The herald., 1897-11-21

don't und rStan an he says lot o.
funny things. an gifts tn people a-laff1n':
an they go home a-thinkin at Bob is
right. an they amt no sense in religion.
nor nuthin' but revenge an punishment
an hell fire an birthstone.
But you take one o. Bob's 1ecturs
agin the Bible, an set down an read it
quiet, an look at car'fu an see what
they is in it.
Bob he says, whales throat amt
big enough t swallow a man. Wall. tn
Bible don't say nothn' bout no whale
a-swallerin Jonah-says the Lord pc
pared big fish. an the fish swaller'd
Jonah. l low the Lord cou'd p'epare
whale eff he took notion but it don't
say SOFT says fish.
An then Bob he lights onto the chill
dern o Israel a-crossn' over the sea on
dry land, when the Lord caused the sea
to go back by strong east wind. An
Bob, pears like he gifts mixed on that
an thinks the Lord piled the water up
in big chunks an left a road like path
through a snowdrift; an then Bob he
says Yes; water runs up hill, don't it,
An Bob he thinks he's said it. fer sure.
Looks t me like Bob orto hev sense
enough to think at water don't run Up
notion they's got t be some power t set
it agon one way or tother. What makes
it run down hill is the traction O grav-
itation; an mebbe Bob'll tell us what
thet is. An as fer it a-runnin' upwards.
/ guess Bob never been to tn beach.
ner to a fire, ner never drawed a glass
o water outen a facet in the top f a
three story buildin'-b'cause eff he he'd
he'd surely hev took notice at water
docs run up hill. Course, theys a power
blind it thet makes it run up hill--sams
es they's power thet makes it run
down hill. But Bob, he don't b'lieve they
is any God Almighty, an so course he
can't see how he en- make use o. natur's
forces, same way es men docs, only
more, an ff'rent, seein' es how he Gre
ated em.
AN then Bob, he says-I blieve its
Bob but meb5e it's some O. tn rest on
'em-says at they can't be no hel.
because nobody couldn't enjoy their
selves, ner take pleasure in heaven, ef
they knowed at people was a-sufferin'
in torment. Wall, fustly, es the preach
ers says, nobody don't hafto go to hell.
Christ died fer all men, an eff anybody
goes t hell it'll be Because they knowin'
ly made their choice, an took th' road
a-leadin' in that direction, an when
warned agin it wouldn't turn back An
secontly, theys people asuffeEin' in
all kinds O misery an anguish an tor
ment all the time on this hyer earth:
they's pangs o. childbirth, an railroad
accidents, an people chawed up by wild
beasts, an wars, an murders, an
starvation. A passenger train goes
a-sma shin down through bridge, an
cars gifts on fire, an people gifts drownd-
ed an roasted. an Bob he sets in his
office, er eats his dinner, er smokes his
segar, an enjoys life, an never knows
nothin' about it tell it's all over. An
bet Bob don't eat no iess vittles to his
meals Because them Hindoos over yan-
der is a-starvin'. er because theys hum
dred er so o men an women an little
young ones -goin ravin' hungry right in
his own town. They do say Bob Is
mighty gen'rous, an gives lots O. money
to tn poor an frien'less. But when he
| docs es much es he b'lieves is his duty,
I bet he don't go a-worryin' bout what
he can't help. They wouldn't be no
sense in him a-doin' thataway, nohow.
An SO when we git { kingdom come, an
tn Lord says we hev he'd our chance an
| he sees fit t save our souls, nobody with
common hoss sense is a-goin' to worry
bout what he couldn't hender an can't
help. B'sides. / notice, es a gn'l rule,
TIL folks at makes use O sech kind o.
argymnts aint tn ones t bother their
selves bout their sufferin feller critters
the most, nohow."
was here reminded of trifing Incl
dent in my own early life. I had been ac-
companyir% a neighborng farmer boy
on three mile walk to attend revival
meetings. in progress in a little town
during the winter. My friend was q
huge, overgrown fellow, with the large
sized talk which frequently accompa-
nies that physique. He was scoffer,
and went to the meetings mainly for
amusement. He was not afraid of hell,
he said Our conversation on our home
ward walks usually turned on ghosts
and other uncanny subjects. One night
he had just reached the climax of a
peculiarly hair raising story, where ''it'
came through the window pane with a
"z-z-z-t," when a terrible clatter opened
up on the road behind us. Before could
| wink twice, l was clasped about the
waist and held in vice-like grip of ter
ror. My friend, who wasn't afraid Of
hell" had sprung in front of me, holding
me between him and the approaching
danger. When a horseman galloped by
us with surprised greeting at our
| strange position my companion gasped.
pantingly: Il was a-tryin' t scare you,,
The horseman had come over the brow
of hill just at the moment of suspense.
and it was his horses hoof-beats on the
frozen ground. borne by a sudden gust
of wind that had struck terror to our
| hearts. BEN DAVIS PIPPlN,
| Ramona, California.
| --~