Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1853-10-30
An Affecting Story.

!
The following affecting story was related by Mr.
Dudley, an agent of the British and Foreign Bible
Society, ct the Anniversary of the Birmingham
Sunday School Union.
In the county of Kent lives or lived a clergy
man and his lady, who took a very active part in
the Sunday school connected with his church.
They had'in the school boy the only son of a
widow, who was VIGOROUSLY wicked, despising all
the earnest prayers and adiaonitions of the clergy
man, who, out of pity for his poor widowed moth
er, kept him in the school eighteen months; at
length be found it absolutely necessary to dismiss
the lad as warning to others. He soon after en-
listed as a soldier in regiment that was soon or
dered to America, it being during the last Ameri-
canwar. Some time after, the poor widow called
upon the clergyman to beg Bible of the smallest
size. Surprised at such request from an indi-
vidusl who was on the verge OF eternity. and who
ne knew had one or two Bibles of large print,
which she had long used to good purpose, he in
quired what she 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 clergyman gave
her, by pious soldier, who, upon his arrival at
their destination, found the widows son the very
ringleader of the regiment in every description of
vice. After the soldier had made himself known,
he said, "Janes your mother has sent you her
last present"
z" Ah!" he replied in a Careless manner, sis she /
gone at last! Ihope she sent me some cash.
The pious soldier told him he believed the poor
widow was dead ;sbut,' saidhe, 'she has sent you
something of more value than gold or silver, (pre-
senting him with the Bible) and James, it was her
dying request that you would read one verse, at
least, of this book every day; and can you refuse
her dying eharge!"
= "Wen," said James, sit is not too much to ask,
Opening the Bible) so here goes.n
He opened the Bible at the words, "Come unto
me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and
will give you rest"
"Well," said he, ''ths is very odd. | have OPEN
ed to the only verse in the Bible 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! bu. who is this me,n that is
mentioned in the verse!''
The pious soldier asked if he did not know.
He replied that he did not.
The good man then explained it TO him; spoke
to him of Jesus, and exhibited the truth and inyi-
tations of the Gospel. They walked to the house
of the chaplain, where they had further conversa-
ton; the result was, that FROM that hour he be-
came changed man, and was noted for exem-
plsry conduct as he had before been for his wick
edness
Some time after this conversation, the regiment
in which be was, engaged the enemy; at the close
of which the pous soldier, in walking through the
field of blood, behed, under large spreading oak,
the dead body of James, his head reclining on his
Bible, which was opened at the passage, Come !
unto me all We that are weary" sc. Poor James
had gone to his eternal rest.
Mr.. Dudley said he had frequently held the BIZ |
bic in his hand there were 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 ior should there be
but one seed sown, it might, in case of the
widows son, produce plentiful harvest. TIE
only verse he ever committed to memory was the
means in the hand of the Holy Spirit, OF bringing
him out of darkness into marvellous light; and
James is now, we trust joining the song Of the
in heaven.