The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1861-05-18
ra, N wor,sn sav. sor n. purpcs.s Of s,sess-

hD1 " " NJ u CIcaT 70 fh'VeiDD ihtt-
- that he w,ci never prHo one Of them 10 40
opt Lin srlinst f.r will.
Ills lfc, lie o.c lo came 20 Isavcioo, had tosa
dlct with che moS en- ut, the mental activity,
an tho Close fclio sehip which, In that day -
| In this max d the life Of m ar'iysn early Ia
cNrpOra'e' in \ narrow reli .,ious scct, whoss
III, TO cst laSuan has Tho thanoo of distin-
gGishin.; hunsclf by gift Of ssecl, md has, q
| the Sefy .lEt, w.t. ght of q SIluut voter In
tne gJSrruuent oi his community.
| Manner Was Ia ,hly thou hit Of in that littis
bicd' world, known 90 its III a. the church as
| scmhiing in th1r-n lsrd; hc was believed TO
Ge yoUn; man e exeu 4 uy life and ardent
faith; snl iec culisc IslSrs 9, bad been centered
In him ever s,agc 10 lad fden, A. q prayer-
Dcetiog, into a mys,CIIOus riyility and sus-
pension Of CcnsciOusnC q, which lasting for an
hour or more, h.d been mistaken for death II
have sought medical explsnsti,p fot tAs pho
noucnon would havc h en- by Silas himsclf, as
we'll as by his minister aud fellow members, .
wiliul scf-cNClusit n from tho ApiTituJ signih-
csncs that MIGHT lc therein, Sfas was evident
" a brother selected for peculiar discipline,
and thDugh the effort 20 r~a rprct this discipline
was discouraged by tho ah.cucc, on bis part, Il
any spirituii vision during las out~srd uanco,
yct IL was Delcvod by Inns AID Others that
IT, effect WIS seen ia an aycCssi u OF light AMI
icrvor. A less truthful man t1an he might
have boon tempted INTO the subsequent creation
of , Vi. ion In 'nc iirrn If rsursent memory; Q
Crsaiign; but Silas was both sane and honest,
thol a. as With mary b nest and frvid men,
culture bad NOT criiucd any channels for his
sense &C mystery, snc 90 II spread itself over the
proper pathway Ui inquiry and kpovIedgr. He
had Inherited from his mother some acquaint-
aucc with medicinal bcrbs md their pre- paration
"a little store oi wisdom which shs had impart-
ell TO him a. u solemn b,qLeSt--but Of late
years ho bad doubts about the lawfaness q
applying this knowledge, believing that herts
could have no efficacy without prayer, and that
PRAYER might suffice without herbs; so that tho
Inherited delight hc had in wandering in tho
fields in search oi fuxglOvo and dandcion and
| colisioot, brgau 10 wear to him the character
| OF u tcpptai .Uu.
Among the memlcr of his church there was
| ono young man, a little older than himself with
| whom he had long lived in such close friendship
| that It was tho custom Of their Lantern Yard,
brethren to call them David and Jonathan.
The real name OF the friend was Will am Dana,
and he. too. was regarded asa shining instance
ofysuthiul piety, though somewhat given to
| over severity towards WEAKER brethren, and TO
| bo 30 dlEzled by his own light as to hold him
self wiser than his teachers. But whatover
| blemishcs others might discern In William, TO
| his friends mind ho was fIultlcss; tor Mariner
| had one # those imprcssblc solf-doubting ns-
| tures which, nj an inexperienced ago, admire
| imperativeness, and lean on contradiction.
Il hal seemed to the unsuspecting Silas that
| the fricndship had suffered no chill even from
| hi, formation Of another attaChm, Mt Of a closer
| kind. For some months he had been engaged
| to young servant woman, waiting only for .,
little increase to their mutual savings In order
to their marriage; and it was great delight
| 20 him that Sarah did not object TO Williams
ocCasiln.l presence In their Sunday in
terviows. Il was at this point Of their
history that SilaS's catalcptic fit occurred
durin.; tho prayer meeting and amidst
tho various queries and expressions Of interest
4 all 40, l,,b E,II,vv p,au,bara VII
liam's suggestion alone Jared with the general
| sympathy towards a brother thus singled out
| for special dealings. He observed that, to him,
this trance looked more like visitation Of Ss-
| tan than proof of divine favor, and exheitsd
| his friend to SEQ that he hid no accused thing
| within his soul. Silas, feeling bound 10 ac-
| ccpt rcbukc and admonition as a brotherly Of
dee, felt no resentment, but only pain, at his
friends doubts concerning him and 10
this was soon added some anxiety at
the perception that Sarahs manner to-
| wards him began TO exhibit strange Huctua-
tion between an effort at aa increased maniiss3
| tstiou OF regard and involuntary signs o1
| shrinking and dislike. lilo asked her II she
| wished to break of their engagement; but shS
| denied this; their engagement was known u
| the church, and had been recognized in the
| prayer. meetings; 1t could not DO broken o6
| without strict Investigation, anil Sarah eoald
| render no reason that would 10 sanctioned by
| the feeling Of the community. At this time
| tho senior deacon was taken danuero usly iii.
and, bein, a ,hillless wiluwcr, he was ttnded
| ni..It and Iay hv some Of the Younger brethren
or sisters. Silas frequently took his turn In
tie uipht-wn, cbinn with William. the one re-
leyins the other at two in the morning.
The old maa, contrary to expectation, SEEM
| oil TO hn on the wav to recovery, when
one nicht Sills, sitting up by his bedside, OBJ
served that his usually audible breathing had
ceased. The candle was burning low, and
| le had To lit ia To the Dltients face dis
tinctlv. Examination convinced him that the
deacon was lcad--had been dead some time,
for tho limbs were rigid. Silas asked himsen
| ii he had been asleep, and looked at the clock
| il was already four in the morning. How was
IL that William had not coms2 In much anxie-
| ty no went to seek for help, and soon re were
several friends assembled In the house, tho
minister among them, while Silas went away
| 10 his work Wishing he could have met Viii
| liam to know the reason Of his non-appearance,
| But at six o'clock, as he sas think
ing Of going 20 seek his friend, VIII.
liam came. and wi h him the minister They
came to summon him to Lantern Yard, to meet
the churth members there; and to his inquiry
concerning the cause Of the summons tie only
reply was, You will hear" Nothing further
was said until Silas was seated In the vestry, In
front Of the minister, with the eyes oi those who
TO him represented Gods people lxed solemnly
upon him. Then the minister taking out 3
pocket-knife, showed il to Sias, and asked hin
| III he knew where he had left that knife 2
Siias said be did not knov that he ma