature. Nothing" he would say
'could be certain form eternity without
destroying our power to do as We pleas
ed Many an earnest. sometimes almost
too earnest, talk did the General and Mr.
Lines have. but neither convinced the
other. Mr.. Lines would allow that God
might loreknow everything. bu; rot de-
creeit. But" the General would say,
"neighbor Lines, what is the difference? !?
If God knew from eternity that we should
have this talk to-day. it was certain TO
take place, was it not?n