USA > Colorado > San Juan County > Pioneering in the San Juan; personal reminiscences of work done in southwestern Colorado during the "great San Juan excitement," > Part 10
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At times I have wondered whether this Mary was naturally diffident or whether she was inclined to let her affections be known (most likely the former), for I believe, with Ruskin, that "the best women are indeed necessarily the most difficult to know; they are recognized chiefly in the happiness of their husbands and the nobleness of their children. They are only to be divined, not discerned, by the
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stranger and sometimes seem almost helpless except in their homes." But let this be as it may, we know that Jesus appreciated what Mary did. And to-day He appreciates the ministry of love in which so many faithful women are engaged, as well as the work performed by His embassadors. Were it not true that we have the immutable word of God for it, that "the work of a man shall He render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways," the large majority of His laborers would find but little to encourage them to continue in the work.
"The best things in this world are not the best things God provides for his children." Humanly speaking, the opposite is generally true. And occa- sionally his embassadors see the same spirit which was manifested toward Christ while he was in the flesh. One day they cried, "Hosanna!" and another day they cried, "Crucify him!" Yet, after all, we recognize the points in Whitcomb Riley's "Philosophy":
"The signs is bad when folks commence A findin' fault with Providence, And balkin' 'cause the earth don't shake At ev'ry prancing step they take.
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THE MINISTRY OF LOVE
No man is great till he can see How less than little he would be Ef stripped to self, and stark and bare He hung his sign out anywhere.
"My doctrine is to lay aside Contentions, and be satisfied. Jest do your best, and praise er blame That follows that, counts jest the same; I've allus noticed great success Is mixed with troubles, more or less; And it's the man who does the best That gets more kicks than all the rest."
But, when laboring for the upbuilding of the Master's kingdom, let come what will. Since our labor is one of love, let us go forward courageously and faithfully to the end; and whether we are called upon to walk joyfully or sorrowfully, let us keep close to Christ, doing all things as unto the Lord and not as unto men; seeing to it that no man take our crown. "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
From a human standpoint I believe that many ministers waste most of their time and that the money spent on them is wasted, because little appreciation is shown by those among whom they labor; and the results, viewed in human light, are
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so small that all is wasted. Yet, knowing as they do that even the waste places of the earth need the refreshing showers of Divine grace, and that the Gospel must be preached in all the world whether men will hear or forbear, and that their ministry is one of love, they labor on, leaving the results to God.
It is but natural that every minister should have some appreciation of his ability to occupy a position of prominence; and although believing that the valley of humiliation bears fairer fruit-fruit that has more of heaven's sweetness in it-than was ever grown on the hilltop of exaltation and praise, although reached by a laudable ambition success- fully realized, yet he would just as soon see other brethren in that fruitful valley. Let us remember what Anne of Austria, the Queen of France, said to her implacable enemy, Cardinal Richelieu: "My Lord-Cardinal, there is one fact which you seem to have entirely forgotten-God is a sure paymaster. He may not pay at the end of every week, month or year; but I charge you, remember that he pays in the end." Yes, the Savior has promised that the giving of a "cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, shall in no wise lose its reward."
The work some of God's laborers perform may be
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very hard, and the pay very small, while the posi- tion they occupy is far from prominent in the eyes of their fellow men; but we believe that in that last great day, when the secrets of all hearts will be made known, and every man's work shall be tried by fire, and judged by One who is just as well as merciful, the assembled hosts before God's tribunal will acknowledge that there is no waste in the min- istry of love, and the humblest worker in the Mas- ter's vineyard will be satisfied with the reward given.
God help us to realize that there is a gloriously bright side to His service now, and a great reward hereafter; and may the keynote to all that shall be done at this meeting of Synod be: No waste in the ministry of love. Daniel Webster said: "If we work upon marble, it will perish; if we work upon brass, time will efface it; if we rear temples, they will crumble into dust; but if we work upon immortal minds, if we imbue them with principles, with the just fear of God and love of our fellow men, we engrave on those tablets something which will brighten to all eternity."
"Now, the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting cove-
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nant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."
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CHAPTER XLI
A SAN JUAN JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, IN 1878
"Use every man after his desert, and who shall escape whipping?" -Shakespeare.
" The kindness of some is too much like an echo; it returns exactly the counterpart of what it receives and neither more nor less." -Bowes.
During an exciting political campaign, when two of our then noted politicians were stumping the state, indulging in joint debate in the interests of their respective parties in general and their own interests in particular, these men decided that even the remote San Juan should not be neglected. Therefore, they staged it wherever the lines of Bar- low & Sanderson would carry them; and where there was no stage route they adopted the custom- ary mode of travel (either horseback or on foot). In this way the small camps at timber line were reached and all had the privilege of hearing these politicians debate on the issues of the day.
Notice was sent to Mineral Point, a camp at the head of the Uncompahgre River, about eleven
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thousand feet above sea-level, that on a certain night these politicians would speak to the inhabit- ants of the camp and surrounding region. The speaking was in the open air and the debate lasted over four hours. After the meeting all adjourned to the saloons to discuss the political situation; con- sequently, it was nearly morning when the miners "turned in" to get a few hours of sleep.
Many having come a long distance to hear the speakers, friends invited them to their cabins. The man holding the prominent position of Justice of the Peace was also honored with the position of Coroner. This judge invited eight or ten visitors to lie on the floor of his cabin, he furnishing the blankets. In order to do the proper thing, he got up before the others were awake and prepared breakfast for the crowd. When the meal was about ready he awoke his company. The effects of poor politics and worse whisky had been rather stupe- fying. One man was inclined to sleep, although breakfast had been ready some time. Finally it was decided to let him sleep. But when the rest had eaten their morning meal it was discovered that the man lying on the dirt floor of the cabin was dead.
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The judge immediately impaneled a coroner's
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CELEBRATED BOX CANON, ONE FOURTH OF A MILE FROM OURAY.
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FIRST GRAND JURY IN OURAY.
A SAN JUAN JUSTICE
jury and asked them to bring in a verdict as to the cause of their companion's death. This is the way the indignant judge explained matters to me. Said he: "What do you think the verdict was, Mr. Darley?" I had a good idea of what caused the man's death, but did not care to express my opinion in the matter. Then the judge, all excited, gave the shamefulness of the verdict, it being "Whisky." "Shameful," said he; "the young man has a fine mother and a nice sister living back East, and how could I write to them that the jury brought in a verdict of death by whisky?" So he talked straight to these men who had sworn to bring in a proper verdict, and told them they must try again. But after the second attempt to discover the cause of the man's death, nearly the same verdict was brought in as before. The judge waxed eloquent on the tenderness of the ties that bound the mother, brother and sister to the deceased. He appealed to the jury as to men who had some idea of the fitness of things, and asked how they would have liked such a verdict brought in about them had they died as their friend. The third time the verdict was correct-"heart failure." Then the judge said: "That is good; now I will write a nice letter to his mother and sister, and tell them what the verdict of the jury
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was; and they will never know the truth about his death."
As I looked into the face of this San Juan Justice of the Peace, Coroner, and a little of almost every thing, I felt that after all, this man, rough in appearance and willing to use his office to shield a friend, had a good quantity of the milk of human kindness in his heart. I knew the foreman of the jury, and therefore was a little surprised that he should allow a verdict in the first place that reflected on the character of the dead. But possibly there were conscientious scruples in the way. The jury were sworn to bring in a truthful verdict. How- ever, in those days, friendship generally conquered and conscientious scruples gave way to surround- ings. Men stood for their friends and defended their good names, whether they were alive or dead.
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PERFECTION
"Perfection !"-God's goal in the distance, Far ahead of the best that we do; 'Way beyond our own lifelong endeavor, The goal never reached, though by few.
How, then, shall we offer our service To the One who is perfect and just? How enter His presence rejoicing, And look to His mercy in trust?
Our efforts are feeble and falt'ring, Our prayers rise in blemish and doubt; Our aims and our hopes are but weak ones; We turn not to face square about.
But Christ will present us all blameless Before Him the angels adore; And His merits will gain us redemption, Though our service and spirit are poor.
For the work that we do for our Master, Though lacking in purpose and power, Will be taken as worthy acceptance, Through Christ, and Calvary's hour.
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Mistakes will happen most surely, And error will creep in unknown; Yet Christ has made perfect atonement, And the Father still calls us His own. -- Rev. Geo. S. Darley.
"I will go forth 'mong men, not mailed in scorn, But in the armor of a pure intent. Great duties are before me, and great songs, And whether crowned or crownless when I fall, It matters not, so as God's work is done." -Alexander Smith.
THE END
JUL &£ 1899
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 0 017 056 254 9
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