The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1845-07-12


What are they" asked Forgeron eagerly.
The first is, that you will never modest a
sHeihodist preacher again.
Here Ned's pride rose. and he hesitatcd and
the reverend gentleman, with his usual benign
smile on his face, renewed his blows. and sung
role on the sky, freely justified L.
AND the moon it was under my fcci''
This oriental language overcame the black
smith. Such bold figures, or something else.
caused him to sing out, 60 well I'll do it--Fll
do it,"
You are getting on very WE'LL" said Mr.
Stubbeworth, :" think can make decent man
OF You yet, and perhaps Christian"
Ned groaned.
1.-The second thing | require Of you is to po to
Pumpkin creek meeting house. and hear me preach
Tomorrow"
Ned attempted to s,ammer some excuse. "I-
I-I-is-"
When the divine resumed his devotional hymp.
and kept time with the music, striking him over
the face with the feshy part of his hand
''My soul mounted higher in a chariot of fire
Nor did envy Elijah his seat"
Ned's promise Of punctuali,y caused the mar
sons exercise TO cease, and the words redolent of
gorgeous Imaginary died away in echoes from the
adjacent crags.
Now. the third and last demand is peremp
tory" Ned was all attention to know what vas
70 come next You are TO promise TO seek re.
lgon. day and night, and never rest until Won
obtain 1t at the hands of merc;ful Redeemer"
The fallen man looked at the declining sun and
then at the parson. and knew mt what to saw
when the latter individual rose his voice in the
song once more, and Ned knew what would come
next.
I'll do my best" he said, in an humble voice.
"Weli, that's man, said StubbIeworth-
g now get up and go down to the spring and wash
face nm
and turn your thoughts on high'
Ned rose with feelings ne never experienced
before, and went TO obey the lavatury Injunction
of the preacher, when that gentleman mounted
his horse, took Ned by the hand, and said Now
Keep your PROMISE and I'll keep your counsel.
Good evening. Mr.. Forgeron-Pl look for Won
TO morrow" and off he rode with the same i'm.
perurable countenance, singing SO ond as to scare
the eagles from their eyrie in the overhanonq
rocks.
"Well." thought Ned. Z" this is nice business
What would the people say if they knew Edward
Forgeron was whipped before his own door in the
gap, and that too by Methodist preacher. But
his musings were more in sorrow than in anger.
The dishgured cOuntenance of Forgeron was of
course the subject of numerous questions, that
night, among his friends to which he renlied
with stern look they well understood. and the
vague remark that he had met with an accident.
Of course they never dreamed ofthe cause. For
geron looked in the glass and compared his black
eye from the recent scuffle.' to the rainbow shin
wreck scene-' blending every color into one Or
perhaps he never read the story and only muttered
to himself" Ned Forgeron whipped by a Metho-
dist preacher"
His dreams that night were of confused and
disagreable nature and waking in the morning.
he had ndstnct memory of something unplea
SAINT having occurred. At first ne could not re-
collect the of his feelings but the bruises of
his face and body soon calling them to mind, as
well the promise, he mounted his horse and
went to redeem it.
From that time his whole conduct manifested
change of feeling. The gossps of the neighbor,
hood observed it, and whispered that Ned was
silent, and had gone to meeting every Sunday
since the accident. They wondered greatly at
his burning the books he used to read so much -
Strange stories were circulating as to the meta
morphoss of this ovial dare devil blacksmith into
gloomy and tacturn man. Some supposed, very
sagely, that spirit" had entced him into the
mountains, and after giving him glimpse into
the future, had mised him to a crag where he
had fallen and bruised his face. Others give the
Prince of Darkness the credit of the change; but
none suspected the Methodist preacher; and as
the latter had no vanity TO crafty the secret re-
NAMED with Ned.
The gloomy state OF mind continued until For
geron visited camp meeting. The Rev. Mr.
Stubbleworlh preached sermon that seemed to
enter his soul and relieve it of burden and the
song Of
elbow happy are they who their Saviour obey."
was only half through when he felt like new
man. Forgeron was from that time :" shouting
Methodist At love feast, short time suisse
guent, he gave in his experience. and revealed
the mystery of his conviction and conversion to
his astonished neighbors The Rev. Mr. Stub
bleworth, who had faithfully kept the secret I'M
til that time, could contain himself no longer. but
gave vent to his feelings in convulsve peals of
laughter, as the burning tears fjoy coursed their
way down his cheeks. Z" Yes, mn BRETHREN"
he said, "it is a fact. ! did maui the grace
into his unbeIieuing soul, there's no doubt"
The blacksmith of the mountain pass himself
became, soon afterwards, Methodist preacher.