HE WAS ZEALOUS

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 275, 7 December 1894, Page 9

HE WAS ZEALOUS

A well-known doctor of divinity had in his congregation, when he had a charge in a country town, a most determined old fel-

low who seemed to be quite zealous in the good work, but one Sunday he did not appear at church and for three successive Sundays the preacher noticed his absence and then he went to see him, He found him at home in his usual health and spirits, and after some general talk he came to the object of his visit, ‘ You haven’t been to church lately, Brother Ball ?’ he said. ‘ No,’ confessed the brother. 1 You are falling from grace, I fear,’ ‘ Mebbe, I am, person.’ ‘ Why, my deal friend,’ exclaimed the preacher, ‘ how does that happen ?’ The erring brother braced up and his face grew hard and firm, ‘ You know that mule colt I bought ?’ he said. ‘ Yes.’ * Give a hundred dollars for him ?’ ‘ Yes.’ ‘ Not wuth a hooter unless he is broke ?’ ‘ No.’ ‘ Well, I undertook to break him.’ ‘ Yes.’ ‘ And I found oat I couldn’t break him and be a Christian at the same time ; and parson, I’ll break tha mule if I never get to the New Jerusalem.’ Naturally the good man was greatly shocked but he couldn’t help admiring the zeal of his brothei, and when he saw him at church the next Sunday, he concluded that Providence had come to the rescue and showed the mule the error of his ways.