Robert saw that Mary sensed that something was wrong. As soon as he
could, he went in and sat by Mary's side.
"Mary, dear, I know that you will be ashamed of me, when I tell you
what I have done," said Robert.
"My, Robert, what have you done?" cried Mary, "you look so troubled
and gloomy."
"Mary, I am sorry to tell you what I have done, but I will hide
nothing and will tell you all about it," said he. "You remember that
chickenhouse we prevented Jake from moving that day? Well, he met me
at the place today and called me a liar and said that I had insulted
his father. Before I hardly knew what I was doing I hit Jake and we
had a fight. I finally beat him, and he promised to behave. I felt
just like giving up, Mary, and never trying to serve the Lord any
more. But I promise you, dear, that I will not go back." And great big
tears of hearty contrition rolled down Robert's face, and Mary, all
tears too, lovingly wiped his tears away.
"I do not know if you can have confidence in me or not, Mary, after
this, but I expect to rise above it, God helping me," said Robert,
when he could speak.
"I recognize that I have done wrong," he continued. "What shall I do
about it?"
"You must forgive Jake, and Mr. Newby too, Robert," said Mary. "The
Scriptures are plain: 'But if ye forgive not men their trespasses,
neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses' (Matt.
6:15). Can you forgive them?"
"Yes, by God's help, I forgive them. I do," said Robert.
"Should you not also make confession to Jake Newby for fighting him?"
asked Mary. "And then give him that chickenhouse if he still demands
it. 'Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give
him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head'
(Romans 12:20). And to break the power of the grudge, why not obey
Matt. 5:23, 24: 'Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and
there remember that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there
thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy
brother, and then come and offer thy gift.'"
"Well, Jake is not a brother, Mary," said Robert, "but the Scriptures
point out the best way to recover. I feel so ashamed, Mary, after
standing up for a holy life and then failing this way. But I feel that
following the Word of truth will be the quickest way to recovery. It
is my ambition to be an example of God's keeping power. I wish to so
live that holiness may be established as truth in this community. I
want my life to tell for Jesus."
Robert decided that the sooner he went the better it would be; so
he drove to Jake's house at once. Jake was greatly surprised to see
Robert drive up and greeted him very surlily.
"Jake, I have come over to ask your forgiveness for striking and
fighting you this afternoon. I did wrong. Pardon me. I am sorry I gave
way, Jake. And say, Jake, if you want that chickenhouse, just come
and get it. It is too small for the number of chickens Mary intends
to raise, anyway. You can have it, Jake, freely, gladly. What's a
chickenhouse between friends?
"The Lord made me feel very guilty over this affair, Jake," continued
Robert. "At first I thought I would give up entirely, but Jake,
I cannot do that. The Lord has done too much for me and my wife,
and--well, others are counting on me. I want to make everything right;
so you will feel perfectly free to visit me any time you wish. Praise
God! I feel better, Jake. Will you forgive me?" And Robert stretched
out his hand toward Jake. Jake took it, and there, in that happy
twilight hour, a grudge and a sin were laid in a grave of oblivion,
never to be resurrected.
CHAPTER NINE
THE GOOD RESULTS OF AN HONEST CONFESSION
The confession of Robert Davis to Jake Newby set Jake's household
all agog. They had never heard of such a thing before. When Jake had
arrived home from his encounter he had told Kate, his wife, all about
it, coloring it in his own favor.
"I went over to see Robert Davis and kindly asked him to let me have
the chickenhouse and to reprove him gently for the way he had treated
dad, and, what do you think? he jumped on me as mad as he could be.
I'll get even with Bob Davis, I will. The mean rascal," said Jake.
"Well, of all things, is that the way holiness men do? A pretty mess
for Davis to get into," said Kate.
"I'll fix him. Wait till a good chance comes, and I will make him
sorry enough," said Jake. "Little good he can do in this neighborhood,
living like that."
"But Jake, you are a member of the church, and you must be careful how
you live," said Kate.
"Oh, yes, I suppose so," said Jake laconically.
But Jake's religion did not concern him very much. Everybody knew
that. His name was on the church book, and Jake paid a little money in
now and then, but as for prayer or testimony, he had none, and as for
vital, personal godliness and personal salvation, to these he was a
perfect stranger. In fact, the denomination to which Jake belonged did
not believe in nor teach salvation from sin. Many others in it were
just like him.
While the Newby family were discussing the fight, it was to their
great surprise to see Robert Davis come through the open gate.
"Well, if there doesn't come Bob Davis now," Kate exclaimed. "What
do you suppose he is after? Do you suppose he is going to renew the
fight, Jake? Mercy me. Help!"
But Robert knocked quietly, and Jake opened the door, and before
anyone else could speak Robert made his confession, while the Newby
children and Kate looked on in amazement. After Jake and Robert shook
hands, and the trouble was ended, a strange atmosphere pervaded the
Newby home. They had never felt just like that before. There was a
peace, an awe, a holy feeling such as people have sometimes at the
height of a revival meeting. If Jesus had suddenly appeared in person
there would not have been much more of a holy atmosphere than existed
right there at that moment. They could hardly understand it. No doubt
the angels of heaven were there, and the Holy Spirit was present to
exert his benign influence toward the salvation of that family. Kate
began to cry great big tears of joy. Jake sat down.
"Jake, Bob Davis is a man," said Kate. "That was the most open, honest
confession I ever heard. I do not know of any one who would do such
as he has done. There must be something to his religion. You know the
fight you had with Tom Sawyer, and he is a deacon in First Church,
Bethany. What came of it? Never a word of confession did he ever make.
What kind of a man is Mr. Davis, anyway?"
"Something strange about Bob Davis," said Jake. "Said I could have
that old chickenhouse if I wanted. I'd be a fool to take it now."
"Jake, I believe Robert Davis is a real Christian," said Kate, as a
sort of confession on her part. "Why, I do not know of a member of
our church that would do the manly thing that he has done, coming up
without any self-justification and asking forgiveness for his wrong.
I'm more convinced than I ever was before that Robert's doctrine is
right, after all. Your dad would not own up like that even if he knew
he was in the wrong. I wish I had more of Robert's religion."
"That is true. Kate," said Jake. "Dad's either too hardheaded or has
not enough religion to own up to a fault."
"I begin to feel like I am not a Christian at all, Jake," said Kate.
"I could not do as Robert Davis has done. No, I couldn't. I'm not much
of a Christian. I believe we might as well quit our profession, Jake,
if we can't live better than we are." And more big, honest tears
rolled down Kate's cheeks.
"Well, I have been baptized," said Jake, and Pastor Sammons said water
baptism was essential to salvation. I believed in Jesus Christ and was
baptized. What else can I do? I live as good as any other member of
our church. I have been in good standing for ten years. I do not know
what else to do. The preacher thinks I am all right."
"Yes, I know," replied Kate, "the preacher thinks I am all right, too,
but I know I am not. I just feel that I am not a real Christian."
"Well, I must confess," said Jake, "that Robert's confession puts
religion in a new light to me. With Robert religion is the main thing.
He has family prayers night and morning; he is honest and scrupulous,
and now when he sees he has done me a wrong he has come right over
and made it right. I am not much of a Christian either, if that is
Christianity."
"Jake, what good is water baptism if our lives are not changed?" asked
Kate. "I have just been thinking of the members of our church, and
I am not trying to ignore their good qualities, but I do not know of
more than two or three that I would ask to pray for me if I were going
to die. They gossip, dress in all the latest fads, go to dances and
theaters, rarely attend church, and are just like the worldly people
around here who belong to no church. Is this Christianity? Why, Jake,
when we had our bazaar, you remember, four of the sisters fell out
and have not spoken to each other since. My, I never thought of these
things before. I wonder what church Robert Davis belongs to?"
"He calls it the church of God," replied Jake.
"The church of God!" exclaimed Kate. "Why, what church is that? I
never heard of it. But that name sounds good. If it is as good as its
name it ought to be a good one."
"I must confess," said Jake, "that I never have enjoyed my religion.
If it is the right kind it has done me very little good. But I can't
afford to drop it, for it's all I have--at least till I see something
better. Robert and Mary Davis seem to enjoy their religion. I always
noticed that. I believe I shall investigate the church of God. What do
you say to calling Robert and Mary over tomorrow night and talking
all these things over with them? Robert seems to know a lot about the
Bible."
"Let us do that," said Kate.
Next morning Kate sent her son John to the Davis home with an
invitation to come and spend the evening. They were surprised to get
the invitation, but felt that it was their duty to go.
During that day both Jake and Kate were in a very humble mood. Peter
Newby came over during the day and Jake told him all about Robert's
confession. Jake also expressed himself as being dissatisfied with his
religion.
"Ah, poof!" said Peter, "you are all right. Weren't you baptized, and
don't you believe in Christ? Don't give up your religion. Would you go
back on your old dad and mammy like that? I hope I never see the day,
Jake, when you will leave our church. Davis is no good."
But Jake was so thoroughly awakened to his own sad state that his
father's speech affected him very little. In fact, it sounded hollow
and hypocritical to him. Jake knew, down in his heart, that Robert had
done the manly and Christian thing, and when he saw that his father
did not appreciate what Robert had done, it made him feel that his
father was not much of a Christian either. Jake lost confidence in his
father right there.
Peter Newby sensed this change of attitude on Jake's part, and it
filled him with anger. Yet he knew that he dare not show it. But the
fire in his bosom compelled him to speak out.
"Jake, my son," he said, trying hard to control his feelings, "I fear
you are being shaken in the faith, but I hope if you are dissatisfied
with our church that you will not disgrace the family by joining that
holiness bunch. They are rotten. I know them of old. I would rather
see you dead than for you to go with Bob Davis."
Jake saw that there was little use to discuss the matter; so he
desisted and turned the conversation to pigs. But Peter turned it back
to religion.
"If you go along with that Davis," Peter said, "I will disown you as
my son. I will. After being a member of our church for ten years, then
to own up that you are not a Christian--why, Jake, that will tear our
church to pieces."
"But father," said Jake, "suppose that I am not a real Christian,
will it do me any good to continue to profess that I am? Is that
not exactly what makes one a hypocrite? My soul longs for a real
experience. I know I am not ready to die or fit to live either. I must
get right with God."
Peter Newby saw that it was useless to stay longer, so he rode away,
feeling very angry at Jake for the mood he was in, and at himself for
displaying such anger.
Robert and Mary Davis went to Newbys' about nightfall and were given a
cordial reception. After all was ready they all met in the parlor
and discussed religion. A great many texts were read and talked over.
Water baptism was investigated. Robert proved by the Scriptures that
water baptism is not a saving ordinance.
"How could water baptism be a saving ordinance," said Robert, "when
we know that water cannot have any effect, one way or another, upon
a soul? And, if water baptism is essential to the obtaining of
salvation, then two other things besides the blood of Jesus are
necessary whenever a soul is saved. One is water, enough to be
immersed in, according to your church doctrine, and the other is a
man, or a preacher to baptize. Then, if one were out somewhere away
from water and a preacher, he could not be saved. This will never do.
It places too much in the hands of men. Peter makes it plain--read 1
Peter 3:21.
"'The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not
the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good
conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,'" read
Kate Newby.
"This makes it plain," said Robert. "Water cannot wash away sins
except in a figurative way. It is the blood that cleanses. Read Rev.
1:5 (last sentence), and Col. 1:15."
"'Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own
blood,'" read Mary Davis. "This is Rev. 1:5. Col. 1:14 says, 'In whom
we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.'"
"Robert, what church do you belong to?" asked Jake finally.
"I am not a member of any denomination," said Robert, "but recently
through a study of the Bible, I have become convinced that these
denominations are not right, and that we should get back to the Bible
in name, faith, and practice. I do not see any church that tallies
with the church of the New Testament; so I am waiting and praying for
God to establish a real New Testament church in this community. By the
way, Jake, we found that the Bible name for the church is the church
of God. We have had a religious paper coming to us, which is published
in the interests of the church of God. Maybe this is what we are
looking for. Jake, let us seek for the truth."
"I will, Robert," said Jake. "I am dissatisfied with my religion.
Really, I doubt if ever I was converted."
"God bless you, Jake," said Robert, "the Lord has a real experience
of salvation for you. Come to Him, repent, and believe. Get under the
blood. Amen."
After a blessed service of prayer and singing some of the good old
soul-cheering songs, Robert and Mary Davis went home.
It was the beginning of a new era in the Jake Newby home.
CHAPTER TEN
FALSE GUIDES APPEAR IN BETHANY
It often happens when people become awakened to the fact that they are
below the standard of Christianity and do not as yet see or know what
to do, that they become ensnared in destructive doctrines. Having
loosed from their old moorings and not having reached a peaceful
haven, they drift about, sometimes at the mercy of every wind that
blows. When the truth of the gospel begins to appear then the great
enemy, Satan, sows his tares, for the ground is then broken up.
Robert Davis' debates at the schoolhouse, his confession, and his
private conversations on the Scriptures, were like rays of light
shooting through the rifts in the clouds of the sky. The town of
Bethany had never heard such doctrines as Robert was upholding. And
even to Robert himself they had not yet been formed into a coherent
system of Bible teaching. Several things were still mysteries to him.
Jake Newby and his family were in this partly awakened condition. They
had lost confidence in the church to which they belonged, but they did
not see the light clearly. They were seekers after the truth.
On one day of the next week after the conversation in his home with
the Davis', Jake and Kate went to the railway station in Bethany to
see their Aunt Mellisa off. She had been visiting with her brother,
Peter Newby, for a few days and was on her way home to Boston.
While sitting in the station chatting and waiting for the train to
come, Kate Newby saw a wall-pocket in the waiting-room on which was a
neat sign, "Take One," filled with printed literature. She stepped to
the receptacle and took out two or three pieces of literature which
she placed in her handbag, and she thought no more about it till she
got home and opened her bag to get her handkerchief.
Something about the leaflet attracted her attention, and she sat down
and read it. The pamphlet proclaimed the virtues of Christian Science
to heal all kinds of mental and physical sicknesses and troubles.
There is no sickness, sin or death, said the treatise. All of these
things are errors of mortal mind. We are, it continued, to ignore and
repudiate these errors, for God is good and everything is good; God is
eternal Mind, all-embracing, and there can be no death, and sin, and
sickness in God. Material things, it said, are not important, the
spiritual is the important. The basis of all things is the spiritual,
hence we can count material things as immaterial and be all engrossed
in God. The false notion that there is sickness, it said, has led many
to the grave, the false notion that there is a devil has led to the
idea of sin. But sin and sickness are errors of the mortal mind, and
when we get swallowed up in the one great mind (God), there will be no
more sickness, pain, sin, or death. Much more it said which space will
not permit us to narrate here.
Kate Newby read on and on. She was longing for something better than
she had. The arguments of the pamphlet seemed plausible to her, and
she embraced them. Seeing that the Christian Science text-book was
advised, she ordered a copy of Mrs. Eddy's Science and Health. When
it arrived she read it assiduously. She was getting very deep into the
meshes of it. Her theology was undergoing a radical change. God,
to her, was no longer personal, but the great Mind which is
all-comprehensive. She tried to believe herself well, free, and happy,
and she began to enjoy a measure of relief. But, at the same time,
Kate Newby was growing more worldly; she began to lose her former
distinctions of right and wrong, and the change was beginning to be
made manifest in many different ways. She began to ignore Jake and to
show an aversion to material things and she began to develop a sort of
overmystical attitude toward life in general.
Finally, Jake asked her point-blank, "Kate, what is the matter with
you? You are acting so queer."
"Well, Jake, I might as well tell you," answered Kate. "I am a
Christian Scientist."
If Jake Newby had been hit with a cannon ball he would not have been
worse shocked.
"Christian Science!" he echoed. "Of all things! Where did you get hold
of that?"
Then she told him of getting the leaflet, then Science and Health,
and how she had gradually been won to embrace it. Jake was clearly
disturbed, and started to argue with Kate, but she had the advantage
in that he did not know anything about it. So Jake thought of Robert
Davis.
"Say, Robert," said Jake to Robert the first time that they met after
his talk with Kate about Christian Science, "do you know anything
about Christian Science?"
"Indeed I do," said Robert, "my mother once got somewhat entangled in
it, and through her efforts to get out I was led to study it."
"Come over and talk to Kate, then," said Jake. "She has taken up with
it and it is ruining her. Please come over and talk with her about it.
We must have help."
"All right, I will come," answered Robert.
On the next evening Robert found time to go, and soon he and Kate were
talking on Christian Science while Jake and the others listened.
"Now, I will read from Science and Health," said Robert. "See if you
can understand it. See if it does not make you feel like scratching
your head in order to help to comprehend it. 'What is man? Answer--Man
is not matter, he is not made up of brain, blood, bones, and other
material elements. The Scriptures inform us that man is made in the
image and likeness of God. Matter is not that likeness. The likeness
of Spirit cannot be so unlike Spirit. Man is spiritual and perfect....
Man is incapable of sin, sickness, and death. The real man cannot
depart from holiness, nor can God, by whom man is evolved, engender
the capacity or freedom to sin' (page 475). Can you understand that?"
"For the life of me, I can't," said Jake, but, of course Jake could
not be expected to understand it, thought Kate.
"Now, here is another. 'Therefore the only reality of sin, sickness,
or death is the awful fact that unrealities seem real to human,
erring belief, until God strips off their disguise. They are not true,
because they are not of God. We learn in Christian Science that all
inharmony of mortal mind and body is illusion.' Again, 'Sin, sickness,
and death are to be classified as effects of error' (pages 472 and
473)" read Robert.
"I wonder what I am made of," said Jake's boy, John, "if I have no
brain, blood, or bones. When the bay filly threw me last winter and
broke my arm I thought I was part bone. And a lot of blood ran from my
foot the time I cut it with the ax, at least they called it blood."
"Now, let us get Mrs. Eddy's definition of God," said Robert. "'What
is God? Answer--God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind,
Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love.'"
"Let us notice her definition of Mind," continued Robert. "'Mind
is God,' she says. Let us draw forth some of the Christian Science
principles and stand them up for inspection.
"1. Man is not matter; he has not brains, blood, or bones.
"2. Man is incapable of sin.
"3. Man is incapable of sickness.
"4. Man is incapable of death.
"5. Sin, sickness, and death are errors.
"6. God is Mind, Principle.
"7. Mind is God.
"8. Sickness is a dream.
"9. Sickness, sin, and death are 'mortal dreams.'
"10. 'There is no disease' (Science and Health, p. 421).
"11. 'Death is the illusion' (Science and Health, p. 428).
"Now, over and against these statements of Christian Science, let us
place the immutable Word of God.
"1. Man is not matter; he is not brains, blood, or bones.
"The very first word in inspiration contradicts this principle in
Christian Science. 'In the beginning God created the heaven and the
earth' (Gen. 1:1). The creation of man contradicts Christian Science.
Listen--'And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living
soul.' (Gen. 2:7).
"So there is such a thing as man composed of matter such as body, and
blood, and bones.
"2. Man is incapable of sin.
"Let us see what the Bible says of this proposition," continued
Robert.
"'For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God' (Rom. 3:23).
"'Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures' (1 Cor. 15:3).
"'He shall save his people from their sins' (Matt. 1:21).
"3. Man is incapable of sickness.
"'Is any sick among you' what shall he do?" asked Robert, quoting
Jas. 5:14, 15. "Let him deny that he is sick, and claim that he is
incapable of being sick? No. 'Let him call for the elders ... and the
prayer of faith shall save the sick.'
"David said of the Lord, 'Who healeth all thy diseases' (Psa. 103:3).
"4. Man is incapable of death.
"It seems that no scripture is needed to refute this falsehood. Men
of past ages are dead. Mrs. Eddy herself will die, all Christian
Scientists die, for 'it is appointed unto men once to die, but after
this the judgment.'"
"My, the Bible is hard on Christian Science doctrine, isn't it,"
said Kate Newby. "I did not think to read and compare Mrs. Eddy's
statements with the Bible."
"Indeed it is," said Robert Davis. "The Bible states facts as they
are. Man did sin, and all men have sinned. The plan of salvation, in
all its vast provisions for men, came about because of man's need,
because of man's fall. Man has sinned. Oh, it is all too plain to
deny. The bruised and wounded hearts of mothers and wives, the bowed
heads of grief-stricken fathers over the sins of their loved ones,
prove all too painfully that sin is real."
"I know it is, too," said Jake Newby. "My heart yearns for deliverance
from sin right now. Kate, turn from this deception. You see it is not
right. It denies facts."