The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-07-12
QUIZ OF DARKNESS INTO LIGHT.
A Novel: BY DR.. j. A. Houser.
CHAPTER i.
Cedar Dell.

restful picture, that of a little western
village sleepily nestled in valley where
the rustic and noise of commerce and
progress had never disturbed the old
fashioned people who came and went on
its grass-grown streets. or waited at the
postoffice for the tri-weekly mail that
was fetched from the railway station,
over the hills, some miles away, Mon
days. Thursdays and Saturdays. Though
the hurry and nervous impotence of
what is called a Spry life in the West
never bothered this little Eden of Rest,
though the people had never seen the
gilded side or the hot fever Of city life,
they had never known the sad disap-
appointment and the extreme anxiety, as
they had never seen the great wealth
and abject poverty Of more pretentious
places. It was one of natures beauti-
full pictures, framed by hills, lighted
with a sparkling brook. perfumed by
flowers, enchanted by the songs OF wild
bids, while friendship stole like gold
en- thread from house to house, max
ing il a little social semi-commune where
n neighbor had no hesitancy to go to
one of his acquaintance for the loan of
a cup of coffee or pound of side meat
to cook with his greens.
Where this village was located the
sparkling brook made a semi-circular
turn, kind Of majestic little silver bow
of one-half mile in sweep, leaving be-
hind it the irregular crag where it had
broken through the limestone wall, and
advancing to the end of the bow, hid
itself under the shadow of oak-crowned
hills. The valley was not more than one
half mile In width, measuring from one
hill to the other, with two gateways.
one where the brook entered and one
where it departed. On the eastrn side
was an irregular. perpendicular lime
stone wall, reminding the beholder that
the old ocean had been there, and the
little. patient shellfish had devoted hun
dreds Of thousands Of years depositing
their houses in the bottom of the deep,
to crystalize and solidify, and remain
centuries after the water had receded to
another part of the earth, standing In
silent eloUuence revealing the age and
the measureless antiquity of old mother
earth Here and there this rock wall
was broken. washed by the waves OF
time shaken by fierce earthquakes cor
roded by the tireless hand of decay,
leaving promonotOries jutting out, frown-
ing and rugged.
Stunted cedars warped and bent in
their struggle for life. chung to the crags
like some shipwrecked mariner hang
ing to a broken spar. over them the
wild morning glOries mingled their white
and blue flowers, like flashes of moon
light gathered into the draperies of
diminutive skirts, hanging in the deep
blue sky. Morning glOries, white and
blue. sky and moonlight, with the emer-
aid of the cedar, through which peep
here and there. the trumpet vine and the
H,-sar aaha mr.
boughs the rustic villagers had made
many a seat and sat Chattering and
CAV watching the little silver stream
that flowed from the never-failing
spring. laughingly hurry on from rock
TO rock breaking and splashing in its
downward course, until it was Swallowed
into a misty veil that seemed to hang
over the face of the sweet water nymph
that was always hid somewhere In the
grotto, singing and humming a song Of
the little cascade. Farther down the
hills slOped back and were covered with
oak and sugar, beech and poplar trees.
On the other side the picture frame
was less rugged, but in the center was
great dark opening that led TO sub
teTranean cave, so dark and gloomy,
with such narrow entrance further on
the villagers had never dared penetrate
beyond the point when the last CLEAN of
daylight was lost. In this little val
ley was the sleepy village known as
Cedar Dell. The population consisted
Of perhaps. two or three hundred souls,
all told. A postoffice, blacksmith shop,
two or three stores, a typical country
tavern of the earlier days, the usual
number of backwoods philosophers,
champion coon hunter, several famous
fishermen, the indispensable boss liar, a
school house and two churches, made up
the greater part Of the town. The divine
edifices" were located on opposite
sides Of the main street. in the principal
part of the town. One was presbyterian
and one was methodist, where. in COM
pliance with their creed, relentless Cal
Vanism or free Armenianism was dis
pensed at one or the other every Sunday,
so the villagers could take their choice
between the fOreordained damnation and
the hopeless task of being perfect with
out even a thought Of sin. Each church
periodically held its regular revival
where for the time being the creed was
forgotten while urging more to join. The
Calvinist. though he firmly believed the
great majority of mankind was prede-
stined TO be damned regardless Of any
effort that they might make, and that
the wicked were brought into existence
that their punishment might show the
glory Of God just as much as the blame
less life of the saint urged all to come.
So Generalization and predestination
ground its hard, fiinty, cherries and
hopeless creed into the tender mind Of
TO make Gods appearance correspond
with His character, clothed Him with
horns and hOofs and fit Him TO smile
while the founder Of the creed was burn
ing Servetus, his bosom friend, and then
finally lapse into the Indifference % say
ing. "If II Is foreordained. 1t had TO be-
and looked with indifference upon the
old gray fogy who declared he was
"sanctihed" as one OF the "elect" who
could not sin If he were to try. or rather
II he should commit any wickedneSS it
would not be sin.
Across the way the entire opposite view
was taken, but the result seemed to be
the same meeting. a collection and a
church quarrel. There they were told,
while the lamp of light holds out to
burn
1.-THE vilest sinner may return
Periodically they all returned to the
revival and conversion. to go back to
their wickedness during the warm
weather. There the young heard that
repentenance would wash out every blot
though IL were Of the crimson Of wick
edness. And thus the wayward thought
at is not necessary for me to be good
now. I will wait. SOW my wild oats and
repent and live "A good life and be gath
cred to my fathers" On the other
side Of the street the hearer of Calyan-
ism said. II was fOreordained to be bad
and cannot help ii, / might as well die
for an old sheep as lamb and I will
worlds wrong and pleasure" And thus
between the two, hope and fear, dOminat-
ed the purer and higher and diviner love
and goodness of the Master