The Republican journal., 1883-04-12

on them sullar stairs and cried. | dill,
reely. Seemed as though the Lord had
turned and looked at me jest as He did
at Peter. Why, there was my own child
rem never see me act real fatherly and
pretty in all their lives I'd growled and
scolded and prayed at EN-, and tried to
fetch 'em up jest as the twig is bent the
trees inclined, ye know, but | hadn't
never thought that they'd got right an
reason to expect I'd do my part as we'll
as their'n. Seemed as though was
lndIn' out more about Josiah EmmOns's
short comings than was real agreeable
"Come around Friday got back to the
store. Id kind of left it to the boys the
early part Of the week, and things was a
little catering, but did have sense not
to tear round and use sharp words so
much as common | began to think
twas getting easy to practice after five
days, when in come Judge Herrick's wife
after some curtin calico. had ham
some piece, all done off with roses an
things, but there was fault in the Weav-
IN, every now and then a thin streak.
She didn't notice it, but she was pleased
with the figures ont, and said she'd take
the Whole piece. Well, just as | vas
wrappn' OF it up, what Mr.. Parkes here
said about tryn' to act Just as the Lord
would in our place come aCrost me. Why,
| turned as red as a beet, [ know | did
1t made me all Of trenbc. There was
!, a door-keeper in the tents of my God,
as David says, really Cheatin', ana cheat
in woman. tell ye, brethren, was
all of a sweat Mis- Herrick,' says |,
4 don't believe you've looked real close
at this goods; 'tain't thorough wove,'
says |. 50 she didn't take it; but what
fetched me was to think how many times
before lid done sech mean, unreliable
little things to turn a penny, and all the
time sayin' and prayin that ] wanted to
be like Christ. | KEEP trippin' of my
self up all day jest in the ordinary bust
ness, and | was peg lower down when
night come than | was Thursday. I'd
ruther, as far as the hard work is CON
cerned, lay a mile of four-to stone wall
than undertake to do a mans liyin'
Christian duty for twelve workin' hours
and the hett Of that is, it's because | Iaint
used to it and ought to be.
$50 this mornin' came around, and |
felt mite more cherk. Twas missionary
mornin, and seemed as if twas sight
easier to preach than to practice.
thought Id begin to old Mis- Nedder's.
50 put Testament in my pocket and
knocked to her door. Says /, Good
mornin, ma'am,' and then stopped.
Words seemed to hang, somehow.
didn't want to pop right out that I'd
come TO try'n convert her folks | hem
med and swallered a little, and fn1ly
said, says /, we don't see YOU to meetn'
very frequent, Mis- Nedder.'
Z" no, You don't : ses She, as quick as
a wink. i stay to home and mind my
business
Well, we should like to hev YOU
come along with US and do We good, says
|, sort Of concliatln
d" Look here, Deacon she snapped,
I've lived alongside Of you fifteen year,
and You knoWed never went to meetin';
we amt a pious lot, and YOU knowed it
We're poorer n death and uglier n sin.
Jim he drinks and sWe rs, and MalviAy
dono her letters. She knows q heap she
hadn't ought to, besides. Now what are
you comm here to-day for, I'll like to
know, and takin' 50 GLIB about meetin
Go to meetin' I'll 60 or come Jest as |
darn please, for all you. Now Get out o.
this y Why, she come at me with a broom
stick. There wasn't no need ont; what
she said was enough. | ha3Rt never
asked her nor her'n to so much as think
of goodness before. Then | went to
another place jest like that won't call
no more names: and sure enough there
was ten children in rags, the hull on 'em,
and the man half drunk. He Civ If to
me, too; and | don't WONDER I'd never
lifted hand 10 serve nor save 'em before
in all these Years. Id said considerable
about the heathen in foreign parts, and
give some little for to convert 'em, and |
had looked right over the heads of them
that was next door. Seemed as if could
hear Him say, These ought We to have
done, and not have left the other und0se.'
| couldn't face another soul to-day.
brethren. | come home and here | be.
I've been searched through and through
and found Wantin'. God be mercful to
me a sinner"
He dropped into his seat, and bowed
his head; and many another bent, too.
1t was PLAIN that the deacon's experience
was not the only one among the brethren.
Mr.. Payson rose, and prayed as he had
never prayed before the week of prac-
tice had fired his heart, too. And it be
gan memorable year for the church in
Sugar Hollow; not a year OF excitement
or enthusiasm, but one when they heard
their Lord saying, as to Israel Of old,
go forward and they oheyed His voice.
The Sunday school tiourished, the church
services were fully attended, every good
thing was helped on its way, and peace
reigned in their homes and hearts, i'm
perfect perhaps, is new growths are, but
still an ot1shoot of the peace past under
standing
And another year they will keep anoth-
er week Of practice, by common consent.
THE Congregatinnalsr