The Two Farmers | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 22, 1863

The Two Farmers.

In a small country town, in Massachusetts, there lived two wealthy farmers, whose lands adjoined each other. On some account or other, they became involved in a law-suit, which both lessened their money, and promoted a spirit of rancor toward each other. After a time, one of those men was convinced of the sinfulness of his past conduct, when, yielding to the influences of the gospel, he became desirous of reconciliation and friendship with his neighbor. With a trembling heart, he rapped at the door of the man he had offended, which he had not entered before for six years. Not suspecting who it was, his neighbor invited him in. He went in, took his seat, acknowledged that he had in the affair been much to blame, and entreated forgiveness. The other was much astonished, but maintained his high ground. "I always knew you were to blame, and I never shall forgive you," with much more to the same purpose, was the reply given to him. He again confessed his wrong, asked the pardon of the neighbor, expressed a hope that the Divine Being, would forgive him, and added, "We have been actuated by a wrong spirit, and we shall be afraid to meet each other at the bar of God, where we must soon appear." The other became a little softened, and they parted.

The family when left to themselves, were filled with astonishment. But the mystery was solved, when they learned that their neighbor had become a follower of Christ. "What!" said the farmer, "has S—become a Christian? Why should he come and ask my forgiveness? If religion will humble such a man, it is surely a great thing. He said, 'We shall be afraid to meet each other at the bar of God.'" Such reflections as these, with a consciousness of his own ill-conduct, occasioned him great distress for several days. At length, he could smother his feelings no longer—he took his hat, and went to see his once hated neighbor. As he entered the door, he received a cordial welcome; they took each other by the hand, and burst into tears. He said, "You came to ask my forgiveness, the other day, but I find I have been a thousand times worse than you." They retired and prayed together. They became members of the same church, and lived many years in uninterrupted harmony. Such are the triumphs of Christianity, compared with which,

“The laurels that a Caesar reaps are weeds.”