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


| As | have just told YOU he replied
| Il was not feeling very strong. That Ok
restlessness Of which | have spoken, haC
come back upon me. and | knew what i
meant. So | said to my wife, 1 think
| Mary, that I'll step around and see Mr.
l.. Id like to talk with him Sht
! looked at me with slight shadow of con
Germ in her face; for she has. learned tc
know the signs of 4 coming hour of dark
ness, when the powers of hell renew then
dlretul assaults upon my soul. DO, she
answered; and | went.
Il found Mr.. l. in his library, bu
not alone. Mr.. E., the banker. lac
| called in to have talk with the minister
about Il college for theological students, il
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.. l. and the
| capitalist. After an hour talk, and the
arrangement OF q plan for securing the OBJ
ject in view, Mr.. l. rang a bell. TC
the servant who came in he said some
thing in a low voice, that | did not hear
The servant retired, but came back in :
few minutes, bearing to my surprise and
momentary CONSERVATION, tray with wine
and glasses. | saw q pleased light in the
banker 5 eyes, as they rested on the amber
colored wine.
Some fine, old sherry, said Mr.. L.,
sent me by friend abroad. | want you
to taste it, And he filled the three glasses
that were on the tray, handing one to bis
guest and another to me. La myself-my
poor, weak self!-I was not strong enough
to refuse. If [. had looked up to God,
instantly, and prayed for strength to dc
the right, strength would, | know, have
come. But | did not | took the glass,
not meaning to drink, but to gain time ior
thought. To have refused would have
been, | then felt, to have set myselfup as
rebuker Of these men; and that had
not the courage to do. No, | did not
mean to drink the wine. But, as they
lifted their glasses, drank aud praised the
fruity juice, [, in kind of mesmeric
lapse of rational control, raised my glass,
also, and slipped A wild, fierce thirst
possessed me instantly, and drained the
glass to the bottoml
"A sudden terror and great darkness fell
upon me. | saw the awful quit on whose
brink [ stood. L will go home, | said &c
myself; and rising, 1 bade the two men an
abrupt good night and left them. But !
did not go directly home, alas for me!
There were too many enticements by the
way. Indeed, don't know how or wher
| got home.
'Of the shame, the anguish, the de-
spair of this morning, | cannot speak
You don't know what it means-have nc
plummet by which to sound it's depths o
bitterness. | left home for my Office
feebly resolved to keep away from tempta
ton; how fcebly, you know! If the gooC
Lord, who is trying to save me, had no
sent you TO my rescue, [ would now be
oh! [ cannot speak the frightful words.
"He never leaves US nor fOrsakes u.s.,
| answered. "He is always going out upol
the black mountains and hot desert, an,
Ills lost ana wandtrinkd heabtS fffkip;
hear His voice, and follow Him, He wi
bring them into His fold, where is peac
and safety"
Good Shepherd of souls" my frier,
said audibly, lifting upward his eyes, tha
were full of tears, save me from IT,
wolves! They wait for me in all my paths
they spring upon me in all my unguardet
moments; they hide themselves in cover
places, thlrsting for my life; they stea
| upon me In Sleeps clothing-they beSe
me everywhere! Good Shepherd!
have 40 help but in Thee"
| breaking the deep, impressive silcnc
that followed, [ said-''In Him alone
safety. So long as you hear his voice. AM
| follow Him, no wolf can touch :, ou with hi
murderous teeth. But, if you go out o
His sheeptoid, and trust in your ow
strength to overcome the wild beasts tha
crowd the wilderness of this world, destruc
ton is sure"
A few years have passed since then, an
Martin still holds, in divine strength, tn
mastery Of appetite. The vile second ma
ture he had formed unto himself, an
which bore him downward. for time, j
Its steady current, grew weak er and weak CT
as the new life, born from above game
strength. In the degree then he resiste
and denied the old desires, did they gro,
weaker; and in their place God gave hi1
purcr and healthier desires, SO that he be
came, as 1t were, new man.
The wolves are not al! dead, [ said t
him one day, as we talked of the presen
and the past.
lie looked little sober as he replied
mo, my friend. | often hear them how
ing in the distance; and | know full we
that if | leave my Shepherd side, an
stray off into the wilderness, vainly trust
ing ia myself, that | shall be as powerlo.
to stand against them, as a helpless sheer
For me, | am not safe for moment, cs
cept when J trust In Goo 5 strength TO SUI
plement my weakness. When | do that
all hell cannot prevail! against me u