Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-08-11
THE MINISTER'S FLITTING.
A Campaign Story for the Boys an
Young Folks,

IHE MlNESIER'S fLlIlING.
A Campaign Story for the Boys and
Young Folks.
4 little boy sat on the doorstep looking
very sad, as if tears were held back only
by his strong will.
'What Is the matter, Levi -
My father is going to leave this pleas
ant home and the church he loves so
much"
"Yes, l know it, and am sorry"
" He says the people want a change; but
it is the revival man that has done the
mischief Deacon Smith says they want a
man of fire and energy like him. He staid
with us, you know, two weeks, and we
children had to wait on him. He wanted a
tenderloin steak every morning for break
fast, and father says we can't afford it, but
we must make sacrifices for the conversion
of souls. / wish the deacons could have a
change of heart, don't you ?"
know of some deacons who would be
all the better for such change
1t is very hard for father and more so
for mother. There are the twins, almost
babes yet, and it will be hard work and
make him sad TO go to strange place"
"Yes, but she is very patient and gentle
under this trial, and your father prayed
this morning that you might become a
minister Of the gospel and go forth to
break the bread of life to the distant
heathen."
"Pd like to break those deacons' heads
first but Pm never going to be 4 minister
Miss L."
"Why not?'
"Nobody shall ever take pulpit away
from me- No, Pll work hard and earn
some money and give it to good ministers
like my father when deacons find fault
with them And our Dan says he will
not be minister either"
Sand that makes your father sad ?"
eyes, and mother, too. | wish our Dan
would come home from college and preach
one sermon. He could pound the old pull
pit cushion and make the dust fly, and use
bigger words and tell more stories than the
revival man.
"But he says he will not be a minister
He is going to study law. Mother looked
sad when he told her, and put her hand on
my head and said: Levi, / hope you will
be good man like your Uncle Levi Par
sons, and preach the gospel to the
heathen.' did not tell her then that /
should not, but now / will never preach
1 am gong to work hard and get some
money, Miss L., and then my father will
have comfort in his old age. | wish / had
it now," and he looked round sadly on the
pretty place, the old orchard, the garden,
the tail trees that shaded the house. 1t was
a delightful country parsonage, and the
good minister owned it. With great econ
omy he had managed to buy this home for
his old age. But people who cling to a
doctor all the more because he is advanc-
ing in year will find fault with a minis
ter as soon as he passes middle age, and
ask that a young King Saul may be given
to them.
Never was there a more devoted, spirit
ually-minded man than Lewis father, and
the mother was a saint in Israel They
loved the people tenderly, but revivalist
had visited them, and the church was, |
might truly say, intoxicated with the ex-
citement. After he left, the quiet, we'll
written, practical sermons of their minis
ter seemed tame, and they wanted the
absinthe which the rivalist had given
them.
"Come to my room, Levi, and 1 will tell
you a story"
"Yes, | will, for l like your stories,
They are not like the Sunday-school books,
where almost all the good children die and
the rest go off as missionaries, to be eaten
up, like Mr.. Byman, you remember, or put
in prison, like Mr. Judson."
Levi forgot his troubles in hearing a
story.
"Where is Levi? ?" said the father after
a while.
He is in Miss LIS room" replled sister
Electra.
"Oh, well, don't disturb him. He is only
getting good instructions there"
Alas Miss LIS conscience felt sharp
twinge as she heard the words, for what
would the good pastor think of Lewis lis
tening to Jack the Giant Killer and Alad-
din's Lamp instead of the Life and early
death of little John Mooney"
The minister's family moved away to a
village in New Hampshire, where on a
small salary, he remained many years.
faithful minister and a Christian gentle
man.
Meanwhile Daniel studied law and be-
came, when quite young, Mayor of West
ern city. He was a man of talents and
energy, but died Just as he was about to
grasp some of the prizes of life.
Levi found his Aladdins lamp. Years
passed, when one day Miss l.. on reading a
newspaper, learned with what elegance
Levi had entertained the Prince of Wales,
and later on, that as Minister to France no
American Minister had entertained with
so much grace and splendor as Mr.. and
Madame Morton. Ayl he had become a
Minister, but not one likely to be eaten by
the sayages in Borneo.
Once in casual interview he said "
was able to do for my father in his declin-
ing years, and it was my privilege to bring
my mother, after my fathers death, to my
own home, where she was happy to pass
her last days"
Levi did not wish to be minister, but,
nevertheless, for his fathers sake he has
great sympathy with the profession. He
honored his father and cherishes the mem
ory of his sainted mother
All the more will he make good Vice
President, for little Levi is Levi P. Nor
ton, our candidate for that Office 4. E..
p" in Nec5Erypouf Mass Herald.