Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-11-17

perspective. So many Of our friends
have asked 10 for the loan Of this
book, that It occurred to 10 that lib.
eraI extracts from the same would
prove Of interest to our readers.-Ed.]
HALF A CENTURY,.
CHAPTER II.
Progress in Calvinism-Hunt Ghosts
See La Fayette.
My parents were members of the
Coveaanter Congregation Of which DR..
John Black was pastor for forty-f1ve
years. He was man of power, a pro-
found logician, with great facility in
conveying ideas. To his pulpit minis
trations I am largely indebted for
whatever ability have to discrimi-
nate between truth and falsehood;
but the church was in Pittsburg, and
our home seven miles away, so we sell
dom went to meeting. The rules of
the denomination forbade, occasional
hearing" Father and mother had
once been "sessioned" for stopping
on their way home to hear the con-
clusion of a communion service In
DR.. Bruce's church, which was Seced.
er. So our Sabbaths were usually
spent i'm religious services at home.
These l enjoyed, as it aided my life
work of loving and thinking about
God, who seemed, to my mind, to
have some special need of my atten'
ton. Nothing was done on that day
which could have been done the day
before, or could be postponed till the
day after. Coffee grinding was not
thought of, and once, when we had no
flour for Saturdays making, and the
buckwheat cakes were baked the eve
ming before and warmed on Sabbath
morning, we were all troubled about
the violation of the day.
There was a Presbyterian meet
burg, where a large, wealthy congre'
CATION worshipped. Rev. James Ora
ham was pastor, and unlike other
Presbyterians, they never "profaned
the sanctuary" by singing human
compositions" but confined them
selves to Rouse's version Of Davids
Psalms, as did our own denomination
This aided that laxness Of discipline
which permitted Big Jane, Alkaline and
brother William to attend sometimes
under care of neighbors. Once I was
allowed to accompany them.
was the proud possessor of pail
of red shoes, which I carried rolled
up in my 'kerchief while we walked
the two miles. We stopped in the
woods; my feet were denuded Of thei1
commonplace attire and arrayed II
white hose, beautifully clicked, and
those precious shoes, and my pool
conscience tortured about my vanity
The girls also exchanged theirs fol
morocco slippers. We concealed Oul
walking shoes under a messy log ant
proceeded to the westinghouse.
It was built in the form of a T, O.
hewn logs, and the whole structure
both inside and out, was a combina
ton Of those soft grays and browns
with which nature colors wood, ant
in it's close setting Of primeval forest
made a harmonious picture. At on
side lay graveyard; birds sang il
the surrounding trees, some Of whicl
reached out their giant arms an
touched the log walls. Swallows ha'
built nests under the caves outside
and some on the rough projections in
side, and joined their twitter to tn
songs of other birds and the rich OF
gan accompaniment Of wind and trees
There were two sermons, and in tn
intermission, church sociable, il
fact if not in name. Friends who fN
ed twenty miles apart, met here, e.
changed greetings and news, gave no.
ices and invitations, and obeyed tn
higher law Of kindness under pr0tes
of their Calvinistic consciences.
this breathing-time we ate our lunch
went to the nearest house and had
drink from the spring which ran thr
the stone milk-house. It was a da
full of sightseeing and of solemn
grand Impressions.
OF the two sermons remember bu
one, and this from the text MANY ar
called but few are chosen" and tn
comments were Calvinism Of the mos
rigid school. On our way home, m
brother Wilham-three years olde
than Twas very silent and though
. full for some time, then spoke Of tn
sermon, of which I entirely appro'
ed, but he stoutly declared that he di
not believe it; did not believe Go
called people to come to him while b
did not choose to have them come.
, would not be fair, indeed, he though
} it would be mean.
That evening, when we were sa
ing the shorter catechism, the que
ton, What are the DEGREES of God
came to me, and after repeating tt
t answer, asked father to explain it.
not that I needed any explanatio
but that William might be enlighte
ed; for was anxious about his sol
on account of his skepticism. E
lightened he could not be, and eve
5 to father expressed his doubts al
disapprobation. We renewed the dl
cussion when alone, and during all h
e life L labored with him; but sot
/ found the common refuge of orthod'
}, minds, in feeling that those especial
loved by them will be made exec
tons in the general distribution
wrath due to unbelief.
=, One day l went with him to hui
> the cow. We came to a wood ju
= north of the village, where the vii
=, roared and shook the trees so that
y was quite awe-stricken; but he he
my hand and assured me there W
no danger, until he suddenly DIRE
). me back, exclaiming:
(. "Oh see!" as great tree car
It crashing down across the path befo
It us, and so near that it must have IA