The Republican journal., 1875-08-19
The Power of Truth.

The Power of Truth.
The following beautiful illustration of
the simplicity and power of truth is told
by an eyewitness Of the scene in one of
the higher courts:
A little girl, nine years of age, was
offered a. witness against a prisoner on
trial Tor felony, committed in her fathers
house.
"Now Emily" said the counsel for the
prisoner upon her being offered as wit
ness, Il desire to know ii You understand
The nature OF an oath p
II don't know what you mean," said
She
"There, your Honor" said the counsel,
addressing the court, sis anything further
necessary to demonstrate the validity of
my objection? This witness should be
rejected She does not even understand
the nature of an oath"
"Let us see,' said the Judge Come
here. my daughter"
Assured by the kind tone and manner
of the Judge, the child stepped toward
him, and looked confidingly up in his face
with n calm, clear eye. and in a manner
so artess and frank, that it went to the
Judges heart.
Ibid you ever take an oath ?H he asked
The little girl stepped back with n look
Of horror, and the red blood mantled in a
blush all over her face, rs She aswercd:
"No, sir ~
She thought he intended to inquire if
she had ever blasphemed
~ did not mean that" said the Judge.
who saw her mistake; II mean were YOU
ever a witness before ?''
mo, sir; never was in court before
He handed her the Bible, open. and
asked; DO you know chat book, my
child?"
She looked at it and said: Its the
Bible
Doyou ever read it ?" asked the Judge.
Eyes. Sir every evening"
"What is the Bible ?" he asked.
''lt is the word of the great God she
replied.
"Well, place your hand upon this Bi-
ble, and listen TO what say; = and he re-
peated, slowly and solemnly. the oath
usually administered to witnesses
" Now" said the Judge, ''you have
sworn as q witness Will YOU tell me
what Will befall you if you do not tell the
truth ?"
''I Shall be shut up in State prison"
Anything else ?"
~ Shall never 90 to heaven" She re-
piled
'llow do you know this?' Inquired he.
The child took the Bible and, turning
to the chapter containing the command
ments, pointed to the injunction, '1hou
shalt not bear false witness against thy
neighbour saying: Il learned that be-
fore | could read"
''IIas any one talked with you about
Your being q witness in court against this
man ?" asked the Judge.
Yes, sir. My mother heard they want
ed me to be 4 witness, and last night she
called me to her room and asked me to
tell her the Ten Commandments and
then we kneelcd down together. and she
praved that might understand how wick
ed it was to bear false witness, and that
God would help me- a little child, to tell
the truth as it was before Him, And when
came up here with father, she kissed me,
and told me to remember the Ninth Com
mandment, and that God would hear
every word said"
''Do You believe this p inquired the
Judge, while tear glistened in his eye,
and his lip quivered with visible emotion
"Yes, sir" said the child, in a frank
and convincing manner.
'God bless you, my child" said the
Judge; ''you have a good mother This
witness is competent" he continued.
''Were | on trial for my life, and inno-
cent of the charge against me, would
pray God for such witness rs this. Let
her be examined"
She told the story with the simplicity
OF q child, as she was, but there was a
dlrectness about it which carried conyic-
ton OF its truth to every heart.
She was rigidly cross-examined; the
counsel piled her with ingenious question
ing, but she varied from the first state
ment in nothing
The truth spoken by that little child
was sublime Fasehood and perjury had
preceded her testimony. The prisoner
had lntrenched himself in lies till he deem
ed himself impregnable. Witnesses had
talsllled facts in his favor, and villainy had
manufactured for him a sham defence.
But before her testimony talsehood was
scattered like chatf. The little child, for
whom mother had prayed for strength
to be given to her to speak the truth as it
was before God, broke the cunning devices
OF matured vilainy to pieces as n potter's
vessel. The strength that her mother
prayed for was given her. and the sublime
and terrible simplicity-terrible to the
prisoner and his associates-with which
she spoke, was like revelation from God
himself