Norwich bulletin., 1913-10-18

1 these good Christians do with their bad tempers when they to go to thelr 1 reWard?"
 Bob Withers remarked that he did not think the crowd was qualified to l decide religious questions.
 That's what I can't understand 1 said Job Jones' when a lot of fellers l like us. get together the first thing /, you know some of 'em want to talk l about things we don't know nothing about"
 Joe Janvrin said he imagined that l Conscience had something to do with l it, and he thought folks with con sciences had just as good right to 1 discuss what stirred their minds as 1 anybody on earth.
 Once more the heads Wreathed in 1 tobacco smoke nodded approval and II was to be seen that Joe had cltnched
 When you come down to the re- ligious life'' observed Jed Jolter. T can't see that bad temper is a very l good asset for good Christian II lots of 'em do have one.
 Lem Stuart remarked that It 1 looked bad to them, but if they asked God to forgive them every night they didn't have anything to answer Tor the next day; and the sum total was always kept so small that it didn't figure against them as much as we calculated in the end
 Do you 'spose being sorry every night for the same old temper every day could be at all satisfying to the Lord. Don't you spose the Almighty gifts worn out with blamed foolish ness, when it lasts for life? A man of that sort has no gimp" said Joe JanYrin.
 There's Deacon Doane who put Josh away from home and says he will dis inherit him because he Is not a credit to a Christian home;" observed Jed Jolt, and his wife is nearly crazy, for you know mother seems 10 love an erring boy with all her heart, and she cannot see her flesh and blood thrown to the dogs because her husband be- lieves in righteous indignation! Her religion and the DeacOnS seems to differ in quality and quantity, both!
 That brings to my mind said Bob Withers, that l heard Mrs. Doane and Charlottee Cooke talking over the deacon and his son, Josh, and them two women talked more sense in half hour than I've heard here in year. Charlotte said there is no such thing as righteous indignation, and that any Christian who uses the devils phrases to justify his un- righteous conduct is in danger of never seeing the kingdom of heaven"
 Mrs. Doane said the Deacon and Josh were too much alike in many ways to come to an agreement. Both of 'em, she says are as stuffy as Spanish rooster-the Deacon says he'll be dinged if Josh shan't do jest as he says, and Josh says, he bedemmed if he will! That's just how far apart they are in their resolu- ton.
 "They are not separated by any line of piety l can see." said Charlotte. They don't either one of them seem to know that 'Obstinacy is always most positive when it is in the wrong! When I will and won't and you shall and you shan't get to going it, the Lord is shut out and Satan is the umpire"
 "Oh, how I wish you would take the Deacon to task, for his conduct, Char lotte, you have a way of calling folks to a realization of the truth" said Mrs. Doane.
 Did Charlotte agree to do it?" in quired Lem Stuart.
 What Charlotte said" replied Bob Withers twas this: If I take the Deacon to task for his bad temper I shall ask him if he doesn't think he is rather wearing to the Lord in his con- duct toward Josh? Being set in sin is not the way to appear before the throne of God for redemption. When it comes to true religion the Deacon is out of style I shall tell him that ob- stinacy is not a Christian virtue any more than is pretending to be sorry for it and asking for forgiveness every day. The sorrow that doesn't lead to d tlldISC OI COilQtCL HctSlI | lllG IlS lAI kind of sting. If, the Deacon, a poor sinful creature, is expecting the Lord to forgive him his faults, when he re- fuses utterly to forgive Josh his mis- deeds, he is mistaken. When I hear him talk in meeting about Love, it makes me sick. He don't seem to know that love and a cough can't be hid I feel as if I could improve his sense of feeling a bit"
 was that tickIed and wanted to 
 any more, said Bob Withers, so I slid out.
 Well" said Lem Stuart, sI believe in Charlotte Cooke's sort of piety. The trouble with sermons is they are not pointed enough. True piety needs be personally applied oftener. When it is put on like a mustard plaster it is felt, when it is sprayed on like per fumery it is just pleasant for a short time, but there isn't dern bit of reformation in it.
 Then the heads wreathed in tobaC- nod of approval.
 T hain't been to meetin' fer ten years, but if Charlotte Cooke will preach a sermon like that 1 will agree to go and be a supporting member, said Jed Jolt What I like is Gospel rise on it like cream on good milk that's what seems to me to be worthy the name of spiritual food
 The heads dimly seen through the tobacco smoke gave another unani- nous nod of assent. and the talk end ed.
 Another game of checkers was played by Bob Withers and Bill Bax- ter, and as Bill Baxter won for the first time in many nights of play, the six went home feeling that the luck might be turning for all of them.
 THE STTRSTTTTTTE