The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-09-14
THE SILENT DEACON.
TALKED TOO FREELY ONCE,
Guarded Against it Afterwards.

| IdItniuI, SIdCIOUS HAL, was Ouo udy
waited upon by restless, ambitious
worldly church member who was labor
ing to create uneasiness in the church
and especially to drive away the preach.
er. The deacon came in to meet the
visitor, who, after the usual greetings
began to lament the low state of religion
and to inquire as to the reason why
there had been no REVIVAL for two OF
three years past.
'Now what is the cause OF things be.
ing dull here? Do you know" he per.
sisted In asking.
The deacon was not ready to give his
opinion, and after a little thought
frankly answered:
"No, I don't"
| "Do you think the church is alive to
the work before it?"
"No, I don't"
'Do you think the minister fully
realizes the solemnity OF his work."
"No, I don't"
A twinkle was seen in the eye of this
| troubler in Zion, and taking courage
he asked:
ado you think his sermon on their
eyes were holden anything wonder
fully great?"
! "No, I don't"
Making bold after this encourage
ment in monosylla bles, he asked:
"Then don't you think we had bet
ter dismiss this man and hire an
| other?"
The old deacon started as ifshot with
an arrow and In louder tone than his
wont, shouted:
"No, / DON'T"
why" cried the amazed visitor,
"you agree with me in all l have said.
don't you?"
"No, l don't"
"You talk SO little, sir" replied the
guest not little abashed, chat no one
can find out what you mean."
"I talked enough once," replied the
old man rising to his feet, "for six pray
ing christians. Thirty-six years ago 1
got my heart humbled and my tongue
bridled, and ever since that l have
walked softly before God. then made
VOWS solemn as eternity and don't you
tempt me to break them"
The troubler was startled at the earn
estness of the man hitherto silent, i'm
movable man, and asked:
"What happened to you thirty years
ago."
"Well, sir, I'll tell you. was drawn
into scheme just like this OF yours, to
uproot one of Gods servants from the
field in which He had planted him. In
my blindness / fancied it little thing
to remove one of the stars which Je-
sus holds in his right hand. if thereby
my ears could be tlckled with more
f1owery words and the pews filled with
those turned away from the simplicity
OF the Gospel. I and the men that led
me-tor I admit l was dupe and a
fool-fattered ourselves that we we're
conscientious. We thought we were
doing Gods service when we drove that
holy man from his pulpit and bis work,
and said we considered his work ended
in B., where I then Hyed. We
groaned because there was no REVIVAL,
while we were gossiping about and crit
icising and crushing instead OF uphold
ing by our efforts and our prayers, the
instrument at whose hands we harshiy
demanded the blessings. Well, sir, he
could not drag on the chariot OF saliva
ton with half a dozen tauntlng him Tor
his weakness, while we hung as dead
weights to the wheel he had not the
power or the spirit and could not con-
vert men, so we hunted him like deer
till worn and bleeding he fed to a
covert to die. Scarcely had he gone
when God came among us by His
Spirit to show us that he had blessed
the Iabors OF His dear rejected SER
want.
"Our own hearts were broken and our
wayward children converted and I re-
solved at a convenient season to visit
my former pastor and confess my sin,
and thank him for his faithfuIness to
my wayward sons, which. like long
buried seed had now sprung up. But
God denied me that relief, that He
might teach me lesson every child of
His ought to learn, that he who touch
eth one OF His servants, touches the ap-
pie of His eye. heard my pastor was
i'll, and taking my eldest son with me,
set out on twenty-five mile ride to
see him. It was evening when ar
rived, and his wife, with the spirit which
A FRIGATFUL BLUNDER