The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1898-03-05

resting on the tree and gazing
earnestly at my father.
81 don't know that / ever did, Peel,
but Lean hardly believe that a man
of your bright prospects could con-
tent himself with preaching in this
lonely place. Why, there is not q
house within three miles. .
peter sometimes preached many
miles distant from any house yet
thousands of people went to hear
him" &s7t<3 7,
Eyes, that is true; but Peter pro-
claimed a new and interesting gospel,
while you can only hope to follow in
a we'll worn path" =.
He gazed intently at my father and
thus answered.: "
''We have seen a path that was
worn, and then we have seen it de-
serted; have seen the grass and weeds
grow where the ground was once
made smooth and bare by many
feet" -
'True enough, Peel. And now let
1ne say that if you are in earnest I
hope that you may be instrumental
in drawing thousands from the wick
edness of the world.''
II dare not hope to draw thou
sands" said he. II dare not picture
to my mind a multitude focking to
hear me; but I will dare hope to draw
one soul away from an awaiting de-
struction, and if I do even that much
/ shall feel that my church has been
built to some purpose" =.
AS we rode along my father was ST.
lent for some time, and then, as
though speaking to himself, said:
1.-The poor fellow has lost his
The report that Montgomery Peel
was building church far away in
the woods naturally awakened great
interest in the community. Many
of the men declared that he must have
lost his mind, but the women, with
that hopeful sympathy which ever
expects a good result from an osten-
sibly pious action, averred that he
was appointed to bring about a great
reformation. Wives persuaded: their
| husbands to assist in building the
church, and thus aided, Peel was soon
! ready to deliver his first sermon. It
was on a Sunday, warm, bright and
beautiful, that hundreds of people
| focked to see him. I remember hear
ing one man, cynical fellow, re-
mark:
"Oh, he has gone off this way for
effect. He knows that if he had gone
into a regular church nobody would
pay any attention to him. He all
ways was q sort of theatrical fellow,
anyway
"Why do you call him theatrical
fellow?" the mans wife spoke up. 81
am sure that never heard of his go.
ing to theatre.''
MARY Ann, you don't know what
you are talking about"
II know enough not to talk about
a man that is trying to do good in
the world.''
Good in the world!" her husband
contemptuously repeated. ''There's
about men doing good in the world.
Ifa man wants to do good, why
don't he plant something and raise
stuff for the people to eat?''
1T is quite as important to take
care of poor peoples souls.''
Il don't know about that. The
Lord will fix the soul business all
right"
The church was crowded. Mont
gomery Peel stepped forward on a
sort of platform, still majestic, but
with a .sprinkling of gray in his
beard. Ahymn was sung, a prayer
was offered, and then the preacher
thus began:
s'My friends, I will notexplain why
l have erected this church other than
that I have taken it upon myself to
preach the word of God 1 do not
come before you claiming to have
been directly called to deliver the
word unto you that is, I heard no
voice telling me to preach, but did
feel that | could do much good, and
that it was my duty to spend the
rest of my life in this service. shall
attempt no revolution, and those
OF you that have come expecting to
hear a new doctrine, or even a new
explanation of an old doctrine, will
be disappointed. believe that i'm
mortal 1ruit grows upon the tree of
, sincere repentance believe that
each of us owes to God a life of sim
pie purity and honesty. Our allotted
time on earth is but a few days, and
! what should we gain though we were
placed in high position among men,
for high positions soon crumble into
the dust of forgetfulness and men
soon pass away. It is not enough
simply to declare that we love the
Lord, for love is often selfish: it is
not enongh simply to praise the Lord,
for praise is sometimes the off
shot of fear. While pro Tossing tolove
the Lord, and while showing that we
praise him, We must look with ten
derness upon the faults of others,
we must speak no evil word of
q neighbor, neither shall we hear
tales, for the man who comes and
! tells US that some one has spoken in
/ our dispraise may profess that he
took our part and hushed the mo nth
| OF slander, vet he DESTROYS orr ham