The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-06-11
When a Deacon
Broke Loose
By NJ QUAD
Copyright, 1912. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

meeting house, as they still call 1t in
the country, was erected. Methodists.
Baptists. Presbyterians and Adventists
went IN together In the building and
used II alternately. AS the village
grew the different denominations built
churches for themselves. and finally
the old church was left to one. This
happened to be the poorest one inan-
cially. and 1t wasn't In human nature
to look around on the newer editices
and not feel bit envious.
As matter of fact. the old meeting
house was little better than barracks.
\ II reckon any one can praise the
Lord from the midst of brush heap in
the woods, but ! also reckon that he
can do 1t with n leetle more steam in a
comfortable meeting house." said Dea-
con Pegram.
The deacon was the financial man OF
the church. but 1t was years and years
before be saw his way clear for the
erection OF new editce. Several
freight cars loaded with cement got
smashed up in the suburbs OF the town.
| and the deacon was told TO help him.
self.
| He got wagon loads of the stuff,
! for thar new meeting house was to be
! q concrete one. The concrete industry
was then In It's infancy. but Deacon
| Pegram had found a man TO put the
matter through and guarantee a salts
factory Job.
Uriah struck town, and things were
changed. He knew all about the CO.
meut business and was ready TO take
of his coat and carry the Job through
II any family would board him gratis
in return. Deacon Pegram Jumped at
the chance. Uriah WINS told to eat all be
could and go 10 the bead OF the class
and manage things He took hold as
If he had dabbled In cement all bis life
Uriah hustled. He made everybody
else hustle. IL any one Jagged he was
right on the spot TO say:
Now, then. don't do no loafing on
the Lord. This Is his job. and he ex-
poets things to move lively"
We all know now, though few knew
at that time. that there are several
grades of cement and that cement
workers do not shovel sand and cement
together In a haphazard way There
must be due proportions. according to
the work TO be done. Uriah simply
went ahead and shoyeied Providence
stood back of him with dry weather
until the walls were ready for the
roof. and then she got tired of a good
thing. There were those who said the
blocks were too soft and others who
thought they could see bulges in the
walls and still others who predicted !
that two hours rain would spoil every
thing. but to all such Deacon Pegram
said:
Didn't the foods rage and the lum-
Der come down"
"Yes."
Didn't we discover the sand pit in
the nick OF timer"
Yes"
Didn't Brother Higgs see the error
OF his ways just when we we're Won
dering what We should do for the
pricks?"
HE did"
"And didn't Providence ordain that
those freight cars should be smashed
up and the cement scattered over an
acre OF ground?
lit looks like IT,"
"And then came Uriah Kingston. At
the crossroads he might have turned to
the left and gone to Liverpool, but
Providence guided him TO the right and
to u.s."
but It may rain, and If 1t does
ut will not rain for month to come.
Providence won't permit it to-"
The deacon talked that way and be-
Iieved what be talked. and Uriah talk
ed and believed still stronger. And
then the rain descended. 1t set In at
dark one day and came down In way
TO soak things. Just ut daylight next
morning. with the rain still coming
down. the two men crept forth TO see
how It Jared with the enterprise. There
were no walls left In place of them
was a small lake of mud. Every last
block of concrete had melted in the
rain. The deacon and Uriah stood and
razed for FIVE long minutes like men /.
stupeied.
And then Deacon Pegram broke :
oose 1t was years ago, but they still
late things from that day. He whoop-
ID. He threw down his hat and jump :.
ID on it. He knocked Uriah down and
Jumped on him. AS people came out +
70 see what the trouble was he threw
hem into the lake OF mud and whoop-
d again. He went home aud kicked
lis dog and cuffed his wife's ears. and
hen be run amuck through the streets
md tore gates of their hinges and
Iprooted sidewalks. Men ran aud
women lodged. and it took two light
ling rod men aud a chicken buyer to
lie him up. BE continued to whoop
Until bis voice gave out, and for three
lays be was expected to die. These
hree days allowed Uriah Kingston 10
ret sixty miles away and the lake of
mud TO crust over. The deacon's pas
or called when things had quleted G
own. and. laying his hand on the pa IF
tents bead. he softly said: II
Brother Pegram. trust you haven't
DIST your faith In Providence" H
''Oh. no." was the reply. II am sure
hat Providence has planned for us to