Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-04-23
WHOLE NO 974.
The Actress.

An actress in one of the English provin
ciai or county thesters, was. one day. pas
sing through :he streets Of the town i,
which she then resided, when her atten
tlon was attracted by the sound of voices
which she heard in poor cottage before her
Curiosity prompted her to look ia at an open
door, when she saw a few poor people sjt.
ting together, one Of whom, a, the momeu,
OF her observation, was giving out the fol.
lowing hymn, which the others Joined in
singing:
| Depth oil mercy, can their be
| Mercy sill reserved for mel"
The tune was sweet and simple, but she
heeced it not. The words had riveted her
attention, and she stood notionles,, till she
was invited to enter BY the woman OF the
novse, who had observed her standing ct the
moor. She complied, and remained during
prayer, which sas offered up BY one of the
little company; and uncouth as The express
sions might seem in her ears, they carried
with them CONVICTION of sincerity on the
part OF the person then employed She
quhted the cottage, but the words o. the
hymn followed her; she could not Danish
tnem from her mind, and at last she resolved
TO procure the book which contained tie
hymn. The more she read it, the more de-
clded her serious impressions became. She
attended the ministry of the Gospel, read
nef hitherto neglected and despised Bible,
anu bowed herself in humility and contri-
ton Of heart before Him whose mercy she
feh she needed, whose sacrifices are those
OF broken heart and a contrite spirit, and
Who has declared that Herewith he is well
Pleased
Her profession she determined al once,
and forever, to renounce; and for sUrne little
time excused herself from appearing on the
stage, without, however. disc losing her
change Of sentiments, or making known her
resolution finally to leave it.
The manager Of the theater called upon
her one morning, and requested her to sus-
tain the principal character in new play,
which was to be performed the next week
iOr his benefit. Size had frequently PERFORM
ed this character to general admiration /; but
she now. however, told her resolution never
to appear as an actress again. at the same
time giving her reasons. At frst he at
tempted to overcome her scrupes by iidi-
cule, but this was unavailing; he then re-
presented the loss he should incur by her
refusal, and concluded his arguments by
promising, that if to oblige him she would
act on this oc' aston, i. should be the last re-
quest of the kind he would,,eve make. Un-
able to resist his solicitations, she prom sed
to appear, and on the appointed evening
went to the theater. The character she as
sumed required her, on her first entrance. to
sing song: and when the curtains was
drawn up, the orchestra Immediately began
the accompaniment; but she stood as il los'
in thSught, and as one forgetting all around
her, an5 her own situation. The music
ceased, but she did not sing; and supposing
her to be overcome BY embarrassment, the
the band again commenced. \ second lime
they paused for her 10 begin, and still she
did not open her lips. a third time the air
was played, and then. with clasped hands,
and eyes suffused with tears, ne, not the
words of the song, but
Depth of mercy. can there be
Mercy still reserved for nc!'
II is almost needless TO add, that per or
nance was suddenly ended; many ridiculed
though some were induced from that memo,
rable ugh 10 consider their ways" and to
reflect on the wonderful power of that re-
ligion which could so influence the heart and
change the life of one hitherto SO vain, and
so evidently pursuing the road which lead
eth 10 destruction
1t would be satisfactory 10 the reader to
know, that the change in Miss - was
as permanent as il xss singular; she walk
ed consistently with her profession of relig-
ion ior many years, and at length became
the wife Of minister OF the Gospel Of cur
Lori Jesus Christ,