The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-04-10
THE ELDERS SERMON.

minister Is "
Descon Brown looked meditatively at
the speaker, a small, wiry>looking man.
whose features were almost as sharp as
the sharp black eyes fixed so intently
upon him.
"I don't know, Brother Quimby, as
my candid opinion of our minister would
do him any good"
al dare say not" responded Mr..
Quimby. darby; " but then it would do
me great deal of good to hear it"
81 don't know as to that either"
"There is no one in the church whose
opinion | think more of" continued Mr..
Quimby. "Not that approve o. giving
it to everyone, But you needn't be
afraid of saying just what you think to
ne, deacon, for it won't go any further,
and it might serve to clear up some
doubts that trouble me-"
What doubtsf'
Well-about various things. But
you haven't told me what your opinion
is, deacon ?"
al have only one opinion of Elder
Wakeman, and that is that he is man
that tries to do his duty in all the rela>
tions OF life."
This was evidently something that Mr..
Quimby neither expected nor desired to
hear, and he stared blankly at the speak
err. But quickly recovering himself, he
said
cha! [ think understand you, dea-
con. What you say is very well put
very well put indeed. | have thought
that he might be leetle more willing to
take advice; but there is no question in
nv mind but what he tries to do his
duty, as you say. But is he sound ?'
Pezhaps not. Some ministers are all
sound"
The nerry twinkle in the good dea-
cons eyes found no reflection in the sol
emn vissge opposite him.
It's no laughing matter, deacon"
responded Mr.. Quimby, with a rebuking
shake of the head. ~ am surprised that
you should speak on so serious q subject
with such unseemly levity. | referred
10 beius sound in doctrine. have been
a GOOD deal exercised in nay mind in re
gard TO this ever since | heard bis sermon
on Justification which il no justifca
ton at all, as I understand it, and as
good old DR.. Seaver used to lay it down
Desr old man | wonder what he would
say, if ne could come back ald hear the
new tangled ideas that are taught from
the pulpit where he preached such good,
old-fashioned doctrines nigh on TO twenty
years"
at he's where I think he is, he doesn't
want to come back. l only hope that
some things he used to preach about are
clearer to him now than he ever succeed
ed in making them to me"
there's no merit in believing where
everything is made clear. There are
mysteries of faith, deacon, that nobody
has any business 10 try to understand.
Now, Elder Wakeman is forever preach
ing about what we ought to do, as
though such poor. weak creatures as we
are can do anything toward efecting our
-alvati0n. As for me, Pm free to own
that [ don't consider anything l have
done, or am doing, of the least account
whatever"
Z" A man ought to know better than
anyone Sc the quality of his own
works, Brother Quimby, so won't
dispute you on that score. so far as l
am concerned l feel that the Lerd will
have quite enough to do in efecting the
work you allude to if help Him all
can"
Well, deacon, | wish | could have
my mind cleared up in regard to Elder
Wskeman. What did you think of his
sermon last Sabbath morning?"
"There is one thing l might say about
it, if 1 thought it prudent thing to do.
We can't be too careful in speaking,
especially if it's anything that's likely
to affect the character and usefulness Of
man like Elder Wakeman."
every true, deacon. But you needn't
be afraid of my telling; Pm not one OF
the leaky sort. knew, as we'll as 1
wanted to, that man of your sense
couldn't approve of such doctrine as
that"
"Oh, I've nothing to say against the
sermon; it was a very good discourse
you won't often find better. But the
fact is, every word it contained-I really
don't know that ought to mention it,
though if it should get about, it might
make trouble"
"Pll never lisp syllable of it to any
living SOUL" was the eager response.
"Well here the deacon lowered his
voice to an impressive whisper" have