Evening star., 1922-09-17


did you ever think. that 1t Is the
same way with what you call pro-
fanity?" she asked. Did you ever
think that swearing is not 30 much
what a person says as what person
meansT'
He answered steadily: "A man
should mind his tongue and command
lit and say no more than he means.
Tho light use OF Gods holy name IS
SIM
/ She leaned back little in her chair,
watching him.
"The light use of Gods name" she
repeated softly ''Mr. Brewster. you
use His name great deal. How can
you always be sure you do not use it
lightly? How can you always be so
sure that you and He agree?"
He said, not arrogantly, but with
decent humility in his eyes: Il have
lived a godly life. I believe that He
is with His children"
She moved one hand in gesture
of appeal. Forgive me, but-was 1t
not He who took your wife from you
|-Ted's mother?'
He did not answer for q moment.
then said: Whom the Lord loveth
He chasteneth."
| She caught at that. But that isn't
at all the same thing as Whom the
Lord chasteneth He loveth.' Aren't
you arguing backward, sir?"
| He moved an impatient hand. You
trifie." He would have risen. 'Ive
no time for trifling."
| AIMS eyes famed. BE still!' she
cried. Anger is not an answer to
me. Listen. You say my father Is
profane. Yet all your life you have
prayed that God would punish Josiah
Drake. You see in his illness now an
answer to your prayer. You have
asked God to curse him, and asked it
in bitterness. oh, God, 1 beeseech
you, damn Josiah Drake has been
your prayer. Is that not worse than
my fathers careless word now and
then?"
His anger was quickening. He
seemed to tower above her. "Chiii.
you blaspheme" he exclaimed.
What right have you to say so?"
she challenged. 1T is Gods right to
judge blasphemy, 1 tell you. His
name Is too much in your mouth, Mr..
Brewster. You do use it lightly.
When you say, God bless ysu.' it is
as truly profane as any word my
father says. To take His name IN
vain is to use it lightly. thoughtlessly.
meaninglessly-to use it as a mere
manner of speech. And that is what
you do, Mr.. Brewster"
THE old man looked down at her
for a moment, and his eyes were
very hard and cold. After an instant
he turned away and moved toward
the door. And at first AIMS heart
gave way. She thought that she had
lost. Then something like fury seized
her-swept her across the room. She
blocked his way with outspread arms.
| You shall listenw she cried.
He stared at her and words came
to her lips in a rushing flood.
You have no right to say my
father Is a goddess man." she told him
hotly. "It is true that he is profane.
When he is astonished he does say,
What the hell?' And when he is sur
4 prised he does say. I'll be damned"
And when he is provoked he does say,
'Helrs fire" And when he is dis
gusted he does say, oh, hell. And
when he is determined he does say.
BY God" I'm not defending him. He
doesn't need defending. His words
are light, but inside he is clean. and
gentle. and friendly, and he does not
hate, and he is kind. Why. he has
gone to see old Josiah Drake every
day for weeks and cheered him and
comforted him, and yet he had as
much right to hate Josiah as you.
You call him goddess and you call
HyourseIf godly. Are you sure you're
as godly as you think you are?"
He lifted his hand as though to
break in upon her, but she would not
be still.
You're terribly selfish" she ac-
cused. You've made your sister
slave. She doesn't dare have fresh
fish because you don't like IL. She
has to cook your food in the particu
lar way you choose. She must sugar
must yield to you in the smallest
matters, tending you like a child, CIV
ing up her life and everything she
wishes to do. Is that a godly manner
Of life?
"You hate Josiah Drake. You say
Gods hand is upon him. You take a
certain pleasure in that fact. Before
he was taken sick you prayed that
God would punish him because long
ago he took q little money from you.
You will not comfort him now, will
not forgive him. Yet there Is a COM
mandment about loving our neigh
bors, and there is another about for
giving our enemies, and there is an
other about turning the other cheek.
Have you not forgotten them, Mr..
Brewster?
You're a prayerful man." The
words were rushing from her. and the
old man had moved little back
ward and had sat down again in his
stiff chair and his eyes were lowered.
You pray five or six times day. but
your prayers are not good prayers.
You pray for your own material good.
You ask God to make your business
succeed. You ask Him to punish your
enemies. You give Him q free hand
to punish every one else. but you beg
Him not to let suffering or unhappi-
ness come upon you. Is that a godly
prayer? You are the just and my
father is the unjust. That's what is
in your mind. I tell you, Mr.. Brew
ster, you'd-be a great deal better
playing cribbage with my father than
sitting here at home and calling him
q sinner. Suppose he is q sinner