Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-12-31


Let me tell you story. have told ii
before; but it is striking one, and set:
out in true ligh. how easily men viii be
brought, in times of danger, to believe il
a God, and a God of justice, too, though
they have denied him before.
In the backwoods of Canada there resid-
ed good minister who one evening went
out to mediate, as Israel did in the fields.
He soon found himself on the borders of a
forest, which he entered, and walked along
the track which had been trodden before
him, musing, musing still, until at last the
shadow of twilight had gathered around
him, and he began, to think how he should
spend night in the forest. He trembled
at the idea of remaining there, with the
poor shelter of tree into which he would
be compelled to climb.
q. On sudden, he saw light in the dis
tanc among the trees, and imagining that
it might be from the window of some cot
tage, where he could find hospitable re-
treat, be FASTENED to it, and, to his sur
prise, saw space cleared, and trees laid
down to make a platform, and upon it a
speaker addressing q multitude. He
thought to himself, 4 have tumbled on a
company who in this dark forest have as
sembled TO worship God, and some minis
ter is preaching to them at this late hour
in the evening concerning the kingdom of
God and his righteousness; but to his
surprise and horror, when he came nearer,
he found young man declaiming, against
GOD daring the Almighty to do his work
upon him, speaking terrible things in
wrath against the Most High, and ventur-
ing most bold and awful assertions concern
ing his own disbelief in future state. 1t
was altogether a singular scene; it was
lighted up by pine knots, which cast a
glsre here and there, while thick darkness
in other places still reigned. The people
were intent on listening to the orator; aud
when he sat down, thunders of applause
were given to him, each one seeming to
emulate the other in his praise.
Thought the minister, 4 must not let
this pass; I must raise and speak; the
honor of my God and his cause demand it.
He feared to speak, for he knew not what
to say suddenly; but he would have ven
tured had not something else occurred. A
man of middle age, hale and strong, rose,
and leaning on his staff, said, my friends,
Ihave a word to speak to you tonight
1 am bound to refute any Of the arguments
of the orator; l shall say nothing con-
cerning what / believe to be the blasphe-
mics he has uttered; but l shall simply
relate to you fact, and after l have done
that you shall draw your own conclusions
Yesterday walked by the side of yonder
river; saw on its food a young man in a
boat. The boat was unmanageable; it
was going fast down the rapid; he could
not use the oars, and / saw he was not ca
pable of bringing the boat to the shore;
saw the young man wiring his hands in
agony; by and by he gave up the attempt
to save his life, kneeled down and cried
with desperate earnestness, %, God, save
my soulp 1 heard him confess that he
had been blasphemer; l heard him VOW
that, if his life was speared, he never would
be such again; heard him implore the
mercy of Heaven, for Jesus Christ's sake
and earnestly plead that he might be
washed in his blood. These arms saved
that young man from the flood; plunged
in, brought the boat to shore, and saved
his life. That same young man has just
now addressed you and cursed his maker
What say you to this, sirsg
The speaker sat down. You may guess
what shudder ran through the young
man himself and now the audience in 9
moment, changed their notes, and saw
that after all, while it was a fine thing tc
brag and bravado against Almighty God
on dry land, and when danger was distant,
1t was not quite SO grand to think i'll of him
when near the verge of the grave. We
believe there is enough conscience in every
man to convince him that God must nun.
ish him for his sin, and that in every hear,
the words of Scripture will find an echo Il
If he turn not, He will whet his sword.