The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1866-03-02
REMARKABLE ESCAPES OF EMINENT
MEN

Some years ago young man, holding sub
ordinate position in the East India Compauy's
service, vice attempted to deprive himself Of
life by swapping loaded pistol at his head.
Each time the pistol missed FIRE. A friend enter.
ing his room shortly afterwards, hc requested
him to fire It out Of the window; 1t then wen,
of without any difficulty. Satisfied thus that
the weapon had been duly primed and loaded
the young man 'prang up, c1claiming, 81
must be reserved for something great" and
from that moment gave up tho idea OF suicide
which for SOME time previous had been upper
most in his thoughts. That young man after
wards became Lord Give.
Two brothers were on one occasion walking
together when violent storm OF thunder and
lightning overlook them. One was struck
dead on the spot, the other was spared; else
would tho name Of the great reformer, Martin
Luther, have been unknown to mankind.
The holy St. Augustine, having to preach at
distant town. took with him guide, who by
some unaccountabc means mistook tho usual
road and fell into bye.path. lie afterward.
discovered that his enemies. having heard Of his
movements, had placed themselves in the pro-
per road with the design Of numbering him.
Bacon. the sculptor, when a tender boy of
years old, fell into the pit OF soap.boiler, and
must have pcrishcd, had not workman, JUS
entering tho yard, observed the top Of his head
and Immediately delivered him.
When Oliver Cromwell was an infant, Q
monkey snatclcd him from his cradle, leape'
with him through garrett window, and rar
along the leads of the house. The utmost
alarm was excited amongst the inmates, and
various werc the devices used to rescue The
child from the guardianship of his newly-found
protector. All wero unavailing his would-bc
rescuers had lost courage, and were in despair
of ever seeing the baby alive again, when the
monkey quietly rctraccd itsstcps and deposited
its burden safely on the bed. On a subsequent
occasion the waters had well nigh quenched
his Unsuitable ambition. lie fell into deep
pond, from drowning in which clergyman
named johnson was tho sole instrument Of his
rescue.
At tho scigc OF Teicestcr,a young soldier,
about seventeen years oi age, was drawn out
for sentry duty. One Of his comrades was very
anxious to take his place. No objection was
made, and this man went. lie was shot dead
while on guard. Tho young man first drawn
afterwards became the author Of the "Pilgrm' 8
Progress"
Doddridge, when born, was so weakly an in-
iant it was believed to be dead. nurse stand
iug by fapcicd she saw some signs Of vitality.
Thus tho feeble spark of lifo was saved from be
ing extinguished, and an eminent author md
consistent Christian preserved to tho world
John Wesley, when child, was only just
preserved from fro. Almost the moment alter
he was rescued, the roof of the house where be
had been fell in.
OF Phillip Henry similar instanccis record.
ed.
John Knox, tho renowned Scotch reformcr,
was always wont to sit ut tho head of the table,
with his back to tho window. On one particu-
lar evening, without, however, being able to
account for it, he would neither himself sit in
the chair nor permit any one clsc to occupy his
place. That very night bullet was shot in at
the window rurposcly to kill him; 1t grazcd
the chair in which he sat, and made hole in
the foot OF q candlestick on tho table.
Many years have now elapsed since three
subalterns might have been seen struggling in
the water, of st. Helena; ono Of them, peculi.
arly helpless, was fast succumbing. lie was
saved, to live as Arthur Wellesley, Duke ol
Wellington.
The life of John Newton is but the history
of a series of marvellous delverances. As a
youth he hadagrced to accompany some friends
ON board of man of.war. lie arrived too late
to go the boat in which his friends had gone
was capsizcd and all its occupants drowned
On another occasion, when tide surveyor of the
port of Liverpool, some business had detained
him, so that he came to his boat much later than
usual, to tho great surprise Of those who were
in the habit of observing his then undertaking
punctuality. lie went out in the boa. ms here
to!oro to inspect a ship, which blew up before
he reached her. Had hc left the shore n few
minutes sooner hc must have pcrished with the
rest on board.