New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-02-15
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 49, 1851

setting about It; ana TINS rah1ef VI al o.n0's nai
made himself 4 name IN our parts. Accordingly We
,gent. II was a fne Summers evening, after work
So dome. When we got 10 the place We sa"
'ucb crowd as | never saw before, men, women,
"a children all ages were gathered together, ana
at on the Inside. They were care worn, diseas
al sorrowful criminal all that was told on their
fscss which were hard, and strongly marked. IN
the midst standing IN cart was she ranter.-
When first saw him, l said 10 my comp anlons,
IS ord What little man TO make all this Pother
7 could trip him up with one OF my fingers and
,ben l sat down, and looked about me bit. All
aves were fixed on the preacher; and | turn
- me upon him too. He began 10 speak II
Uvss in no iiue drawn language, but in words sucn
ss We heard of every day OF our lives, aud ABOUT
things we did every day Of our lives de dld NOT
call our shortcomings pride or worldllness OF
which would nave gwen Is 40
leer notion of what he meant, but he Just told as
outright what we did, and then he gaveit name,
,nd said that it was accused and that we were
lost if we went on so doing
n, this time the tears and sweat were running
down his face he was wrestling Tor our souls
We wondered how he knew our innermost lives
az he did for each one Of as saw his SIN set before
him in plain spoken words. Then he cried OUT 70
ms IN repent : and spoke first TO US, and then 10
God in q way that would have shocked many
but il did not shock me. | liked strong things
ard liked the bare full truth and felt brought
nearer IN God in that hour-the summer darkness
.creeDine over u.s. and one after one the stars com
ont above US like the eyes of the angels watch
ing us-than had ever done IN my lie before -
When he had brought US TO our tears and sghs'
he s,onnad his loud voice of upbraidlng, and there
was hush, only broken by sobs and quiyerInS
means. in which | heard through the gloom the
voices of strong men in anguish and supPhca1on,
az well as the shriller tones OF women. Suddenly
he was heard again by this time We could nots
him but his voice was now tender as the voice
of an angel. and he told US OF Christ and lmplored
us to come 70 Him. never heard such passionate
ertreaty. lie spoke as if he saw satan lowering
near us in the dark dense night, and as II our only
safety lay in very present coming TO tae gross
believe he did see Satan we know he haunts
the desolate old hills awaiting his time, and now
or never it was, with many a soul. AT length
there was a sudden silence and by the cries oil
those nearest to the preacher, we heard tnst ne
had tainted. We had all crowded round him as
if he were our safety and our guide and he vas
overcome by the heat and the fatigue, for we were
the fifth set of people whom he had addressed
that day. left the crowd who were leading him
down and took lonely path myself.
Here was the eRrnestness l needed. 10 tls
weak and weary fainting man, religion was lie
and a passion. look back now, and wonder at
nv blindness as TO what was the root OF all my
Nelly's patience and lOngsuifering for thought
now had found out what religion was, and tha'
hitherto it had been all an unknown thing ~ me-
Henceforw ard, my life was changed. | was
jealous and fanatical. Beyond the set to whom
had affiliated myselfI had no sympathy. would
have prosecuted all who differed from me, II had
only had the power. / became ascetlc In all
bodily enjoyments. And, strange and inexpica
be mystery, had some thoughts that by every
act Of self denial | was attaining to my unholy
end, and that, when | had tasted AID prayed long
enough, God would place my vengeance 10 my
hands have kneIt by Nelly sbedside, and vowed
to live a self denying life, as regards all out
ward things, if so that God would grant my prayer
| left it in His hands. l felt sure He would trace
out the token and the word and Nelly would
listen to my passionate words. and lie awake sOr
rowful and heart sore through the night and
would get up and make hertea, and re-arrange ner
pillows with a arrange and wtul blindnes tlat
my bitter words and blasphemous prayers had
cost her miserable seepless nights. My Nelly
was suffering yet from that blow. How or where
the stone had hurth her ! never understood but IN
conse quence of that one momeRts action, her limbs
became numb and dead, and by slow degrees, she
took TO her bed from whence she was never ar
ried alive. There she lay, proPPed up by pillows,
her meek face ever bright, and smiling forth
greeting her white pale hands ever busy with
some kind Of work and our little Grace was as
the power of motion ~ her. Fierce as was away
from her, l never could speak to her but in my
gentlest tones. She seemed TO me as II she had
never Wrestled Tor SalVhtlOn as udl : hnd Wnrh
away from her, resolved many time aud OF,
that would rouse her up to her state o. danger
when | returned home that evening-even #
strong reproach were required would rouse Der
up to her souls need. But | came in and heard
her voice singing softly some holy word OF pa.
thence, some psalm which, maybe, had comtorced
the martyrs, ana when | saw Der face, like tie
face q an angel full OF patience and happy faish
put of my awakening speechest till another tioe
One night long ago, when was yet young Id
strong, although my years were past forty I sat
alone in my houseplace Nelly was always ia bed
as have told you, and Grace lay in a cot by her
side | believed them to be both asleep though
how they could sleep could not conceive, so wild
and terrible was the night The wind came
sweeping down from the hilltop in great beats
lik the pulses OF Heaven and, during the pauses
while l listened for the coming roar, | felt the
earth shiyer beneath me. The rain beat against
windows and doors, and sobbed for entrance |
thought the Prince of the Air was abroad and |
heard, or fsnced heard, shrieks come on the blast
like the cries Of sinful souls given to his power.
The sounds came nearer and nearer | got up
and saw 10 the ias.enings OF the door, for though
cared not for mortal man, did care for what /
believed was surrounding the house, ia evil might
and power. But the door shook as though it. too
were in deadly terror, and | thought the lastsn.
ings would give way I stood facing the entrance,
flashing my heart up 10 defy the spiritual enemy
that looked to see, every instant, in bodily pres
ence and the door did open and before me stood
what was it man or demon a greyhared
man. with poor worn clothes al wringing wet
and be himself battered and piteous to look upon
from the storm he had passed through.
Let me in ~ he said. Give me shelter
am poor, or | would reward you. And am friend.
less too he said, looking up in my face, like one
seeking what he cannot find. la that look,
strangely changed, | knew that God had heard
me for it was the old cowardly look of my LIES
enemy. Had be been a stranger | might not have
him, but as he was mine enemy, gave
him welcome in ordly dish / sat opposite T.
bin. Whence DO you come ?" said J. IL is
q strange night to be out on the fells."
He looked up at me sharp but in general he
held bis head down like beast or hound
You won't betrsy III not trouble you
ong AS soon as the storm sbates II Co."
Friend J" said |, what have / 10 betray ?"
I'd trcrnhlaI last Ia ahnnId loan Lirnaolf Il