Five years had flitted by since Jake Benton was converted down in the
hills. The battle between holiness and sin-you-must religion had waxed
hotter and hotter. Masked mobs had scoured the country at different
times, threatening the very lives of enemies. The sin-you-must group had
decreased in number, but had increased in wickedness. It could
truthfully be said that every member of Mount Olivet church was at this
time a positive force for evil. The membership had dwindled to
one-fourth its former size. Somebody is responsible for the statement
that the blackest deeds known to the world have been done in the name of
religion, love, and liberty. Mount Olivet Church did her blackest deeds
in the name of religion. She was determined to crush her adversaries,
and she was not particular as to the means she used. Every member who
had even the tiniest spark of God's love in his heart had either cast
his lot with the holiness movement or given up his religious profession
altogether. Preacher Bonds had grown more and more zealous in his fight
against holiness.
Deacon Gramps had preached his doctrine everywhere, in his home as well
as in the church, and he had already seen its fruits manifested right in
his home. One of his sons who had now become of age had built a sort of
philosophy of life on his father's teaching. He had reasoned something
like this: "Since Father sins, and Mother sins, and the preacher sins,
and everybody else sins, and nobody can keep from sinning, then it
follows that one is not responsible for the sins he commits whether they
be large or small, few or many. Then why not have a good time in this
life? Why not go the full length into sinful pleasure?" And go the full
length he did. He had become involved in one criminal scrape after
another, and he would have landed in the penitentiary before this time
had it not been for Deacon Cramps' financial backing. And by this time
it had come to be common knowledge in the community that the son's
profligacy was almost certain to involve the Deacon in financial ruin.
It was a fact much discussed in inner business circles at Dobbinsville
that Mr. Gramps' farm was heavily mortgaged, and that unless some crook
or turn unforeseen favored him he would soon face bankruptcy. He had
been unable to pay the interest on the notes he had been obliged to
obtain in order to keep his son from going where he really belonged.
As for Jake Benton, during these five years since his conversion, his
poverty had stuck closer to him than a brother; but thanks be to his
persecutions, he had grown immensely rich in spiritual resources. He had
become a mighty man in prayer. The sick were healed in answer to his
prayer of simple faith. And it seemed only a natural thing for him to
pray for his enemies. And as for love, Jake loved everybody and
everybody had found it out. If anybody in the community wanted a favor
done them, all that was necessary was to mistreat Benton and he would do
them a favor. He had also developed into quite a preacher. Ever since
the meeting closed in the brush arbor he regularly gathered the saints
together on Sunday in the school house, and encouraged them in the
things of the Lord. His life was simply exemplary, and even his
bitterest enemies were compelled to acknowledge that God was with him.
One Sunday morning when Preacher Bonds stood before his meager audience,
the familiar face of Deacon Gramps was absent. His unusual absence from
the Church was very noticeable, and Preacher Bonds suggested in the
introductory remarks of his sermon that unquestionably Brother Gramps
was sick, and that it would be an act of brotherly kindness if when the
service was over a number of the members would call at the Gramps' home
and see the sick brother.
When Preacher Bonds had finished his sermon, a song had been sung, and
the benediction had been invoked, a dozen or more of the members with
Bonds in the lead started for the Gramps' home, which, as will be
remembered, was plainly visible from the church.
"I believe," said Bonds, "that Brother Gramps' barn is on fire." At this
the whole group began to rush toward the beautiful red barn that stood a
quarter of a mile away. By the time they reached the spot, black clouds
of smoke and angry flames were shooting from doors and cracks in the
barn. Mrs. Gramps and the three children who were still at home were in
the barnyard wringing their hands and crying in a heart-rending manner.
It was plainly to be seen that the visitors could do nothing to save the
barn, and all that remained to do was to stand and watch the flames
devour the building.
"Where is Brother Gramps?" said Preacher Bonds to Mrs. Gramps.
"Wasn't he at church? No? Well, I don't know where he can be. He left
the house just at church-time and I hadn't noticed but what he was in
the crowd that came from the church," she replied.
Preacher Bonds looked serious as he said, "He could not have been in the
barn, I suppose."
"Oh, certainly not. I suppose he must be at some of the neighbors',
perhaps Deacon Brown's--was Deacon Brown at church?" "No, Deacon Brown
was not at church," replied Bonds. "Possibly he remained at home and
Brother Gramps went to see him on some business pertaining to the
church. But I don't understand why they did not meet at the church to
transact their business. Brother Jones, will you run over to Deacon
Brown's and tell Brother Gramps about his awful accident?"
"Certainly," responded Jones, who stood near the barnyard gate talking
with Gramps' hired hand, from whom he was endeavoring to learn the
details as to how the fire started.
"Try to tell him," remarked Bonds, "in a way that will not be too much
of a shock to him."
Jones mounted a horse and hurried off to Deacon Brown's and was soon
back with the news that Gramps had not been seen at Brown's, and that
Brown was sick in bed, which fact accounted for his being absent from
the service that morning.
When it was learned that Gramps was not at Deacon Brown's, considerable
anxiety began to be manifested on the part of neighbors. Some suggested
that it was possible that Gramps could have been in the barn when it
burned. Of course, care was exercised that such remarks should not reach
the ears of Mrs. Gramps. Messages were sent to all the neighbors in
search of Gramps. Someone had the idea that possibly he had gone to
Dobbinsville or Ridgetown, but searchers sent to these places reported
that he had not been seen at either place for several days. Preacher
Bonds consoled Mrs. Gramps with the suggestion that doubtless he would
show up before night. However, when night came with no signs of Deacon
Gramps the whole community took an attitude of real alarm as to the
likelihood that he had been burned to death. It was announced that there
would be no meeting services at Mount Olivet Church, and Jake Benton
dismissed his services and joined heartily in the search for the Deacon,
who had dealt him so many grievous blows while Mrs. Benton did
everything in her power to console Mrs. Gramps.
The search continued all through the night with no results. By early
Monday morning there was general excitement for miles around. Scores of
people came that morning from Dobbinsville and Ridgetown, and gazed on
the mysterious scene of the former beautiful barn, now an ash heap.
Officers came down from the county-seat and joined in the search for the
lost Deacon. About the middle of the afternoon on Monday it was decided
that the ash-heap should be searched for any evidence that the man had
burned with the barn This search had not gone far when the county
sheriff found in the ashes the steel back-springs and blades of a
pocket-knife. Near by were found some pieces of enamel resembling a
man's teeth. Next was found a small melted mass of something which
seemed to have been a suspender buckle. Preacher Bonds picked up three
pieces of silver which proved to have been so many silver dollars.
Several pieces of bones were found, but these were so nearly charred to
dust that it was impossible to determine whether they were bones of a
man or bones of some of the many animals that perished with the
building. However, all these articles mentioned were found within a very
close proximity to each other, and in the minds of most people present
there was now no doubt as to the fate of Deacon Gramps. On Monday night
the coroner rendered a verdict that the Deacon met his death by being
accidentally burned to death. Mrs. Gramps swooned away and had to have
the attention of old Doctor Greenwich from Dobbinsville. In the event of
the illness of Mrs. Gramps, it devolved upon Preacher Bonds to make
full arrangements for the funeral, in which affair Jake Benton and his
good wife showed every disposition to help where help was possible.
Preacher Bonds went to Dobbinsville and sent a telegram to each of the
Deacon's five sons, two of whom lived in St. Louis, and three in
Chicago. He also sent a telegram to a minister in St. Louis to come to
preach the funeral, as, he said, he did not feel that he could officiate
at the funeral of such a worthy brother as the departed. This St. Louis
preacher had been a college chum of Preacher Bonds, and was full of the
Mount Olivet persuasion.
Those were in the days before undertakers and other such modern
conveniences had been introduced into that country. Jake Benton, good
soul, went to Dobbinsville after the coffin and hauled it back in the
same old lumber wagon he had hauled Evangelist Blank in five years
before.
The funeral was arranged for Wednesday afternoon at two o'clock. A
handful of ashes, together with the pocket-knife and other articles
found in the ash-heap, was taken and wrapped in a napkin and placed in
the big new coffin.
On Wednesday afternoon, when two o'clock arrived, the two front rooms of
the Gramps farmhouse were crammed full of people. The yard was full,
too. The St. Louis preacher began and spoke thus: "My friends and
brethren, we have met on this sad occasion to pay our last respects to
the honored dead. Within the narrow confines of this casket lie the
earthly remains of a man whose spirit yet lives. It was not my happy
privilege to know this excellent man, but I am informed by his pastor,
Preacher Bonds here, of his manifold excellencies. When a great man
dies, the people mourn. I am informed that our departed brother was a
great man. First, he was a great man in business. When I behold this
beautiful well-kept farm, I see its wide, extending fields, its running
brooks, its whitewashed fences, its excellent buildings, in the burning
of one of which our brother met his death--when I behold these things, I
say, I am made to exclaim that God hath blessed him in basket and store.
Yes, a great man in business.
"Secondly, he was a great man in his home, and by the way, there is
where the true greatness of a man is tested. In the death of our
esteemed brother the home is the loser. It loses a loving husband. It
loses a considerate father and an efficient bread-winner.
"Thirdly, our brother was a great man in the community. I am told that
he was a public-spirited man. He believed in schools, in good roads, and
in all other things that make for the welfare of a community. In his
death the community is a heavy loser.
"Fourthly, he was a great man in the church. (Preacher Bonds, "Amen".) I
am told that for upwards of thirty years our brother has been a
consistent member of Mount Olivet Church and a regular attendant at its
service and a heavy contributor to its funds. I understand that he was a
mighty defender of the church's faith. He fought bravely on. He stood
like a rock. He weathered the storm. He finished the course. He
conquered.
"But, my friends, our finite minds cannot fathom the profound mysteries
of the infinite. We cannot understand. Why would a just God permit such
a noble man to meet such a tragic death? It is not ours to reason why.
We simply bow our hearts to the will of the divine."
"And now, to the bereaved I would say, Weep not as those who have no
hope. (Mrs. Gramps weeps aloud.) Brother Gramps is just gone on before.
He has crossed over Jordan, where he waits on the sunny banks of sweet
deliverance. Just a few more days and we shall join him. He has gone
where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary be at rest. Let us
pray. Brother Bonds, lead us."