The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-02-10

something of business nature was goins
wrong, and that he was dreading an impend
ing calamity. In that she could only hell
him by sympathy and love. She redoublet
her attentions; he was sensible of her kind
ness, but still remained silent about his trou
bles; she prayed for him, that God would
help him in his distress, and would give hin
the peace of Christ. One Sabbath morning
he arose early and began reading his Bible
musing, walking the room absorbed in the
deepest thought. His wife was distressed be.
yond the power of keeping silence, and GO
ing into the room in the afternoon, throwing
her arms around his neck, cried out in tears,
''my dear husband what is the matter with
you? has your business gone wrong? has
any i'll thing happened to youY' Weeping
profusely he clasped her in his arms, pressed
her to his heart. "Oh no. my dear, moth
ing is wrong, have just found my Saviour,
and he is precious to me-" 1t was an even
ingof blessedness in that house; no stranger
intermeddled Herewith; there was none to
ask what the Lord had done; his wife and
daughter knew. The cup of the wife's
blessedness seemed to her to be overhowiDg.
'God with us God with us - her husband
converted to God, the only thing that had
been wanting to make him her ideal of a
husband
There were now three in Charlottesville
that professed conversion to God, and in one
house. The words 81 have just found the
Saviour" were uttered by John Kelly, the
first of any of that generation of gentle
men in that village; in after-time it has been
heard from the lips of many men. 1t was
agreed to set up the Church of God in the
house that night. Mr.. Kelly read passage
of Scripture, and taking book of forms
his wife brought him, they all kneeled de-
voutly as he read the words and worshipped
God. He said he was not fit to frame words
to speak to God; and so for few days he
read form of prayer. But soon he found
his heart longing to speak to God, as a child
to his father; and he laid aside the form
never to be resumed. Simplicity and earn
estness in prayer characterized him through
hfe Mr.. Kerr was the first to worship God
in his house, in the village, and Mr.. Kelly
the second.
1t was soon noised over the village that
John Kelly prOfessed conversion, and was
praying with his family. "What is the
matter ?" Is he beside himself?" Has
he become fanatical? What is he going
to do? The weak and the wicked might
talk about conversion, but what has so hon
orable and good man as John Kelly to do
with it ?" His friends and acquaintances
met him with look of amazement, and ap-
peared confused, as at loss how to bear
themselves with him. He met them with a
smile; his manner little more kind than
ever; bore himself erect, dignifed, and gen.
teel in his person, and went on with his
business with his usual attention and prompt
ness to oblige. After while they said,
" We don't know what good religion will
do John Kelly, but as yet what he has
does not seem to have done him any harm.
In the year 1915, Mr.. Kelly made pub
lie profession of religion, and united himself
with the church at the Cove under the pas
toral charge of Mr.. James Robinson. That
old servant in the Gospel was beginning to
sink under the weight of his in6rmities, de-
spending about the ark of God. Mr.. Kel-
ly's course had peculiar significance to the
old pastor; and it would not be wonderful
if that night as he lay awake upon his bed
the words of Old Simeon came to his mind,
Now lettest thou thy servant depart in
peace. . SENEx.