The Advance., 1897-02-04
JACOBS SERMON.


HAD good sermon, Jacoo?' nv wife asked
me lasC night, when came home from church.
"CompIete, RAehel,' said I.
Richel rs p)orly, and couldn't go to meet
lngs much, so she always wanted me to tell her
about the sermon and the singing and the
people.
"Good singing, Jacob ?"
"Pm sure couidn'6 tell you"
Many people out to-day ?'
81 don't know"
"Why, Jacob, what's the matter? What are
you thinking about ?''
"The sermon"
"What was the text?"
81 don't think there was any. didn't hear
"I declare Jacob. 1 do believe you slept all
the time"
"Indeed didn't. Inever was so wide awake"
"What was the subject then p
AS near as I C IN remember, it was me-"
"You Jacob Gay?"
eyes, ma'am You think it is poor subject.
I'm sure 1 thought 50, too.'
"Who preached? Our minister?"
''No. He didn't preach-not to me at any
rate. Twas woman-a young woman, too"
"Why, Mr.. Gay You don't mean it, surely +?
Those women's right folks haven't got into our
pulpit?'
"Well, no. not exactly. The minister preach.
ed from the pulpit, but could not listen. I was
thinking ABOUT my sarmon. I'll tell you about it.
You know that young woman at the post-office,
Mrs. Hyde's niece Sne and were the first ones
at the meeting, and we sat by the stove, warm
ing. l have seen her good deal at the post
Office, and at her Aunts, when l was there at
work. She is pleasant spoken, and nice pretty
girl. We were talking about the meetings You
know there's quite reformation going on. She
was speaking Of this one, and that one, who was
converted. There was quite silence, and then
she said, sort of low and trembling in her
voice, and with little pink blush on her cheek,
and the tears just starting,
"Oh Mr. Gay, some of US were saying at the
prayer meeting, last night, that we did want
you to be Christisn' y
&C Her checks flushed redder and the tears fell.
I knew she felt it, and it was a cross to say it.
never was so taken back in all my life
"'Why, bless your SOUL l said, smy child I
have been member of the church forty years
"My tears came then, and guess my cheeks
would have been redder than hers, if they
wasn't so tanned
".Do excuse me, Mr.. Gay she said. Excuse
me for hurting your feelings, but didn't know
you were Christian. l never see you at pray
er meeting or Sabbath-school, and l never no.
ticed you at communion. I'm sorry I've hurt
your feelings
"'Tut tut, child,' I answered. mo harm
done. am glad you thought about an old man:
am member, as said, but haven't worked
at it much. I'll allow. don't go to prayer meet
ing or Sunday school because-well-Ima made the
excuse to myself and other folks that Sacnet
was poorly, and needed me to stay with her, but
I'm afraid the Lord wouldn't accept it,
"Just then the people begun to come, and
took my seat but the looks and words of that
young woman went to my heart l couldn't
think of any thing else. They preached to me
all the meeting-tim To think that some OF the
young folks in Warton didn't know was a
member, and we're concerned for the old man.
I said to myself, by way of application, Jacob
Gay you've been a silent partner long enough
1t is time you woke up and worked for the Lord ;
time to let your light shine 80 that the young
folks can see it, J."