Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-04-01
CHAPTER ".

his veracious chronicle, thankful mao a
over; q man of noble ideas nobly express
ID in his daily life; he was the adored
principal of one of the city schools and
a shining light in scholastic circles. lie
was a 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 he
was not one with Thankful IN the ques-
ton of religion. He was not an atheist,
he did not deny God, but did not believe
in the Jehovah of the Jews as set forth
in the Scripture.
/ Thankful was shocked, Mortified; a heat
ed discussion ensued; she was orthodox
to the last degree, and abated not a jot OF
her tenacious belief.
elbow is it that 1 have known you q
whole year, and never before suspected
THAT you were not a C~hristian9 You have
admirably concealed your opinions.
1T have not concealed my opinions in
the least I do not know how it has hap
pened that we have never before dis
cussed our religious convictions; I had no
idea of concealing a~nything-why should
~"
"I think you should not assume to be a
teacher; a leader and an example to the
young. Now 1 think of it, | have never
heard you say anything to lead me or
anyone to think you a hypocrite, but II
these are your true opinions, why have you
ever gone to church where we believe in
the old Jehovah and the crucifed Re-
deemer?V
"Thank you for believing that I did
not deliberately assume a virtue l did
not possess 1 went to church at first be-
cause Mr.. flanders is an old classmate OF
mine; and after, I dare say, l should not
have continued to 60, but that you went,
and it was always a joy to go where l
might see you, from the first day met
you"
They patched up a sort Of peace, but
she had a 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 exhaustively, as they had
many other subjects. On his side, he was
deeply troubled that his lovely, brilliant
Thankful could be so narrow-minded, and
he could not understand that her con-
science was before her love; that she was
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't you know that / would believe
anything for your sake, Thankfully II l
could, / would swallow the t~hirty-nine
articles at a gulp. 1 fear l I'M too old a
dog to learn any new tricks. l would DO
ready to cry in a loud voice, If you wished
it, Great is Diana Of the Ephesians! but
I can't"
She invoked the church militant and
would have converted her lover ri ct ar
mis- but he rebelled, and so they differed
seriously.
At last she told him she could not mar
ry an atheist.
81 am not an atheist!
"Well, agnostic, if you like the term
better; they have the same meaning to me-
| can not be the wife of an agnosticl''
"You might obey the mandate OF my
namesake, Paul, and be a means Of grace
and a hope of glory to your poor be-
nighted husband. Seriously, you talk q
deal of nonsense, Thankful. If tried
to convince you Of something against your
reason and Judgment, you might be Wiling
and anxious to believe as I wished, but no
one can compel faithl
She threw herself into his arms in o
burst Of grief.
eff you can't be q Christian, | can not
be your wife, Paul We could never be hap
py."
Deeply wounded, he put her from him.
eff you have finally decided, Thank, L
must submit; you tell me you cannot mar
ry an atheist, an agnostic, free-thinkery
what you will; very well. / can not mar
nv q narrow-minded bigot, who can not
overlook an open, honest difference OF
opinion, SO l will say good bye" His
voice shook and he took her again in his
arms. "Goodbye, which means, you
know, God be with you,' and ! say SIM
cerely, God be with YOU No man will
ever love you as I do, Thank; you are
throwing me over for a shadow; you viii
know it some day."
why w you ePc"n 1917
don't believe in anya"
NJ do believe in God the Father All
mighty, but not in your kind Of Q hide
bound God"
"You insult your Maker, you bias
phemell Oh, Paul, PAUL did you have
no mother to teach youq"
81 had a good mother; she had all
your infexible righteousness, but was
herself an angel in spite Of itj she i
dead.o
After much painful argument, they
parted. Paul Lindsay resigned his posi-
ton and went, no one knew whittier,
Thankful had heard nothing from him fof