The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1871-04-06
Ghs 9smilg Girrls.
Conversion Of a Sk6ptic.
HOW HIS DOUBTS VANISHED.


HOW HIS DOUBTS VANISHED.
WAS greatly rejoiced when
Deacon S. told me, a few weeks
81 ago, that Mr.. Leacock had ap-
90 piled for admission to the
church. "We hardly knew what to
do" said he. s'AIr. Leacoek seems
to feel as a christian should. He
gives every evidence Of genuine re-
pentance, of an earnest purpose to
lead a new life, and of real trust in
Christ. But his ideas about the
doctrines are not very clear 1 am
afraid he is not quite sound in the
faith. I believe you know him
pretty well; Think you understand
him a great deal better than the
most of us. What do you think
best?''
''That depends, said ], son what
your notion of church is. Ifit is
an army, formed on the Prussian
standard, and no one is to be ad-
mitted till he reaches regulation
height and has regulation qualifca-
tions, would not admit him. He
is hardly a soldier yet. If it is a
hospital for convalescents, I do not
know a more fitting candidatei for
he has been a very sick man, and
the crisis of his disease has evident
Iy passed. His greatest danger is
a relapse; his greatest need, good
nursing"
The session, I judge, concluded
to admit him; for last Sunday, com
muniOn day, he stood up to profess
his new trust in Christ, and, for the
first time, sat down by the side of
his wife, to partake of the memori-
ais Of Christ's dying love. His his
tory, SO far as know it and may
with propriety disclose it, is a very
simple but a very significant one.
Soon after I came to Wheat
hedge I was introduced to Mrs. Lea
cock. She sat in a wall pew, a few
seats behind me. She was a very
quiet, unassuming lady; was always
at church with three very quiet
children; but otherwise alone.
The face had a certain tinge of sad
ness in it, and though she wore no
weeds, somehow formed the i'm
preston that she might be a widow.
I happened, however, to meet her
one day on the village street, walk
ing with fne-looking, clear-eyed,
frank-faced gentleman, who drew
my heart out to him at once and
whom she introduced to me as her
husband. I hardly needed after
that to be told her story. 1t is a
very common one. She was a mem
Der of the church; she was trying,
as best she could, to bring her chill
dren up in the faith she had inher-
tied from sanity parents; but the
whole weight of her husbands in
fuence and example was against
her. He was what the ministers
called a '.mOral man." he was hon
est, upright, conscientious. A Free
mason, his lodge was his church
and he was rightly esteemed an
honor to his order. He was man
of keen, analytical mind, fond ot
disputation, and able at it, too
something of a scientist, something
of a metaphysician, and great ad
mirer of Theodore Parker. HC
loved his wife and children devoted
lv; better husband and father there
was not in Wheat-hedge. To he
he RENTED the religious education
of his children. They always wen
to Sabbath School. He Away
stayed at home and read Theodore
Parker, or the Radical, to which
journal he was a regular subscriber
1 soon became acquainted with him
We met at a little informal clul
and soon became warm friends
We discussed everything but reli
gion; that seldom came up in ou
club in any form-it was by mutua
consent tabooed-and Irare met hin
anywhere else; rarely, till one ola,
a kindly word from Deacon S. re
minded me that 1 had been derelic
in duty.
sIIave you ever had any religion
conversation with Mr.. Leaeock?
said he.
"Never," said /, with a ittl
twinge of conscience.
81 wish you would" said he. g
can make nothing out of him.
have tried again and again, and
alW 4ys get the worst of it. He's
real good fellow, but he doesn't b
Heve in anything. There is no US
in quoting Scripture, because I
thinks it's nothing but colleetio
of legends. 1 have just been arg
ing the question of inspiration wit
him. Deacon, said ne, suppose
Z father should start of one fine mo
ming TO carry his son up to the tc
: of Snake hill, and put him to deaf
4 there, and should pretend he had
? revelation from God to do it, VIII
would you do with himr Put hi
in the insane asylum, said 1. 'E