Litchfield enquirer., 1873-07-03
My dear girl, ; said he. .:has the Ad-

''My dear girl, " said he. .:has the Ad- versarY left you P q guess not, " said she; leastways I've been puzzlin' my head all night, and haven't got anything for my pains. If l religion is intended for everybody, why isn't it ever talked about so anyone can understand it ?'
 In his prayer, Breeton had realized that l language, except snch as he habitually used, was not convenient to his tongue. He had determined to practise the utmost l simplicity of speech; and his intention was powerfully strengthened by the sight of Ipsie's face, always handsome, but now under the influence of trouble, made in- ezpressibly tender and womanly and pure. l For few moments, Breeton labored as he had never done before,s yet only to clothe simple truths in simple language. In those few moments he found, that, dur ing his ministry, he had been fondly re- beating sentences which had no meaning to most of his hearers; had been using obsolete figures of speech; had been mak- ing references, and drawing similes, which no one but theologian, or Jew skilled in the literature of his forefathers, could have comprehended; and had been sealing up the fountain from which he implored people to drink.
 ''My child" said he at length very slow ly, 'God made the world, and us, and l everything we have and need. He asks no pay of us except our love; and he asks us to prove our love by doing right Tho Bible tells us great deal about light and wrong; our consciences tell us great deal; and our experience constantly instructs us. God wants us to regard him as fa- ther; and he showed his great love for Us | INxrc ol L. T. other people, and to die for our sakes. God is real being; and, though we can not see him, we can become acquainted with him, if we show by our thoughts and | actions we want to be. And he wants us all to go to him when we die, and to be with him forever"
 'That's all plain: Understand all that, " said Ipsie.
 '"Then you understand aN I can tell | you" said Breeton.
 ''But the horns of the altar, and thelark | of safety, and passing from death to life, ! and the blood of the Lamb, and wrestlin' i with the angel, and"-
 '"They all mean only what I have al- ready told you," said the young minister, blushing guiltily under the half-indignant look the wondering girl gave him; ''but have been foolish enough to suppose these figures of speech were as familiar to others as to me.
 ''But there's free-will and election, and | all those things mothers big black books tell about" said Epsie.
 ''Those matters are Gods business, and not ours" replied Breton; "and no one ever gained anything by meddling with them. God does not expect you to know everything, but rather to love with all your strength. Do you suppose your fa- ther and mother love you any less because you do not know all'theydo ?'' "No." said Ipsie, with an absent look would, for little while, be her own best company. As he stepped out of the house, Sam kavvery confronted him.
 'EMister." said he, ''the doer bein' open, l heerd all you've ben a-sayin'. Do you mean to say that's all ? that Ips, or any ! body else, don't need to go rollin' on the groun' at camp-meetin', or hev a tremen- dous sperience some way, fore they're safe? Ain't ther nothin' to do 'xcept make up yer mind to turn aroun', an row 'tother way ?"
 ''That's all," said Breton. except that, after turning, you must row, and keep at it, and not let yourself drift with the current
 Shouldn't wonder then," said Sam, strolling slowly away, eff I could be Christian myself"
 Breeton was offering. silent prayer, when slap between the shoulders inter rupted him.
 ''Breeton," said MT. Hartinger, 'T was myself an unintentional nearer of your little sermon; and must thank you for l the dearest religious statement I have ever heard. But, if this is all, what be- comes of the articles of faith and which IS the one true church ?"
 'I am too young a convert to answer many questions" replied Breeton: ''but | honest opinions about religion do not, of themselves, constitute religion; and,- as | for the true church, it is in the heart of His people,"
 'Noble young heretic, consistent yonng Christian p exclaimed Hartinger, seizing Breeton's hand.
 It was time for Breton to start again for the Cross Roads, yet he was very 10th l to go. He had learned more within an hour than ill his whole seminary course; and, while he was reverently thankful to the Great Teacher, he felt considerable human gratitude toward Ipsie. He start ed to find her, and express his thankful ness. He re-entered the house, and found her still sitting where he had left her.
 "Ipsie,' said he, in tone, which. though very tender, startled the girl, 'I have attempted to teach you; but yoM have given me the mostvaluable lesson I have ever had; you have taught me to speak plain English. But I shall have many relapses into my old habits; and know of no one else who will correct me. Will yow do it-for ife?''
 Ipsie said nothing, but blushed. The young preacher looked appealing ly; and her blushes grew deeper. Still she said nothing; but as, when Mrs. Kavvery came in to set the dinner-table, she found Ip- sies head on Breeton's shoulder, and the young man not the least bit ashamed of it, it seemed evident that Ipsie had nc- cepted the situation.
 Ipsie was never made professor of Eng fish i'll a theological seminary; but she did the world good service in revising her husbands sermons, and did far more for God and humanity than did any other member of the Easter River Conference.