The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1873-01-09

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NO. 2.
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stopped he would not have courage to
60 on. M
RALPH said that hs did not yet BE-
dong TO any church. and; be vas afraid
90 couldn't do Bud muchsocod. But
Ibis tone was fnll Of sympstlhy. and,
what's better than sympathy, : yesrn-
ing for sympathy. 8ar NJ u
You see.' said Bud. 4 wanted 10
git out Of this low-lived. Flat Creek
way Of livin'. We're a hard set down
here Str. Hartsook. And Pm gittin'
10 be one of the hardest Of 'em. But
/ never could git no good out of Bosaw
with his whisky and meanness. And
I went TO the Mount Tabor church
oncct. heard . man discnssln' bap-
tism, and regeneration, and 30 on.
That didn't seem no cure for me.
went to revival over 1t Clifty. Well.
'twant no use. First night they was
. man that spoke about Jesus Christ In
sech . way that wanted to foller him
every ywhere. But didn't feel fit
next night come back with my mind
made up that I'd try Jesus Christ, aud
zee of he'd have me. But Laws! they
was big man that night preached
bell Not that don't believe they's a
hell fhey's plenty not . thousand
miles away as deserves 1t, aud I don't
know as I'm too good for IL myself.
But he pitched 1t at us, and stnck 1t
In our faces in such way that got
mad. And l says, Well, ef God sends
me to hell he canst make me holler
'nough no how. You see my dander
was up. And when my dander's up,
I wouldn't gin up fer the devil hissslf.
The preacher was % insulting with
his way Of doing 1t. He seemed to be
kind Of glad that we WAS to bs damned, !,
and he preached somethin' like some
folks swears. Il didn't sound : bit
like the Christ the little man preached
about the night afore. So what does
me and lot Of fellers do but slip out
and cut of the big preachers stirrups,
and hang them on to the rider Of the
fence, aud then set his hoss looee
And from that day. sometimes ! did,
and sometimes / didn't want to be
better. And to-day It seemed to me
that you must know somethin' as
would help me-"
Nothing Is worse than religious
kept ready to be exposed
to the gaze of everybody, whether the
time is appropriate or not. But never
Vas religious experience more appro-
pirate than the socount which Ralph
gave to Bud of his Struggle in the
Dark. The confession Of his weakness
and wicked selfishness was a great
to Bud.
DO you think that Jesus Christ
would would-well, do you think
he'd help poor, unlarnt Flat Cricker
like me?'
i think he was . sort of . Flat
himself said Ralph slowly
and very earnestly.
.You don't say?' said Bud. almost
.asAins o4 hia seAt. ...s..,s ..s.
why, You 80 the town he lived In
was . rough placs. II was called
which meant 'Bushtown'.'
You don't say p
And he was called . Nazarsne,
which was about the same as back
And Ralph resd the different pas
sages which he had studied 1t Sunday
school, illustrating the condescension
of Jesus, the stories Of the publicans,
The harlots. the poor, who came to
him. And he read about Nathaniel,
who lived only six miles away, say
ing Can any good thing come out Of
Nazareth p
Just what Clifty folks says about
Crick, broke in Bud.
DO you think could begin with
,ut being baptized! ! he added pres
entity.
why not? Let's begin now to do
he best we can, by his help
You mean, then, that I'm to begin
o put in my best licks for Jesus
Christ. and that he'll help map
This shocked Ralph's vsneration .
title. But it was the sincere utterance
II an earnest soul. It may not have
,een An orthodox start, but it was one
tart for Bud. And there be those
Who have repeated with the finest
appreciation the old English
iturgiss who have known religious
aspiration so sincere as that Of this
gnorant young Hercules, whose best
confession was that he meant here
Ifter to put in his best licks for Jesus
Christ.' And there be those who can
lefine repentance and faith to the
urning Of hair who never made so
,enuine a start for the kingdom of
leaven as Bud Means did.
Ralph said yes, that he thought that
vas just it. At least, he guessed If
here was something more, the man
hat was putting in his best licks
would be sure to find it out.
DO you think he'd help a feller?
seems to me it would be number one
0 have God help you. Not to help
'ou fight other folks, but to help you
vhen it comes to fighting the devil
inside. Blu. you see I don't belong to
10 church.
Well, let's you and me have one
light off. Two people that beip one
mother to serve God make church.
I am afraid this ecclesiastical theory
vill not be considered orthodox. It
vas Ralpbs, and I write IL down At
be risk Of bringing him Into con-
emnation.
But other people before the days Of