The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1918-01-29


Flavilla. There was no happier won.
an than she those days1 She was sit
ting at her sewing when Gideon came
In, hummirs n quaint country ditty.
He thought her "a changed woman.
Surely, she had never seemed so hand
some In the oldcn days Of toll and
anxiety. He told her what the people
asked. Its full meaning dawned upon
her.
"You must do this thing. Gideon
she said, after u silence. ut will help
both you and the people"
"But sermonT
Flavilla struggled with the thought.
To her mind sermon meant deep
knowledge, research, feeling. convic-
tion. Had not she talked these things
over with Gideon since they were boy
and girl together3 The very fact Of
long. continued thought upon these
subjects served well now.
"There will be nothing expected Of
you that you are not ready for" she
told him after time, "and since you
cannot talk Of great things. would It
not be as well to speak Of those at
hand? Don't preach. You amt At.
You're just common man now. Talk
man to man.
"And, Gideon, dear" she went on,
''don't forget to talk little to us
women. We need lots o. God. It's
a God for every day we want"
He only said, after a silence, "Fla-
villa, guess I'll go on home"
She understood him. They walked
down to the gate together. There was
dark evergreen tree there and he
kissed her solemnly.
"Flavilla, you must wear your
bride dress. And sit all alone on the
front bench"
He still had his misgivlngs as to
the propriety Of his proceeding. The
next morning he wrote n misspelled
letter to the college president asking
him for advice. Sunday came and no
reply had reached him.
| The interest in the meeting was
| widespread. II was Sunday In late
August and the little church was fill
ed, the overflow standing about the
| doors and windows. Flavllla had
chosen some of her old school mates
to practice hymns with her. Their
musical knowledge was limited but II
would help. They sat on the second
bench in their clean summer array
On the first bench, alone, sat Flavilla
She wore the white dress she was to
be married in, and simple hat
When the house was full, Gideon
suit. but looked like true son Of toll
II lad from the very midst Of the peo
pie. Flavilln started a hymn, all sans
who could, then Gideon read, not any
too well. a portion Of the Scriptures
Afterwards he stepped down from thu
pulpit and stood almost among them
Gideon will never preach such ser
mon again. He has gone from fielt
and wood and pasture to more con
ventional paths. Never. again will h
walk between an actual living, human
Christ and an actual, breathing com
munity as on that day Of his bOyhoOd
He talked. God-life In common life In
common ways, was made real. In the
morning. Mt noon, In the tired hours
Of the evening, ut toll, In dealing, IL
birth, life and death Christ-life wal
depicted. Then Gideon spoke a few
sentences Of his own future hopes and
asked all to keep him In prayerful re-
membrance.
The silent and stolid people were
more moved than they cared to show
Old men wrung his hand, women
looked at him with misty. eyes
Flavilla's tears ran down her cheek,
as she bravely started the last hymn
But, while the people reluctant,
filed out, there strobe into the churcl
| a man Of presence, Of speech. He put
his arm about Gideon's shoulders, and
looked at him with proud eyes.
1.-THE Lord was with you" said thu
college president. The strange letter
had brought him hither.
Gideon is now great preacher. His
own and Flavilla's dreams were moth
Ing In comparison to the reality. The,
still tell at the college Of his hard
study, Flavilla's aid and comradcshir
and of the wagon load Of provisions
that came to them every few months
from their old neighborhoOd. They
still tell Of Gldeon's gift Of speech, his
honors what n credl; he is to the col
lege. II you ask the secret OF his mis-
sion. he looks Mt Flayilla and says,
II try to tell of an every day God
and as man to man."