News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-12-12
The DGaCOn'S Week,

was just over i'll the church at Sugar
follow; and people were waiting fol
Mr. iarkes to give out the hymn; but
he dld not give it out-he laid his book
down on the table and looked about Oh
his church
'Mv dear friends, +" he said, s.vou all
know, though did not give any notice
TO that effect, that this week is the
week OF Prayer. | have mind to
ask you to make it for this once week
of practice instead. | think we NAV
discover some things, some of the
things of God, in this manner, that a
succession of prayer-meetings would
not perhaps so thoroughly reveal to us.
''Now, when say this | don't mean
to have you go home and vaguely en-
deavor to walk straight in the old way :
L want you TO take ''topics," as they
ARE called, for the prayer-meetings
For instance, Monday is prayer for the
temperance work. Try all that day to
be temperate in speech, in act, in in
diligence of any kind that is hurtful to
you. The next day is for Sunday
schools; 60 and visit your scholars,
such of you as are teachers, and try TO
feel that they have living souls to save.
Wednesday is a day for fellowship
meeting; we are cordially invited to
attend a union-meeting of this sort at
Bantam. Few of us can go 25 miles
to be with our brethren there; let us
spend that day in cultivating our
brethren here; let us go and see those
who have been cold to us for some
reason, heal up our breaches of friend
q. ship, confess our shortcomings one to
another, and act as if, in our Masters
words, sail We are brethren"
Thursday is the day to pray for the
family relation; let US each try to be
to our families on that day in our
measure what the Lord is to his family,
the church, remembering the words,
Fathers, provoke not your children
to anger;' Husbands, love your
wives, and be not bitter against Them
These are texts rarely commented upon,
l have noticed, in our conference
meetings; we are more apt to speak of
the obedience due from our children,
and the submission and meekness our
wives owe us, forgetting that duties
are always reciprocal.
'.Friday the church is to be prayed
for. Let US, then, each for himself,
try TO act that day just as we think
Christ our great Exemplar would have
acted in our places. Let US try to prove
TO ourselves and the world about US that
we have not taken upon us his name
lightly or in vain. Saturday is prayer day
for the heather and foreign missions.
Brethren, you know and | know that
there are heather at our doors here;
let every one of you who will, take
that day to preach the gospel to some
one who does not hear it anywhere
else. Perhaps you will find work that
We know not of lying in your midst.
And let us all, on Saturday evening,
meet here again, and choose some one
brother to relate his experience of the
week. You who are willing TO try
this method please to rise"
Everybody rose, except old Amos
Tucker. who never stirred, though his |
wife pulled at him and whispered to
him imploringly. He only shook his
grizzled head and sat immovable.
.'Let us sing the doxology," said |
Mr.. Parkes; and it was sung with
full fervor. The new idea had |
aroused the church fully; it was
something fixed and positive to do; it |
was the lever-point Archimedes longed |
for, and each felt ready and strong to |
move q world.
Saturday night the church assem-
bled again. The cheerful eagerness
was gone from their faces; they
looked downcast. troubled, weary-as
the pastor expected. When the box
for the ballots was passed about, each
one tore bit of paper from the sheet
placed in the hymn books for that
purpose, and wrote OH it name. The
pastor said, after he had counted
them:
''Deacon Emmons, the lot has fallen
on YOU"
sEIm sorry fort" said the deacon,
sising up, and taking off his overcoat.
81 haint got the best of records, Mr..
Parkes, now tell ye."
s.That isn't what we want, " said Mr..
Parkes. ave want to know the whole
experience of some one among us,
and we know you win not tell us
either more or less than what you did
not experience"
Deacon Emmons was short, thick
set man, with shrewd, kindly face
and gray hair, who kept the village
store, and had a well-earned reputation
for honesty.
..Well. brethren he said, 81, dono
why ( shouldn't tell it. / am pretty
well sshamed of myself, no doubt, but
ought 20 be, and maybe shall profit
bv what I've found out these six days
back, I'll tell you just as it come.
Monday looked about me to begin
with. | am amazin' fond of coffee,
and it amt good for me-the doctors
say it amt; but, dear me, it does set
man up good, cold mornings, to have
n cup of hot, sweet, tasty drink, and
haven't had the grit to refuse. knew
il made me what folks call nervous,
and / call cross, before night comes;
and | knew it fetched on spells of low
spsytts, when our folks couldn't get a
word ont of me-not a good one, any
way: so [ thought I'd try on that TO
begin with. tell you it came hard!
1 hankered after that drink of coffee
DREADFUL Seemed as though couldn't
eat my breakfast without IL. ] feel to
pity a man that loves liquor moRe'n /
ever did in my life before; but | feel
sure they can stop if they try, for Eve
stopped, and I'm a-going to stay stop
ped
"Well, come to dinner, there was all
other fight. | do set by pie the most
of ANYTHING. / was fetched up on pie,
as you might say. Our folks always
had it three times day, and the doctor,
he's been talkin' and talkin' to me
about eatin' pie. have the dispepsy
like everything, and it makes me useless
Tay spells, and unreliable as a weather
cock, An Doctor Drake he says there
wont Eothin' help me but to diet. l
yas readin' the Bible that morning,
while sat waiting for breakfast, for
twas Monday, and wife was kind OF
set back with washin' and all, and l
come across that part where it says the
bodies of Christians are temples OF the
Holy Ghost.
StWell. thinks /, we'd ought to take
care of 'em if they be, and see that
they are KEEP clean and pleasant, like
the church: and nobody can be clean
and pleasant that has despepsy. But,
come to pie, | felt as though couldn't,
and 10 We, didn't! l eat piece right
aqaiaet nv conscience; facin' what
IL