Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-03-05
NOT ALWAYS GOOD
PREACHERS OPINION or APPEAL
TO PRINCIPLE.
In His View the Stumbling Block to
Reconciliation Between Errins
Brethren 10 In That Word
Used by stlffnecked.

~~~@ ~
The mud was almost hub-deep. The
two strong horses drew the single
carriage with reasonable comfort, but
one horse might almost have stuck In
the mud. Mr.. Blake was driving tc
inspect one Of his cheese factories;
and only the fact that the thing had
to be done accounted for his driving
out with the roads in this condition.
He had the road to himself, however,;
and he had the added satisfaction, II
such 1t was, OF remembering that II
was the daily journeys Of the milk
wagons to and from his several fac
tories that plowed the mud to this
bottomless condition.
Ahead, at the side OF the road, he
discovered a solitary figure walking.
The pedestrian picked his way with
some care, looking round from time to
time at the approaching vehicle. AS
soon as he saw that It was a two
horse carriage with single passen-
ger, he stopped, selected a favorable
approach to the roadway, and began
cleaning the mud on his boots. By
this time Mr.. Blake recognized the &C.
centric Methodist preacher, Mr.. Pep
per.
Good morning, Brother Pepper!"
he called out to him. "How's the
navigation"
But Mr.. Pepper did not answer; he
merely stood till the carriage stopped,
and climbed in between the muddy
wheels
Glad to see you, Brother Blake" y,
he said. I've sunk down in the mud
an average Of one foot for every step,
and Eve come three miles; so I'm a
mile deep in the mud. Those are good
horses Of yours. like a good horse
two good horses-when roads are
Ike this. You came at good time.
I'm very tired"
What brings you so far when the
roads are like thisT asked Mr.. Blake
=, I'm coming down to try to recon.
sile two members who have had a
quarrel" said Mr.. Pepper.
well, II you get them reconciled by
two o'clock you can ride back. | have
to drive on to the farther factory, and
expect to return about that time"
Mr.. Blake drove back past, the
house where he expected to find Mr..
Pepper, and as Il was after two
o'clock, he concluded that the preach.
er had finished his task earlier than
he expected and walked home. But as
he was getting almost out of ear-shot,
he was halted By loud shouts in a
campmeeting voice, augmented by
two others of the anen-corner quality.
He refined in the tired horses, and saw
the preacher running toward the gate,
shaking hands with both the men at
once and giving them a parting ad.
monition. Then he hurried through
the mud to the carriage.
you seem to have got them recon
ciled, but you nearly lost your ride"
said Mr. Blake.
Eyes, yes!" pufed Mr.. Pepper,
scraping his boots against the iron
STEP They're rsoonciled, but 1t was
hard work."
He finished scraping his boots, and
then took up his parable.
Brother Blake" he said, you can
do almost anything with two men till
they begin to say Principle! Princi.
ple!' More men 60 to hell with that
word on their unforgiving lips than
any other word In the dictionary.
Let two men be just as mean az
they know how to be, and know
they've been mean, and show them
their duty, and each will stop and
bubble over some trife, and say:
It's matter Of principle with mel
When men begin to say: Principle!
Principle I'd rather undertake to
reconcile two f1ends from the bottom
less pit"
How did you do it?" asked Mr.
Blake.
" reasoned with them, and prayed
with them. and I got them both on
their knees, and l thought a dozen
times 1t was as good as settled, when
one or the other would say 'Principle!'
and the fat was al In the fire sg4iu,
Wed have been there till dooms.
day, but the last time we rose from
our knees | saw the carriage disap
pearing, and | said: There goes my
chance Of ride home, and your day
OF grace is going. too. Let your rrin.
oiples go where they came from
they knew where that was-'and
shake hands and be brothers,! And
they did 1t, and said Glory! and
shouted for you to hold on and lei
me In. Most Of what men call prin.
cipies at such times are pure stub
bornness."
Mr.. Blake told the story many
times in later years. and he was &C.
customed to say that he had come ia
believe that Brother Pepper told the
truth.-Youth's Companion.