The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-04-28

l HeduS. Auu WAoH ~ was CUT anu
waiting the deacon's turn for the
thresher the rain set in and the grain
sprOuted.
The loss of his wheat was blow
to the embarrassed farmer and he re-
ceived but little sympathy from his
neighbors who had urged him to fol-
low their example, and shock and cap
his wheat on the Sabbath as the only
possible means Of saving it. But with
the consistency for which he was
noted, he refused to desecrate the
Lords day. but chose rather to keep
that holy. and trust the result to Him
who controls the weather.
~ 'Here I'll raise mine Ebenezer'
Farmer Foster riding down the road
heard the deacon's voice, and follow
ing the sound found the old man in the
ruined field singing among the stub
BILE. Not a break in the grand old
hymn to tell of doubt or discourage
ment or distrust. In the midst of
wreck and rum the altar had been
! erected and reconsecrated to Him
| who sends both sun to soften and rain
to destroy. <..@.
Its bad. mighty bad. a-comin' on
me just now; there amt no denyin' o
that" he told neighbor Foster But
the cornfield's left an that's good
deal to be thankful for"
so tbs, so it's - replied the farmer,
and he went home feeling that some
how Deacon Ellis affairs were as bad
as they could be, but might be worse
if the deacon had a mind to look on
the dark side, -..- -.
WELL" said Mrs. Foster. when her
good man rode into the back yard
lis Deacon Ellis a-thinking of the
Lord because the wheat's all spilled.
'Zekiel?" .... 49,. sa:...
NO, Nancy" replied Farmer Fos-
ter the deacon amt such fool as
to do that. He's some cut up about
the wheat but he's Jubileein' pow'ful
over the corn"
well when the corn's gone he'll
nitrate over the ground being Lett.
An when that's TUX there'll sholy be
nothin' left for Deacon Ellis to be
gloryfyin' over. An it'll be TUX,
mark what 1 tell you. Ezekiel"
1t was not long after this that the
deacon's little girl died. This was
the heaviest blow that had fallen upon
him, but so deeply engrossed was he
In the effort to comfort his stricken
wife that he forgot his own sorrow.
and failed also to notice that the
drouth had ripened the corn before it's
time; so that where he had hoped to
find the full. ripe ear only premature
nubbins were hidden away under the
crisp yellow shucks.
well. the deacon drew his wife's
head to his BOSOM 1--WE have got each
other, Mary, an that's a heap to
thank the Lord for.''
But even that solace was denied
him very long. Always, as the dea-
con said, 'one of the ailin' ones"
the strain upon mind and heart was
too great for the frail body. and Mrs.
Ellis wass laid to rest by the side
OF her little girl under the cedars be-
You'd the wheatfield.
The -deacon's cross was growing
heavy indeed. The neighbors began
to call him Job and although his
voice still led the old hymn on Sab
bath mornings in the village church,
there was culver in it that told how
heavily the tired heart was leaning
upon the Goodness and Mercy"
which he declared had followed him
all the days of his life
Yet he still sang IN the cornfeld
when the skinny nubbins had been
stored and there was nothing to do
but to gather the fodder:
.Oh, to Grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be''
The poor heart felt revival of the
long tried trust as the crisp. golden
blades rustled to his touch. offs
something to be thankful for" he said
to his hired boy David, pulling the
last armful from the stunted stalks.
Then the harvesting was finished:
except the gathering of the pippins
and the wlne-saps. and as the crop
had been short one, the gathering
OF it in was small matter.
We've got enough to eat any,
how he told the neighbors. an
that's something to be thankful
for". -. .
Finally the fruit was stored and
Deacon Ellis entered into his we'll
earned winter rest. -.
The Lord will let Job alone nown
Farmer Fosters wife now said, "an'
sholy il is time.'' @ H..
But the deacon's troubles were not
yet ended; there was still one more
calamity in store for him-the fire
that burned his barns and DESTROYED
his last faint hope of paying off the
mortgage upon his land It was
nearly the final stroke. The old man
had buried his wife and child for
whom he worked and saved now the
means of his own livelihood were
vanishing
His neighbors were appalled,. The
good old deacon had no enemies: and
now even those who had found some
thing to laugh at in his great faith
IN the face of calamity were shocked.
The Sunday following the burning
OF the barns the neighbors met early
at the church and discussed the matter
among themselves. 1t was finally de-
cided that among themselves thew
would raise enough monav ~ Sr