Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1890-10-01
atirainia FREE 9ress.
The Deacon and HIS Daughter Mamie,

"Yes, said the deacon, there 5 many
a man that calls himself honest that's
never so much as inquired what amount
of debt heavens books are going to show
against him. I've learned that. There
were years in my life when hardly gave
a cent to the Lord without begrudging 1t,
and I've wondered since what I'd ever
have talked about if I'd gone to heaven
in those DAYS, for I couldn't talk about
ANYTHING but bargains and mOney-getting
here. and those wouldn't have been suit
able subjects up yonder.
81 know read once about one Of the
Kings of England, Edward l, who had
an officer called the Lord High Almoner,
and one of the things that man had to
do was to remind the king of the duty
of alms-giving. I've thought to myself
many a time that il would be well for a
good many folks nowadays if they had
King Edwards almoner to stir them up
to give. Not TO the poor only, | mean,
but 10 all the needs Of the cause of Christ
There are lots Of people besides the chill
dren of Israel that need Moses to say
TO them: 1t is He that giveth thee pow
err to Get wealth. I've alters thought
that that was grand thing in David,
when he'd done such a job, getting to-
gether that pile of gold and silver for the
temple, and he Just turned to the Lord
and said: 'All these come from Thee, and
of Thine own have we given Thee Most
men would have wanted little credit
for the pains they'd taken themselves.
"Wen, in those years l was telling you
about it was dreadful how l cheated the
Lord out of His due. Once in a long
while paid little to our church, but |
didn't give cent to anything else. For
eign Mission Sabbath was my rheumatic
day reg'lar, and l didn't 90 to church /;
Home Mission day was headache day with
me alters, and l staid away from meetin' +;
Bible Society day I'd generally a tech Of
neuralgy soft didn't feel like goin' out
and staid at home; Tract Society day
I'd begin to be afraid l was goin' to be
deaf and Ioughtn't to be outin the wind,
so / staid indoors; and on the Sabbath
for helping the Publication Society, like
as not my corns were unusually trouble
some, and I didn't feel able to get out.
"Wife wanted to take a religious paper
once, but 1 wouldn't hear tot. Told her
that was nonsense; 1 didn't believe any
of the apostles ever took religious papers.
The Bible was enough for them, and it
ought to be for other folks.
"Aud vet, Inever even thought l wasn't
dom right. I'd come into it sort of grad
ual, and didn't think much about giving,
anyhow, except as sort Of losing bust
ness.
"Well, my little girl, Mamie, was about
eight years old then, and / was dreadful
" proud of her, for she was q smart little
thing. One Sabbath night we were sit
ting by the fire, and Nauuie'd been say
ing her catechism, and by and by she
got kind Of quiet and sober, and all of
sudden she turned to me, and says she:
pa, viii we have to pay rent in heavenY
"'What p says /, lookin' down at her,
kind Of astouishel like.
"'Wnl We have to pay rent in heaven
says she again.
"'Wby no, says 1. What made YOU
think that
"Well, l couldn't get out of her for
time what she did mean. Mamie didn't
know much about rent, anyway. for we'd
never had to pay any, Twin in our own
house. But at last found out that she'd
heard some men talking about me, and
one of them said We'll, he's bound to
be awful poor In the next world. reckon.
There amt much of his riches laid up in
heaven. And as the only real poor folks
that Nannied ever known were some folks
down at the village that had been turned
out-ofdoors because they couldn't pay
their rent, that's what pot into Nauuie's
head that may be Ia have to pay rent in
heaven.
"Wel, wife went on and talked to Nan
ME, and explained to her about The many
mansions in our Fathers house. you
know, but didn't listen much. l was
mad to ,hink that Seth Brown dared to
talk about me in that way right before
Mamie, too.
Il fixed up some pretty bitter things
to say to Seth the next time I met him,
and wasn't very sorry to see him the
next day in his cart. / began at him
right of. He listened to everything that
l sputtered ont, and then ne said Well,
deacon, If YOU think the bank Of heaven
has got anything in Il for you, I'm glad
of il; but I've never seen YOU making