The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-05-08
III.
The Elect Few.

That night began n series of seem
ingly accidental moonlight meetings be-
tween Pete and Bessie, the Kingston
Secret Service being on the trail at
practically every meeting. After a few
weeks Pete became bolder, and grad
ually introduced the subject Of love
IN general, then finally of love in par
| ticular. and at last of love for one par
! ticular girl He didn t have it all his
own way, but anyone could see with
half an eye that no matter how hard
Bessie might try to keep away from
Pete, simple curiosity and love of mys-
terry always gave him chance TO see
her again. In not so many weeks he
was appointing meetings with her, and
had persuaded her that she couldn It live
without him, and that her ultimate sal
walton depended on their eternal union.
So by the time for the high school to
close for the summer she had consented
to be his second wife.
All this time we boys were wonder
ing what. if anything, we could do in
the matter. We alternately planned
ways of breaking off the match, and
cursed ourselves for ever getting mixed
up inS the affair. Leave it alone we
could not We simply had to see the
thing through now it had begun. We
discussed telling our mothers, but were
afraid of spelling case we had come
to look upon as the property of the
Kingston Secret Service; besides, I
suppose we feared getting ourselves
some family trouncings for eavesdrop-
ping, Grown people couldn't be ex-
sto
ice. We were united in thinking Sis
ter Peterson ought TO know what her
husband was doing, but couldn t unite
on plan to break the news to her. 1t
was easier to put of action and wait
to see what next happened, anyhow,
The next important happening was
dent of the stake "But I IN afraid, -
Bessie pleaded, when Pete told her
of the necessity of the visit. 1t seemed
to be getting TO look more serious to
her, now the marriage loomed so near,
and definite action must be taken,
But we must see him if you love
me and want an inheritance in the
kingdom. You do, don't you9' coaXed
Pete. You need never fear the Lord s
anolnted, chosen TO be father to his
people. He alone can counsel us for
our best good, We must strive to con.
quer tho weaknesses of the flesh and
triumph over the earthly nature. And
President Morton knows how to feel
for us; he has been through the mill -
When they arrived at the Morton
home, the president seemed to be ex-
pecting them. Before the parlor door
shut on them, Free and | saw that only
the president and the would-be sancti-
fed couple were in the room. The rest
of the house, too, was dark. So we de-
cided the household had retired for the
| ,,oel.t Il
what was said In the parlor. Besides,
our curiosity being aroused, you might
say our professional honor as detect
ives was at stake. So we prowled
around the house looking for CON
venient window; but all the windows
were down and the blinds drawn close
We thought of sneaking in through a
back door, but gave that up as too
risky. We seemed 70 be up against
the impossible, and retired at last to
a dark angle Of the house to wait for
the couple to appear. Here Free
bumped into a ladder leaning against
the house. Of went our shoes at once,
and up the ladder we both went TO
see what we might see or hear, rather.
We managed TO get out on the ridge
pole of the roof and thought of the
parlor chimney. Without loss of a min
ute we pulled ourselves up to 1t and
listened, Leading to an open fireplace,
it made a perfect ear trumpet. We
could hear distinctly every word said
in the room below.
''I I'm very glad indeed,' President
Morton was saying, Nto see you mani
fest this desire to follow the command
of God We need more of such faith
full ones to endure the FIRE of the fur
mace, You are of the elect few chosen
in these days Of apostasy and unbelief
to bear on the kingdom. In these days
it is wisdom that only tried and
trustY few of the most faithful saints.
fitted therefore by both blood and
training, be allowed this glorious priyi-
lege. And you must covenant to take
all the consequences of the step upon
yourselves alone, IT, through the Gun.
ming activity of Satan S emissares, it
should become necessary to cut you off
the church to protect the kingdom from
its bitter enemies. you must submit
without a word. The Lord places all
the responsibility on YOU, and You must
keep the secret of the time, place and
circumstances of your sealing, faith
fully till th9 end Should you fall by
the way after partaking this precious
fruit you viii suffer deepest damnatiou
here and hereafter; and it were better
YOU had never been born. Once YOU put
your hands to the plow there is no
turning back. Be wise as serpenSs and
God will throw around you the shield
of his protection and blind and con.