Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-07-26
THE SIMPLE LIFE OF A COMMONER
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

OHe 0unudy evening L ,naQ taken
our little six year old girl, Anna with
me and had chosen a seat well to-
ward the front of the church. Upon
invitation of one of the preachers,
however, / took a seat on the plat
forJHt leaving my little girl where
she h,rfc been seated. She was quite
contente<<sa remain where she was
through tf>otEening ceremonies and
during the So, m, but when the
brethren began <'h.ash the feet of
the men, and the s., IS approached
each other with the\ ne intent,
Anna took alarm, which Tas greatly
increased, when, as she thought, she
saw one of them, sister of immense
proportions approaching in her direc-
ton with bowl and towel. / had no
ticed that for some little time she
had appeared quite uneasy, figeting
about in her seat and looking around
her as If seeking way of escape.
had thought little about it, assum-
ing that her uneasiness arose from
the fact that she had been sitting in
the crowded seat so long and was
getting tired. But that was not the
trouble as l soon learned, for when
she could stand it no longer the lit
tie thing sprang to her feet and with
cry of alarm which startled all
who were sitting near, she ran up to
the platform crying: Papa, papa,
don't want them to wash my feet. :"
| lifted her to my knees, at the same
time assuring her that they were not
going to wash her feet, whereupon
she settled down on my lap and soon
dropped asleep. The incident caused
a broad indulgent smile on many
terrupted at all.
The class leader at one of the
preaching places entertained a vio-
lent prejudice against the use of an
organ in the church, and as the
young people insisted on having one
and had raised the money among
themselves to purchase it there was
war for a time. The old class leader
fought against it with all his might.
He was almost alone in his opposi-
tion to be sure, but that made no
difference, he sturdily maintained
his ground. He hurled invectives at
it, he was sarcastic, intractible, con-
tumacious, cantankerous. He called
it a mule and declared that he would
never consent to its braying in the
church. He became so bitter that
was really alarmed, fearing his obs
tinacy might cause a division in the
church. He complained to me that
the young people were no longer at
tending his class meetings and said
the organ was to blame for it; the
devil was using it to lead them away
from the church; it was causing
them to backslide. / said to him:
John, | am really afraid you are
yourself to blame for the absence OF
the young people from class meet
ing. They have set their hearts on
having an organ to steady their vol
ces and to improve the church music,
and If an organ can be used to ad-
vantage in other places | don't see
why it should be tabood here
We must not drive our. young peo-
pie away from us just because of a
foolish prejudice" Well" he re-
piled, Il don't believe in worshiping
God by machinery" "Oh," / said,
"as to that you could oppose the use
of written music and even of hymn
books in the church on the same
grounds. Now If you will withdraw
your open opposition to the organ,
even though it be cross to listen to
it, l will guarantee that your young
people will come back to the class
meetings and the dove of peace will
again spread her white wings over
u.s." And it came to pass eve, so,
for all opposition to the orgai was
withdrawn, the class meetings were
again attended by the young peo-
pie and we heard no more of the
war.
During the winter of that year |
held protracted meetings at three or
four different places. Some of them
were quite fruitful, but one at least
was disappointing 1t was at Brook
field. The weather was bitterly cold,
which interfered with the attend
ance, giving us small congregations.
One night as | entered the church
| discovered one of the members, an
old Englishman, examining the
stoves with hard, dry, second growth
hickory, which his hired man had
hauled from the timber north OF
Maquoketa. The stoves were red
hot, and the room was fast becoming
uncomfortably warm, still the old
man was busy pushing In the wood