EVERYBODY calls papa "Judge Day," 'cause he's a lawyer and has to tell which side beats in court.
Jim Dix told Mike (Jim's Elder Noble's coach-man) that he heard Elder Noble and Elder James and Elder Sharp talking about papa, and they didn't like it 'cause Dr. Good had called papa before the session. He said Elder Sharp said he couldn't see what a minister could be thinking about to pick a fuss with such a man as Judge Day, who paid so liberally to the church and was such a credit to it. He said it was a risky thing, too, to rouse such a man as him just because his sister had some foolish notions about religion; he was very sure they'd better put a stop to Dr. Good's proceedings, 'cause there was no telling what harm 'twould do the church.
Then Elder James "stood up" for Dr. Good, and said such teachings as Aunt Joy's wasn't any "foolish notion," 'twas the devil's new dodge to catch souls, and a minister who'd sit still and let such wickedness be talked in an elder's family wouldn't be a shepherd of souls. He was sure Dr. Good was doing the right thing, and papa ought to be brought to account for lettin' such things go on in his family.
Then Elder Noble asked him if he'd ever talked with Aunt Joy. He said he hadn't. Dr. Good said 'twas a dangerous thing to do, 'cause she had Scripture at her tongue's end to prove everything, and anyone not stablished in church doctrine was liable to be deceived, 'cause the devil himself could quote Scripture to gain his point.
Then Elder Noble planted his six straight feet against the big oak tree in the yard, and folded his arms and told 'em "his mind about it," Jim said, and when he got through there wasn't anything left to do but to believe him. 'Cause he began at the beginning and told all about Aunt Joy and us (you know bout us), and 'bout Janie Smith's mother's telling his wife how she got well 'cause Aunt Joy and us children prayed for her, and how happy she was now 'cause she knew Christ was always with her and there wasn't any good thing he wouldn't do for her. She told 'em a lot of things to set 'em thinking. And then he'd talked to Tom Sams and Dr. May, and he said it seemed little less than a miracle to see all those things going on right here in our midst, the work of one gentle woman and three little children. He said his eyes began to be opened to see that these were the "signs to follow" the Christ faith. Believin' in Jesus as a matter of history never'd do any of his works, and when he heard little Grace say, "Christ's 'live if you'll live.'im," he realized the difference between "faith" and "form."
It's awful funny how it all came out after that. Papa didn't have to go before the session; I don't know why, only Dr. Good got sick and 's gone away for his health, and folks act real different — toward us.
Why! Elder Noble wants Aunt Joy to have a Bible class in Sunday School and teach 'em how to get into the inside of it!
Aunt Joy told us how to do that; she says we're all Bibles and you'll find it all inside you, from Genesis to Revelation.
You can't see how it is at first, but when you begin to see, it's real easy. We're way over into Exodus; we've got away from the "Egyptians" and across the "Red Sea."
Egyptians is what we call Ned's lameness and mamma's sickness, and all the beliefs we've gotten away from.
There's such a lot of new things you think when you get your Egyptians all drowned in the Red Sea.
But I was going to tell, papa and mamma couldn't understand, when everything looked so tangled up and the church seemed 'gainst us, how it could all smooth out so quickly and everything come out just like the stories have it when they wind up and leave everybody always happy for the rest of their lives.
Aunt Joy says she doesn't believe in persecution, 'cause everybody wants Good just as much as we do and wouldn't hinder it a bit more, if they only knew. She says when you realize this, you quit condemning others (she says condemn and damn mean the same), and then they quit condemning you, and you love them and they love you, and then it's all smooth.
She says it's just opinions that make the sharp corners you run against; 'cause opinion's all that hurts and gets hurt. She says Wisdom shows you that Love and Good's like a circle and doesn't have corners, doesn't commence,
and doesn't leave off; just goes round and round forever; and when you see how it is, you'll always have a smooth way. 'Cause that's Wisdom's way, and "her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." Then papa said, "Because you have to become as a little child to find this way, it ought to be called 'Wee Wisdom's Way.'
