The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-09-13
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A Completed Life.

the Rev. Eliot Walters sat in the little
country parsonage in Vermont and
read the ten words on the yellow tele-
graph form again and again.
His son was dead. That he himself
must die, and soon, he had long recog-
nized; but his son, who was just be-
ginning to live!
There was no hope which the father
had cherished for himself and left be-
hind him with the flight Of years which
he had not renewed and cherished
again in his pride In his son. He had
begun with small opportunities, and
gained his education by the most heroic
sacrifice. Great had been his joy at
seeing his son equipped with the best
the schools could give to him. In col
lege he had led his class; in the theo-
logical school >he had received honors
and having entered the ministry, he
had risen rapidly and with sure and
safe progress.
Two years before his death he had
accepted a call to great city; and
there to a Cultivated and influential
congregation he ministered, with in
creasing acceptance.
Now and then his sermons were re
ported in the papers, and his father
read them, every word. He would GO
far, that young man, the father said
and what was best of all, he deserved
it. He was a good boy; this was his
proud word to other people; and there
was no meaning native to fatherly hope
and pride which he did not express In
those words.
And now he was dead Dead be-
fore his father, and with the plans
just at the threshold Of their glorious
promise
The old father did not go to the
funeral 1t was more than thousand
miles, and when he stood in his pulpit
at home on the day his son was buried
| far away he looked so frail, SO pale,
so suddenly aged, that every heart
ached for him, as his had ached a
thousand times with the sorrow Of 9th
ers.
Then the church In the distant city,
It's own membership heartbroken, re-
membered the deeper sorrow Of the
lonely old man, and did a beautiful
thing. A communion service was ap-
preaching, at which forty persons were
to unite with the church. They were
persons whom the young pastor had
led across the threshold into the sweet
life Of the gospel, and whom he had
expected to welcome to membership.
The church sent a thousand miles to
the old father, and asked him to come
to them and conduct that service.
And so he stood at the communion
table and broke the bread and gave the
right hand of fellowship to forty of
those whom his son had helped onward
In the Christian life.
1t was sad service, but as beautiful
40 IL was Suu anu 40 NOuiLOl Illl5 dS
1t was pathetic. Nor did they permit
the old man to return at once, but
kept him for another Sunday and yet
another, and filled the church and list
ened to his earnest words.
They showed him not only what his
son had planned to do, but what he had
already done-the good begun which
would not be permitted to be lost, the
lives helped by his life and sealed by
his death. They comforted themselves
In helping his greater sorrow his grief
was assuaged In comforting them. The
old man went beck to the little par
sonage In the hills, still lonely, but
with a new sense Of comfort; still sor-
rowing, but not as he had sorrowed be-
fore. For God had given him to see
that something of his dead sons work
was not only begun, but still in pro-
gress, and much was completed; and
he thanked God and took courage
Youths Companion.