The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-06-20
RELIGIOUS READING.
A ROUGH DISCIPLE.

de was an ugly customer before the gospel
took hold of him. For manners, good deal
like polar bear; and for temperament he
was twin with one David writes of, who
was "such a son of Belial that man could
not speak to him." 1t was matter OF won
der, in the speculation OF some OF US, what
sort of creature the gospel would make OF
him, provided he should ever come under its
power.
And we had chance to see; for He who
"came from Rozrah travelling in the great
ness of his strength" come our way, and,
to the astonishment Of US all, this rough and
rugged stranger to the corenent went and
sat down at Jesus feet There was no mis-
take about 1.-THE eye We had seen flash
with vengence was filled with the tears ofpeni-
tence, and the voice that was accustomed "to
mutter harsh thunder" we have heard utter
the melting and subdued tones Of prayer. That
there has been great change in the hidden
man of the heart, all the disciples rejoice IN
believing. And we have welcomed into the
fold.
But some OF the sheep are shy of him, and
q good many of the lambs are afraid Of him.
He is no wolf now-that is certain-woltlsh
though he once was, and abundantly less like
bear than he was in former days And the
change that has been wrought does make the
whole flock glad and that most cordially
rough, shaggy, uncouth, harsh and forbid
ding o sort Of disciple as ever entered the
fold. If good manners, gentlemanly deport-
ment, kind and condescending demeanor; If
any one Of these had been door-keeper, he
would not have got in. But the Great Shep-
herd would not give the key to any OF them;
though he Is on most excellent terms with
them all, and would have been as pleased as
any Of them to have had that disciple as like
IL o1; Vaf fnr htrrh
important reasons he did let him in.
And we who are fellow disciples with him
do not wish him out No, not one OF us.
But we do wish, and we will not mince the
matter, we wish our lion was little more like
lamb.-We hate to see his shaggy name and
hear his harsh and terrible voice. We do not
wonder the small-fry clear the road for him
when they see him coming, and that the
young people are scarce when they hear the
thunder of his rap on the door. There is so
much that is repulsiveto them in him that they
think less OF the heaven where they doubt not
he is going. They say so and we chide the
young rebels. Yet we ourselves have vast
desire to have our Boanarges n peg or two
lower, to say the least, on the scale OF repul-
siveness.
Some of us have tried to be trile brother
ly in the matter and with winning words OF
the kindest goodwill have sought to turn the
pie into little of that courteousness and
softness which better becomes the gospel OF
Christ
But he was cast in too rough mould. and
made of sterner stuff than was compatible
with change. He will 60 ahead through life
in his own way. We may give him hint
now and then, but we are to look out that we
do not get a rap with the paw Of lion.
We have made up our minds, with tolerable
unanimity, that inasmueh as the Great
Keeper of the fold has welcomed him, with
all his repulsive qualities, and as we can see,
under orbiddipg exterior, evident traces OF
divine grace, that we will love, forbear and
hold on in cordial good fellowship. 1t has
stuck some Of US too as among the possibll1-
ties, that our grim and rough brother may
discern something in US not particle more
agreeable to him than his Polar-bear qualities
are to US, and that, likely as not, he is for
bearing himself, with right down Christian
good will. with some follies Of ours. SO we
think we had better bear one another's bur-
dens, in the hope that what is wrong on both
sides will in due time get mended, and that
we may yet see in each other the perfect i'm
age of Him who loved US and redeemed US
~ his blood.