Evening star., 1909-01-25

| sat near the front with Mr.. Hay on
one side of me and Mrs. Hay Oh the
other. when Elias came into the pulpit.
He was as one consecrated. the light
that never was on sea or land shining
on his face. ] have compared him before
10 one of tie prophets of old and think
ii good comparison. Today he was
transported by his task.
There was intense silence I'm the room
as he opened his Bible. The kents were
OH one side of the church and the Hor-
nerS on the other. and before they had
exchanged dark glances. but now they
looked only at the minister.
Certain moments. when we are lifted
up and carried on by a superhuman
strength which is of the spirit. come into
the lives of all of us. and such moment
had now come into the life of Elias Pea
body. He preached from the sublime
text. Vengeance is mine saith the Lord
and he leveled terrible words at the two
factions before him which had claimed
vengeance as their own.
/ am a iowlander with the iowlander's
doubts that will come now and then. but
in the mountains, all is faith It'is not
easy 10 doubt with the majestic peaks
looking down in silent rebuke, and all
of this vast primevai belief. this fire
and passion in the service of Christ.
with whom he communed daily. was
eentered in the soul of Elias Peabody.
He spoke in simple words. he used few
gestures. but his was the eloduence of
great untaught world and he reached
the mind and heart of every man in that
building.
He preached milk and water doc
trine. but a he'll at least of the soul
if not of the body. Every word was
laden with conviction and went straight
to the mark. I saw the dark face. OF the
feudists palins before the lightnings that
he hurled More than one looked toward
the door and made the first motion tn
steal out but my soldiers were on guard
there and they had to listen
Elias painted magnificently with noun
tain symbol and illustration the condi-
ton into which they had brought them
selves. He told how the wrath of God
would punish the assassins and the muir
derers. and he deftiy alluded to the tenn
poral power. that is the state. as another
agency at hand to help. But it was al
ways the spiritual wrath that they feared
the more, as i could see and as | had eN-
pected Their apprehension soon passed
into fright as the great minister thun-
dered invective and threat at them and
more than once 7 saw nuge noun
taineer nervously wipe perspiration from
his face with the back of his hand.
Elias passed from The thunders OF the
church to the promise of peace for those
who would walk in the straight and mar
row path. Honesty and absolute open
ness were necessary. he said our lives
should be blameless in the eyes OF all
and as he spoke. his eyes, >roNing over the
congregation. met mine. | thrilled IN
Elias. unconsciously, had begun TO preach
to me.
He talked again of the straight and
narrow path. No man could carry his
sin. he said: he must throw II off or the
burden would become too heavy for him
to bear. Ny eyes wandered around the
church and met those of Harrison. cyni-
cal. even sneerng. | believed that he
understo ood, but it did not matter TO me
then whether he did or not. Elias was
appealing to higher motive than fear.
He described in words. simple in them
selves but burning with the truth. the
cast off his burden OF sin, and all the
time / listened spellbound. feeling hi.
words eat into my very soul,
did not know then that he preached
a long tme-I was told afterward that
We were two hours in the church-but
when I've finished we all went out in
azed silence. He had preached the ser
mon I wanted and also another / had not
expected. Both kept me thoughtful for
a long time and understood more clear
" than ever that things could scarcely
go on in the old way. The warnings were
too strong.
STAYED two weeks in EIverson and
found that the double threat of spiritual
and temporal punishment was a good
deterrent for the kents and Horners.
aud ! had the satisfaction. too, of seeing
the mirderers placed OH trial for their
lives. several of which We're afterward
taken by&the state. But Elias remained
as the great moral deterrent. and it was
his influence. aided by a little judicious
law. that settled forever the feud of the
kents and the Horners.
When ! came away with two of the
military companies. leaving only one on
guard. Elias walked with me to the edge
of the valley.
Il feel that God brought US together
again Charlie" he said and il was for
the good of us both. I know that you
will do right. Charlie
IF I know what is right and IL
am strong enough to do il. I replied.
THE way will be pointed out to you.''
he rejoined with the tone and look OF a
seer
The opening from the valley. narrow
cut between the ridges. not fa~ from
Elverson. and | stopped there moment
20 look back al Elias. He stood on the
crest OF little hill. his tall. thin figure
enlarged i'm the brilliant sunshine. his
head bent forward little. as if he would
gaze after US until We should pass out
of sight
More than ever he looked like a prophet
of old.
(To bG continued tomorrow.l