Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-01-12

his own misdeeds' all conspired agalnsi
her; her testimony was fearful, con
fused, and contradictory, though
through it all she did feeblv insist Oh
her own sufferings, and depicted them
in honest colors From her they went
to the deacon, whom they found re
signed, pious, and loftilv superior to
common things; then he was a man,
and a deacon Is it to be wondered al
that their letter to the church at Bas.
sett was in the deacon's favor? They
did indeed own that Mrs. Flint had
peculiar trials, but went on to say;
| Nevertheless, she cannot be full y
justified, but has departed from meek
ness al d Christian spirit par
ticularly in indulging angry and pas
sionate expressions, tending to provoke
and irrate her husband; and however
uniustifiable his conduct may be, that
doth no exculpate her. We think that
it would be proper and suitable for
her to make suitable reflections; ac-
knowledge she hath given her brethren
and sisters of the church occasion OF
stumbling and to be dissatisfied; and
upon her manifesting becoming spir-
| it of meekness and love, we think they
ought to restore her; but if she should
refuse to make such reflections, they
! can not consistently receive her.
And with a few added remarks on
the perplexity of the case, and advis-
ing the church to call an ecclesiastical
council, the Reverend Ami Dobbins
and Father Hill retired for the present
But Bassett was not content. Weeks
passed, and no act of concession or
contrition came from this poor old of
! fender. To tell the truth, Mabel stood
behind her now, afre with honest rage
at the way she had been put upon.
You sha'nt do it. auntyp she said
with all her native vehemence.
You confess / like that 1t is that
old hypocrite's place to confess. He
! drove you out, now when you get
down to it, and he hain't asked you to
come back that I've heard tell. I'D
let him and the church, and Bassett
too, go to thunder if they're mind to.
If you make suitable reflections they'll
reflect on old Flint and Bassett church
members. Dear me / know one
thing; I'd rather be an old maid ten
times over than married to that man y
A faint smile crept over the old wo-
I mans pale face; from her high pillow
she had good outlook, and more than
oace she had seen an interview by the
little gate that did not augur long
maidenhood for Nab
l We'll, Mabel, if that's your say,
why, it behooves you TO be real eau
tious, though | don't know as Sam
Pratt's brother could be anyways 9TH
er than good.
Nab blushed like u Provence rose,
/ but said nothing; ye. day after day
kept hardening her aunt's heart as well
as she knew how; and Parson Roberts
receiving no reflections from the Of
fender, and having great faith in Faith.
er Hill's power of persuasion, invited
! him to come again by himself and hold
n conversation with Sister Flint on
the subject of her trials and her contu-
macy
Father Hill was u quaint, gentle,
sweet natured old man, stepped, ow-
ever, in the prejudlccs OF his faith he,
too, went to the house mailed with his
fixed assurance of ecclesiastic. dignity
and marital supremacy. Sympathy
pity, comprehension OF her side of the
case, would have disarmed Mrs. Flint
completely; she would have sobbed
confessed, laid her hand on her mouth
and her mouth in the dust, and been
ready TO own herself the chief of sin
ners; but to be placed in the wrong
from the first, reproved, admonlshed.
and treated as an impentinent and
hardened culprit, made it easier for
her weak nature to accept the situation
than to defy or deny it, Nothing
Father Hill could ay moved her, but
her dull and feeble obstinacy stirred
his tender heart to its depths; he felt
despair of human means and yearn-
ing tenderness that could find no out.
let but in prayer; he fell on his knees
before the chair in which he had been
sitting, and lifted his earnest face to
heaven.
% dear Lord and Master he said,
speaking even as man unto his friend
Thou hast borne our griefs and carried
our sorrows Thou knowest by heart
every pain and woe that we feel q
stranger cannot intermeddle, but q
thou hope Of Israel. why shouldst thou
be as stranger that passeth by, and
wayfaring man that tarrieth but a
night, in this dwelling pf thy hand
maid? Dear Lord, it is not in man
that walkcth to direct his own steps
how much less the steps Of others
Come Thou in the might Of Thy great
gentleness and Thine al-knowing sym
pathy and love, and show this child o
thine the right way, saying. Walk yo
in it, Thou knowest every sorrow she
has passed through, every bitter
draught she has drunk, every sin she
has been led into; yea, when she said
there was no comforter, Thine eye
pitied and Thine arm waited to save
her, though the eye Of flesh saw il not
Come now and place beneath her weary
heart and failing flesh the everlasting
arms Of Thy overlooking love and care
give her peace and rest; above all
with Thy love and pity redeem her, AZ
Thou didst the elder Israel. and bring
her with tender leading and Divine af
fection not only into Thy fold on earth
but TO the General Assembly and
Church of the lirst-born in heaven, anc
to the shall be praise and love and glo
ry forever. Amen
When he arose, his old face fair will
the shining Of the Mount from whence
he came down, the poor woman, who
had dropped her head on her hand, lift
ed it, and tried TO thank him, bu
streaming tears chokcd her; and behinc
the door into the shed II stifled sob be
|