The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1870-09-29
THE WAY OF ESCAPE.

was awarded to the following story by
unanimous vote of the Committee
/ My heart ached for the wretched man
J His dabauch was over; his nerves un
strung; the normal sensibilities of fine
moral nature quickered, after briet tor
por, into most acute perceptions. Such {
haggard facel Such hopeless eyes | see
the picture now, as haunting spectre.
Let the memory of this hour, so bur
dcned by pain and repentance, be as a wal
Of defence around you in all the future,
| said.
He looked at me drearily. Slowly shak>
ing his head, he replied:
Such memories are no defense. My
soul is full Of them. When temptation
aSsails, they fall away, and | am at the
mercy of mine enemy, who rushes in, like
hungry wolf, to kill and to Destroy
is there no help for you, them" /
asked.
He shut his eyes and was very still. II
an artist could have seen his face then,
and faithfully caught its expression, those
who looked upon the image must have felt
such pity IN their hearts as makes the eyes
grow dim with tears.
- fear not," he answered, after little
while, in hopeless kind of way.
1T cannot be. y | spoke contidentially
and assuringly "No man is given over
there IS, way of escape from every
evil"
Except the evil of bad and degrading
habit-that vile second nature" he an
swered, 'the steady current of which is
forever bearing him downward, downward,
toward stormed wrecked ocean. He may
hn Io, l.,
scores Of times, and pull against the current
making headway for little white. But
human strength availS not here. The aims
grow weary, the spirit fiags-it is easier to
draft than to row, and down the current
bears him again. 1t is the history Of
thousands and tens Of thousands, and |
am no exception.
1t cannot be" | answered. ''There is
help for every man, no matter how weak,
nor how beset By enemies else Gods
word must fail 3"
1T does fail, I think" he answered, in
a gloomy, despairing kind of way.
No no no !" Quickly and emphati-
cally did | reject his conclusion
Have it as you will. | shall not argue
the point He spoke almost listlessly.
Then, | say, there is hel . for every
man, no matter where he is or what he is
We cannot fall SO low that the Everlast
ing arms are not still beneath US, ready to
bear us upward to mountain heights of
safety
"Oh, that those arms would bear me
upward - almost groaned my poor friend.
> have no strength in myself. | cannot
climb. Unless lifted by another, | must
perish.
$50 bad as that9'' I soi1
Just so bad, . he answered, slowly and
made for mysc SfcGT IS Tuer rn'tt2a ,2ason 9sFe core
science, the love of my wife and children,
my good reputation, pride, manlness-all
human powers and virtues are its slave.
And such bondage -
There was not a ray Of hope in his dreary
eyes.
You must try again" | said, cheerily.
mo man need be a slave
Easily said !" was his impatient an
swer; while yet all men are slaves to
some habit from which they cannot break. F"
Sag, rather, from which they will not
break"
'Y ou mock me with idle words"
mo; | speak only the words of truth
aud evborueos. TheIo Is human strength,
and there is divine strength. The Ever
lasting arms are always beneath and ready
to bear us up, if we will but lean upon and
trust them. Human strength is but as
a broken reed; divine strength is sure as
God Himself. 1t never fails"
There came into his heavy eyes a feeble
play of light. The stern rejection that sat
upon his lips faded off
In our own strength nothing" [ said
IN God S strength, all.
| eom IL, hand. :.
way. Then they rested one against the
other. Suddenly they were clasped to-
gether in a kind of spasm, while his eyes
few upward IN a wild, alt-desparing ap-
peal to God, his lips groaning out the
words
Save me, or | am lost -
Even now, memory gives back the thrill
that swept along my nerves as his cry pen.
etrated my ears.
Never from any human soul went up,
unheard, a prayer like that He who
once and forever took apon Himself our
nature, and who was in all points tempted
as we are, yet without sin, and who is
touched always with the feeling of our in
firmity, stands close beside Us, knocking
at the door of our heart, that He may come
in and help and save US. All hell is pow
erlesS before HIN. Impure desires f1ee
from His presence like night birds when
the sun arises; and the cords of evil habits
are broken, as the withes that bound the
arms of Samson, at His lightest touch:
| waited for Z little while without sreak-
ing, watching him closely, to see if be
would raise into anything like confidence.
Gradually, the hard, desp9nding lock
faded from his countenance, and | saw
calm resolve begin to show itself about his
mouth.
One more effort he said, at last.
speaking slowly, but very firmly: "One
effort more. bat not in my own strength.
| have tried that too often, and shall nev.
er try 1t again. | give up the struggle as
hopeless. If God fails me, | am lost"
What a fearful crisis If God fail He
never tails-is never nearer to US, nor
stronger to help US, than at the moment
when despairing of our own strength, we
turn TO Him. The only danger lies in our
not trusting Him fully.
But how shall trust Him? How shall
| get a transfer OF His strength to my will?
How is it that His power can supplement
my weakness? | am away down in the val
ley OF sin and shame; how am | to get
upon the mountains of purity, peace and
safety? VIII He bear me as on the
wings Of an eagle? or must | climb and
.iip,h from lo,, 1,r- I 1