The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-02-15
TIE DEACON,S WAgEk

4. Hollow, anu peOpte were Waltz fON
Mr.. Parkes to give out the hymn, bnt he
did not give it out; he laid hisbook down
on the table, and looked about his
Church. y q 9
He wasa man of simplicity and sin
cerity, fullyin earnest to do his Lords
work, and do it with all his might, but
he did sometimes feel discouraged. His
congregation was a mixture of farmers
and mechanics, for Sugar Hollow was cut
in two by Sugar brook, a brawling noisy
stream that turned the wheel OF many q
mill and mandatory; yet on the hill
around it there. was Q scattered pop:
ulatlon eating their bread in the full
perception of the primeval curse. So
he had to contend with the keen brain
and sEeptical comment Of the men who
piqued themselves on power toshammer
at theological problems as well as hot
iron; with the jealousy and repulsion
and bitter f. cling that has bred the COM
munis,ic hordes abroad and at home
while, perhaps, he had a still harder
task to awaken the sluggish souls of
those who used their days to struggle
with barren hillside and rocky pasture
for mere food and clothing, and their
nights to sleep the dull sleep of physi-
cal fatigue and mental vacuitv.
1t seemed sometimes to Mr.. Parkcs
that nothing bua. the trump of G 'briel
could arouse people from their sins, and.
makeithem believe on the lord and fol-
low his footsteps. To-day, no-a long
time before to day-he had mused and
prayed till on idea took, shape in his
thought, and now he was to put Tin.
practice; yet he felt peculiarly RESPONSE
bic and solemnized, as he looked about
him and forebode the success of his ex-
pertinent. 8Then there H3sheds barktoI
the hAbitual reader, the noble utteranca
of Gamaliel concerning Peter1and. bis
brethren whenthey stood before the
council: ''If this council or this work
be ofmen, it will come to naught; but if
it be of God, we cannot overthrow it."
3d. with the sense of strength the
minister spoke: "My dear friends"
he said, "you all know, though { did
not give any notice to that effect, that
this week is the week of prayer. /
have q mind to ask yout to make| fos
this once q week Of practice Instead. /
think W e may discover some of the
things of God in this manner, that a sue
cession of prayer-meetings would not
perhaps, go thoroughly reveal to us,
Now, when / say this. l don't mean to
have you 90 home and vaguely endeavor
to walk straight in the old way want
you to take TOPICS as they are called,
for the prayer.msetings. For INSTANCE,
Monday sis prayer forthe temperance
work. Try all that day to be temperate
in speach, in act, in indulgence OF any
kind that is hurtful to you. Tuesday is
for Sunday Schools; go and visit your
scholars, such "of tyoua sasssSE sre
teachers, try to feel that they have liv-
ing souls to save. Wednesday lisa dry
Tor fellowship meeting; we are cordially
invited to attend Il meeting of this sort
ut Bantam. Fewof tuscan go twenty
five miles toabe with our brethren there;
let us spend that day cnllTvating our
brethren here, let us go to see those who
have promoted breaches of friendship,
confess ourahortcomings n to another,
and act as #, III our Masters words, 'All
we are brethren
Thursday is the .dayto pray for the
family relation let us each try tossbe to
our families on tia day, in our measure,
what the Lord is to his family, the
church, remembering the words. Faith
ers, provoke not your children to anger;'
Husbands, love your wives. and be not
bitter against Them These are texes
rarely kccHmenteds upon, I-slmyeeSno-
ticed, sin$o conference meetings; we.
are more apt TO speak Of the obedience
due from children and the meekness
our wives owe us, forgetting that duties
are always reciprocal,
Friday the church is to be prayed for.
Let u then, each for himself, try to
act that day just rs we think Christ, our
great example, would have acted in our
place. Let us try to prove to ourselves
and the world about us that we have not
taken upon JUS his name lightly or Tin
vain. Saturday IS prayer day for the
heather end foreign missions. Breth-
ern, you knowandI know that there are
one who will take that day TO preach
the gospel to sor.e one who does not
hear it anywhere else. Perhaps You
will find work that yesknows not, lying
in your midst, And let All on saturday
evening meet here ayainshnaschose one
brother 20 relate his experience of the
week. You who are willing totry thia
method please .rise."
Everybody rose except old Amos
Tucker, who never stirred though his
wife pulled at him and whispered to
him implorinaly. He shook his grizzlcd
head andssat lmmovable.
'sLet usssing The doxolopys" said Mr..
Parkes, and 1t was sung with full fervor.
The new idea had reused the church
fully; it was something fixed and posi-
tive to do; it was the lever point that
Archimedes lcnged for, and each one
felt ready and strong enough to move
Saturday right the chulrrch assembled
again. The cheerful eagerness was gone
from their faces; they looked downcast
troubled, weary-as the pastor expected
When the box for. ba,lots was passed
about each one tore a bit II paper from
the sheet of tke hymn books for the
purpose and wrote on it a name. A8E& u
The pastor said, after he had counted
Them "sDcacon sEtnn1ons,i the lot has
fallen on You"
"Yl'm sorry fort" said The deacon,
rising and taking off has .oyercoat. 81
now / fellye." ga sffs sS'a "a So q
THAT isn't what we want, = said Mr.
Parkes. I'VE want to, know the whole
experience OF some n among us, and
weEknow vouwill net tell us either more
or Tess than what you did experience
Deacon Emmons WAS ashort, thick-set
man, with n ,shrewd kindly face, and
grey hair, who sla-pt Che Village Store
and had a weil-earied Reputation for
hohesty.
fWell, trethern." he said, 81 dunno
why l shouldn't tellit lam pretty well
ashamed Of myself. no doubt but fought
to be. ana maybe / shnlt profit by what
I've eouna Oh these six days back ,yslIl
tel: SOU hist as itcones-s Monday Ilooked
abpnt me to begin with. I am amazine
fond of coffee. and it amt good for me;
the doctor SAYS i. aln't; but dear me, il
doeseet aman;ap good cold SHsornihss,