The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-01-14

riled me more; for the broom was all
black and wet, but it did wash of easy
enough. I'd left a room till Monday TO
be swept, and 1 did sweep it in spite of
the dust. And the wind blew right on
my biggest fuchsia in the front yard, and
broke its stem off. And it was SO hot
that it was easier to be mad than not to-
And SO at dinner, when the spoon to
the apple sauce tumbled in, handle and
all, I just couldn't stand it, and l sput-
tered out, Il never sa such an abomina-
ble day in my life!'
And Nathan looked at me, and all he
said was, "Huml Amalekites dead yet?"
And l declare fort, 1 was SO taken
back that / didn't know what to say.
Was getting mad" an Amalekite?
Well, the next couple of weeks 1
watched myself, and it just seemed to me
that l never noticed before that 1 said
SO many sharp things, OF got angry so
easy. And found out other Amalekites
too, but none so big as Agag - mean
temper. But there we're lots of the 9th
ers, and one night was just clean discour-
aged with myself, and sat right down
on the floor beside the churn, and /
cried. Nathan came in and found me,
and he made me tell him what the matter
was.
And just sobbed out, "It's- them
Amalekites."
Then told Nathan how I'd tried and
tried, and failed worse and worse. And
after I'd told him, Nathan sat still for
long time. And then he said, kind of
bashful- for 1 s'pose he remembered
that I was church member and he
wasn't, and it seemed queer to have the
preaching come from his side-he said
"Sally, I was looking up the n Amalekites
in the Bible the other day, being kind of
interested hearing you talk about them,
and 1 found place where it said that
once them children of Isr'el went out to
fight with Amalek. And the Lord wasn't
with them that day. I guess they'd for
got to do as he said about it. And SO
they got awfulIy whipped. Aud well
may be don't you think that people
who go to fight Amalekites need the Lord
to help them?'-and 1 do declare Ma
than's face was just as red as though
he'd been saying something wicked. 1
guess he felt queer to be preaching
regular orthodox sermon all of sudden.
Well, think tried to follow Nathan's
sermon after that. And after long, long
time did learn to keep Agag dumb, if
he was there just the same.
My little girl Prissy was six years old
theu. She had my temper, too. And I
thought may be il I'd begun to fight the
Amalekites sooner Prissy would't have
heard me say so many things I ought
not to, and she wouldn't have got into
the way of saying cross things herself.
But told her about the Amalekites, too,
and the child really began to try and fight
herself. It made me think about what the
Bible says of the Lords "warring with
Amalek from generation to genel alton"
One day, quite spell after this, Ma
than made another speech that sort of
surprised me.
sally" said he, "tisn't fair for you to
do all the fighting, and if the Lord will
help me, I'm going to look after my own
Amalekites. think it's time"
That was years and years ago, but I'll
never forget how glad I was that day.
Nathan and I are old folks now, and yes
terday he said to me: "Sally, guess
your Agag's dead, isn't he? I don't see
anything more of him."
And looked up at Nathan, and says
I, HE isn't dead yet, Nathan, but hope
the days coming when he will be 'hewed
in pieces before the Lord "-Tary e.
Bamford, an Congregationdlist.