The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1852-11-24
Afraid Of going to Heaven.

A Presbyterian minister of my acquint
ance, some time since related to me the fol-
lowing anecdole:
He was on steamboat on some Of oul
" estern rivers, when an exp plosion took place
on steamboat, at but little distance from
the one in which he was making his voyage
As soon as be could do So he got on board
of the boat on which the disaster occurred,
that he might render assistance TO the suf,
ferers. Soon after getting on the boat, he
met brother clergyman, the Rev. Mr..
C, of New York. Mr.. G. gave
him q cordial shake of the hand, said that
he was very glad to see him, and that he did
not know that he was on the boat. About
half an hour afterwards he met with Mr..
c. again, and the same scene occurred.
Mr.. c. gave him cordial shake of the
hand, expressed his pleasure at sc eing him,
and declared that ne did not know before
that he was on the boat. The next morning
similar scene took place again between my
friend and the Rev. Mr. c.. Mr.. c.
met him, shook hands witk him, said he
was glad TO see him, and that he did not
know before that he was on the boat. Why,
said my friend, this is the third time that
you have told me the same thing 1t was
evident that the man was frightened nearly
out of his senses, notwithstanding he was
minister of the Gospel.
In the course of the day my friend was as
ssting another gentleman in nursing poor
fellow who had been dreadfullv SC aided
AS they took off his shirt, for instance, the
whole of the skin came off with it. He seem :
ed to be almost insensible, there was but
little prospect of his surviving the injury he
had received. Whilst they were dressing
his wounds, my friend was telling the man
who WAS assisting him how much frightened
his brother clergyman had been by the burst
ing OF the boiler, mentioning that he had
met with him three times, and that three.
times he had told him, how dye, do and
Expressed his pleasure at seeing him in
their boat. Whilst he was narrating the
circumstance, to his astonshmcnt, the man
whose wounds they were dressing, and whom
they believed to be insensblc to all that WAS
passing around him, suddenly spoke up
you are speaking" said he, "about that
preacher, amt you?" They told him they
were. "IIe is the fraidest man." said he,
}"of going to heaven that ever seed. i'll
was as good man, as / think d preacher
ought to be, l wouldn't have cared if the
boiler had blown me into ten thouxandI
atoms, for should have been certain of 90
ing TO heaven. But am such poor sln
ncr, that am afraid if were 10 die, i'll
would be worse with me THANH is even now,
dreadful rs my present situation is"
Could that minister have heard what was
said by that poor suffering deck-hand, or
deck-passenger, / know not which it was,
what rebuke it would have been TO his H. |
midityl Perhaps it might have reminded
him Of the rebuke of the Saviour, "Why |
are ye so fearful, oh, ye Of little faith?
Few persons know how much the cause
of Christ is dshonored, when his disciples
appear to be so excessively afraid Of dying.
They profess to believe that dealt is the
gate Of endless JOY. Then why should thev
be afraid TO enter there? Persons who are
not pious, cannot help calling in question
the sincerity of the men whose conduct is so I
completely at war with the faith which they
profess to hold ssr3 rarnagglsw