The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-03-26
THE ELDERS SERMON.
where the Deacon Found Every Word of

1t.
II really wish, deacon, that you
would tell me whatyour candid opin-
ion of our minister is"
Deacon 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.
81 don't know, Brother Quimby, as
a candid opinion of our minister would
do him any good"
II dare say not" responded Mr.
Quimby, darby; "but then it would
do me a great deal of good to hear
it,"
~ don't know as to that either"
"There is no one in the church whose
opinion l think more of" continued
Mr.. Quimby. "Not that I approve OF
giving it to every one. Butyouneedn't
be afraid of saying just what you'll
to me, deacon, for it won't go any
further, and it might serve to clear up
some doubts that trouble me-"
What doubts?"
"Well, about various things. But
you haven't told me what your
opinion is, deacon"
Il have only one opinion of Elder
Wakeman, and that is that he is a
man who tries to do his duty in all the
relations of life."
This was evidently something that
Mr.. Quimby had neither expected nor
desired to hear, and he stared blankly
at the speaker. But quickly ecover-
ing himself, he said:
"Ha! l think | understand you,
Deacon. What you say is very we'll
put indeed. | have thought that be
might have been a leetle more willing
to take advice; but there is no cues
ton in my mind but what he tries to
do his duty, as you say. But is he
sound?"
Perhaps not. Some ministers are
all sound"
The merry twinkle in the good dea-
cons eye found no reflection in the
solemn visage opposite him.
"It's no laughing matter, deacon"
responded Mr.. Quimby, with a rebuk-
ing shake of his head. 81 am surprised
that you should speak on so serious a
subject with such unseeming levity.
| referred to being sound in doctrines.
/ have been q good deal exercised in
my mind in regard to this aver since /
heard his sermon on Justification
which is no justification at all, as /
understand it, and as good old DR..
Seayer used to lay it down. Dear old
man! | wonder what he would say if
he could come back and hear the new
tangled ideas that are taught fromthe
pulpit where he preached such good,
~oldfashioned doctrines nigh onto TWEEN
ty years.
IF he is where Think he is, hi doesn't
want to come back. / only hope that
some things he used to preach about
are clearer to him now than he ever
succeeded in making them to me-"
There is no merit in believing
where everything is made clear.
There are mysteries of faith, deacon,
that nobody has any right to try to
understand. Now, Elder Wakefield is
forever preaching about what we
ought to do, as though such poor
weak creatures as we "a do anything
toward affecting our salvation. AS
Tor me | am free to w that | don't
consider anything | have done, or am
doing, OF the least account whatever"
"A man ought to know better than
any n else the quality of his own
works, Brother Quimby, SO | won't
dispute you on that score. So far as
am concerned feel that the Lord
will have quite enough to do in effect
ing the work you allude to If | help
him all / cam
well, deacon, I wish / could have
my mind cleared up in regard to Ell
DER Wakeman. What did you think
OF his sermon last Sabbath morning."
There is one thing / might say
about it, if / thought it a prudent
thing to do. We can't be too careful
speaking, especially if it's anything
that's likely to affect the character
and usefulness of q man like Elder
Wakeman.n
Very true, deacon. But you
needn't be afraid of my telling; I'm
not one of the leaky sort. knew, as
well as | wanted to, that a man OF
your sense couldn't approve of such
doctrine as ;5hat.a
"Oh, I've nothing TO say against the
'sermon;i it was q very good discourse
you won't often find q better. But
the fact is, every word it contained
really don't know as | ought to
mention it, though; if it should get
about it might make trouble"
"Ill never lisp a word OF it TO any
living SOUL was the eager response.