The Van Buren press., 1876-12-05
DEAcoN LEE
A Warning to all Mischief Makers

The deacon came in to meet bis visitor
who, after the usual greetings, began t
lament the low state Of religion and IN
auired as To tn. reason why there ha'
been no revival for the last two or thre
ysa's past.
Now, what do you think is the eaus
of things being dull here
The deacon was not ready To give BIZ
opinion, aud after "A little thought frank
ly answered:
IL don't know
"Do Won think the churches are aliy,
to the work before them p
mo. don't"
DO YOU think the minister fully re
alizes the solemnity OF his work r
No, | don't"
A twinkle was seen in the eye Of The
te uber in Zion, and, taking courage,
he asked:
DO you think Mr B. very extraor
dinary man.
No don't
do YOU think his sermons, in the
eyes of the peopl-, are held to be any
thing wonderfully greatf
No. don't
Then don't YOU think we had better
dismiss this man aud hire anotherr
Tne old deacon started as il shot with
an arrow. and, in tone louder than his
wont, shouted;
No, don't.
You talk so little, sir replied the
oueslioner, not little aoashcd, that no
one can fad out what you mean
i talked enough once, replied. the
old m II, rising to his feet, for six pray.
ing christians. Thirty years ago got
my heart humbled and my tongue bridled,
ami ever since that We walked sonly be.
fore God. | then made VOWS, solemn
as eternity and don't tempt me to break
them
The troubler was startled at the earn
cstness Of the hitherto silent, immova'
Bile man. and asked:
What happened to you. thirty years
agof'
We'll. sir, I'll tell you. was drawn
into scheme just like this Of yours, to
uproot one of Gods servants from the
field in which he had planted him. In
my blindness. | iancied it to be slight
thing to move one of the stars which
Jesus holds his right hand, if theren
my ear could be tckled hy more tlowing
words. aud the pews filed with those
VII turned away from simplicity OF the
gospe.--Ior admit that | was dnpe
aud q fool. We battered ourselves that
we were doing God service when We
hpl In ttl, u.,I
his work, and said we considered hi
work done in B-where | then lived.
We oroaned because there was no leyi
val while we were gossipng about and
crItclzing and crushing him. instead q
uphoding his han,ls BY our efforts and
our prayers, the very instrument at whose
hand we harshly demanded the blessings
Well sir. he could not drag on the
chariot Of salvation with half dozen ol
us taunting him for his weakness. while
we hun as dead weight to the wheels !,
he had not the Spirit, ss we thought, and
could not convert men, so We hunted
him like deer, till worh and bleeding
he fled into covert To die.
Scarcely had lie gone, when Goo
came in among Us by hgs Spirit to show
that he had blessed the hbors IF his
dear +, jected servant Oar own hearts
were broken, and our way wari children
converted; aud resolved at n con,e
nient season TO visit my former pastor
and confess my sin, and thank hlm toi
his iaithfulness TO my waywart sons,
which like buried seed had now sprung
up But God denied me that relief, tina,
he might teach me u Lessen that every
cailu Of his ought to learn--that he VIII,
t,ucheth one of his little ones tourhctl
the apple of his eye.
Il heard my pastor was i'll and takin.
nv oldest son with me, set out on &,
twenty five mile ride to see him 1t was
evening when l arrived, and his wife
with the spirit which any woman ough
TO exhibit toward one who had SO wrong
ed her husband, denied me admittanc'
to his chamber She said (and her word
went like arrows to my sout) He NAV
be dying. and the sight of your face ma,
add to Lis anguish Had it come t.
this, said to myself. that the man who's
labors had, through Christ, bronght IN
into his fold. who had consoled my spir
IL w q WI SuiSh's oHo "Hb Ho'
till designing men alienated us, been t.
me brother-ths man could not die il
peace with my face before him. 'Gn'
pity me! | cried what have l done
! confessed my sin to that meek woman
and implored her for Christ's sake, t
let me kneel before his dying servun
aud receive his forgiveness.
What did care then whether III
pews by the door were rented or not?
would gladly have taken his whole fami
lv to my home forever, AS my flesh sn,
blood but no such happiness was i
store for me.
As entered the room of the blessc
warrior, whose armor was falling frol
his li,ubs, be opened his languid eye
and said Brother Lee! Brother Lee
l bent over him and soubed out, NJ
pastor' Then raising his white han
he said. in a deep, impressive voice
Touch not mine annointed, aud do IN
prophets no harm,
Il spoke tenderly to him. and told hii
had come to confess my sin and brin
some OF his fruit to him (caling to N
son to tell hi m how H. had found Chris,
Bot he was unconscious OF ali aroui
hun: the sight of my face had brougi