Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-07-16

the Captain. 4 meant, however, to
confess something whi.h l suppose d
was known to everybody who knew me
my horse trade with Peter Simmonds
last spring.
Did you wrong Peter p said the
minister.
Il shaved him a little, said I.
How much2' said he. Tell me hon.
estly what you think
Il let him have a wind-broken aud
ring-boned nag that 1 had physlcked up
to look pretty gay-worth for actual
service, not over ten dollars, and got in
return a sound, steady beast, worth
sixty dollars, and twenty-five dollars to
boot. SO l honestly think said l that
| shaved him out. Of seventy-fve dol
lars.
And with seventy-fve dollars in
your possession belonging TO poor Peter
Simmonds do you think you can COM
mence the life of Christian purity? Do
you think that Christ will hear your
prayers for pardon, said the minister.
4 said something about a trade is a
trade. and men must look out for them
selves when they swap horses but he
cut me short
Your own soul, said he, will not
admit the excuses which your selfish"
ness invents.' g..
But the rule you apply said l, will
cut off the heads Of church members as
we'll as mine. There's Deacon Rlch'
he trades horses, and shayes when he
can.' =.
No excuse said he, whose head II
cuts off-no matter what Deacon Rich
does. You have to deal with your own
soul. and with your Lord. And l will
tell YOU. whether you are out OF the
church or in it, single dollar which you
have uniustly or knowingly taken from
any man, without rendering him its full
value to the best of your ability-a sin
rle dollar, say, will be like a mill
stone hung upon your neck, 10 sink your
soul into the sea of spiritual DEATH
Il couldn't stand that. The spirit OF
God used those words with terrible
effect upon my heart. The truth spok-
en- by the pastor appealed to the un'
dcrstanding with irresistible power.
went away, but l couldn't rest. So
took seventy-fye dollars, and went to
Peter and paid him, making him prom
ise not to tell anybody, for l was
ashamed to have it known that l was
conscience -smitten, and had paid back
the money. Then 1 went to the minis
ter and told him what 1 had done. de
didn't praise me, as l thought he would.
He took it as q matter Of course, and as
if It was no more merit in me than 1t
was 20 wash my hands before lsit down
to supper. On the contrary he seemed
to suspect that my hands were not quite
clean yet. He wanted to know if 1 had
wronged anybody else besides Peter. |
tried to say no, but my conscience
wouldn't let me. I could have told him
plumper lie than that once without
fiinching-yes, and Aattersd my own
heart to believe the lie. l was dlscour-
aged I felt bitterly disheartened. 1t
wa. indeed so much harder 10 be Chris
tan than supposed, that / regretted
going to talk to the minister at ALL
Like the young man who had great pos
sessions, l was on the point Of going
away sorrowful. But my heart burned
within me and was forced to speak.
In the way of business said l. no
doubt I have taken advantage here and
there, as everybody does-as church
members themselves do when they can.'
What everybody does is no rule for
YOU and me, Capt. Ball, said the minis
ter. Tits to be Christians in the full
est sense-not simply to be church
members-that we must strive with all
our hearts. The fact Of being in the
fold does not make the lamb there are
wolves in the fold, alas but we are by
no means justified IN doing as the wolves
do. even when they appear in sleeps
Il felt the rebuke.'
'Well,' said l, there is Deacon Rich.
7 think he paid me note twlco. The
frat time he paid it we were transact
ing business, and by some means the
note wasn't destroyed. found it
among my papers afterwards. l was a
deal excited, and lay awake more than
one night thinking whatI ought to do
about it. The deacon was a hard man,
7 considered, and took advantage OF
people when he could. He had driven
more than one hard bargain with me-
The Deacon, who was present, and
heard these illusions to himself, WINGED
and coughed uneasily. Capt. Ball went
on. without appearing to notice him.
'So,' said 1 to the minister, / con-
cluded I would serve tho deacon as he
would probably have served me under
similar circumstances. I kept the note
bv me a good while, and when I thought
the particulars Of our settlement had
ahmed his mind.' 1 said to him one
day. may be he would like to take up
that note which had been due q consld-
erable time. BE was surprissd-looksd
excited and angry--said he had pad,
and held out stoutly for awhile; but
there was the note. There was no
proof that it had ever been paid, and