The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-03-26
LOUIS o. CowAN, Editor & Proprietor.
M,Hs5,sMMANNGTSo
frOm the Springfield Republican.
Jack Thorpe and the Revival.

bu, religious man. He had Just passed
the milestone Of his twen,y-fith birthday
with forced ldugh, and seemed inclined to
take the broad road that leads destruction
ward. He was careless OF the Sabbath,
drank on occasions to excess, was reputed
to have one or two disreputable connections,
and to be what the slang Of the day denom-
mated rather hard Yet it was generally
known that Jack was a member Of the
church, and that he had never been excom-
municated for his immoralities. The small
body Of simple Christians with which he
had connected himself when but boy, in
his native village, remembered him with
much affection as n convert OF remarkable
promise whose prayers and personal exhor-
iations had been powerful instruments oil
good in forwarding the work Of which he
Was one Of the subjects. They could never
believe the stories that were told OF him, or
II they did, they believed in the genuine
ness Of his early experience, and had faith
in his ultimate reformation. So, year after
year, Jacks name stood on the books, with
out transfer to any new connection In the
place to which he had removed.
One day Jack entered my office on busi-
ness. and in the course Of conversation, be-
came exceedingly angry and used Proiane
language.
Said /, Jack, am as,onished to hear
such talk from church member
This was reproof in form which he
little expected. Aher looking me In the
face for a minute, his eyes filed with tears,
and bowing his head upon his hand he re-
mained in silence while continued:
Jack, | am afraid if that little church up
in l.. knew exactly how you are going on
here, they would feel obliged, notwithstand.
inc their old love for you, to cut you loose
tHow many men in this place know that
Lam member of the church" inquired
Jack, looking up very seriously and very
earnestly.
.NeaTly everybody, l suppose. | know
of no one who does not know that you have
had religious history, and still have re-
ligious connections
IL would be impossible to convey any
idea of the pain-the keen remorse-whlch
his countenance exhibited as told him
this. was astonished at his sensibillty,
and could find no explanation Of it, save IN
the declaration which IT drew from HIN.
will not pretend TO decide upon the amount
of Christianity there was in this declaration.
leave that for wiser casuists To determine,
bu, that, with the subsequent history OF his
conversion, made very strong impression
upon me.
III will be hard for you to believe me,
said Jack, solemnly, but it is nevertheless
true, that for the consequences OF my be-
hayior to myself do not care a straw.
have trodden conscience under foot have
disreparded the love Of mother and sisters,
in the pursuit Of a life Of disqualification,
but the keenest pang have ever had you
have given me, in the suggestion that l
have been bringing the church OF Christ
into contempt. cannot tell why ], VINO
have cut myself loose from Christian re-
strain,, and become in the widest sense
man of the world, should care for the rePu-
tation Of the organization my conduct has so
disgraced. Yet it Is true that the thought
that nv connection with the church has dis.
praced that church and injured the cause oil
Jesus Christ, has touched my heart as moth
ing has touched II for years. / wish they
would excommunicate me. l will write TO
them that am reprobate, and that to save
themselves from perjury and their cause
from disgrace they must do II. And yet
don't know. can see now that almost or
quite unconsciously | have held on to that
connection as cord that sometime or other
would draw me back to my first love and
nv old position. 1t is terrible to think OF
sundering the only tie that binds me to ear.
ly purity and youthful purposes. y, God
why didn't die, why didn't l die, years
ago.
All this feeling was revelation to me,
and nv heart went out to Jack in genuine
charity. felt that he had possibly begun
his religious life under great disadvantages,
and was anxious to hear the particulars OF
his experience. =,
Jack said |, Il am interested in this
matter. Tell me about your conversion,
and how you come to 60 as,ray.'
sWell.' he replied, you know my father
vas one of the best men that ever breathed,
and that my mother was saint. Both were
dceply religious, and endeavored to impress
religious truth upon me from the earliest
moment of NV consciousness. We lived in
,''o''yTa = Th.'a G a,s as YOU know, two parishes
in tina, little ,own-the East and the West.
I lived in the West, where we had indifier-
ent preaching, and a very indiilerently sup
ported preacher. Twelve years ago this
winter The east parish became, never un-
ders,ood exactly how, the scene Of very
,em,rkable revival. The whole church was
deeply excited. Old backsliders, that had
been dead in sins for 90 years, came forward
and made confessions. One hardened sim
No, ,S,e, ,no,ber came out as CONVERTS
puhI;c mee,ings were held daily for weeks
TLs,a S we,s sr,ver meetings at sunrise,
a,a.s, Nv" mss,;,rs n sunset, prayer meetings
Pv.,s p .Ssn,nr This work was carried on
N'y ,oy;y,list. of the mama