Spirit of the age., 1861-04-24

r;th . foot in advance, stood With his hot
10th go mon myIcheek, and his eye burning
!, NV own could not have swallowed the
,ranay. had life been at stage. And yet,
shamad of hesitation, / tossed the liquor in
,;s face and With laugh, set the glass POM
,ously on the counter
81 will furnish you brandy tor week,
aid T by way Of warding Of his eye and
words s;if YOU will go to the temperance
meeting to night. and make speech"
And will YOU 90 and bas = ne pes's1ssAs
timed I as he Still looked ne n 'ne eye
"0f conrseI' | carelessy apss wsIsa n.o,,
The evening came, and, us - .,art 2 r the
;se and curious to see Hn, aa oro,r
temnerance meeting. The hofss wac Ifa,t
ded and as passed in by 'n1L 80 ton
ashamed-ashamed Of being =
rne re.seeting 2 rA at or
nament; csSsEe SaEse Eahi practice md search
ing. The close was characterized by great
pathos, and in spite of my eitts, / felt the
tears swimming in my lids athi appeals.
At the close of the meetg various par
ties were called upon to Aake remarks.
among Others myself Unds<he influence
of liquor, felt like exhibitin Inv gifts. and
showing my indifference to B matter /
spoke foolishly, have no ddbt; talked of
my own indifference to such nvial matters.
and very kindly tolerated TIM for the ben
eft of the drunkards. | had 10 doubt that
such men as James Murphy limiting to himl
might be benefited by signin7the pledge.
James Murphy got up amdst an audible
litter, out the litter was hphed, and then
deepened into earnest expedition before he
had opened his lips. The lmplight shone
full upon his fiery features an0 tattered gar
ments, but his form was strogly erect, and
seemed to swell into giant probrtions, in the
strange surroundings. His har was thrown
back from his forehead, his head poised proud
ly, and his arms arms folded grscefully across
his breast Those who had seen James Mrr-
ply when he stood as the eloanent advocate
in court, saw much OF Jafsss MuTshy, again.
His lip trembled moment, and tear
slowly swelled over the liz followed by an
other, and still others, filing upon that
parched and swollen CHEEK, like raindrops,
and cleaning in the light as they coursed
downward and fell upon the trembling hand.
Many an eye filled before his lips opened to
utter word.
"Yes, my friends and neighbors, there is
need of Jams Murphy's signing the pledge" !"
| have since thought that voice from the
dead conld not have more surprised that au-
dience or fallen over them with more won
drous spell. The tones were rich as of yore,
solemn and tremulous with the thoughts and
emotions struggling III his heart. There was
a swaying Of the people as the sentence fell
from his lips a leaning forward and MUIR
mar !. Ii Ike ,, breath e before thsKto
years since, and signed the pledge by its
holy morning light. 1t would have saved me
my idols on earth, and given mepromise of
Heaven. should have had lovely wife to
have blessed my life, a child to have greeted
me, and home of joy where to rest my feet.
| have now no wife, no child, no shelter for
my head, or land enough for my grave no
| reputation; no--no friends, no Heaven. Oh,
God! My Redeemer. Thou Christ that low
eth the lost, if the thief on the cross was
saved, can | not be, and here die, and leave
on earth this bloated carrion and the appe-
tite which has destroyed me?"
| The hands were clasped convulsively as
they were lifted, the head thrown back and
the eyes, now raining feod of scalding
drops, upturned pleadingly to Heaven. The
features were stamped with agony, the lips
parted, and the man apparehfs1 waiting re.
sponse to his appeal
Here on my knees, oh, Saviour of men,
|
child-can be sayed?"
His body was now bowed oyer the seat
and shook with violence of his emotions
:" Can be saved Christ even meets the re
turning prodigal, and there is Joy in HEAVIER
when the lost is found. Sign the pledge
James Murphy, and live"
Weeping, and his venerable countenanct
beaming with light and JOY, the clergyman
came down from the pulpit, with pledge il
hand, and .stood over the agonizing drunkard
Sign md lave. The Redeemer says come
Wife and child say come. You can be savec
on earth and saved in Heaven. Sign!"
Murphy grasped the extended pen conyul
sively, and still kneeling, wrote his name up
on the paper
"Yes," said he, sobbing, and the tears fall
ing fast upon the record, "rll sign. CO.
will not turn me off, know My wife an
lid have forgiven me, for I have suffere
indeed. would gladly drain the last bloc
from my heart to write it here, and die Will
| am Free"
To plaintive, weeping, and yet exultan
air, the clergyman broke forth
He signs it, he signs it The angels are singing
Another redeemed en- ONE is 5OEfay hI ringing
Like P rodigal he comes, to the Father returning
lost one is foundl The dead lives againi
The angels sitting by the grave where he's lain
He signs it in tears-Hope follows Despair;
He hungers no more for theses bread and to spare.
: Another one saved! How blissful the greetingi
How blssful the tears our hearts are now weeping
Fer erring one turns and by Christ is forgiven
e We welcome him back to honor and Heaven
: Hallelujah to God! we'll shout it again.
Till Heaven shall ring with the joyous acclaim
: The pledge he has taken no time shall dssever-
o. By the angel in Heaven tbs written forever
. Hallelujah to God! Wen shout it again,
And Heaven shall echo the joyous acclaim.
Eyes saved, sared, SAVED! Do you he
that friends, s,-SAVED God, [ thank tn
J. i thank thee. | am man again. a
free-HUZZAr'
3 Wild, piercing, and like an electric bul
d that shout rang through the room and lift
5 every heart from its blissful joy into higt
y tone of excitement
,e Saved blissful seaisght ~ continued
as he paced backward and forward before t
ID altar, saved on earth and in Heaven.
at know that my Redeemer liveth, and tha
W shall see Martha and George in Heaven.
ID Who will sign the pledge with me ?''
ID AS he turned, his eye fell upon me, and
III slowly continued
ne Harry Williams you are in danger
Id Now is the time for you to sign the pied
ed Now, before your life, as mine has been,
ed strewn with the ashes of all It's hopes vast
l had wife and child She died of sorr
he and neglect in winter night, and the b.
off died with hunger and cold upon her bre.
an My home passedto other hands. l beca
vn sot and homeless, friendless and degraG
lived on charity. begun where youbeg
it. You stand now, Harry Williams, whel
, | stood ten years ago. You have as much