The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-03-13

leEau doctrine. He 1neTtI 10 tH'
faith with q rigidness that satorco
strongly Of purItauic Obstluacy, but he
had a mania for giving, a maIadE from
which most Inortals are
His chief hobby was donating 10 or
phan asHIums. and he contributed IN
such large amounts a. to bring form
enquiries from the officials OF THESE
institutions, if brother Stubbs was not
~oycr-rcacniug his financial ability. For
q long time il was u mystery at INC
annual conferences why Hattks
Chapel. n little insignificant country
church, gave nor to charitable cause
and paid the pastor more than any oi
the Wcalthicr churches in its district.
but the mystery was dlspeIlcd when
if became generally kuoWu tina
Hanks Chapel was the church where
brother Erastus Stubbs held his mem
bcrship. and when the ministers VINO
had been lucky enough 10 secure an
appointment al this particular church
told Of tho nee ouutry hams ana
liver buildings with an occasional tor-
key as tips from brother Stubbs, every
preacher I'm the conference felt that
the Lord had called him TO carry the
word exclusively 20 Hanks Chapel
Erastus StubDs always gave to Wof-
thy causes. yet there was a dark side
to the picture. While he sent shoes,
hats and potts Of cloth TO the orphans
his wife and children shiVered at home
with cold. His family would sit down
three times 4 day 10 a scanty meal
of corn bread and fat backs while
the pastor m his family We're feast
ing on the hams Of the same hog. His
two boys, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, kne,E
nothing except the grind Of the farm
from daylight till dark. While they
Iabored in their rags and patched
clothes. Their father would be adVc-
eating large donations for the purpose
of educating the heathens. Brother
Stubs had a grown daughter. VINO
after the best years Of her life. had
been spent over the Wash-tub and III
her fathers cornficId with only a
cheap dress each wear, eloped with
u ewing machine agent who deserted
her within a few Wce<s and starVa-
ton drove her back home, where she
was consigned to the kitchen and her
lot i'm life became harder.
Yet with all this Erastus Stubs was
a power in his community. He was
an obliging neighbOr and being pos
ScSScd Of some means he often tided
the less fortunate farmers through a
short crop year. Everyone who knew
Erastus Stubs, knew his fault and it
was Il grievOus thing to the members
of Hanks Chapel, one of whom had
the courage to talk it over with him.
although Obadiah Sykes had said more
than once. that he wished the good
Lord would give brother Stubs a new
heart and get him right, yet he would
admit that brother Stubs was the pill
lar and post Of Hanks Chapel.
The first two benches in the amen
corner We're reserved for Brother
Stubbs and his family. and no mat
ter how many were in the church,
services would never m till
Stubbs would arrive.
one Sunday he came in followed
by Jeremiah II Ezekiel. The boys
had on their thin cotton waists ana
patched breeches. The mother brought
worn. The last off daughter had never
been allowed to attend church since
her elOpement. When all a been
seated, brother Stubs arose and said:
"Brcthrcn, | have here two sons
are yet sinners unsaved by grace
and as they have cache the years
of accountability, | ask that all Chris
tan people interested in me and mine
will pray for Jeremiah and EzckicG, i
that they may turn to Jesus while they
yOung.''
Jeremian screwed his chin down to
one side of his collar bone and gazed
coWeringly up at his sire. His bare
scarcely reached the floor. while |
,ther children were looking in pity on |
hoI,. and n.L h ~, "hosg
+ unto7 r,nrI nrr - D,h 49,
NOT n,nroLonJ od v.hat had aoa .nf1 -
He car Io0kina to,ro ,.ds - G Gaon w
InanneT vvhiIo hi +hjo eanIa,T
ees hun~ in = holDIesS faebion f,,on,
his scat and his foo. rointn1 rtr1imt,+
At no concrnsion Of +ho a. /
Whom III. nastnr h,d ~ !
,ro ohodirh c,li Nxo ~
.I,cin~ ,a,.a, pro+b, EtL :" ~
,rocn -, "a az "7ol"
he, aenncina H. oraaofa lCllGiI
in his ,lnn1icatina prothor So
readily aslontod D. 1-naI. '9ne5
fter takin~ ont bis aria of tnLaaa
and tossin~ - ,ndar III. ~
cIna7n1 rn bis +L,,na+ IN 49, II
nrayo, +ba+ I'm !" rh"Hcu d
at uark's Do ~i'i9't.e,i
WIS as lol-
con IOWA
.,a,,l ~ N""W lh"l nor even
l &p"ri"N idiletll 10 the ground WIN
.I". 1"N MIC" leuSc' we KNOW also
"t anI" / - IIiIllu 81 l,lllT clil-
49, I ~ ~ I'oh III tphr
ufVii o'ittlldh ana Ezekiel
ne6iOo'cN NIUE ones Oh ouf