Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1892-06-23

y
fallen maptles and passed them over to
his wife, saying, in a voice whose gen
tleness startled her: Here, Reny,
you'll oblige me by foldin' these up and
putin 'em away. l shan't want 'em
no more. It's CROWN leetle warmer.
Yes, Sam, you may tell Dea Turner I'll
take charge of the meetin' to-morrer."
"All right, deacon, you'll do fust rate,
don't doubt Every body knows you've
got more ability than any other man
in the parish"
''An' hold on, Sam. I don't want
none O. yer soft soap bout ability but
l do want you to come tomorrow an
hear me. I've got a special reason. .
by George! ] will! I've had new
meetin' coat for most a year, and there
haint nobody asked me to wear it.
Now's my chance. I'll be there
A deacon's meeting in the town OF
Peachblow had never been very wild.
ly exciting occasion, and such services
were thinly attended, but it was under.
stood shat brand-new candidate, Par.
son Peters, was to set forth his claims
to orthodox soundness that day and
soundness in doctrine was far more
potent key to the kingdom than sound.
ness in living, in the Peachblow estima.
ton of values-and all the inhabitants
had turned out to hear him. Their disap.
pointment was not very well concealed
The deacon saw it and felt it as he
gave out the opening hymn, but he had
anticipated it and was strong in his
purpose. The Scriptures were read,
the prayers offered, the notices given,
and again the deacon cleared his throat
and rose upon the low platform in front
of the pulpit. He had no book of ser.
mons from which to read.
my friends" he said, and his voice
had slight tremor, s'I've been a dea.
con for thirty years. I've prayed with.
in these walls for the outpourin' of the
| Spirit, for the upbuildin' of the church.
for the spread of the gospel, for the
conversion of sinners and for the sane.
| LITIGATION of believers. Now l want tc
ask We all to pray for me-for the sal
walton of my soul. I've been deceiv.
in myself, and amt got one claim tc
bein' called child o. God. I've really
cared great deal more for the clearin
up O. my farm than have for the puri
! fyin' of the church. I've all along been
willin' to do more an go further for the
carryin' out of my own mad temper
than have for the spreadin' of the
gospel. I've prayed for the outpourin
of the Spirit, and I've been shuttin
my heart against it all the while.
W1n, - +o11 sn3
said twas other folks, and not me.
| When it told me want actin Chris.
tian, thought back O. the time when
see kind of light, and heard sum.
thin speak TO me when there want no.
body round, and l was sure that was
conversion, and as for stayin' convert.
ed, want no Methodist. I'd always
heard say it was dishonorin' to God not
to believe that He'd keep a grip on a
man when He once got it. And so here
be, an obstinate, selfish, worldly OLD
man that my own children can't live
with" and something very like a sot
choked further utterance. Brethren
pray for me-" at last he gasped, and sal
down.
There was a prolonged silence. The
surprise; the sympathetic mood of self
accusation, the awakening voice of con
science in each heart produced deer
impressions. No soul felt itself pure
enough to respond to the pathetic
appeal.
At length the other deacon arose
read a few verses from the Fifty-frs
Psalm and pronounced the meeting
closed. A business meeting was hello
during the week at which Dea Crabbe
insisted upon resigning his Office. and
in recommending as his successor a
quiet young man whose life of self-de.
NAL and loving sacrifice for his invalid
parents had won the love and conf
dence of all.
The spirit of self condemnation went
round. There had been no such deer
spiritual earnestness manifested in the
parish for years. Little comment was
ever heard upon the deacons words
All knew that as much might be sale
of their own fruitless lives. There was
a humble seriousness, faithful effort
at quiet righteous living, that had not
been known in all the history of the
church, and yet there was no revival
and no extra meetings. When people
accuse each other there is rebound OF
resistance which foils all attempts al
lasting impressions, but when ones
own heart and conscience are the ac
cusers there is none to rise up and de
fend, and the voice must be heard.
"Well, Reny,'' said the deacon, a
| twelve-month later, its the first Of
May, amt it? Do you want ] shonld
help move the things before go out to
work?''
No, Jotham. ] was just a-thinlSin'
we'd better wait a fortnight later. We
may have some more cold weather
yet. "-Julina Q. Hall, in Springfield
Mass Republican.