The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1858-03-30

ment, and said IN rage: "Hand me The
book" and when he offered it to me !
took il and put it to my lips, and made a
solemn oath that would have nothing to
do with God or religion. / told him that
if he read to me that would not listen,
and bid him with an oath, to leave me a.
lone. He then went away, and l lay stark
alone in my bunk.
| 1t seemed to me that l was at that mo-
ment more miserable than had ever been
before in all my life. do not refer to my
bodily sickness, but to my distress of mind.
It was evening, and there was no light
near me, but all was as dark as midnight.
Suddenly the thought came over my miad
that it was the 2lst of December, and l
remembered my mothers letter. could
not rise and get it, for 1 was not able, and
my first impulse was to call one of my
messmates to get it for me. But l re-
membered that it was between the lids Of
my Bible. was ashamed to let any one
know that wanted tho Bible; and l did
not want that, but my mothers letter. /
lay for some time, and last determined to
call some one. One of my messluates
came at the call, / asked him to get
lantern, and to 60 to my trunk and get a
Bible with letter in it. "Ah," said he,
with sneer, "Now you're sick, you begin
to be coward; what do you want with
that bookw 81 don't want that book,
bnt the letter in it," I replied. In few
minutes lie brought a lantern, opened my
trunk, and handed me the Bible and let
ter He then left the lantern on my bunk
and went away. / sat up little in the
bed, and opened the sealed package. The
very first words that / caught brou. Int
tears to my eyes. They were my mothers
words-"My dear Tom" I read the let
ter carefully from beginning to end. 1t
was a mothers prayer for the conversion of
her son. had been miserable before, but
these words made me more wretched than
ever
I then began for the first time to feel re
morse for my sinfulness, and to have fear
and dread Of judgment. turned about
in my bunk in an agony which cannot
describe. had been told that could not
live, aid now was afraid to die. What
could l dol l began to pray! This was
what l had always had horror of before,
but was forced to como to it at last. l
prayed to God to let me get we'll again,
and made a solemn promise to Him, on
my bed, that if he would only raise me
up would reform my life. The burden
of my sin almost crushed me. Even if I
had not been sick, it seemed as if l should
have died of this. l continued TO pray,
and when it was expected that would
die was still alive, and was kept alive,
and instead of growing worse | grew bet
ter. The doctor told me then that had
had narrow escape, and that had been
lying at deaths door. AS got better,
got more and moro comfort. The light
gradually dawncd in upon my dark soul,
and its darkness was dispelled At last,
one day, there came a sudden joy-a
sweet peacc-that wrapped me round like
sunshine. Ny heart was happy, and while
| was wondering what it was, the mercy
of Christ was made known to me. | felt
the consciousness that my sins were par.
doned. began TO he stirred with new life
Whereas, before, hated my homo, now
my heart ycaracd towards it. My moth.
cr-oh, / wanted to see her, and to put
my arms around her neck. | wanted to
tell her that had read her letter and what
| had found in it. And my brothers and
sisters-l had no more desire 10 be sera.
rated from them, but, with my whole soul,
! longcd TO sec them, and to tell them
that had found the Saviour. My Joy
and told my shipmates of it.
Some Of them laughed at me, but didn't
care for that; "knew in whom I believ.
cd" At last VIC came into port; it was
on Saturday morning. On the next day
l found the Mariners Church, and, my
kind friends, l have been here ever since.
| am Lappy to be here, and can only thank
God that He has led me TO Himself and
has led me to you, in so wonderful way.
l am waiting here to 60 home and see my
aged mother. She is very near the grave,
and want to throw myself upon her neck
before she dies, and thank her and thank
God for her prayers for a wayward sonp