Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-03-14
have walked softly before God.

movable man, and asked, "What
happened to you thirty years ago?"
"WeIl, sir, l will tell you. | was
drawn into a scheme Just like this of
yours, to uproot one of Gods ser
wants from the field in which He had
planted him. In my blindness, l fan
cied it a little thing to remove one
of the stars which Jesus holds in
his right hand, if thereby my ear
could be tickled by more tiowery
words, and the pews filled with those
who turned away from the simplicity
of the gospel. and the men that
led me-for 1 admit that | was a
dupe and tool-fattered ourselves
that we were conscientious. We
thought we were doing God service
when we drove that holy man from
his pulpit and his work, and said we
considered his work ended in B.
where | then lived. We groaned
because there was no revival, while
we were gossipping about and criti-
cising, and crushing instead of up
holding BY our efforts and our pray
ers, the Instrument at whose hand we
harshlY demanded the blessings.
Well, sir, he could not drag on the
chariot of salvation with half a
dozen of us taunting him for his
weakness, while we hung as a dead
weight to the wheels; he had not
the power of the Spirit, and could
not convert men; so We hunted him
like a deer, till worn and bleeding,
he fled into a covert to die. Scarce
ly had he gone, when God came
among us by his spirit to show that
he had blessed the labors of his dear,
rejected servant. Our own hearts
were broken, and our wayward chill
dren converted, and [ resolved at Il
convenient season to visit my former
pastor and confess my sin, and thank
him for his faithfulness to my way
ward sons, which, like the long bu-
ried seed, had now sprung up. But
God denied me that relief, that he
might teach me a lesson every child
of his ought to learn-that he that
toEcheth one OF his servants
touches the apple of his eye. 1
heard my pastor was i'll, and taking
my oldest son with me, set out on a
twenty-five miles ride to see him. 1t
was evening when arrived, and his
wife with the spirit which any wo-
man ought to exhibit toward one
who had so wronged her husband,
denied me admittance to his cham
Der. She said, and her words were
arrows to my soul, Gle may be dy-
ing, and the sight of your face might
add to his anguish!"
''Had it come to this" l said to
myself, ''that the man whose labors
had, through Christ, brought me in
to his fold, who had consuled my
spirit in terrible bereavement, and
who had till designing men had
alienated us, been to me as brother
that this man could not die in
peace, with my face before him? God
pity me- | cried, 'what have 1 done?'
1 confessed my sins to that meek
woman, and implored her for
Christ's sake, to let me kneel before
his dying servant, and receive his
forgiyness. What did / care then
whether the pews by the door were
rented or not? l would gladly have
taken his whole family to my home
forever as my own flesh and blood,
but no such happiness was in store
for me-" naai
As | entered the room of the bless
ed warrior, whose armor was falling
from his limbs, he opened his Ian
guild eyes, and said, ''Brother Lee!
Brother Lee!" | bent over him and
sobbed out, "My pastor! my pastor!"
Then raising his white hand, he said
in a deep, impressive voice, touch
not mine annointed, and do my
prophets no harn!' 1 spoke tender
ly to him, and told him l had come
to confess my sin, and bring some of
his fruit to him--calling my son to
tell him how he had found Christ.
But he was unconscious to all around
the sight of my face had brought
the last pang of earth to his troubled
spirit.
l kissed his brow, and told him
how dear he had been to me; | crav-
ed his pardon for my unfaithfulness,
and promised to care for his widow
and fatherless little ones; but his
only reply, murmured as if in
troubled dream, was, "Touch not my
annointed, and do my prophets no
harm"
l stayed by him all night, and at
day closed his eyes. l offered
his widow house to live in the re-
mainder of her days; but like he
roine she said, Il freely forgive you.
But my children, who entered deep
ly into their fathers anguish, shall
never see me so regardless of his
memory as to take anything from
those who caused it. He has left us
all with his covenant God, and he
will care for u.s.
"Weli, sir, those dying words
sounded in my ears from that coffin
and from that grave. When l slept,
Christ stood before my dreams, say
ing, ''rouch not mine annointed,
and do my prophets no harm. "
These words followed me till fully
realized the esteem in which Christ
holds those men who had given up
all for his sake, and vowed to love
them evermore Tor his sake, even if
they are not perfect. And since that
day, sir, | have talked less than be-
fore, and have supported my pastor,
even if he is not every extraordi-
nary man." My tongue shall cleave
to the roof of my mouth, and my
right hand forget her cunning. be-
fore l dare to put asunder what God
has joined together. When a min
ter's work is done in a place, be
lieve God will show it to him.
will not join you, sir, in the scheme
that brous ht you hire; and, more.
over, if hear another word of this
from your lips, shall ask my bretn-
rem to deal with you rs With those