Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-01-15
How sad our state by nature is,
Our sin. how deen its stains, &c.

Our sin, how deep it's s%tains,' &c.
Yes, m%ournlul truth, responded a gray old
saint suppose he was-on my right. %!
our wicked matters Lord have marcy on my dar-
ter Nancy, that won't come to the meeting sigh
ed a weeping dame in a sort Of lin~sey-wolscy
dress Just forward of me. Lord hear that moth
er's prayer p calculated a Soldier of the cross,
at my side. By this time the good parson had
read to this verse in the hymn
But there's a voice of sovereign grace,
Sounds from the sacred word
Thank God, there is tonight was breath
ed audibIy from a hundred lips but when he
added
lilo! ye desparing sinners come,
And trust a faithful Lord
some shouted for Joy others wcpt as if their
hearts would break-whiIe the rest Of us L0okcd,
aud, perhaps, felt unutterable things. Wen,
thinks |, this will do for Il beginning, and how it
will end I'll wait and see. After singing with CT
fectthe congregation instinctiveIy turned towards
the pulpit to listen to the sermon, which was
founded upon the words, Come, for all things
are now ready The preacher went on to say,
that all mankind by nature were sinners-de-
observation-disclosures o|utcasts;
that they had been redeemed by Christ, and
that the gospel was represented as an abundant
feast of fat things, to which all were generously
invited. He said, this feast is spread before
you tonight, and we are sent as messengers of
God to say to every one of you, Come, for all
| tbinue arn M, ronJvi Vae rniJ I,a 4Io ol,ro6
is ready-Christ is ready-Heaytn il ready
and angels are waiting to welcome the Cos
pei feast, and carry the joyful tiN.SA5f your
repentance to the general assembly and church
of the first born Now will you not come, my
hearers! Why delay? Time flies as on the
upon you! The winding sheet, the coffin, and
the grave are speaking to you! Nor does the
t Judgment linger, or hell abate the storm of wrath.
Mercy says, come! and Justice says, fly to mer-
cy's armsl Oh! come, 0nc-come all to the
gospel feast tonight! After an hours success
ful effort in the pulpit, parson Grundy came
down into the altar, as they call it, and after or.
8 dering several seats and1ront pews to be vacated
f he said,-tNow all in the congregatiou-in the
house, above and below who feel their need Of
! Christ, and who are determined to cnjcy with U;
Ia0@ the preliminary blessings Of thd gospel feast
and taste the ~fruition of immortal hope aerecft0.
5 come forward to these seats and pews, and vi,
2 US Join in penltent prayer to God And, my
= stars, what arush there was for the vacant seats
/ Prayer after prayer was offered, accompanied with
e bitter sobs and deep-drawn signs, and this con
|tinued for half az hour, when the pious GROUP
t rose from their knees and began to sing
Poor mourning souls in deep Distress &c.
which produced a most thrilling effect on The
seekers, particularly on a young woman in a sea-
opposite where | stood | noticed her before
at the time she came forward. She was a beau
tiful creature; and | regretted that one so ap
%parently accomplished and lovely, should be en-
4 Just now she was bathed in tears, and seemed
f incapable of consolation but when the lines
e have just repeated were sung, the cloud Of heI
5 sorrows was disi pated-her countenance beamet
4 with u|ncarthly radiance, and she began to say
ii a tone 60 rich and mellow, 6 R9rwSe M6K0sa.
c that it really appeared as though | wasIisting IL
h the voice Of some white-robed angel that had
CHANGED to join in the prisons of the evening
Who the young lady was | cannot tell only
d gentleman at my side informed me that she wa
4 the daughter Of a poor, but worthy widow in tht
village
ooh it must have been Jane Arliagtoa,' ex
claimed Laura Paxon and the fire of anXiet
: and modification kindled a deeper red than usu
e al on Robert Ellison's cheek, which was not III
observed by the watchlul Miss Sarah Saunders.
Jane Arlington and who is Jane Arlington
replied Ellen Blakemore.
Why, TO be sure said Miss Sarah, she
the Village DrcsS-Makcr! and a pert little Mis-
u she is, too and she cast a peculiar glance to
wards young Ellison but he returned 1t in
< manner so perfectly non-committal that she coul
l. not tell whether he was offended or not.
r 'AlI done, JamesF said Lucius Merriman
ID and James resumed the account of his first eve
e. ming in parson Grunny's church.
c. The change in the young lady | was taIkin
about is what suppose they call 'experiencin
X religion and if so, parson Grundy numbered
~ without doubt, more than twenty converts tn;
night.
he The congregation struck up one of their il
blee- songs, after which The benediction was pre-
IN %nounced, and the peep A~ustantly retired,-
a. some shouting, soms pine weeping, an
st so went home .s
e. A cloud seemed Rye Robe
Ellison. He appear ANS lhR d,
en- gree quite unusual, abs CO
Sarah Saunders, or her 3pEeed IN 7
is lying him into merriment, tho y uleo N
i hest rConclaasd ae1t Deek.