Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-05-01
The Silent Deac0n's Opinion.

1onder, in the square pew, sits Dea-
con Lee ; you would know he was a
deacon if he had not told you. Some
men are born deacons-what pity that
some should enter the holy Office who
are not Deacon Lee was not native
of W, but went there to till a
farm left him by an aged relative some
twenty years agO-about the time Dea-
con Bell died, leaving a sad void in the
church and the parsonage-for he was
pillar in Zion, and strong arm to
his pastor, After seeking long to fill
his place, the minds of the church set
tied on the new conner, who, by his
solemnity, piety and zeal seemed Gre
ated for the place. He was a man of
few words, rarely ever talking, SO that
the boys called him at first ga glum
old man But they soon changed
their opinion : for he set apart a tree
of summer sweetings and one of bell
pears for their express benefit, as they
went to and from school, and surprised
them by a fine swing, which he hung
for them in his walnut-grove. SO the
verdict Of that and of each succeeding
generation Of boys was, that although
the deacon never talked, he was kind
and genial man, and lover of children.
Every boy, for twenty years back, has
been his shepherd, his watchman. or
his assistant farmer; feeling it high
honor to hitch his horse on Sunday,
or to drive his manure-crop on Mon
day and all because they saw, through
the thick veil of reserve, that love
burned and glowed in his heart.
Deacon Lees minister trusted in
him, and the church felt her temporal
affairs safe in his hands, and the world
honored his stern consistency.
There was a serpent in Eden and a
Judas in that thrice blessed band who
walked and talked with our Redeemer
on earth, and who saw His glory min
gled with His humanity; why, then,
need we wonder that one man, subtle
and treacherous, hid himself in the
calm verdure of W, crawling out
only to deceive Gods people with a
kiss, till ready to spring upon them
with his poisoned fangs? Upright,
faithful and earnest as were the people,
they were not proof against flattery
and deception. There came among
them one quite unused to their unos
tentatious way of serving God, and
ambitious, as he said, "of seeing then
make some stir in the world.'' W.
know from Gods Word that zone sin
ner destroyeth much good and ye1
we are often annoyed at at the wide re
suit Of one mans evil work in the
church. One may SOW tares which ;
hundred can not pluck out; and there
fore it becomes Gods children to sta,
the enemy in his first efforts.
He who aimed at the life of the COS.
pei church in W. was "dead, while
he had name to live" He scornet
many of the humble ones whose crown
is waiting them on high. He hateo
the humbling doctrines of the Cross
and desired to see man gorifed and ex
allied he rebelled against the ''iro1
BARS" which he chose to call the bond
of love which separate Gods chose,
and obedient ones from the world tina
lieth in wickedncss He declared tha
the Millennium could never dawn til
Christians were as one by which he
meant that, for the sake of union
right must yield to wrong-as if h
were of the number who loved an,
longed for the appearing of Christ
He began stealthly to SOW his seed
among the younger and weaker of tn
flock, and when he saw the first token
Of their taking root he grew bold, ant
began to cast them in on the strong
high hills. But here he found resist
ance the soil which has borne suol