The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-01-28
CHAPTER ".

Some years before the beginning Of
this veracious chronicle, Thankful had
lover; man of noble ideas nobly express
ed in his daily life; he was the adored
principal of one of the city schools and
shining light in scholastic circles. He
was large man Of fine physique, and had
that magnetic quality that bound those
who loved him closely. He loved Thank
full devotedly. They were full of great
schemes for the education and consequent
elevation of their fellows; they were to
set forth on an educational crusade armed
with an arithmetic and spelling book
But one fatal day he declared that Il
was not one with Thankful on the quS
ton of religion. He was not an atheist,
he did not deny God, but did not believe
in the Scripture.
Thankful was shocked, Mortified; heat.
ed discussion ensued; she was orthodox
ito the last degree, and abated not a jot Of
her tenacious belief.
Chow is it that I have known you a
whole year, and never before suspected
that you were not Christiani You have
admirably concealed your opinions.
! 81 have not concealed my opinions in
the least; | do not know how it has hap
pened that we have never before dis
cussed our religious convictions; | had no
idea of concealing anything-why should
1872
81 think you should not assume to be a
teacher; leader and an example to the
young. Now I think of it, ! have never
heard you say anything to lead me OF
anyone to think you a hypocrite, but if
these are your true opinions, why have you
ever gone to church where we believe in
the old Jehovah and the crucifed Re
deemerf'
Thank you for believing that l did
not deliberately assume virtue / did
not possess 7 went to church at first be-
cause Mr. flanders is an old classmate OF
mine; and after, I dare say, ] should not
have continued to go, but that you went,
and it was always a JOY to go where
might see you, from the first day | met
you.
They patched up sort of peace, but
she had ranking suspicion that he had
Intentionally concealed his opinions until
he had secured her.; but it was in reality
purely accidental that they had not dis
cussed religion exhaustivelv, as they had
many other subjects. On his side, he was
deeply troubled that his lovely. brilliant
Thankful could be 80 narrowminded, and
he could not understand that her CON
science vas before her love; that she Tss
so narrow, but exceedingly conscientious
in what she thought right.
She felt called to the missionary field,
and labored faithfully for the conversion
of her lover, without success.
Don / you know that ! would believe
anything for your sake, Thankful II |
could. I would swallow the thirty nine
articles at gulp. fear am TOO oid
dog to learn any new tricks. you'd be
ready to cry in a loud voice. if you wished
it. Great is Diana Of the Ephesians!' but
I can
She invoked the church militant and
would have converted her lover ri ct ar.
mis-, but he rebelled, and SO they differed
seriously.
Al last she told him she could not mar.
~ an atheist.
81 am rot an atheist
Well, agnostic, if you ike the tern
better; they have the same meaning to me.
/ can not be the wife OF an agnostIc
You might obey the mandate Of m,
namesake, Paul, and be means Of grace
and hope of GLORY 70 your poor be-
nighted husband Seriously, you talk
deal Of nonsense. Thankful. II tried
70 convince you Of something against your
reason and judgment. you miga' be willing
and anxious 70 believe as 1 wished, but no
one can compel faith
She thre. herself into his arms in a
burst Of grief
off you can t be Christian, can not