The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1875-02-04
Brother Harklis8; or. Changing
Places,
u Is. - D. cHAPLIS

There appeared one day, at the
fstuGy of an eminent minister, an aged
negro, most of whose life had been
spent in bondage, but who was now
rejoicing in liberty, and introduced
himself as "BrOther Harkliss Jones,
from Sou Caliny." The good minis
ter shivered at the thought of another
clerical beggar for church money, to
be spent, az so much Of it usually is,
in the travelling expenses of the appli-
/ cant. "Well, Brother HaEkliss," he
asked, with patient kindness, what
can DO for you 81 ''YOu can listen
to me, brudder, !" replied Harkliss. with
a prineeIy air.
''pll do that it you'll be short but
my time IS very precious, brother"
answered the pastor. ...I...-
$50 is mine, brudder r' exclaimed
the visitor, with q dignity which al
most startled the minister. "You and
rs both sarvants Of de King, and His
business always 'quires haste"
''Yes and your church wants lit
tie help, 1 suppose, after the war.
Well, Pm glad they sent a sensible
man for it." -.t ....-Gl.
mo, sir. by church is the Church
Universal, and dat has got de Mighty
One of Jacob for her help, and needn't
go beggin OF nobody come to give
and not to AK sir.n
"Then you've got some money for
my church, l suppose" said the min
lister, smiling.
mo, sir; what I've got to give will
come closer home to you than 70 your
church."
swell, what have you to give me
then ?''
"a little advice and a heap of cOm-
fort. Icome up from my old home
cause my chin and gran'ehirn was
bound for to come. l was as near de
Lord on de banks of de Great Pedee as
I ever 'spect to be up here and dere
was as many souls to save down dere,
as dere is up here. But young folks,
you know, is songunery (sanguine) in
dere views, and mighty 'strob'lous in
carryin' on 'em out. Dey got notion
poor things-that every foot 70 land
up north was sanetified By Mr.. Lin
coins sperit, and that de 'arth yield
ed like it did afore the cuss fell on it
widout labor or sweat! Dey thought
de North was little heaven whar no
| A4dG IL soy " Ills AClkDDUuAg
Love We de Lord kass dey all loved
him Already. told 'em dere was
work and poverty and sin up here, like
dere was down home for pve seen
Northern folks plenty in my young
days, and mighty hard ones dey was
too But my chipn 'poO'd' at me,
and said 'mong demsel's, Daddy, he's
hind de times. II we goes he'll soon
foller.'
Now dey was right dere, for nex' to
de Lsrd, loves nay ehiIn and gram
chil'n. When I see dey was comm,
l packed up my bundle and come too.
1t 'peared like / saw great shinin'
finger in de dark cloud one night
lpointin' due North. Dem says I,
'dat's my pillar 70 fire, and where Pm
'tsent I'll go, and de Lord will have my
work all laid out ready for me.' So
here I be, sir"
"And you want me to set you to
work ?"
''Not bit OF it, sir; on de contr'y
wants to set you to work OATS what
Pm comed here for dis mornin'."
The cool composure of the sable
guest fairly astonisbed the gentleman
used to so much Difference and respect,
and he asked in a tone of surprise,
"What do you mean, brother ?"
"Well, pve been to hear you preach
two Sundays, and I've made up my
mind dat you're of de track You
talks like it was a chance anyhow,
whether we saints gets to heaven af-
ter all. Dere was too many ifs in
your sermons. De master hadn't no
ifs in His preachin'. His gospel is,
Him dat believes shall be saved
Him dat comes I will in no wise cast
OUT Come unto Me, you dat is tired
and heavy laden, and will give you
rest 'Dere is no condemnation to
dem dat are in Christ jesus 'Whar
1 am, dere shall My people be also.' Il
give eternal life unto as many as My
Father give Me, and none shall pluck
dem out of My hands, Isn't dat good
gospel, sir ?"
"Yes, and believe every word of
it," replied the minister.
SIS dere any chance, think you, for
Satan to slip in by trick, and upset
de great work of redemption ?"
"No."
"Den why don't you tell de people
so? One sarmOn o. your'n was Neil-
in ali bout dc doubts Satan pushes
into dc hearts of de Lords people.
Why, dat sarmon was MORN half
"deviln all through ! and another was
tellin' De saints dat dey must do dis
and dat and t'Other, to get peace and
comfort here and heaven beyont. If
you believes dat Christ died and rose
again, and dat 'kase He. lives we shall
live also, why don't you comfort Gods
people wild desc words q? Let de devil
alone for awhile in your preachin,
you'll get 'nuff o. him widOut max
in so much on him, and Jest preach
Christ, Christ, Christ Pears like l
don't want to hear nOthin' else but
just only dat dear name, while I stays
here in de flesh. / rises every morn
in in Christ, and 1 walks and talks
wild Him all day.
When night comes I lies down and
sleeps wild Him, like it was my last
sleep, and mought wake wild Him in
glory
Pm black and poor and old to de
eyes of de world; but Pm fair and rich
and fresh in His sight, 'kase Pm in
Him. All dat He has got is mine, and
dere amt king on arth dat old Hsrk-
liss would change places wild. No, no,
no ~
"But while you never doubt Gods
power to save, you sometimes have
doubts of your acceptance with Him,
haven't you ?' asked the minister,
who was, by this time, seated meekly
taking his lesson.
i "N0, never why should 1? Dere
was night once, long time ago, when
my soul was 'ceeding sorrOWfuI, like
| do ATaufnrf, rrvl,nra hlax in, do IL.
1 felt like was helpless tor dis life,
and had no light on the world be-
yont. hated my hard massa, and 1
most hated God too, for not giving me
q better lot. l was out in de cane
brake all alone, mile away from any
/ hvin' cretur'. felt like 1 wanted to
kill myself 'kase my massa he done
gone and sold my wife and Oaby! Dat
ar night got hint ia my soul what
hell was and as l sat dere thought
come into me and l spoke it out.
'Dere isn't no God says 1. And dem
words skeart me sO't l sprung right
off de ground whar was lyin'! Twas
0ewildered, 1 reckOns; for all of a
student see a great white hand sweep
back de dark night, and a light shined
all 'rOun bout me. I didn't see no.
| DOul1 DUt L lclb 5tEOuS dIluS DOuG me-
and in q minute my poor, achiE' head
was leanin' on somebody's breast; and
oh, what place dat was to rest on !
Den voice said, Come unto Me, poor
tired, and heavy-laden soul, and will
give you rest.' Den 1 knOwed dere
was God, and dat it was de voice of
His Son in my soul. Eve been q new
man since dat night; but half de time
l been only q common sort o. Chris
tian, like you, risin' and falIin', hop
in ana dOubtin'; such Christian as
puzzles de world to know whether
dere is any good in 'lgion or not /!
"I was a waiter in dem days, and
was good deal wild de white folks,
and it was fash'nable 'mOng dem for
to doubt, and mourn, and whine,
when dey talked 'ligiOn f.; and I used
to forget dat night in de cane-brake.
and fell into de fashion OF de grand
folks. But it didn't work wild me, and
I got into darkness. Den I'd try to
fight my own way out Of de swamp !;
but de more 1 tried de faster I stuck.
Den would try to hire de Lord TO lift
me out of de horrible pit and de miry
clay, by good works, helpin' de weak
] field hands, or givin' away my pOck-