The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-09-23
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-~ 1870 - - WV A A ~ 49,
nave a great deal Of respect for the
sincere atheist or agnostic. / like a man
who Is sincere. The atheist is never
anything less than he pretends to be.
o can't say as much for the great
majority of our protested Christians.
Give me a fair and square. upright
atheist every day in preference to a
weak kneed protesting Christian who
doesn't stand for anything after he's
paid his pew rent n added a half
dollar or SO Of a Sunday to pay for his
weeks salvation. The atheist
|seeptical Christian isn't good enough
to black his boots. You can't
get into heaven by paying SO cents a
week on the tnstallment plan. Why, the
things go in these days, It costs a great
deal more than tina to get into the 9TH
or place. A man who spends
$1,000 a week having a devil of a time
my friends, can't balance his account
with God for so cents or 81. 4.
Frock coats and black ties don't make
Christians of you. Oyeralls and jumpers
will do quite as well. No matter which
your wear, O will have to lay them
aside when you start forth to face your
Maker. You nay come to this
church in you every day business suits
If you choose. AS a matter of fact, /
believe 1t to be easier to preach saliva
ton to a mai in his gray sack suit than
it is to try to get at him when he's got
on his black re~gimentals. l
wear this long black coat because it is,
in a sense. the official ODE of my great
office. / respect 1t. but 1t doesn't make
a Christian Of me any more than 1t
makes one of the undertaken. I wit
messed a negro minstrel parade not long
ago All told, there We're more then 40
Prince Albert coats in that procession.
But those fellows didn't look like
preachers, So. you see, it isn't a ques-
ton OF clothes. . I believe we'd
all feel better for 1t If we stuck a small,
fragrant nosegay in the lapels OF our
coats next Sunday, just to prove to
ourselves that church going Is a joy
Gus, not a grim undertaking. !.
I do not like to see a man singing
HalleluJah with a long and doleful face.
Sing it gladly! That's what it means
AT the conclusion OF the 25-minute
sermon, and while the congregation was
fairly shouting the rare old hymn.
Eric drew a long breath and looked
about him as If suddenly aroused from
a sort of stupor. He had listened In
frank establishment during the first
part of the sermon; toward the end he
allowed himself to be carried away by
the earnestness Of the young minister.
He was disappointed when the extraor-
binary discourse came to an and. He
wanted more. Here wag a man with n
gospel so broad, and convincing and
brave that his heart warmed toward
him at once This was not the stern
gospel that Mr.. Presbrey had fairly
damned down his throat In the old
days. He had the fealing that he was
going to like Mr.. King as a man. as
a friend, as a brother. 1t would be quite
impossible to ever look upon him as a
relentless arbiter who prodded one with
texts and dogmas until the soul sick
ened. No; this mans religion smiled; he
would have a warm and clasp.
TN bet he's a fine chap" whispered
Eric In Mary's ear. She nodded her
head, but faowned slightly in tho fear
that his very worldly estimate of the
minister might have reached the ears
of Mr.. Blagden.
glanced at their uncle's face. It was
beaming; it was rapt.
Wonders have been performed"
murmured Eric. Then, this quaint
thought found expression in a whis-
pered: You can teach an old dog new
tricks, after all"
An old habit moved hi,n. Ills gaze
wandered, as it had dor,s On countless
Sundays In other times, to the pow in
which Joan Bright and her father al
ways sat.
AT the same instant, one Of the oc-
cupants Of that pew turned to look d.
rectly into his eyes.
oOoiA u a tlSIS. y VI OIloa 1t J y,
hazy minute they looked at each Other.
Then a slow, ever curious smile crept
into her face. She nodded her head. ae
was too amazed, too dazed to respond
to her greeting at once. She looked
away before he could shake off the spell
Of a possible illusion.
Strangely enough, his interest in the
service was gone. During the prayer
and the benediction he did not take his
eyes from the half averted, serene face
| Of the girl across the church. It was not
until the service came to q close thai
his mind grasped the fact that she
stood beside a tall, handsome young
man, who held the hymn book with her,
while Judge Bright stood detached and
apart.
With the final amen" he hurriedly
left the seat, after a quick apology to
his uncle. and elbowed his way through
the crowd, bent on reaching the door
ahead of her.
If b had paused to look at
Mary, he would have seen the wave
of red that spread over her cheek, and
the curious narrowing of her eyes She
had been aware Of Joan's presence
from the moment that young woman
entered the church.
Just as he reached the vestibule,
with craning neck and eager eyes, a
hand was laid on his arm.
She came out Of the other door,
I1lASp w WIN III CEOWu, i fancy, SalQ
the owner of the hand. She's getting
into young ~Sallonsby's automobile now.
Funny how times have changed. Peo-
pie used to think it wrong to go TO
church in a carriage when I was "a
so it's you. Is it?" demanded Eric
harshly.
Joan was entering the big red car at
the curb. She did not look back. His
eyes were upon her. He had not glanced
at the man who volunteered the infor-
nation. He knew without looking.
Yes" said Adam Carr. Then he
added whimsically: TITS always me.
Come along with me. Don't wait for
your uncle. / have news for YOU"
Eric, %grievously disturbed by Joan's
behavior. suffered himself to be led
dow the steps At the bottom, he
turned to his old friend with a sudden
anger that must have attracted the at
tention of those near at hand.
suppose you've had news that he
d1ed, just as You said he wouldT"
Adam did not respond to the angry
sarcasm until they were clear of the