The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-11-16
An Affecting Story.

An Affecting Story.
The following affecting story was re
lated by Mr.. Dudley, an agent of the
British and Foreign Bible Society, at
the anniversary of the Birmingham Sun
day School Union.
In the county of Kent lives or lived a
clergyman and his lady, who took a very
active part in the Sunday School connec-
ted with his church. They had in the
school n boy, the only son of widow.
who was VIGOROUSLY wicked, despising
all the earnest prayers aud admonitions
of the clergyman, who, out of pity for
the widowed mother, kept him in school
eighteen months at length he found it
absolutely necessary to dismiss the lad
as warning to others He soon after
enlisted as soldier in regiment that
was soon ordeted to America. it being
during the last American war. Some
time after the poor widow called upon
the clergyman to beg Bible of the
smallest size. Surprised at such re-
quest from an individual who was on
the verge of eternity, and who he knew
had one or two Bibles of large print
which she had long used to good purpose,
he enquired what che wanted it for. She
answered, "a regiment is going out to
America, and | want to send it to my
poor boy and o sir, who knows what
it may do ?"
She sent the Bible which the clergy
man gave her, by pious soldier, who.
upon his arrival at their destination,
found the widows son the very ringlead-
er of the regiment in every description
of vice After the soldier had made
himself known, he said, James, your
mother has sent you her last present"
"Ah |" he replied in careless man.
nor, L" is she gone at last? 1 hope she
has sent me some cash"
The pious soldier told him he bclicv-
ed the poor widow was dead but"
said he, she has sent you something of
more value than gold or silver, (presen-
ting him with the Bible) and james it
was her dying request that you would
read one verse, at least, of tins book ev-
cry day; and can you refuse her dying
charge2'
WELL" said James, "It is not much
to ask, (opening the Bble) so here goes "
lie opened the Bible at the words,
" Come unto me all ye that are weary
and heavy laden, and l will give you
rest.n
"Well,' said lie, }" this is very odd. 1
have opened to the only verse in the Bi-
bic that | could ever learn by heart
when ! was in the Sunday school |
never could for the life of me commit
another. 1t is very strange but who is
this mo that is mentioned in the
verse;"
The pious soldier asked him if he did
not know
He replied that he did moi
The good man then explained it to
him; spoke to him of Jesus, and oxhib-
tied the truth and invitations of the Cos.
pei, They walked to the house of the
benevolent chaplain, where they had fur
ther conversation the result was, that
from that hour he became a changed
man. and was so noted for exemplary
conduct, as before he had been for his
wickedncss.
Some time after this conversation, the
regiment in which he was, engaged the
enemy; at the close of which the pious
soldier, in walking through the field of
blood, beheld, under large spreading
oak, the dead body of James, his head
reclining on his Bible, which was open
ed at the passage, Come unto me all ye
that are weary" &c Poor James had
gone to his eternal rest
Mr. Dudley said he had frequently
held the Bible in his hand there was
no less than fifty pages stained with the
blood of poor James How encouraging,
said Mr.. Dudley is this for Sabbath
school teachers to persevere for should
there be but one seed sown, it might, as
in case of the widows son, produce
plentiful harvest The only verse he
ever committed to memory was the
means in the hands of the Holy Spirit,
of bringing him out of darkness into
light and James is now, We
trust, joining the song of the redeemed
in heaven.