Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-11-17

aud stuck il incur iacesin scch way
that l got mad And / says, We'll,
ef God sends me TO hell he can't make
me hOller 'nough nohow. You see my
dander was up. And when my dam
dcr's up, woulin't gin up fer the
devil hisself. The preacher was so in
sultin' with his way of doin' it. He
seemed to be kind Of glad that we was
tn be damned, and he preached some
thin like some folks swtar~. IT didn't
sound q bit like the Christ the little
man preached about tlJe night afOre.
So what docs me and and lot of fell
lers do but slip out and cut off the 'hig
preachers stirrups. and hang them on
t. the rider of the fence. and then set
his hoSs loose! And from that day,
sometimes / did, and sometimes /
didn't, want to be better. Aud to-day
it seemed to me that you must know
somethin' as would help me-"
Nothing is worse than religious eX-
pei ience Kept ready to be exposed to
the gaze of everybody, whether the
time is appropriate or not. But never
was religious experience more appro-
PIRATE than the account which Ralph
gave to Bud of his Struggle In the
Dark. The confession Of his weakness
and wicked sclfiishness was great
comfort to Bud.
Do YOU thinf that Jesus Christ
wOuld-would-well, do you think
he'd help poor, unlarnt Flat Cricker
like me?"
Creeker himself" said Ralph, slowly
and very earnestly.
"You don't say:" said Bud almost
getting off his seat.
why, you see the town he lived
in was rough place. 1t was called
Nazareth, which meant Bushtown."
"YOu don't say?'
{" And he was called a NaZarene,
which was about the same as back
woodsman.'
And Ralph read the different pas
sagcs which he had studied at Sunday
school, illustrating the cOndesrensIon
of Jesus. the stories of the pnblicans.
the harlots. the poor, who came to
him. And he read about Nathaniel.
who lived only six miles away, saying
"Cau any good thing come out Of
Nazareth ?r
{" just what Clifiy folks says about
Flat Crick," broke in Bud.
Do you think 1 eOuld begin with
out being baptized? ?" he added p. es-
emily.
why not? Let's begin now to do
the best we can. by his help"
You mean, then, thai I'm to begin
now to put in my best licks for Jesus
Christ, and that he'll help me?"
4 4. H.
little. But il was the sincere utter
ance of an earnest soul. Ii may not
have been an orthodox staIt, but it
was the one start for Bud. And there
be those who have repealed with the
finest aesthetic appreciation the old
English liturgics who have never
known religious aspiration so sincere
as that of this ignorant young Hercu-
les, whose best confession was that he
meant hereafter ito put in his best
l;cks for Jesus Christ" And there be
those who can define repentance and
faith to the turning OF hair who
never made 80 genuine a start for the
kingdom of heaven a. Bud Means did.
Ralph said yes. thathe thought that
was just it. At least, he guessed if
there was something more. the man
that was putting i'm his best iicks
would be sure to find il out.
"DO you think he'd help feller?
Seems To me it would he number one
to have God help you. Not TO help
you fight other folks, but help you
when it comes to fighting the devil
inside. But YOU see / don't belong
to no church."
"Well, let's xOu and me have one
right off Two people that help one
another to serve God make church" F"
i am afraid this ecclesiastical theory
will not be considered orthodox It
was Ralph's, and / write it down at
the risk Of bringing him into cOndem-
nation.
But other people before the days of
Bud and Ralph have discussed church
when they should have
been doing religious work. For both
OF them had forgotten the danger that
hung over the old basket-n,aker. until
burst iuto The schOoi-house,
weeping. Indeed, the poor, nervous
little frame was ready to go into con-
vulsions. .t.1 80.
Miss Hawkins -"
But started at mention Of the name.
Miss Hawkins has just been over
to say that a crowd is going To tar and
feather Mr. Pearson tonight. And
-" here Shocky wPpt again. "And
he won't run, but he's loaded up the
old flintlock, and says he'll die in his
tracks"
ITO DE CONTINUED