Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-02-21
From the Banner Of the Cross.
UThe Bible In My Trunk

LEAR OIR:-h lew evenings ago was
present at tea-table where the CONVEX
sation turned upon praying "before iolk;'
some OF the party contending that, where
two travellers chance TO lodge in the same
room Tor night, it would look Pharisai-
cal for one or the other to kneel down and
'say his prayers" in the presence Of the
other; willie the other party defended the
propliety Of it, and asserted il to be duty.
As an illustration, an incident was related,
where two members Of our Chnrch-at
home, good then enough-both got into bed
prayerless, for fear Of praying before the
others eyes. This conversation, which
was very interesting, and in course of
which many striking illustrations were
brought up to prove the healthy example
Of never neglecting prayer, led clergy
man present TO relate the following anec-
dote, which think worthy of preserva-
tion, and perhaps may do some good:
"When ! was young man." said the
clergyman, 4 was clerk in Boston. Two
Of my room-mates at my clearinghouse
were also clerks, about my own age,
which was eighteen. The first Sunday
morning, during the three or four long
hours that elapsed from getting up to bell-
ringing for Church, felt secret desire
TO get Bible, which my mother had CIV
en- me, out Of my trunk, and read in il;
for had been so broug ght up by my pa
rents, as TO regard it as duty at home to
read chapter or two in the Bible every
Sunday. l was now very anxious to get
my Bible and read, but was afraid to do
SO before my room-mates, who were read
ing some miscellaneous books. Atlength
my conscience got the mastery and l rose
up and went TO my trunk. | bad half
raised it, when the thought occurred to
me, that it might look like oversanctity
and Phari<aical, SO shut my trunk, and
returned to the window. For twenty
minutes, was miserably i'll at ease: |
felt ! was doing wrong. ! started a Sc
cond time for my trunk, and had my hand
upon the little Bible, when the fear of
being laughed at conquered the better
emotion, and again dropped the top Of
the trunk. As | turned away from it,
one Of my room mates, who observed my
irresolute movements, said langhingly-
81 what's the matter? You seem
as restless as a eather-cock!'
81 replied by laughing in my turn; and
then, conceiving the truth to be the best,
frankly told them both what was the mat
ter!
ITO my surprise and delight, they both
spoke up and averred that they both had
Bibles in their trunks, and both had been
secretly wishing TO read in Them, bur were
afraid 10 take them uut Lost should
laugh at them.
"Then," said I, ''let us agree to read
them every Sunday, and we shall have the
laugh all on the one side"
s.To this there was hearty response;
and the next moment the three Bibles
were out; and assure you, we all felt
happier all that day for reading in them
that morning.
"The following Sunday, about ten
o'clock, while we We're eacn reading our
chapters, two Of our fellow -boarders from
anoihor room came in. When they saw
how we were engaged, they started and
then exclaimed
"Bless US! what is all this? A Conven.
ticle?"
''ln reply. I, smiling, related to then
exactly how the matter stood; my struggls
to get my Bible from my trunk; and how
we three, having found we had been all
| afraid Of each other without cause, hat
now agreed to read every Sunday.
"Not bad idea" answered one o
them. You have more courage than
have. have Bible, too, but have no
looked INTO it since | have been in Bos
ton! But I'll read it after this, sine
you'vebroke the ice.'
"The other then asked one Of us to rea
aloud, and both sat and quietly listened
till the bell rung for Church.
.That evening, we three in the sam
room, agreed to have chapter read ever.
night by one or the other Of US at MIN
o'clock, and we religiously adhered to on
purpose. A few evenings after this res
olution, four or FIVE Of the boarders 70
there were sixteen clerks boarding in tn
house, happened to be in our room talk
ing when the nine o'clock bell ralg. On
Of my room-mates, looking at me opene
the Bible. The others looked inquiringly
l then explained our custom.
"We'll all stay and listen," they said al
most unanimously.
I "The result was, that without an ex
ception, every one Of the sixteen clerk
spent his Sabbath morning in reading i
the Bible; and the moral effect upon ou
household was Of the highest character
relate this incident" concluded the cler
gyman, 'sto show what influence one per
son, even youth, may exert for evil
good. No man should ever be afraid
do his duty. A hundred hearts may thro
to act right, that only await a leader.
forgot TO add that we were all called tn
J "Bible Clerks!" All these youths ar
now useful and Christian men, and NOR
than one is laboring in the ministry"
One Of 'em.-The Boston Post tells
story Of man who, soon after taking in,
his employ female servant, sat down
his parlor one evening with couple
r