Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-09-08

: slight shadow Of concern n hez hce;
for she has learned TO know the eigns OF .
coming hour Of darkness, when the pow
~ q hell renew their direful assaults
upon my soul. Do sheanswered: and l
went,
II found Mr.. L. In his library, but
not alone. Mr.. e., the banker, had
called In TO have . talk with the minister
about college for theological students,
"a which both felt considerable interest.
Funds were wanted In order TO give the
Institution the required efficiency; and
the WAYS and means Of getting funds were
earnestly discussed by Mr.. Il - and the
capitalist After an hours talk, and the
arrangement of plan for securing the
object in view, Mr.. L. rang . bell. To
the servant who came In, he said some
thing In low voice, that did not hear.
The servant retired, but came back In .
few minutes, bearing, to my surprise and
momentary CONSERVATION, 9 tray with wine
and glasses. / saw q pleased light in the
bankers eyes, as they rested on the amber
solored wine.
"'Some fine, old sherry said Mr.. L.
ant me by friend abroad. want you TO
tase it, And he filed the three glasses
tina were on the tray, handing one to his
4 guet and another to me. In myself-my
poor weak self!-I was not strong
enoukh to refuse. If had looked up
to God, instantly, and prayed for
strength to do the right, strength would,
know, have come But did not. took
he CLAUS, not meaning to drink, but to
gain tine for thought To have refused
would lave been, then felt, to set my
self up Is q rebuker OF these men; and
that had not the courage to do. No, |
4 did not mean to taste the wine. But, as
they lifted their glasses, drank and praised
the fruity juice, !, in kind of mesmeric
lapse Of rational sell. control, raised my
glass also, and slipped. A wild, fierce
thirst possessed me instantly, and l
drained the glass to the bottom!
"a sudden terror and great darkness
/ fell upon me. / saw the awful guilt on
whose brink stood. Il will 60 home,' l
said to myself; and rising, babe the two
| men an abrupt good night and left them.
But / did not 60 directly home, alas for
| me! There were too many enticements
by the way. Indeed, ! don't know how
or when got home.
"Ofthe shame, the anguish, the despair
of this morning, cannot speak. You
don't know what 1t means-have no
plummet by which to sound It's depths OF
bitterness. I left home for my ONCE,
feebly resolved to keep away from tempta-
ton; how feebly, you know! II the
good Lord, who is trying to save me, had
not sent you to my rescue, would now
be-oh! I cannot speak the frightful
words"
He never leaves Us nor forsakes u.s." I
answered. "He is always going out upon
the black mountains, to the hot desert, and
into the wilderness of wild beasts, seeking
His lost and wandering sheep. If they
hear His voice, and follow Him, He will
bring them into His fold, where is peace
aGood Shepherd of SOULS" my friend
said sudibly, lifting upward his eyes, that
were full of tears, /" save me rom the
wolvesi They wait for me in all my
paths they spring upon me in all nay un.
guarded moments; they hide themselves
| Ia covert places, thirsting for my life ;
they steal upon me in sleeps clothing
| they beset me everywbeYet Good Shep.
herd / have no help but In Thee"
Breaking the deep, impressive silence
that followed, l said" In Him alone Is
safety. So long as you hear His voice,
and follow Him, no wolf can touch you
| with his murderous teeth. But, II you 60
out Of His sheepfold, and trust In your
own strength TO overcome the wild beasts
th.s .-A..sI ~. .-.sffcrnesS VI this world,
destruction is sure"
A few years have passed since then,
and Martin still holds, in divine strength,
the mastery of appetite. The vile Sec
ond nature he had formed unto himself,
and which bore him downward, for a
time, in it's steady current, grew weaker
and weaker, as the new life, born from
above, gained siren 9Th. In the degree
that he resisted and denied the old de-
| sires, did they grow weaker and in their
place God gave him purer and healthier
| desires, SO that he became, as 1t were, q
new man.
"The wolves are not all dead" l said to
him one day, as we talked Of the present
and the past. ia
lie looked a little sober az he replied
"No, my friend. Loften hear them hewl-
| ing in the distance; and know fun well
that If leave my Shepherds side, and
stray of into the wilderness, vainly trust-
ing In myself, that shall be a. power
less to stand against them, as q helpless
sheep. For me, am not safe for mo.
ment, except when l trust in Gods
strength to supplement my weakness.
When do that, all hell cannot prevail
against me" #k E