Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-09-14
Deacon Lees Opinion.

Inc deacon came 10 meet MS VISITOR,
who after the usual greetings, began to
lament the low s-ate of religion, and in.
quire as to the reason why there had been
no revival for two or three years past.
Now. what do you think is the cause of
things being dull herep Do you knowP'
he persisted in asking.
The deacon was not ready to give his
opinion; and, after a little thought, frank
| ly answered, mo, | DON'T
"Do you think the church are alive to
! the work before them?"
"No, don't"
"Do you think the minister fully realizes
the soemnity of his work."
mo, | don't"
twinkle was seen in the eve of this
trouble in Zion, and taking courage Le
asked:
"Do you think Mr.. B. very extraor-
dinary man?"
mo, | don't"
"Do you think his sermon on Their
eyes were holden anything wonderfully
grea,?'
No, don't"
Making bold after all this encourage
ment in monosyllables, he asked, Then
don't you think we had better dismiss this
man and hire another?"
The old deacon started as If shot with nm
arrow, and in tone louder than his wont,
shouted, mo, | don't"
"Why," cried the amazed visitor, "you
agree with me in all | have said don't
youp"
mo, don't"
"You talk so little, SIR" replied the
guest, not a little abashed, "that no one
can find out what you do mean"
Il talked enough once" replied the old
man, rising to his feet, "for six praying
Christians. Thirty years ago I got my
heart humbIed and my tongue brdled, and
ever since then I've walked softly before
God. then made vows solemn as etern-
ltyi and don't you tempt me to break
themw
The troubler was startled at the earnest
ness of the hitherto silent, immovable man,
and asked, "What happened to you thirty
years agoPn
"Well, 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 hv hod planted ulIu. In my
blindness, fancied it little thing to re-
move one of the stars which Jesus holds
in his right hand, if thereby my ear could
be tickled by more t1owery words, and the
pews filled with those who turned away
from the simplicity of the gospel. | and
the men that led me-for | admit that |
was dupe and a fool-hattered ourselves
! that we were conscientious. We thought
we were doing God service when we drove
that holy man from his pulpit and his
Tprk and said nnnsil.raJ hi,
ended in b, where then lived. We
groaned because there was no revival,
while we were gossiplng about and critic
Using and crushing instead of upholding by
our efforts and our prayers The instrument
at whose hand we harshly demanded the
| blessings. Well, sir, he could not drag
on the chariot Of salvation with half a
dozen of us taunting him for his weakness
while we hung rs Il dead weight to the
wheels; he had not the power of the Spirit
and could not convert men, so we hunted
him like u deer till, worn and bleeding, he
fed into y covert to die. Scarcely had he
gone, when God came among us by His
Spirit to show that he had blessed the la
bors of his dear rejected servant. Oul
own hearts were broken, and our waywarl
children converted, and | resolved at
convenient season to visit my former pas
tor and confess my sin, and thank him fol
his faithfulneSs 10 my wayward sons, which
like long buried seed, had now sprung up
But God denied me that relief, that liz
might teach me lesson every child of Hi
ought to learn, that he who touchelh ont
of his servants touches the apple of Hi
eye. heard my pastor was i'll, and tax
| ipo nl1aSt with mo ,
twenty five miles ride to see him. 1t wa
evening when arrived, and his wife, will
the spirit which any woman ought to ex
hibit toward one who had so wronged he
husband, denied me admittance to hi
chamber. She said. and her words wer,
arrows to my soul, He may be dying, anC
the sight of your face might add to hi
anguishr
"Had it come to this, | said to myself
that the man whose labors had, through
Christ, brought me into his fold, who hat
consoled my spirit in terrible bcreave
ment and who had, till designing mer
had alenated us, been TO me rs brother
that this man could not die in peace will
my face before himP God pity me =
cried, what have doner confessed my
sins to that meek woman, and imploret
her for Christ's sake to let me kneel befor,
his dying servant, and receive his forgive
ness What did | care then whether the
pews by the door were rented or not?
would gladly have taken his whole family
to my home forever as my own flesh anC
blood, but no such happiness was in store
for me.
"As I entered the room OF the blessed
warrior, whose armor was falling from his
limbs, he opened his languid eyes, anC
said, Brother Lee! Brother Leer | benz
over him and sobbed out, MY pastor! my
pastorn Then raising his white hand. he
said in II deep, impressive voice, Touch
not mine anointed, and do my prophets nc
harm! Ispoke tenderly to him. and toC
him had come to confess my sin, and
bring some of his fruit to him, calling my
son to tell him how he had found Christ
Bat he was unconscious Of all around; the
sight OF my face had brought the last pane
of earth to his troubled spirit
Il kissed his brow, and told him how
dear he had been to me; | craved his par
don for my unfaithfulness, and promised
to care for his widow and fltherless little
ones; but his only reply. murmured as i
in troubled dream was, Touch not min,
anointed, and do my prophets no harm
81 stayed by him all night, and at day
break | closed his eyes. | offered hi
widow q house to live in the remainder o
her days, but like a heroine she said,
freely forgive you. But my children, VIII,
entered deeply into their fathers anguish
shall never see me so regardless of hi
memory ms to take anything from thos
who causedlt. He has left us all with hi
covenant God, and He will care for u.s.
"Well, sir, those dying words sounde
in my ears from that coffin and from tina