River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-06-23

see clear throrl n you and YOU see clear
through rae. 1 know that next time
you make cat a catalogue of the sins of
the church members you'll put my name
at the head of the list. You'll tell how
I've been a deacon for thirty years, and
have been so ugly TO home that my old
est boy ran away and went to sea, and
t'other one went to Alaska to git just as
far away from me as he could, and my
gal threw herself away marryin' a
good-for-nuthin' feller, to have . home
of her own, and that my wife's all
broke down with her trouble. Sam,
you'll lay it ON thick, and / shan't
blame We none, neither"
The deacon jumped up. picked up his
fallen mantles and passed them over to
his wife. saying, in voice whose gen.
teness startled her: Here, Reny,
you'll oblige me by foldin' these up and
putin 'em away. | 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. l don't want
none o. yer soft soap bout ability but
! do want you to come tomorrow an
hear me. I've got a special reason"
"By Georgel | viii! 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 that a 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 hls
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 tho pulpit. He had no book of SER
mons from which to read.
"My friends" he said. and his voice
had slight tremor, I've been dea.
con for thirty years. / We 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 | want to
ask We all To pray for me-for the sal.
walton of my soul. I've been deeeiv-
in myself and amt got one claim to
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 a shuttin'
my heart against it all the while.
When it told me | was a-doin' wrong
said twas other folks, AMI not me.
When it told me | want actin a Chris
tian, thought back o. the time when
see "a kind of a light, and heard sum
thin speak 10 me when there want no
body round, and was sure that was
conversion, and as for stayin' convert t.
ed / want no Methodist. I'd always
heard say it was dishonorin' to God not
to believe that He'd keep "a grip on
man when lie 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 sob
chol1ed further utterance. Brethren,
pray for me, at last he gasped, and sat
down.
There was a prolonged silence. The
surprise, the sympathetic mood of self
accusation, the awake ming voice of con.
science in each heart produced deep
impressions. No soul felt itself pare
enough To respond to the pathetic
appeal.
At length the other deacon arose,
read few verses from the Fifty-frsi
Psalm and pronounced the meeting
closed. A business meeting was held
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.
dencc of all.
The spirit of self condemnation went
round. There had been no such deep
| spiritual carnestness manifested in the
parish for years. Little comment was
ever heard upon the deacon's woii is.
| All knew that as much might be said
of their own fruitless lives. There was
a humble seriousness, n faithful effort
at quiet righteous living, that had not
been known in all the history of the
| church, and vet there was no reviv al
and no extra meetings. When PEG lie
accuse each other there Is rebound of
resistance which foils all attempts at
| 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 ] should
hep move the things before / go on; TO
worlx?"
''No. LOTHIAN. / was just a-thinkin'
we'd better wait fortnight later. We
may have some more cold weather
yet."-Julina O. Hall, IN Springfield
| Mass Republican.