Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-03-08
Aunt Comforts in spite Of zero

weather.
There was another side to the social
impetus, and that the religious one.
The church that had been repaired by
Martin, and where the Reverend Up
son proclaimed what might be called
the new school of thought, received
good support and was well filled each
Sabbath. Most of the audiences were
composed of those who had grown lax
in their church attendance, or seldom
listened to the Reverend Jones, but
many alternated between the two
churches. 1t became a species of COM
petition between the two preachers,
which harmed neither and really aided
both by provoking widespread discus
sion out of church and more general
interest in religion. The fact was the
Reverend Jones had become old-fogy-
ish, his arguments moss-covered, and
the dry bones of CalviniSm had lost
their power. The newer ones of Uni
tarianism were more appealing to the
broader minded, and even interested
those who still held to the old theol-
ogy. In village like Greenvale moth
ing can be concealed, and the Rever-
end Upson's utteranceS each Sunday
were quoted from house to house soon
after, discussed in Phinney's store and
Capt Tobey's tavern, and weighed and
compared with Reverend, Jones' SER
mons time and again, and it must be
said that to those sturdy farmers who
had wrangled on predestination, doubt
ed Noah's maritime knowledge, and
discussed the cause of Adams fall
for years, Parson Upson's theories
seemed the more logical and his idea
of God the more commendable A
curious and quite unexpected change
came over Reverend Jones as well, and
he seemed like preacher uncertain
of his ground and anxious to concili-
ate and retain the goodwill and conf
dence Of even his own parishioners.
In social life he was less dogmatic and
more ready to listen patiently to 9TH
erS' opinions, did not at once denounce
those who differed with him even in
trifies as formerly, and even admitted
that his competitor in thought might
have honest intentions and also be do
ing good. At first he had denounced
Mr. Epson unsparingly. This TRADE
now ceased entirely, and when one
evening the two CHANGED to meet in
q social way, surprise came, for a
cordial hanG-shake and most amiable
chat followed.
A marvellous change also came in
his sermons. Birthstone was banished,
the wrath Of God was seldom referred
to, and a dozen other long-familiar
points of creed were apparently for
gotten. The character, attributes and
intentions of God also received a
changed Interpretation, and as Squire
Phinney put it, after listening to one
of Jones newly liberal sermons, ct
looks as though Parson Epson was go
in to convert Parson Jones'"
Neither did the orthodox following
decrease any as might be expected, for
the changed tenor OF preaching in that
church provoked interest More peo-
pie went to church each Sunday,
and both were we'll attend
ed. 1t was an outcome that
gave good old Parson Jones more
solace than he admitted, and almost
etS AiluSu SdIISldCtlOu DIS IudC I6lC over
Angles good fortune. 1t must also be
told that she contributed an ample
share to his recent peace of mind, for
her first business act, after DR.. Sol
had been appointed administrator of
her uncle's estate, was to obtain the
church mortgage from him and pre-
sent it to Parson Jones'
How that worthy man thanked and
blessed her with a special prayer there
and then, how he announced the joyous
gift and fact in the pulpit the next
Sunday, and how this gave an added
impetus to her queenship over Green
vale. and the love and respect of all
need not be described.
After many years of patient self
sacrifice and unrest, the bark of her
life had suddenly sailed into golden
and azure waters where the banks were
festooned with the flowers of respect,
and the birds of love and joy were
singing.
And none envied her this new-found
happiness.