The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-11

"Opinion,' as expressed in the subjoined
sketch, sent to us by mail, ought to be
read and pondered in every parish in the
landed. Golden Rule.
Deacon Lee, who was a kindly, silent
faithful, gracious man, was one DAY
waited upon by a restless, ambitious,
worldly church member, who was labor
ing to create uneasiness in the church,
and especially TO drive away the preacher.
The deacon came in to meet his visitor,
who, after the usual greetings, began 10
lament the low state OF religion ana IN
quire a to the reason why there had been
no revival for two or three years past.
snow what do you think Is the cause
OF things being dull here? do you known"
he persisted in asking.
The deacon was not ready TO give his
opinion; and after a little thought,
frankly answered, "No, i DON'T"
ado you think the churches are alive
to the work before them
"No, DON'T"
$40 you think the minister fully real
lies the solemnity Of his work."
"No, DON'T"
A twinkle was seen in the eye of this
troubler in Zion, and taking courage, he
asked:
"Do you think his sermon on 'Their
eyes were holden anything wonderfully
great?"
"No, / DON'T"
Making bold, after all this encourage
ment in monosyllables, he asked, ''then
don't you think we had better dismiss
this man and hire another?" ,
The old deacon started as il shot with
an arrow, and in a tone loucer than his
won't, shouted, "No, / DON'T"
"Why," cried the amazed visitor, "you
agree with me in all l have said, don't
yon?'
"No, l DON'T"
"You talk SO little, SIR" replied the
guest, not a little abashed, "that no one
can find out what You mean"
al talked enough once, " replied the old
man, rising TO his feet, "for six praying
Christians. Thirty years ago 1 got my
heart humbled and my tongue bridled,
and ever since that I've walked softly be-
fore God. / then made VOWS solemn as
eternity and don't you tempt me TO break
themln
The troubler was startled at the earnest
ness OF the hitherto silent, immova bic
man, and asked, "What happened TO you
thirty years agof"
"WefI, sir, I'll tell you. l Yves drawn
into a scheme just like this of yours, to up
root n of Gods servants from the field
in which He had planted him. In my
blindness, l fanciea it a little thing TO
remove one of the stars which Jesus
holds in His right hand, ii thereby my
u tOuld w M " llOAl DONtIN
words, and the pews filed with those
turned way from the simplicity of the
gospel. 4 and the men that led me-for l
admit that was a dupe and a iool-fiat-
tered ourselves that we were conscien-
tious. We thought we were doing Gods
service when we drove that holy man
from his pulpit and his work, and said
we considered his work ended in b,
where / then lived. We groaned Because
there was no revival, while We were Cos
siping about and criticising, and crush
ing instead OF uptolding by our efforts
and our prayers, the instrument at whose
hand we harshly demanded the bless
ings. Well, sir, he could not drag on
the chariot of salvation with half-a-dozen
OF us haunting him for his weakness, while
we hung as a dead weight To the wheels;
he had not the power OF the Spirit, and
could not convert men; so, we hunted him
like a deer till, worn and bleeding, he
fled into a covert to die. Scarcely nae he
gone, when God camc among us by Ills
Spirit to show that He had blessed the
labors OF His dead, rejected servant. Our
own hearts were broken, and our wayward
children converted, and ! resolved at a
convenient season to visit my former pas
tor and confess my sin, and thank MIN
for his fsithfulness to my Maynard sons,
which, like l~ong-buried seed, had now
sprung up. But God denied me that re-
lief, that He might teach me a lesson
WY ia W AhAo phBhl " iNaih AlNN
he who toucheth one OF His servants
touches the apple of his eye / heard my
pastor was Ill, and taking my oldest son
with me, set out on a 25-mile ride to see
him. IL was evening when ! arrived, and
his wife, with the spirit which any wo-
man ought to exhibit toward one who
had so wronged her husband, denied me
admittance to his chamber. She said,
and her words were arrows to my soul,
HE may b. dying. and the sight Of your
face mlglt add to his anguish
"iiad IL come to this, l said TO my
SCI that the man whose labor had,
III ough Christ, brought me into His fold,
" had consoied my spirit in n terrible
bereavement, and who had, till design
ing men had alienated us, been to me as
n brother-that this man could not die in
peace with my face before himf' God
pity me-. 1 cried, what Lave 1 done2 |
confessed my sins to tcat meek woman,
and implored her for Christ's sake to Ter
me kneel before His dying servant ind
receive his forgiveness. What did ! care
then whether the pews by the door were
rented or not? | would gladly have taken
his whole family TO my house forever as
my own flesh and blood, but no such
happiness was In store for me.
"As / entered the room OF the blessed
warrior, who's nor was falling from
his limbs, he Do his languid eyes,
and said. 'Brot n Lee! Brother Jeel'
~ bent over him and sobbed out, INV,
pastorl my p~sstorl' Then raising his
white hand he said In deer, impressive
voice, Touch not mine anointCd, and
do my pro bets no HARM ] spoke tend
erlv TO him, and told him l had come TO
confess nv sin, m bring some OF his
fruit to him, calling my son TO tell him
how he had found christ. But he YVES
unconscious of oil around; the sight 81
M face han brough the last paDg OF
earth to lis troubles spirit.
~ kissed his brow, and told him how
dear he had been to me, crayed his pardon
for my unfaithtulness, and promised TO
eara for lfa Ut4aur .,A f.tk.rIoaa ltttI,