The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-01-30
The. Prayer ,Guage,

widowed gentlewoman of Sheffieldy
EngIahd.s While recently upon a visit
t6ssoffie friends near Durham, in a.
n0rtiFeEn coanty,s was n alkeh9 10 hear
the eloquent ofAa noted
dissenting exhorterA who had become
particularly celebrated tor his, exaIta-
ton Of the efficacy Of PRAYER. This
faioriteatopieo of ohis was the one he
had ddchesens0n,the Iocdasion 9in sQues-
tons and his eafnest,rviyid ma4neEef
exp1aing that,sim annjtiopte its super,
natural lVafne, devont Invocation, was
adben nefcent, einagnetie energy, Oeapat
bleoof thesmost ivond effn9 dnatmalileft'
| fects, induced II the She field 2 lady sto
seek an ,ilItrodpcton to him after the
ameeting" for The especial purpose OF
relating q Stirling illustration from
her o wnAaKperience9t itrhe pFe8eRef1a a
man QgIEedned ystfsleintelieotlIal Tap-l
pearance,f and, with 2 a,cuyio9sztimiaiz
ty in his manuer, heard the ;anecd Ote
| With al, interest iieFvotisiy dispropor.
tinBst eotG alis apparent ICON seqaeiice.
and thep3I aftefs an nawkiwaiai pause,
begged that itsb narratela5y uiskslpt
again relate it. in that place uutil he
sshotild first Nave had Eopportuhity TO
useoitin the pulbfts In Some surprise
MHA WintriAghamta acGefledSto the REL
quest, ultinlalelYi attfiAsting tito thu
good mans eccentrlcjty, and the two
did not meet again until they were
once more speaker and hearer in the
saiictuafy.F Il pom the latter OCCASION
tbea sabieet of exhoftltion swas again
the ssenl' sincere, desire. uttered or
unexpressed,nn = and the principal, llusT,
tfation was as Follows: ~,
nssFour1 or Eve years ago. said tie
preache3owith5 marked Intensity 4 OF
lnanner,s alladYa living inIano oldsfashsI
ioned house in one, of our southern
counties discovered, upon retiring TO
her 70 ON at about midnight that there
was aosnlaH concealed uifder ehei. bed.
Almost alone int house, ando quito
alone in, that wingofibt the lady, knew
not what to do. She feared to go to
the door and unlock it lest the bur-
glar shoh Fd suspEet chat she was abtDut
to summon help and should intercept
her. 10, gaiH time she sst down aud
took her Bible. from her r,dressing-ta =
bic. Opening the sacred book at ran
dom 1850 shappeiied that the chapter
lighted onwas thatcontainingthe par
able of the Prodigal sSona Kneeiingi
down when the chapter was ended,r
5she prayed aloud-praYed; earnestly
and iferventiy. She .beso6git, safety
for herself during the .perils. OF. the
night, and cast herself in supreme
fconfdenee on the. diviie pfotectiop.
Then prayed for others who might
have been tempted into III doing tina:
they might be led from evil and
broughtint the fold of iChrist; that
to such might be- vouchsafeil the tensl
ider mercy and kindness promised TO.
ali who truly repent their, sins. Last
ly she prayed that, if He wilIed it,
evensto-night some such sinner might
be- saved from the wrath to come; Z
might like, the Prodigal, be made to
Asee that he had sinned; aud might
be welcomed back with the Joy that
awaits even die penitent. Inc lady
rose from her knees and wentito bed.
The man got UP, as rnoiselessly asslIe
could and said :. 81 mean you no.
harm, ma'am am going 10 leave the
house and thank you for your pray
ers.Hid With difficulty he opened the
bed room door, Il and apresently she
heard him open q window lini another
part of tlie house and drop, down into
the garden" Upon reachiiig this ap-
parent end fitheo narrative the speak
Per bowed his head fora moment, as
in silent sppplication, and then added
in a broken voice "The, good wo-
man Of whom I have told you Is with
us now,t and the siiinef TO whom her
Simple womanly prayer was Shame;
lfemorse,e epenitence, aand future Oh
repentant expiation. is he who here
confesses himself TO you. and his Ma
ker!' itiao 43HhD soi.i4A 20