The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-05-27
Deacon Rnrker's Conversion.


Deacon Rarker's Conversion.
OF the several pillars Of the church at
Pawkin Centre, Deacon Barker was by
oil odds the strongest. His orthodoxy
was the admiration of the entire congrc.
CATION, and the terror OF the ministers
within easy driving distance of the Dea-
cons native village. He it was who had
argued the late pastor into state Of dis
quictude which had carried him through
a few days of dcirious fever, into the
church triumphant ; and it was also Dea-
con Barker whose questions at the exam
ination of seekers for the ex.pastor's shoes
that had cast such CONSERVATION into the
divinity schools, far aud near, that 1t soon
was very hard to find candidate for
ministerial honors at Pawkin Centre.
Nor was his faith made manifest BY
words alone. BE the weather what ii
might the Deacon was always i'll his pew,
both morning and evening, in time to join
in the first hymn, and on every Thursday
night, at quarter past seven in the win
ter and quarter before eight in the
summer, the good deacon's cane and shoes
could be heard coming solemnly down the
aisle, bringing to the prayer meeting the
champion of orthodoxy Nor did the
holy air of the prayer meeting, not even
for one single evening, fail to vibratc to
to the voice of the Deacon, as he made,
in scriptural language, humble confession
and fearful pleading before the throne, or
still strictly scriptural in expression
he warned and exhorted the impenitent,
The contribution box always received his
sixpence as long as specie payment lasted,
and the smallest fractional currency note
thereafter and to each of the regular an
nual offerings to the missionary e,the
bible cause, .he Deacon regularly contri-
buted dollar and his prayers,
The Deacon could quote scripture in a
manner which put biblical professors to
the blush aud every principle of his creed
so brstled with texts confrmatory, sus-
tentive and aggressive, that doubters were
rebuked and tree thinkers were speedily
reduced to specchless humanity or rage
But the unregenerate, and even some who
professed righteousness, declared that
more fondly than to any other scripture
did the good Deacon cling to the injuuc'
tion, make to yourselves friends Of the
mammon Of uprighteousness." Meekly
insisting that he was only a steward Of
the Lord, he put out his Lords money
that he might receive it again with usury
and so successful had it been that almost
all mortgages held on property near Paw
kin Centre were in the hands Of the gooC
Deacon, and few were the foreclosures in
which he was not the seller.
The new pastor at Pawkin Centre, lik'
good pastors everywhere, had tortured
himself into many headache over thu
pcrplexing question: "How are we t.
reach the impentent in our midst ?" Th'
said impcnitent were with few exceptions
industrious, honest, respectable law abid
ing people, and the worthy pastor, as full.
impregnated with Yankee thrift as will
piety, shuddered to think Of the waste o
souls that was constantly threatening. A
length, like many another pastor,he calle'
in meeting of the brethren to prayer
fully consider this momentuous question
The Deacon came, of course, and so di
all the pillars, and many of them present
ed their views. Brother Graves though
the final doom of the impenitent shoul
be more forcibly presented Deaco
Struggs had an abiding conviction that
was the Man of sin holding dominion
their hearts that kept these people ava
so long from the means of grace Deaco
Ponder mildly suggested that the objet
might perhaps be attained if those with
the fold maintained a more godly wal
and conversation. but was prompt
though couvertly rebuked by the goo
Deacon Barker, who reminded the brett
ren that sit is the Spirit that quickeneth
Brother Flite, who hadn't any none.
thought that the church ought to build
"workman's chapel" but this idea WI
promptly and vigorously combatted by u
men of property in the congregation. L
this time the usual closing hour had a
rived and after benediction. the faithf
dispersed, each with about the ideas
brought to the meeting
Early next morning the good Deac'
Barker, with his mind half full of d
state of the unconveated, and half his u
{ finished cow.shep, took his stick and no
bled about the village in search of ca
penter to finish the uncompleted stru
ture. There was Moggs, but Moggs hi
been busy all the season, and would
likely to want full price for da
work. Stubbs was idle, but Stubs W
low, Augur-Augur used liquor. a
the Deacon had long ago firmly rcsoly
a that not cent of his money, if he cor
Z help it, should ever go for the accurs
. stuff, but there was Hay, he hadn't sc
him to work for a long tme-perhaps
> would be anxious enough for the work
do it cheaply.
d The Deacon Knocked at Hays door,a
Is Hay himself shouted
Q, Come in
y How are ye, George?' said the d.
con looking hastily about the room, a
e, delightedly determining, from the patti
'. sad face Of Mrs. Hay and the scanty 4
q nishing Of the yet uncleared breakfast
10 BILE, that he had been providently guid
to the right spot. "IIow is times "