The Green Forest tribune., 1916-03-31

CnlSholm With sharpness in his deep blue eyes. If you will remember, I told you this same thing before Doc tor Boyd came to us. l have waited ever since his arrival for him to de- velop to this point, and I wish to an nounce myself as solidly supporting his views"
 Your own will not bear inspec- tion!" charged Clark, turning to Man. ming with a scowl.
 "Pll range up at the judgment seat with you!" famed Manning. Were both old enough to think about that!"
 Joseph c. Clark jumped to his feet and, leaning across the table. shook thin foretiuger at Manning.
 T have been attacked enough on the point of my moral standing!" he de- clared, his high-pitched nasal voice quavering with an anger he had held below the explosive point during the most of his life "I can stand the at tacks of sensational press, but when spiteful criticism follows me into my own vestry, almost in the sacred
  pelled to protest! l wish to state to this vestry, once and for all, that my moral status is above reprOach, and that my conduct has been such as to receive the commendation of my Ma ker! Because it has pleased Divine Providence to place in my hands the distribution of the grain of the fields, I am constantly subject to the attacks of envy and malice! It has gone so far that l, last night, received from Rev. Smith Boyd, request to resign from this vestry!" He paused in tri- umph on that, as if he had made against Rev. Smith Boyd a charge of such ghastly infamy that the young rector must shrivel before his eyes. T have led a blameless life! I have never smoked nor drunk. have paid every penny 1 ever owed and fulfilled every promise l ever made. have obeyed the gospel and partaken of the sacraments. and the Divine Being has ss afaeey 'f 24dtadaHs7y 24dt4iiaa i:;a ; ; hosen me, because of my faithful z to gather the food of VI arth from it's sources and feed it to he mouths of the hungry; and shall | lot depart from my stewardship in his church, because l am here, as l F m everywhere, by the will of God!" { Perhaps w. T. Chisholm was not z shocked by this blasphemy, but the iismay of it sat on every other face, f even on that of Nicholas Van Ploon, who was compelled to dig deep to find f lis ethics. :; You internal old thief" wondered Manning, recovering from his amaze nent. Was it Divine Providence which directed you to devise the scheme whereby the railroads paid you two dollars rebate on every car of wheat you shipped, and dollar bonus on every car of wheat your com petitors shipped? l could give you a string of sins as long as the catech1sm and you dare not deny one of them, because I can prove them on you! And yet you have the effrontery to say that a Divine Providence would estab- fish you in your monopoly, by such scoundrelly means as you have risen to become the greatest dispenser of charities in the world! | You propose to ride into heaven on | your universities and your libraries, i and on the fact that you never smoked ! nor drank nor swore nor gambled; !! but when you come face to face with 1 this horrible new god you have ere ated, a deity who would permit you to attain wealth by the vile methods you have used, you will find him with a pitchfork in his hands! l am glad that Doctor Boyd. though knowing your vindictive record, has had brav- cry enough to demand your resigna- ton from this vestry! l hope he re- ceives it."
 Joseph G. Clark had remained standing, and his head shook, as with palsy, while he listened to the charge of Manning He was a very old man, and it had been quite necessary for him to restrain his passions through out his life.
 You will go first!" he shouted at Manning. q am impregnable; but you have no business on this vestry! You can be removed at any time an examination is ordered, for l have heard you, we have all heard you, deny the immaculate conception, and 1 thereby the divinity of Christ. in whom alone there is salvation!"
 A hush like death fell on the vestrg. Rev. Smith Boyd was the first to break the ghastly silence.
 i Gentlemen" said he, q do not think that we are in mood today for further discussion. I suggest that we
 adjourn"
 His voice seemed to distract the at
 tention of Clark from Manning, at
 whom he had been glowering. He
 turned on Rev. Smith Boyd the re.
 mainder of the wrath which marked
 his first break into senility.
 As for you!" he snarled, you will
 keep your fingers out of matters which
 do not concern you! You were hired
 to preach the gospel, and you will con
 fine your attention to that occupation l preaching just what you find sane