The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-04-22

... .. '
4. Loo. llaVa ai oa % u1Ij .-r. i ra
~ .ps ,,yI. Jsdta's.,1qos n -pn
cides with Mans. Just inside the companion
way wsre slung half . score Of bright sharp
axes, which the Esmsrsida had never needed
before. Each Deacon took one Of them, and,
adopting the Same instantaneous thought, laid
himself steadily to work against the roof Of
the house. Little BY little Il yielded. Nall al.
ter nail gave way, and In ten minutes moro Il
was pushed from It's place and lay upon the
deck no longer roof bat arsf. Around Il
they passed and rspassed . coil Of rope, nail.
ing each turn at the edges to keep Il from shin
ing, and dragging Il to the bulwarks. poised Il,
lay down upon It, grasped the holdfssts, and
bearing their precious burden II fell over. Its
splash went up as the last prayer Of hope for
two sleeping wives, who might wake widows-
two numbering children, whom the day might
dawn on fstherless ." ''H i' .
The rsft swan we'll. Wave after wave de-
mou,trsted that, by passing under II with
roll like moving mountains-now In their over
aow only shifting the faces Of the two with
whiplash Of ans sprsy-now quite soaking them
with wider, heavier sheet. But these were
nothings-to noat was all.
When death began to hover little farther
of, Deacon Townsend, for the Arst time, SOL
emnly broke the silence: Boo d-r p. .f'H
Deacon Allen, I have been an orful sinner
against God and you.' r ..'ur
'Oh, Deacon Townsend. ye havn't sinned as
hev agin light and knowledge - ..rr
4 have said that Of you that Christian
should be ashamed and aiearcd to say!'
And have rcvied the Lords chosen, and
opened His wounds afrcsh, and put Him TO an
open shame emo
when I think Of last night, and those three
souls that might ha' led to Him, that I druv
from Him and caused to make mock
when think Of Il! Oh, how can meet
Him with their blood upon mel Ef their boat,
ss Is more'n likely, Is swamped long afore now,
they're standin' in His presence and pintin'
down to me an sayin', 'Hc made religion by
word an hissin' to us-He whom thou didst
ordain to teach men the way o. Lifs-He-"
''Twas begun II. I took the blessin' from
their mouths when you were tryin' to feed the
dyin' souls o God, be merciful to me sin
ner
% God, be merciful to me!
.Broiher Allen, will you lead US In prayerf =
Clasplng his two hard hands over the rope.
at once for life and In supplication, Deacon Al
len lifted his choked and humble voice above
the roar of wind and sea, and said: ..I so
Our Father who art In Heaven-though ws
are unworthy even to draw nigh into thy pres.
ence, and our sins do cover Us as doth gar.
ment-because thou henderest none from comm
to thy mercy scat, and because We arc the chic
Of sinners utterly lost without thy help, w
dare to pray unto Thee in the name ofthy Bon
o God, we have been dreful sinners against
Thee Our wickodness stares US In the face,
and we are not able to look up. Thou hasi
commanded US to love one another, and We hev
gone right direct agin thy command and hated
each other. Thou hast told US to give no place
unto wrath, and our he.s-a.rts have ben 80 full
o. wrath that thoro was no place for thy Spirit!
On airth Thou reviledst notagsin and We who
dare to call ourselves thy LOWEST, unworthiest
o. children, have revied agin an agin We
hsv taken thy name upon our lips in prayer.
while anger was In our hearts yea. out o. the
same mouth has come blessin' and cursin'.
While We said. THY kingdom come We have
Rendered thy kingdom. The blood of souls Is
upon our skirts. o God We have driven away
the world from thy cross by our strifes and jeal.
ousies but last night We made thy name o
nook afore those whom ws might have led to
Thee. Ef there be mercy with Thee for sch rs
We, o God come over the mountains Of our sins
and help us! Ef still bc possible. sare those
young men whose precious souls VIC hid thy
light from with our darkness let them not rise
up in judgment agin US, cfso bc thou caust on
ly bring them safe to land, and awaken their
never. dying souls to the knowledge o'Thcc.
Save them, and let Us sink only give Us . low
place at thy righ. hand. where We can humbly
praise Thee forever, out O. sight ofall the holy
who have lived to serve Thee, and thy name
shall have the glory forever. Amen ,,-.-
Amen answered Deacon Townsend, fer
vently. u ...- ''ir..
Brother Townsend said Deacon Allen, af.
ter q pause, during which large wave swept
clean over them, ct II should be Gods will that
only one Of US should reach the shore. and that
ono should DO you, will you tell Miss Allen that
I want her keep the old house. and Lish, that
he must stick by her jest a. long - she lives,
and that the farm and the smack goes TO him,
and whatever personal property there be to her
for her lifetime, arter which tsw him alsof
Z And ef tho Lord has foreknowed that you
be saved and perish-though not forever,
hope, through His infinite marcy-pleass you
say to Miss Townsend that she and Becky 10 to
share oil. and that my last request was that
they'd sl'ays bs as good mother aud daughter
each to ,'othsr. a. they have been good wife
and child to me- N.Htlla "a .s.
And Brother Townsend, supposin' only one
on us lives to SEQ land, let that one take Il on
himself to mako our two Meetin's love one m.
other A. much Ike true Christians As they kin,
teachin' 'sm by example and prscept not to
forsaks the assemblin' Of themselves together.
ana that there be no strife and doubtin's among
EN- lrN .a.1un ID Di ..'pf5r Il . IN
And let that one teach our tsw wives to bs
good friends, and let the Dne that's lsit widow