Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-08-16
q WEEK OF PRACTICE.

Inc eOllOT ldheS tulS OPPOi 'NNJ
of saving. the man who reads not this
will miss somethingl.
MY dear friends, the minister said,
"you all know, though l did not give
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. l 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 re
veal to US Now when | say this L
don't mean to have you go home and
vaguely endeavor to walk straight in
the old way; l want you to take
TOPICS as they are called, for the
prayer meetings. For instance, Mon
day is prayer Tor the temperance
work. Try all that day to be temper
ate in speech, in act, in indulgence OF
any kind that is hurtful to you. The
next day is for Sunday schools; go
and visit your scholars, such of you
as are teachers, to feel that they have
living souls to save. Wednesday is
day for fellowship meeting; we are
cordially invited to attend union
meeting of this sort at Bantam. Few
of us can go twenty-five 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 friendship, con-
fess our shortcomings one to another,
and act as if, in our Masters words,
all 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 fam
ily, 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 COM
mented upon, l have noticed, in our
conference meetings; we are more apt
to speak of the obedience due from
children, and the submission and
meekness our wives owe us, forget
ting 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. Sat
urday is prayer day for the heather
and foreign missions. Brethren, you
know and | know 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 ye knew not of,
lying in our midst. And let us all, on
Saturday evening, meet here again,
and choose some one brother to re-
late 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 reused 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 a
world.
Saturday night the church assem-
bled again. The cheerful eagerness
was gone from their faces; they look
ed downcast, troubled, weary-as the
pastor expected When the box for
ballots was passed about, each one
tore bit of paper from the sheet
placed in the hymn book for that
purpose, and wrote on it a name.
The pastor said, after he had counted
them
Deacon Emmons, the lot has fallen
on you"
I'm sorry fort" said the deacon,
rising up and taking of his overcoat,
II hain't got the best of records, Mr..
Parkes, now 1 tell ye."
THAT isn't what we want, said Mr..
Parkes. I'VE want to know the whole
experience of some one among US, and
we know you will not tell us either
more or less than what you did ex-
perience.n
Deacon Emmons was a short, thick
set man, with a shrewd, kindly face
and gray hair, who kept the village
store, and had a well-earned reputa
tion for honesty.
''Well, brethren" he said, II dunno
why I shouldn't tell it. am pretty
well ashamed of myself, no doubt,
but ought to be, and maybe shall