Sez Deacon Garven: “I consider the bells as missionarys. They help spread the Gospel.”
“And,” sez I, for I waz full of my subject, and kep him down to it all I could, “Ralph S. Robinson has spread the Gospel over acres and acres of land, and brung in droves and droves of sinners into the fold without the help of church or steeple, let alone bells, and it seems es if he ortn't to be tortured to death now by 'em.”
“Wall,” he said, “he viewed 'em as Gospel means, and he couldn't, with his present views of his duty to the Lord, omit 'em.”
Sez I, “The Lord didn't use 'em. He got along without 'em.”
“Wall,” he said, “it wuz different times now.”
Sez I, “The Lord, if He wuz here to-day, Deacon Garven, if He had bent over that form racked with pain and sufferin' and that noise of any kind is murderous to, He would help him, I know He would, for He wuz good to the sick, and tender hearted always.”
“Wall, I will help him,” sez Deacon Garven, “I will watch, and I will pray, and I will work for him.”
Sez I, “Will you promise me not to ring the bells to-morrow mornin'; if he gets into any sleep at all durin' the 24 hours, it is along in the mornin', and I think if we could keep him asleep, say all the forenoon, there would be a chance for him. Will you promise me?”
“Wall,” sez he kinder meltin' down a little, “I will talk with the bretheren.”
Sez I, “Promise me, Deacon Eben Garven, before you see 'em.”