The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1893-05-20

IA pOlnC Oh cIQOlU1ncnC, Il OcSlTstO OAc,
and 1T looked more than usually cheer.
less on that chill November night; but
Rev. Clement was in pretty good
spirits, because he felt that he had
done his duty. Dreading and dislilxing
the subject of eternal punishment, he
had more than once shirl<ed preaching
upon it, in defiance of the behcsts OF
his conscience; but this evening. with
all the jmpassioncd cloquence that had
drawn crowded congregations to listen
to him. he had laid down the orthodox
dOctrine-the doctrine which ''who-
soevcr will be saved" must needs ac-
cept-
''That was fine sermon of yours -
remarked a tall and very seedy looking
old man in Il battered, greasy hat. who
had apparently been waiting for him to
emerge from the vcstry and who now
joined him without ceremony.
II am glad you liked it, answered
the preacher.
It was no new experience to him to
be accostcd in the street, and the only
thing about his present intcrlocutor
which aroused his curiosity was that
the mans information was a good deal
more refined than might have been ex-
appearance
''Oh, didn't like it; no human being
could like u sermon of that kind. But
it was scholarly and we'll put, and YOU
spoke as if you were in earnest. was
wondering whether yon had re ally edu-
Gated yourself to believe in endless tor
ment-that was ALL
I'VE are bound to believe in it, We
arc bound to believe in much that we
cannot UNDERESTIMATE
Eyes, to be surc-the Trinity in
unity. baptismal regeneration-ctern
there are cases which bring the alb
surdity of this particular dogma home
to a man; my own case, for example.
"Once upon time had an only son
who went to the devil as straight as he
could go. Personally, l have always
been a bad lot-drunkcn, unprincipled,
absolutely without belief in any form
of revealed religion, so that I didn't de-
serve to have good son. l am not go
ing into the details of the story, but
may mention that / was fond of the fell
low, that he was ungratcful, and that
he practically ruined lne.
"Now, supposing that, after the lapse
of some years. l had met with that son
OF mine under circumstances which,
placed him ut my mercy. l have, or
had, great muscular strength; and sup
posing that had fallen in with him in
some lonely spot; that ne had crawlcd,
exhausted with fatigue and hunger, to
my camp fire; supposing that / had said
to him: Now you shall be made to suf-
fer a little of what you made me suf-
fer;' supposinr that / had bound him
hand and foot and thrown him upon
the top OF that fire to roast slowly to
death, with nobody to rescue him from
what he had we'll earned. What then,
Mr.. Wright?''
IL cannot believe that any mortal
man would be such monster!''
well, you needn't believe it, because
nothing of the sort ever took place. l
was enely making use of a parable
my dear sr,'' interrupted the clcr-
eagerly, you are falling into
the common error of applying human
to what is superhuman. I
should like to talk this matter over
more fully with you, and if you will
come and eat supper with me-
''Do look like the kind of a person
who could be taken home to supper in
Il respectable house? No, no, Mr..
Wright; you are welcome to your
creed, since it makes you happy. l.
didn't wait outside the church in order |
to discuss theology with you. 1 began |
as did partly because it wasn't = bad |
way at opening conversation, and |
partly because my little allegory has !
u foundation in fact which may interest |
YOU. 1 daresay you haven't forgotten !
that you once had an uncommonly ras- |
cally uncle, Alfred Warren by name, !
whom your people were compelled to |
tlisown.''
II had supposed tn at my uncle was |
lead" Mr.. Wright answered, with a
somewhat uneasy glance at his
1uestioncr. II sent him a little money
once. in response to an appeal which
reached me from America; but that |
was good many years back, and
aave heard nothing of him since.'
Don't be alarmed; I am not about
20 reveal myself as your long lost rel
alive. What I wanted to say to you
vas this. I knew Alfred Warren out
n Nebraska, and assure you that he
lad his good points. Perhaps you
lever heard that he married widow
n Nebraska shortly after circum-
tances had rendered it advisa bic for
linn to quit his native shores? Well. |
lie did; and the result of his marriage
vas an onlysson, who grew up to rob
linn and ruin him. Now, Mr.. Wright, |
will frankly confess that, if 1 were
,oor old ALI, I couldn't bring myself to
orgive that young prodigaL But I
AXE it that your religion commands
-ou to exercise a good deal more
mercy than you ascribe to it's founder.
nd if you knew that your nephew was
II and almost starving within a
tones throw of you. don't see how
GU could reconcile it with your con-
lotions to pass by on the other side"
''ls this the case?'' asked MIR. Wright.
II SO. viii go to him at once and do
What / can for him."
'sit IS the Case. I CHANGED upon the
curry man ia filthy ledglus.house !