Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1852-03-09
family Reaoin9.
HUGH FISHER.

Hugh Fisher, boy who has been carefully
and religiously trained, is left an orphan at
an early age, and goes to live on farm with
an uncle, who is rough and uueducated, and,
as will be seen, thoughtless with respect to
religion Hugh is put into the room with
the hired man, Jem, to whom he has become
much attached. After this, the narrative
thus proceeds:
The family rose early, and went to bed ear
~ When bedtime came, began to wonder
if | could say my prayers before Jen felt
uneasy and anxious and tried If aopld not
contriye to get up stairs and get all through
before he came up. So, taking time BY the
forelock, as soon as supper was over scam
pered off, and bolted into my chamber like a
locomotive. But, 10! Jem was already there
undressing.
Il am dreadfully tired, said Jem. did
not speak but stood, perplexed on the spot
where bad suddenly stopped. not knowing
what to do
Anything the matter?' asked Jem, who
could not help noticing my puzzled express
sion.
Nothing particular said I, going out
again.
Halo cried Jem. Something's on
your mind Out with it You'll feel all the
better for it.
Nothing particular persisted, turning
! round and coming back was tempted to
give up my prayers that night. was sure
that could not say them before Jem. He
man, and nothing but boy! | began
also to undress, and for the first time since
could remember, was tempted to lie down
upon my bed without prayer turned
| down the sheet, then sat down on the bed
side, then went to the window. A severe
conflict was going on within my heart TO
pray, or not to pray? "The fear of man.
which bringeth a snare" sorely and strongly
tempted me, for once, to forego my accus-
toned devotional duty Boy, as was, there
was the world, sin and the devil on one side;
my conscience, my known and understood
duty, my obligations to God, on the other
as thoroughly understood what my duty
was IN the matter at that age, as I do now
In neglecting it, ! should have done it dclb-
erately. and with full knowledge of the
guilt. In doing so. ! should. in fact, have
denied God should have been ashamed to
own him before men. 1t was the sin and
shame of Peter, when he was afraid to own
an acquaintance with Jesus, his Master, on
account of what people would say, SO was
at that moment ashamed of owning that
held intercourse with my heavenly Friend,
my God and Father Ashamed of God
"Ashamed of Jesus that dear Friend
On whom our hopes of heaven depend y
Nobody, who had seen me at that moment,
would have supposed that was doing great
wrong to my sou, H. the greatest wrong that
can be done to the soul | was not stealing,
was not swearing or telling lie, or drink
ing, or playing cards,-no, none of these
things. which people could see, and say. GLOW
wicked it is !" 1t was heart sin: not less
sin for that. 1t was not a sin against man;
it was sin against God; aud God looketh
at the heart 1t was a moment full of ire
mendous issues. 1t was the forming period
ofmy life. | was called, earlier than most
boys, to take a stand by myself, for or against
the principles in which ! had been educated
Should | now abandon those religious habits
in which had been reared from infancy, or
should | abide by them? Should / carry
them out, or throw them aside ? lfthey were
important for me at home, how much more
important, as safeguards and means of reli-
gous Improvement, dray from home. /
tremble for other boys in similar situations
because their future commonly depends upon
what they do and think while they are boys
Think of that boys; and when you 60 away
from home, DO not, in cowardly way. aban-
don tho good home principles in which you
have been brought up.
Jem got into bed He asked me what |
was looking out Of the window at. and why
did not come TO bed told him | was