The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-05-09
NEWS.
FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1873.
A QUEER OELUsIOY.
Called by Paraiytic Stroke to Preach
the Gospel.

should be applleu 10 II, renglOuS |
conylction) ever recorded has
come to light in this city.
Nearly everybody doing BUSH
ness in Chapel street has seen the
subject of this letter. He is a
man about twenty-six, sprightly |
and energetic in his movements,
and highly esteemed. He has
been employed for some years in a
well known carpet store. He was
sober industrious and frugal, and
q good salesman. He married a
few years ago, and has one pretty
little girl of four years. In the
spring of last year he bought a
house, the payments on which he
has regularly met, and altogether
he was regarded as young man of
ability and good promise. Hus-
band and wife are commandments
of the Methodist Episcopal Church
and exemplary members of soci-
Is, but until recently had pursued
the even tenor of the way of or
binary citizens. Some months ago
a change came over him. He be-
came impressed with the notion
that he was called TO preach the
gospel.
For q time he doubted the cor
rectness, or, so to speak, the au-
thenticlty of the revelation, and
struggled against it. He knew in
his heart, as did those who knew
him, that he-was an upright man,
and he was afraid the call might
be based upon some mistaken and
incoherent state of mind, which
would show him, after he had TAX
en- on the preachers garments,
that after all he had mistaken his
calling, and that he was not cal
cnlated for the responsibility of
ministering to the spiritual wants
of a congregation. So, not from
any feeling OF antagonism to his
Maker, but humbly doubling
whether he could as a preacher
best serve Him, he resisted the en-
croachments OF the Spirit. But
the unseen force crept over him
with increasing power, and 10 that
proportion which it asserted its
sway over his mind, his physical
powers gave way in the strife.
At last he fitted up a little room
on one of the upper floors OF tho
store, and there he frequently re-
tired to pray. While the streets
were crowded and the store busy
with trade, this struggling man,
who was wrestling with the Lord,
went away from the hustle and
bowed himself IN prayer alone, and
unknown to the money-getters of
the city. These prayers always
left him comparatively Frustrated,
and ut length, the new power grow
ing on him, he. decided to give up
his business and begin under Him
whom he considered his Master
He laid the case before his en-
ployer, and told him that he had
made up his mind to begin study
ing for the ministry. He recited
his trials, his prayers, and attempts
to learn what was right, and
thought that his duty was plain.
His employer, who is an cXem-
plary church member, and like
wise a man of business, asked
him to stay through the spring
trade. This he consented TO do.
But from that time his mental
troubles increased. On one occa-
sion he was terribly affected. He
went to the little prayer room
and prayed fervently and long.
After q little time he seemed to
lose all strength, and could Meth
er speak nor move. He was need
ed in the store and those who
sought him called his name aloud
many times. He heard every call,
but was powerless to answer, until
finally, his strength in a measure
returning, when he went down
stairs and appeared to his won
dering associates.
When he reached home that
night his wife thought he looked
more haggard and depressed than
usual, but attributed it to q severe
cold which he had taken, and af-
ter she had administered n dose of
hot lemonade they retired. Re-
peatedly in the night the wife
awoke to find her husband about
getting out of bed. An unusual
expression was on his face and his
wife gently pushed him back, tell
ing him that he must get up as he
would take more cold. After sew
eral such encounters she again
awoke ut midnight to find him at
tempting to arise. A more than
usual weird expression was on his
countenance, and when his wife
demonstrated he cried:
water! water! water! Light!
light" in n strange, wild tone,
which struck terror to his COM
panion's heart. .,...
She sprang from the bed, light
ed the gas, and turned to her hus-
band. What met her eyes was
more horrifying than the sounds
she had heard. Her husband sat
in his bed, his body drawn up and
contorted, his mouth out of shape,
and his eyes rolled back until their
whites only were visible. The
body was rigid and motionless.
Hes dying" thought the wife,
and she screamed for help. % 5N al
A man and wife who occupied
the upper floor heard the cries, and
thought one of their neighbors
was seized with the nightmare.
The screams continuing, they rush
ed down stairs to see what caused
the commotion. Hurrying into
the room they saw the terror
stricken wife and almost petrified
husband. The spectacle oyer
powered the woman, who fell to
the floor fainting, adding new
complication to the situation.
when he had properly disposed of
her, the husband ran for 4 physi-
clan, who, on viewing the man
said he was suffering under n sort
of paralytic stroke.
The man has recovered, resign
ed his situation, offered his home
for sale, and begun his studies.
When he had become well enough
to tell his wife OF his trials, how
he had felt and what he had done,
she astonished him by telling him
that she, too, had a singular ex-
perience. She, like him, had been |
admonished of his duty. She |
struggled and prayed against it,
for she found it hard to reconcile |
her thoughts to giving up their !
pleasant homo and prospects for
the trials and poverty, for a time
at least, Of a theological student
and young minister's wife Buti
now she like her husband, has
cheerfully given herself Ia tbh