Short stories, American; United States -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
All of a sudden a great revulsion of feeling came over Dokesbury.
Trembling he rose and opened the Bible. There lay his sermon, polished
and perfected. The opening lines seemed to him like glints from a bright
cold crystal. What had he to say to these people, when the full
realization of human sorrow and care and of human degradation had just
come to him? What had they to do with firstlies and secondlies, with
premises and conclusions? What they wanted was a strong hand to help
them over the hard places of life and a loud voice to cheer them through
the dark. He closed the book again upon his precious sermon. A something
new had been born in his heart. He let his glance rest for another
instant on the mother's pained face and the father's bowed form, and
then turning to the congregation began, "Come unto me, all ye that labor
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you,
and learn of me: for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find
rest unto your souls." Out of the fullness of his heart he spoke unto
them. Their great need informed his utterance. He forgot his carefully
turned sentences and perfectly rounded periods. He forgot all save that
here was the well-being of a community put into his hands whose real
condition he had not even suspected until now. The situation wrought him
up. His words went forth like winged fire, and the emotional people were
moved beyond control. They shouted, and clapped their hands, and praised
the Lord loudly.
When the service was over, there was much gathering about the young
preacher, and handshaking. Through all 'Lias had slept. His mother
started toward him; but the minister managed to whisper to her, "Leave
him to me." When the congregation had passed out, Dokesbury shook 'Lias.
The boy woke, partially sobered, and his face fell before the preacher's
eyes.
"Come, my boy, let's go home." Arm in arm they went out into the street,
where a number of scoffers had gathered to have a laugh at the abashed
boy; but Harold Dokesbury's strong arm steadied his steps, and something
in his face checked the crowd's hilarity. Silently they cleared the way,
and the two passed among them and went home.
The minister saw clearly the things which he had to combat in his
community, and through this one victim he determined to fight the
general evil. The people with whom he had to deal were children who must
be led by the hand. The boy lying in drunken sleep upon his bed was no
worse than the rest of them. He was an epitome of the evil, as his
parents were of the sorrows, of the place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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