Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-06
The DEACON'S CONVERSION.
BY n. A. BERToN.

ttOI VI enIlre congregation anu the terror
of all the ministers within easy wing distance
OF the deacon's native village. He It was who
had argued the late pastor out of the Pawkin
Center church into that state of disquietude
which had carried him through a few days of
delIriOus fever, into the church triumphant;
and IL was also deacon Barker whose questions
at the examination OF seekers for ex-pastor' 8
shoes has cast such CONSERVATION into divinity
schools tar and near that soon il was very hard
TO ind candidate for ministerial honors at
Pavkiu Center.
Nor was his faith made manifest by words
alone. lie the weather what it might the dea-
con was always IN his pew, both morning and
evening, IN time to JOIN in the first hymn; and
on every Thursday night at a quarter past
seven in winter, and quarter before eight in
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, even one single evening, fail
10 yibrate to the voice of the deacon, as he
made. in scriptural language. humble confess
sion and fearful pleadngs before the throne,
Or-still strictly scriptural in expression-he
warned and exhorted the impenitent. The con-
tributiOn box always received his sixpence as
long as specie payment lasted, and the smallest
fractional currency note thereafter; and TO each
of the regular annual offerings to the missionary
cause. the Bible cause, and kindred Christian
enterprises, the deacon regularly contributed
his dollar and his prayers.
The deacon could quote Scripture in man
ner which put Biblical professors to the blush.
and every principle of his creed so bsistled
with texts eonfirmatory, sustentive and aggres
thinkers were speedily reduced to specifies
humility of rage. But the unregensrate, and
even some who professed righteousness. de-
elared that more Indly than TO any other scrip
tuIal passage, did the good deacon cling 10 the
injunction, "Make to yourselves friends of the
mammon OF unrighteousness.' Meekly insist
ing that he was only steward OF the Lord, he
put out his Lords money that he might receive
II again with usury, and so successful had he
been, that almost all mortgages held on proper
ty near Pawkin Center, were in the good
deacon. and a few were the foreclosure GALES in
which he was not the seller.
The new pastor at Pawkin Center, like good
pastors every where, had tortured himself into
many headache over the perpleNing question,
"Hov are we to reach the impeniteut in our
midst" The said impenitent were, with but
few exceptions, industrious, honest, respecta-
BILE, law abiding people, and the worthy pastor,
as fully impregnated with Yankee thrift as with
Piety, >huddered 10 think of the waste of souls
that was constantly threatening. At length,
IKE many another pastor, he called meeting
OF the brethren, to prayerfully consider this
momenious question. The deacon came, of
course, and so did all the other pillars, and
many of them presented their views. Brother
Graves thought the final doom of the impeni-
tent should be more torcibly presented; Deacon
Struggs had an abiding conviction that it was
the man OF sin holding dominion in their hearts
that kept these people away from the means of
grace; Deacon Ponder mildly suggested that
the object might perhaps be attained II those
within the fold maint aimed a more goily
walk and conversation, but he was promptly
though eovertly rebuked by the good Deacon
the Spirit that quickeneth;' brother Elite, who
hadn't any money, thou ht the church ought to
build "workingmen's chapel" but this idea
was promptly and vigorously comb tted by all
men OF property in the congregation. By this
time the usual closing hour had arrived and
after benediction the faithful dispersed, each
with the ideas he brought to the meeting.
Early next morning, the good deacon Barker,
with his mind half full OF the state OF the un-
converted and half Of his unfinished COW shed,
took his stick and hobbled about the village in
search OF q carpenter to finish the incomplete
structure. There was Moggs, but Moggs had
been busy all the season, and it would be just
ike him TO want full price for a days work.
Stubb was IDLE, but Stub was slow. AUgur-
Augur used liquor, and the deacon had long
ago firmly resolved that not a cent of his
the accused stuff. But there was Hay-he
hadn't seen him at work for a long time-per-
haPs he would be anxious enough for work to
The deacon knocked at Hays door, and Hay
himself shouted:
" Come in"
4" How are ye, George, ;" said the deacon, look
ing hastily about the room and deli ghtedly de-
termining, from the patient face Of sad-eyed
MIS- Hay, and the scanty furnishing of the vet
providentiaily guided to the right spot. "How's
times with ye?"
% Not very good, deac'n, !" replied Hay
90 NOthin' much dom in town."
"Moneys awful skeerce," groaDed the dea-
Dreadful" responded George, devoatly
thanking the Lord that he owed the deacon
nothing.
.'GOt much to do this winter, asked the dea-
con.
mot a d-day's job-not single day." sor-
rowtully replied Hay.
The deacon's pious ear had been shocked by
the young mans imperfectly concealed profan-
lty, and for an instant he thought of admins
tering rebuke, but the charms of prospective
cheap labor lured the good man from the path
Of rectitude.
"Tm hXin' my cow shed-might p'raps give
how dull ev'ry thin is?''
The sad eyes of Mrs. HAY grew bright in an
instant. Her husbands heart jumped up, but
he knew to whom be WAS talking, SO he said, as
calmly as possible,
Three dollars Is regular paw"
The deacon Immediately Strengthened up, So
II to 20. "Too much, }" said he; I'D better hire
common lsb'rer at a dollsr'n a half, and boss
myself. It's only a cow-shed, ye know"
Guess, though, ye won't want the nails draw
H No less nckl , will ys deacon 1
III throw OF fifty cents q day.
Two dollars ort TO be enough, George" rsa-
soned the deacon. "Carpenterin's pooty work,
an takes sight of headpece sometimes; but
there's Lo intellec' required to work on a cow
shed. Say two dollars, an come along
way the usual three dollars went. and of how
much would have to be done with what he could
sss 0It ., ,ne shed, but the idea Of losing
your man"
we'll edlu tne deacon, 't1ts pOWerful
price to pay for work on a COW she'd, but nose
mus stan il. Hurry up; thar's the mill whis-
tie bow in seven"
Hay snatched his tools, kissed a couple Of
thankful tears out OF his wite's eyes, and was
soon busy on the cow-shed, with the deacon
looking on.
George" said the deacon, suddenly. causing
the earpt inter- to stop his hammer in mid air,
''think 1t over agin. an say two dollars"
Hay gave the good deacon a whitening glance,
and for a few minutes the force OF suppressed
profanity caused his hammer to bang with IN
usual vigor, while the owner of the cow-shed
rubbed his hands in ecstacy at the industry OF
his employe.
The air was bracing and the winter sun shore
humanity, the deacon's breakfast was dig sted
islriy, and his mindhsc not yet freed itselffrom
the influences Of the Sabbath. Besides he had
secured good workman at low price. and all
these influences combined TO put the deacon in
pleasant frame OF mind. He rambled through
MS mind ior text which would piously express
MS concltlon, and texts brought back Sunday,
and Sunday reminded HIM of the m Getting of the
night before. And here one of those very
men before him-a good mar IN many resp ects
though he was higher pr'ced than he should be-
Row was the cause q. the Master to be prosper
a