Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-03-06

ben with me there many time, and
haven't both OF us prayed an groaned an
| cried in our hearts, not only EOS we
couldn't join in it all ourselves, but eos
we couldn't send the children either,
without their learnin' to hate religion
fore they fairly know'd what twas?
Haven't | sneaked into the vestibule win
| ter nights, an sot jest where I did last
| night, an heard what I'd a liked my wife
| an children to hear, an prayed for the
| time to come when the self-app'inted elect
| shouldn't offend the little ones? An after
| sittin' there last night, an comm home
| and tellin' my wife how folks was con-
| cerned about US, an our rejoicin' together
In the hope that some day our children
could hev the chances we're shut out of
now, who should come along this mornin'
| put one OF those same holy people, an
Jewed me down on pay that the Lord
knows is hard enough to 1--we on"
The Deacon had a heart, and knew he
the nature of selfrespect as we'll as men
generally. His mind ran entirely outside
of texts for few minutes, and then, with
| sigh for the probable expense, he re-
marked:
Reckon Elites notion was right, after
all-ther ort to be workin' mans
chapel"
''Ort ?" responded Hay; "who dye
s'pose d go to it? Nobody Ye can
rent US second-class houses, an sell us
secondhand clothin', and the cheapest
cuts o meat, but when it comes to cheap
religion-nobody knows its value better
n we do. We don't want to go into yer
parlors on carpets and furniture we don't
know how to use, an we don't expect to
be asked into society where our talk an
manners might make some better eddi-
Gated people laugh. But when it comes
to religion-God knows nobody needs an
deserves the very best article more n zoe
do"
Tie Deacon was reasonable man, and
being old, was beginning to try to look
fairly at matters upon which he expected
soon to be very thoroughly examined.
The indignant protest of the carpenter
had, he feared, great deal of reason,
and yet-God's people deserved to hold
their position, If, as usual, the argument
ended where it began. So he asked
rather triumphantly
"What is to be done, then 90
''Reform Gods people themselves re-
piled the carpenter, to the horror of the
pious old man. "When the right hand
Of fellowship is reached out to the 'front.'
| instead Of stuck behind the back when q
poor man comes along, therell be plenty
that'll be glad to take it, Reform yer
own people, Deac'n. Fore yer pick out
of our eyes the notes We'll be glad enough
to get rid of, We can get a fine lot of
heavy lumber out of yer own"
Soldiers of the cross, no more than any
other soldiers, should stand still and be
wi nr1 1ahl 10 fn Jyy,o
so thought the Deacon, and he pru-
IDENTIFY withdrew
Reform Gods people themselves! The
Deacon was too old boy to tell tales out
of school, but he knew we'll enough there
was room for reform. OF course there
was-Werent we all poor sinners?-when
we would do good wasn't evil ever pres
ent with us?-what business had other
sinners to complain, when they weren't,
at least, any better? Besides, suppose he
were to try to reform the ways of
Brother Graves and Deacon Struggs and
others he had in his mind-would they
rest until they had attempted to reform
lam And who was to know Just what
quantity and quality of reform was
necessary ''Be not carried about with
divers and strange doctrines" The mat
ter was too great for his comprehension,
so he obeyed the injunction, Commit
thy way unto the Lord"
But the Lord relegated the entire mat
ter to the Deacon. Hay did a full days
work, the Deacon made neat little sum
by recovering on an old judgment he had
bought for mere song, and the Deacon's
red cow made an addition to the family
IN the calf-pen; yet the Deacon was far
from comfortable. The idea that certain
people must stay away from Gods house
until Gods people were reformed, seemed
to the Deacon's really human heart some
thing terrible. If they couId be so proud
and yet, people who would stand out
side the meeting house and listen, and
pray and weep because their children
were as badly of, as they, could scarcely
be very proud. He knew there couldn't
be many such, else this out-of-door CON
gregation would be noticed-there GER
tainly wasn't a full congregation of mod
est mechanics in the vestibule of which
Hay spoke, and yet, who could tell how
many more We're anxious and troubled on
the subject of their eternal welfare?
What pity it was that those working
men who wished to repair to the sanctu-
airy could not have steady work and full
pay! If he had only known all this early
in the morning, he did not know but he
might have hired him at three dollars,
though, really, was a man to blame for
doing his best in the labor market? eye
cannot serve God and mammon."
Gracious! he could almost declare he
heard the excited carpenters voice deliv-
ering that text. What lad brought that
text into his head just now?-he had
never thought Of it before.
The Deacon rolled and tossed on his
bed, and the subject of his conversation
with the carpenter tormented him so he
could not sleep. Of one thing he was
certain, and that was that the reform of
the church at Pawkin Centre was not to
be relied on in an extremity, and was not
hungering and thirsting after righteous
ness an extreme case?-had he ever really
known many such? If Hay only had
means the problem would afford its own
solution. The good Deacon solemnly de-
clared to himself that if Hay could give
good security, he (the Deacon would try
to lend him the money.
But even this Ito the Deacon extraordi-
nary concession was unproductiv( of
sleep. ''He that giveth to the poor lend
eth to the Lord" There! he could hear
that indignant carpenter again. What an
unsatisfactory passage that was, to be
sure! If it could only read the other
way-it didn't seem bit business-like
the way it stood. And yet, as the Deacon
questioned himself there in the dark, he
was forced to admit that he had very
small balance even Of loans--to his credit