The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1873-06-13
NO. D..
glsGellaaeuns.
THE SILENT DEACOA'S OPINION.

THE SILENT DEAC0N'S OPINION.
The following narrative, written
tor the E.eaBaiReT, perhaps twelve or
fifteen years ego, by Mrs J. ID. Chap
lin, Is published II our columns st
the special request OF friends. S
lessons are IS well worth learning by
the younger as well as the older
members OF g family.
When next summer comes with its
heat ana dust and languor, and the
tired spirit, faintmg by the wav, cries
out for the wings OF . dove, go up to
", among the hills made sacred
to nature, where the hurry and anx-
iety OF commerce are unknown, and
the silent Sundays are never broken
by the Whizzing OF machinery, or de.
filed by its smoke and steam. Ii you
have toiled hard enough t. deserve
rest, you will find IL Lis W; il
not, you will seek it anywhere in vain.
1t is the most pleasant place in the
world and we're it not for the farmer
turning his iurrows, or casting in
seed, you might imagine yourself
already where Sundays never enc" :"
Entering tie neat, t,capacious church,
iatherly and motherly faces meet
your eye at every hand, anG you will
soon forget that YOU arc a stranger.
Yonder, in the square pew, sits
Deacon Lee; you vould know he was
i deacon il he had no. told you.
Some men are born deaCons-whata a
pity that some should enter the holy
office who are mott Deacon Lee was
not q native of W, but went
there to till 4 farm leu him by an
aged relative some twenty years ago
about the time Deacon Bell died,
leaving sad void in the church and
the parsonage-fOr he was pillar IN
Zion, and q strong arm TO his pastor.
After seeking long to fill his place,
the minds or the church settled on
the newcomer, who, by his solemn
ty, piety and zeal, seemed created
for the place. He was a man OF few
words, rarely ever talking, so that
the boys called him u Gsst "a glum
old man. But they sooa chaagea
thelr opinion i1r be set apart q tree
oil summer-sweetings and one of bell
pears tor their express benefit, as
they went To and IRON school, and
surprised Them Gy fac swing, which
he hung fer taem in his walnut grove.
30 the verdict of that and Of eech
succeeding generation OF boys was
that although the deacon never
talked, he was q kind and genial man,
and 4 lover OF children. Every boy,
from twenty years back, has been his
shepherd, his wa,chman, or his as
slstant farmer; feeling 70 4 high
honOr 10 h!tcu lis nof-s on Sunday,
or 10 dive lis manure cart on Mon
day; GHd all bec&use they saw,
through the thick veil OF reserve,
that love burned and gloEed in his
heart.
Deacon Lees minister trusted in
him, and the church ielt her tempo
rsl affairs safe in his hands, and the
world honored his consistency,
There was q serpent in Ellen, and
a Judas in that thrice blessed band
who walked and talked with our Re
deemer on earth, aGd who saw His
glory mingled with his humanity
why, then, need we wonder that one
man, subtle and treache-OGs, hid HIM.
self IN the calm verdure Of W,
crawling cut only 20 deceive Gods
people with kiss, till ready to spring
upon them with his poisoned fangs
Upright, faithful and earnest as were
the people, they were not proof
against flatte-y and deception. There
came among them one quite unused |
to their unostentaiiCus way OF serv-
ing God, and ambitious, as he said,
"of seeing them make some stir il |
the world" We know from Gods |
word that zone sinner destroyeth
much good" and yet we are often
annoyed at The wide results Of one
mans evil work in the church. One |
may SOW tares which a hundred can |
not pluck Ouj; snd therefore /. be
comes Gods children - .tay the
enemy in his first efforts
He who aimed Sc the life OF the |
gospel church in W Wss "dead,
while lie had a name to live" He |
scorned many OF the humble ones
whose crown is waiting them on
high. He hated the humbling doc |
,rines of the Cross, and desired to see
man gloTified and exalted; ne re
belled against the ''iron bars" which |
he chose to call tie bonds OF love |
which separate Gods chosen and |
obedient ones from the world that |
lieth 10 wickedDess. lie declared |
that the Millennium could never
dawn Till all Christians we're as one
by which he meant tha., for the sake |
OF union, right must yield TO wrong
as il be were of the number who
loved and longed tor the appearing
of Christ! He begsn stealthily to
SOW his seeds among the younger and
weaker OF the flcck, ard when lie
saw the first token Of their taking
root he grew bold, and he began to
cast them in on the strong, high hills.
But here he found resistance the soil
which had borne such rich harVests
Of grace repelIed his seed from It's
bosom snd he came to The mad re-
solve to assail the deacon, and try
how he would receive it. l. he, with
his piety, zesl and influence, opened
his boaom - il, the end was easily
attsined. The minister was rot wOT-
thy of considera,Gn in the matter
ministers are so readily put out of
the way. if they do not yield to Tn
gOdiiHess. II he proved dead sen
tinel, he woald not molest him il
alive and jealous Of his Masters
honor, one bullet would settle him |
forever.
In pursuance Of his 'liber4l views" |
and his deep-laid plan, our valian,
re.ormer rode up and fastened his
horse before the uEpretending dwell |
ing of Deacon Lee. Ushered into |
the neat "keeping room t1 await his
coming from the harvest field, his
restless spirit was almost .wei by the
silence which reigned there. The
tall clock in the corner, with lis ever
sailing ship, ticked psinfally loud
and even the buZz.Cg Ct the lew hies
on the panes snaOyei Ian. lie sui
Tered much the sams oppression as
DO those who 8ai. long in 2 silent,
darkened room, the coming of a min
lister to a funeral lie wished fo1,
and then dreaded the good mar,
being not quite sure OF q warm re-
ception. He lad just decided on q
clandestine flight, when tue door
opened and the deacLn entered, IS
calm and hea. - II toll had never
rufiled his spirits or soiled MS gar
ments. After the usual greetings,
and dead, awful pause, the visitor.
hegan--think Ol tie wiles Of Satan
by lamenti1g the lo9 state Of re-
ligion, asking the good nan Why this
church had enjoyed no revival for
three or four years! What cared he
for Gods set time TO visit Zion ?
He was far more deeply interested in
the opening OF new stage-road 20
the summit, aud in getting up stock
IN the protected hotel there