p. 14 | Untitled article by Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Jan 3, 1905

EDUCATION IN THE HOME. NO. 31.

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

BY MRS. L. D. AVERY-STUTTLE.

"Do you think, Mr. Hartman, that the minister really made a mistake, or do you not believe that he intentionally misread the text?" queried Mr. Gray.

"O no! I am positive. Elder B— supposed he was reading the text correctly. In vain did Elder A— protest and suggest a more careful reading. The reverend gentleman insisted that he had given a correct rendering of the text. Indeed, after giving it a second and even a third reading, the missing and all-important word was not supplied: 'Madness is in their hearts while they live, and after they go to the dead!' insisted the preacher; and I will venture to say," declared Brother Hartman, "that Eccl. 9:3 was never so badly read before. Meanwhile the large audience was getting excited.

"Our learned opponent, here," said Elder B—, casting a withering glance in the direction of Elder A—, "insists that I have not read correctly; but I assure him I am quite capable of reading English. However, perhaps our friend would like to favor the congregation with a rendering. But evidently his Bible is not like ours, so I will ask him to read from my own," victoriously announced the Elder, as he handed the sacred volume, with feigned humility, to Elder A—.

"Do you mean to say that the man had not yet discovered his mistake?" asked Mr. Gray.

"Yes; and I am certain he read the text at least three times. It seemed to me that the poor man's eyes must have been holden, so that the truth might have the greater victory, and shine all the brighter in contrast with error.

"By this time the interest of the congregation was intense, and one could easily select, by their appearance and attitude, those in the audience who favored Elder B— and those who longed to see him confused and confounded by Elder A—.

"There was one richly-dressed lady, who sat well up in front, who very plainly favored Elder A—. She became intensely excited as he arose in the desk, and stepping forward, took the proffered Bible from the hand of his opponent. The lady leaned forward in her seat, and her eyes shone like stars, while a look of the most indescribable anxiety was in her face.

"Elder A— opened the Book, looked over the congregation calmly, and said: 'Our brother has declared himself capable of reading the Scriptures correctly; but he has omitted a very important word in the text. Why he has done so, I am at a loss to understand, because that word is as plain as any in the Book. I will now read the text correctly. Those having their Bibles may follow me.' Eccl. 9:3: 'There is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all; yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after THAT,' cried Elder A— in a voice of thunder, 'after THAT, they go to the dead;' my audience will see that the omission of the word 'that,' alters the text considerably."

"Well," continued Brother Hartman, "the people were so enthusiastic that they could scarcely restrain themselves. The lady whom I mentioned, rose to her feet in her delight and enthusiasm, and dashed a beautiful and expensive fan which she held in her hand, against the centerpole of the tent. Of course the fan was ruined."

"But what did Elder B— do?" asked Mrs. Wilbur.

"Why, he left the tent, and did not come out to another meeting. But the truth of God gained a wonderful victory."

"How about the lady, father?" asked Elsie, "did she have the courage to live up to her convictions?"

"The lady? O no; I am sorry to say she was one of that large class of people whose heads are converted, but whose hearts remain unchanged—those who know their duty, but do it not."

Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Wilbur glanced at each other rather uneasily; they were thinking of the inspired assurance that such should be beaten with many stripes.

"O, it's not always the best-informed people who live nearest the Lord, Mr. Hartman," remarked Mr. Jones. He was wondering if his wife remembered the time when he had declared it impossible to keep the commandments of God—all of them—on account of his business. Actually, Mr. Jones found himself questioning sadly if the Lord would forgive him. Ah! the pleading Spirit of the Most High was striving with him,—nor is he the only member of that little group who feels its gentle pleading.

A silence fell over the company for a few minutes at the conclusion of the experience; when finally Brother Hartman began the regular lesson of the evening by asking Beth to announce the subject.

"We are going to find out by the Bible what God will do with the wicked," replied Beth. Billy Black had not forgotten the subject by any means; in fact he really cared more to listen to this study than any of the previous ones. He had thought deeply about it every night before he went to sleep, and finally he had asked his grandmother what she thought about it. The old lady supposed they would have to burn in the awful fires of hell eternally! and so she lost no time in telling Billy. But the lad had other ideas on the subject. He could not endure the thought that his poor, drunken father must burn eternally, even if he did abuse his only son shamefully when the demon drink was master.

"I don't see how any one can burn forever as long as he is not immortal," volunteered the poor lad. "I hope not, anyway," he continued. "Father's, well,—you know father," Mr. Hartman, and I'm not any too good!"

Poor Billy seldom made so long a speech, and now his feelings overcame him, and he hid his face in his hands. Grandma had been watching the boy very closely, and now she could bear it no longer,—she would tell him at once what the Holy Spirit said on the subject: "'For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'"

"There! O Mr. Hartman!" exclaimed Billy, his whole face lighting up with joy, "then I should think that any one that doesn't believe would perish, and not burn forever, and would not have everlasting life in misery."

"Billy's logic is as good as a lawyer's," declared Walter Gray. "I believe he's correct."

"But let us read still plainer testimony," said Brother Hartman.

"What does the Lord distinctly declare, in Mal. 4:1, will be the fate of the wicked? Josie will you read?"

" 'For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them root nor branch.'"

"That is rather plain language," remarked Mr. Gray; "that doesn't seem to teach the doctrine of eternal torment."

"Will you read the third verse, also, of the same chapter, Mr. Gray? this verse is as plain as the other:"

" 'And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.'"

"Actually, I'd no idea there was such a statement in the whole Bible," said Mrs. Gray.

(To be continued.)