FullReads

Charley started off, without further invitation, and repeated, very accurately, two or three verses of a new camp-meeting hymn, that was just then very popular.

“Now let us hear you say the Commandments, Charley,” spoke up the mother, well pleased at her child’s performance. And Charley repeated them with only the aid of a little prompting.

“How many commandments are there?” asked the father.

The child hesitated, and then looking up at the stranger, near whom he sat, said, innocently,–

“How many are there?”

The man thought for some moments, and said, as if in doubt–

“Eleven, are there not?”

“Eleven!” ejaculated Mrs. Wade, looking towards the man in unfeigned surprise.

“Eleven!” said her husband, with more of rebuke than astonishment in his voice. “Is it possible, sir, that you do not know how many Commandments there are? How many are there, Charley? Come! Tell me; you know, of course.”

“Ten,” said the child.

“Right, my son,” returned Mr. Wade, with a smile of approval.

“Right. Why, there isn’t a child of his age within ten miles who can’t tell you that there are ten Commandments. “Did you never read the Bible, sir?” addressing the stranger.

“When I was a little boy, I used to read in it sometimes. But I’m sure I thought there were eleven Commandments. Are you not mistaken about there being only ten?”

Sister Wade lifted her hands in unfeigned astonishment, and exclaimed–

“Could any one believe it? Such ignorance of the Bible!”

Mr. Wade did not reply, but he arose, and going to one corner of the room, where the Good Book lay upon a small mahogany stand, brought it to the table, and pushing away his plate, cup and saucer, laid the volume before him, and opened that portion in which the Commandments are recorded.

“There!” he said, placing his finger upon a proof of the man’s error. “There! Look for yourself!”

The man came round from his side of the table, and looked over the farmer’s shoulder.

“There! Ten;–d’ye see!”

“Yes, it does say ten,” replied the man. “And yet it seems to me there are eleven. I’m sure I have always thought so.”

“Doesn’t it say ten, here?” inquired Mr. Wade, with marked impatience in his voice.

“It does certainly.”

“Well, what more do you want? Can’t you believe the Bible?”

“Oh, yes I believe in the Bible, and yet, somehow, it strikes me that there must be eleven Commandments. Hasn’t one been added somewhere else?”

Now this was too much for Brother and Sister Wade to bear. Such ignorance on sacred matters they felt to be unpardonable. A long lecture followed, in which the man was scolded, admonished and threatened with Divine indignation. At its close, he modestly asked if he might have the Bible to read for an hour or two, before retiring to rest. This request was granted with more pleasure than any of the preceding ones. Shortly after supper the man was conducted to the little spare room accompanied by the Bible. Before leaving him alone, Mr. Wade felt it his duty to exhort him on spiritual things, and he did so most earnestly for ten or fifteen minutes. But he could not see that his words made much impression, and he finally left his guest, lamenting his ignorance and obduracy.

In the morning, the man came down, and meeting Mr. Wade, asked him if he would be so kind as to lend him a razor, that he might remove his beard, which did not give his face a very attractive aspect. His request was complied with.

“We will have family prayer in about ten minutes,” said Mr. Wade, as he handed him a razor and a shaving-box.

In ten minutes the man appeared and behaved himself with due propriety at family worship. After breakfast he thanked the farmer and his wife for their hospitality, and departing, went on his journey.

Ten o’clock came, and Mr. N–had not yet arrived. So Mr. and Mrs. Wade started off for the meeting house, not doubting that they would find him there. But they were disappointed. A goodly number of people were inside the meeting house, and a goodly number outside, but the minister had not yet arrived.