Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-11-07
Do Not Despair.

The following narrative may en-
courgage some teacher who is al
most ready to despair Of some spec
cial case.
H--H- was a member OF my
class for considerable time-a lad
full of frolic and mischief, so much
so that he was regarded as the most
troublesome boy in the school, and
owing to his presence my class was
decidedly the noisest; and yet l
could not help liking him. During
an illness in hospital, as narrated be
low, he employed himself in writ
ing short account of his life, of
which / shall here give an extract.
He writes: II often stopped away
from school, and one time for nine
months, at the end of which time l
fell into the canal My brother was
with me at the time. was very
near gong to face my Maker. o.,
what should have done. was not
saved, and I would have been lost
forever, / still continued very bad,
never thinking of my Saviour, nor
of my soul"
He eventually ran away to sea. of
which the following is his account: :
II let on l was going to work, and
left home and started for K; so
when / got there, the ships boat
took me over, so l felt very odd, and
to think how they felt at home
that night! I think it was one of
the boys out Of the shop that went
and told where I was. I was told
one evening that person wanted
to see me alongside OF the ship in
boat. Iwent to see who it was, and
found my dear mother-she had
come to see me; she was fretting
very much about my leaving home.
She gave me some money, which ]
spent very bad"
He was for some years ct sea, and
/ did not hear Of him for a consid-
cradle time, until I met him one
day quite drunk. l met him again
soon after, and went to see hlm at
his mothers. she was then a Wild
ow. After a little while,-I was able
to get him situation. On his
mothers death, being the only sur
vivor of the family, he set off for
America; but the ship put back
after a storm, during which he
was taken very i'll with hemorrhage
from the lungs, and he was left in
Liverpool, where, on his recovery,
to use his own words, "Satan got a
tight hold of him." Soon after his
return home, he again went into the
hospital, on leaving of which l lost
sight of him. Knowing he was in
such poor state of health, was
very anxious about him, and during
a walk with a fellow-teacher men
toned the case to him, and we then
and there united in asking, as we
walked along in silence, that God
would arrest him in his course, and
reveal his Son to him as the Saviour
of Sinners. o that we had more
faith i'll the power of prayer9 Truly,
if in all our ways we acknowledged
him, We would have more blessing,
for he would direct our paths. To
his praise be it spoken, who no long
er withheld the blessing, when L
next saw the poor lad he was again
in hospital; but what a change, and
how his face lighted up ss he told
me where his hopes were now CEN
tered, and how he had found peace
in Jesus! He grew rapidly worse.
During his whole illness, he seemed
never troubled by doubt-his soul
was full of love to Jesus; though
alone in that great hospital, and al
most friendless, no repinings ever
escaped him. He seemed t6 realize
the constant presence of the Saviour,
and loved to dwell on the text. "Yea
though | walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, will fear
no evil, for thou art arith me-
When last | saw him alive, on going
in found one of the convalescent
patients sitting by the bedside,
writing, from his dictation, q short
couplet which he has composed,
thanking God for his mercy and the |
sense OF sins forgiven through the
blood of Jesus" When l called |
again, found that all was over, and
meeting the hospital matron she
said to me, 20 sir, he has had such
a happy death; for years, we have
not had such happy patient
London S. s. Teacher.