The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1874-04-02

Autsor cfa The Hoosier School 1Mas-
sev," End IF Ms World," etc.
IFrom the cArsstisa ynion.l
CHAPTER XVII. (Coatinued.)
In returning, Morton had been di-
rected to follow . sstraces that led
him toward home by much nearer
way than he had come. After riding
twenty miles he emerged from tho
wilderness into settlement just as
the sun was setting. It happened
that the house where he found q hos
pitable supper and lodging was al
ready set apart for Methodist preach
ing that evening. After supper the
shuck bottom chairs and rude benches
were arranged about the walls and
the intermediate space was left to be
filed by seats which should be
brought in by friendly neighbors.
Morton gathered from the converse
tion that the preacher was none other
than the celebrated Valentine Cook,
who was held in such esteem that it
was even believed that he had a
prophetic inspiration and q miracu-
lous gift of healing. This "class'
had been founded by his preaching
in the days of his vigor. He had
long since given up s'travelling' on
account of his health. He was now
. teacher in Kentucky, being by all
odds the most scholarly of the West
ern itinerants. He had set out on
journey among the churches with
whom he had labored, seeking to
strengthen the hands of the brethren,
who were like few sheep in the
wilderness. The old Levantine
churches did not more heartily vel
come the final visit Of Paul the Aged
than did the backwoods churches this
farewell tour Of Valentine Cook.
Finding himself thus fairly en-
trapped again by Methodist meet
ing, Morton felt no little agitation.
HIS mother had heard Cook in his
younger days in Pennsylvania, and
he was thus familiar with his fame
IS q man and preacher. Morton
was not only curious to hear him; he
entertained. faint hope that the
great preacher might lead him out Of
his embarrassment.
After supper Goodwin strolled out
through the trees trying to collect
his thoughts; determined at one mo-
ment to become . Methodist and end
his struggles, seeking, the next, to
build o breastwork Of resistance
against the sermon that he must hear.
Having walked some distance from
the house into the bushes, he came
suddenly upon the preacher himself,
kneeling in earnest audible prayer.
So rapt was the old man in his de-
votions that he did not note the ap-
proach Of Goodwin, until the latter,
awed at sight of man talking face
to face with God, stopped, trembling,
whese he asood. Cook then saw him,
and, arising, reached out his hand 10
the young man, saying in voice
tremulous with emotion: abe thou
faithful unto death, and will give
thee . crown Of lie" Morton en-
deavored in few stammering words
to explain his accidental intrusion,
but the venerable man seemed almost
at once tn have forgotten his pres
ence, for he had taken his seat upon
a log and appeared absorbed in
thought. Morton re,reated just in
time to secure place IN the cabin,
now almost full. The members of
the church, men and women, as they
entered, knelt in silent prayer before
taking their seats. Hardly silent
either, for the old Methodist could
do nothing without noise, and even
while he knc!t in what he considered
silent prayer, he burst forth con-
tinually in audible ejaculations of
"Ah-ah!" 30 my Lord, helpW
"Hahl" and other groaning express
sions of his inward wrestling--groan-
ings easily uttered, but entirely with
out a possible orthography With
most, this was the simple habit Of All
uncuItivated and unreserved nature !;
in later times the ostentatious and
hypocritical did not fail to cultivate
il as an evidence Of superior piety.
But now the room is full. People
are crowding the doorways. The
rood old class-leader has shut his
ewes and turned his face hcavenward
Presently he strikes up Justify, lead
ing the congregation in singing:
"How tedious and tasteless the hours
When Jesus no longer seev'
When he reached the stanza that
declares:
"While blest with sense Of his love
A palace toy would appear;
And prisons would palaces prove,
IfJesus would dwell with me there"
there were shouts of .Halleluyah!'
"Praise the Lord!" and SO forth. At
the last quatrain, which runs,
20! drive these dark clouds from my sky!
Thy soul-cheering presence restore;
Or take ne to thee up ON high,
Where winter and clouds are no more -
there were the heartiest "amens,'
though they must have been spoken
in poetic sense. l cannot believe
that any Of the excellent brethren,
| even in that moment of exaltation,
would really have desired translation
to the world beyond the clouds.
The preacher, in his meditations,
had forgotten his congregation
very common bit Of absent-minded.
ness with Valentine Cook; and SO
when this hymn was finished, a sister
with rich but uncultivated soprano
started, to the tune called "lndiar
Philosopher" that inspiring song
which begins:
sCome ON, my partners In distress.
Ny comrades in this wilderness,
Who still your bodies feel:
Awhile forget your griefs and fears,
Lsok forward through this vale OF tears
To that celestial hill.
The hymn was long, and by tn,
time it was completed the preacher
having suddenly come to himself
entered hurriedly, and pushed for
ward to the place arranged for him
The festoons Of dried pumpkin hang
ing from the joists reached nearly t