The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-12-30
The Scofer Silenced.
BY REV. c. H. STURGEON, OF LONDON.

Let me tell you a story. l have told it before; but
it is a striking one, and sets out in a true light how
easily men will be brought, in times of danger, to be-
lieve in a God, and a God of justice, too, though they
have denied him before.
In the backwoOds of Canada there resided a 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 twi-
light had gathered around him, and he begpn to
think how ne should spend a night in the forest. He
trenbied ut the idea of remaining there, with the poor
shelter of a tree, into which he would be compelled to
climb.
On a sudden, he saw n light in the distance among
the trees, and imagining that ii might be from the
window of some cottage, where he could find n hos
pitable retreat, he fastened 10 il, and, to his surprise,
saw n space cleared, and trees laid down TO make 4
platform. and upon it a speaker addressing a multi
tude. He thought TO himself, " I have tumbled on a
company who in this dark forest have assembled TO
worship God, and some minister is preaching to them
at this late hour in the evening concerning the king
dom of God and his righteousness;' but to his surprise
and horror, when he came nearer he found n young
nan deelaiming against God, daring the Almighty to
do his work upon him, speaking terrible things in
wrath against the Most High, and veaturing most
bold and awful assertions concerning his own disbe
lief in a future state Ii was altogether a singular
scene II was lighted up by pine knots, which cast n
glare here and there, while the thick darkness in
other places still reignei. The people were intent on
listening to the orator; and when he sat down thun-
ders OF Applause were gwen TO him, each one seeming
to emulate the other in his praise.
Thought the minister, " must not let this pass; l
must rise and speak; the honor of my God and his
cause demand it." lie feared to speak, for he knew
not what to say suddenly; but he would have ven
tured had not something else occurred. \ man of
middle age, hale and strong, rose, and leaning on his
stab, said, 3 My friends, I have a word to speak to
you tonight. | am not bound to refute any of the argu-
ments of the orator; I shall say nothing concerning
what | believe to be the blasphemies he has uttered;
but l shall simply relate to you a fact, and after |
have done that you shall draw your own conclusions.
Yes erday | walkei by the side of yOnder river; [ saw
on Its flood a young man in n boat. The boat was
unmanageable; IL was going fast down the rapid; he
could not use the oars. and | saw he was not capable
Of bringing the boat to the shore; / saw that 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, so, God, save my
soul ~ | heard him confess that he had been a bias
phemer; / heard him VOW that, if his life was spared,
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,
sirs ?"
The speaker sat down. You may guess what a
shudder ran through the young man himself, and
row the audience in a moment, changed their notes,
and saw that after all, while it was a fine thing to
brae and bravado against Almighty God on dry land,
and when danger was distant, it 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 punish
him Tor hrs SIN. and that in every heart the words Of
scripture will find an echo. elf he turn not, He
viii whet his sword"