The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-02-20

customer bought some gingham, on
Joe's assurance that the colors were
fast, but the first wash-day failed to
confirm Joe's statement. The proprietor
of the stage line between Bungheld and
Cleopas Valley traded horses with Joe,
and was afterwards head mentioning
his new property in language far more
scriptural than proper.
Still, Joe was a church member, aud
that was a patent of responsibility. Aud
- he gained years and building lots,
and horses, and commenced discounting
notes, his responsibility grew and wa1ed
great in the minds of the practical peo
pie of Bungield. Even good women,
real mothers in Israel, could not help
thinking, rs they sorrowed over the
sands in the bottoms of their coffee
cups, and grew wrathful at runney"
-four Fought for "a 1 Superfine" of
Tackey & Cater, that Joe would make
q valuable husband. So thought some
of the young ladies of Bung6eld, and
as young ladies who can endure the idea
of such a man for a perpetual partner
can also signify their opinions. Joe be-
gan to comprehend that he was in active
demand. He regarded the matter as
he would q sudden demand for any
commodity of trade, and, by skillfully
manipulating the market, he was soon
enabled to choose from full supply.
Thenceforward Joe was as happy as q
man Of his nature could be. All his in
vestmsnts were paying we'll the store
Wa prosperous, he was successful in
all his trading enterprises, he had pur-
chased, at fearful shaves, scores of per-
fectly good notes, he realized on loans
which would cause a usury law to
shrivel and crack, his insurance policies
brought him fair dividends, and his
wife kept house with economy and
thrift. But the church-the church
seemed an unmitigated drag. Joe at
tended all the church meetings-deter-
mined to get the worth of the money he
was compelled to contribute to the cur.
rentexpenses-heh had himself appointed
treasurer, so he could get the use of the
church money, but the interest even at
the rate Joe generally obtained, did
not balance the amount of his contribu.
ton.
Joe worried over the matter until he
became very peevish, yet he came no
nearer q business-like adjustment of
receipts and expenditures. One day
when his venerable partner presented
him certificate of dividend from the
.Patagonian Mutual, Joe remarked:
"Never got any dividends on that
other insurance you putme up to taking,
partner-that 'gainst fire-risks in the
next world, you know. Twill be tough
if there's any mistake-church does
take a sight of money"
"Joseph," said the Squire, in q sor-
rowful tone, GIVE always been afeard
they didn't look enough il to your EVIL
dences when they took yon into that
church. How can a man expect to es-
cape on the day Of wrath if he's all the
time grumbling at the cost of his saliva
ton? Mistake? If you don't know in
your heart the truth of what you pro-
fess, there's mighty little hope for you,
church or no church"
"Know in my hearth" cried Joe.
"That's rretty kind of security. Is
that what I have been paying church
dues for? Better have known it in my
heart in the first place, and saved the
money. What's the use of believing all
these knotty points, if they don't make
q sure thing for q man?"
eff your belief don't make You any
better or happier, Joseph" rejoined the
Squire, "you'd better look again and
see if you've got a good hold of it;
those that's got a clear title don't find
their investment as slow in making re-
turns, while those that find fault are
generally the ones that make a mistake.
Poor Joe He thought he had set
tied this whole matter but now, if his
partner was right. he was worse off than
if he hadn't begun. He believed in
justification by faith ; now, wasn't his
faith strong-frst class, he might say 2.
To be sure Of being safe, hadn't he be-
lisved everything that all the ministers
had insisted upon as essential? And
what was faith, If it wasnt believing?
He would AK his partner the old man
had got him into this scrape-now he
must see him through.
esquire" said he. isn't faith the
same thing as believing ?"
"Well, said the Squire, adjusting his
glasses. and taking from his desk the
little Testament upon which he admin
istered oaths " that depends on how you
believe. Here's verse on the subject:
Thou believest in God /; thou dost
we'll the devils also believe and trem-
b1e.'"
Ugh Joe shivered. He wasn't an
sristocrat, but would any one fancy such
companionship as the Squire referred
to?
/" Here" said the Squire, turning the
lesves 10 another passage bearing on
the subject: o, generation of vipers,
who hath warned You to flee from the
wrath to Gomez Bring forth, therefore
fruits meet for repentance
sVipers Joe intentionally wondered
who else the Squire was going to intro
duce into the brotherhood of faith.
"Now, see what it says in another
place, continued the Squire: Not every
enc that saith unto me Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven,
but he that doeth the will OF thy Father
which is in heaven.
"Yes," said Joe, grateful for hearing
of NO more horrible believers, "but
what is his will but believing on him g?
Don't the Bible say that they that be-
lieve shall be saved p
"Joseph," said the Squire, "when
you believed in my store, yo1 put in