Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1864-03-31
DoDGEvILLE WISCONSIN, THURSDAY, MARCH ST. 1864

whole external life took on new form.
The tlppler was no longer seen in dram
shops; the scofer at religion turned his
steps to the house Of prayer the man
of violence placed bit and curb on his
cruel passions. In all matters of relig-
ion he was jealous. Strong -willed and
persistent of character-tough and en-
during-he naturally became leader
among his brethren There was no
softness about him. His natural tenn
perament remained. The forms of life,
twisted, compacted, stunted in growth
by the rough storms and hot suns of his
early winters and summers, were not
changed; but new purposes impelled
him In new direction. He. was a bet
ter man and better citizen. He was
working to higher ends but he found
it easier to work on the material outside
than inside of himself He could change
the aspect Of things around him far
more readily than he could change his
natural inclination-his habits of feel
ing; the states Of mind which had be-
come parts of his life as it were. With
him the new order of things did not
progress far beyond the reformation Of
his external; that regeneration, which
proceeds, by gradual advances, deeper
and deeper down to the very thoug hts
and purpose of the heart, changing the
inner form to one Of heavenly order and
beauty, was something too interior for
his experience-too interior for his com
prehension. AS he saw, he walked, and
walked in the narrow way leading to life
eternal.
Malcom never looked back, and never
turned back. From the day he made a
profession and Joined the church, he
was an active member, and always to be
counted on. In a year, he married an
excellent young woman, also a
member Of the church. He established
himself in business, and, through in
dustry and attention thereto, prospered
At the age Of thirty, he was made a
class leader. Having the gift of Ian
guage, united with much fervor of spi1-
it, he was acceptable in this position.
His class was always full and the mem
bers thereof often spoke of the "pre
cious seasons" they had together.
So the years went on. Mr.. Malcom
had children; human souls, whose lives
coming through his life, took therefrom
hereditary inclinations, and form of
life answering his own. In the degree
that regeneration had not proceeded IN
wardly with him, did they inherit per-
verse impulses. They were not what we
call good children-gentle, obedient
loving. But active, sclf-willed, and
prone to step aside into forbidden ways
They were constantly disturbing the
unregenerate things Of their fathers
mind, and SO making him blind and i'm
patient. Action and reaction between
them were not often in reciprocal har-
mony, but almost always inadequate or
antagonistic. The oldest son was an es-
pecial trial to his father. He resem-
bled him strongly both as to personal
appearance and disposition.
Mr.. Malcolm was not skilled in the
law Of love; and, therefore, his govern
ment with his children was based on the
law Of force. He tried to bend the cold
iron by main strength, at the risk of
swapping its tough, resisting fb1es, in
stead of softening it by the heat of love,
and then fashioning its impressible sub
stance with gentler touches. What fol-
lowed? If the iron did not break, it
got ugly twists, or bent too far, taking
always unhandsomer shapes with every
effort of his blind strength.
So the contest went on between him
and his Oldest boy John, even from
childhood to early manhood-between
the cold, resisting iron and the strong
hand.
II will break his will if I break his
heart p Over and over again did Mr.
Malcolm come up to the fruitless work Of
reducing his son to obedience with this
stern sentence on his lips. Punishment
had been repeated so often, and with
such increasing severity, that it had be-
come cruelty. And yet, there was no
good result. The boys character grew
more and more unlovely, just as piece
of cold iron that is wrenched this way
and that, and beat upon with passion
ate force, in the vain hope Of compell-
| ing it to. take a form Of use or beauty
As John approached manhood, unde,
this stern discipline, growing harder
and stronger and more self-willed, there
began to appear signs Of resistance. Mr..
Malcom was startled and distressed. A
painful sense of anxiety held back the
angry impulses. that struggled in his
heart A depressing weakness came
over him. He had often prayed for his
son; but never in the broken voice that
now marked his petitions, IF he had
prayed for himself it would have been
better-for softer heart towards his
child-for spirit of tenderness and
forgiveness-ior love in the place Of an
ger. The hindrances were with him
self. He must overcome before he could
overcome. But he did not see this.