Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-11-08

"They are open, William. The
whole room is full of light"
"Mary. I cannot see; the times
come; am alone in the darkness"
."Not alone, my love-" she cried, in
passion of grief and pity and tender
ness. Then she went and sat down be-
side him on the bed, and drew his head
to her bosom, and comf0rted him iusc
as, she was wont to comfort her children.
After time her tender caresses, her
soothing tones, seemed to have healed
his bruised, tortured heart. He lifted
up his head and kissed her, his first
from out the darkness in which he
must abide, and then sent her away. I
think every soul standing face to face
with an untried calamity, longs to be
for space alone with its God.
Three hours after that the church
bells rang, and as usual, the minister
and his wife walked out of their dwell
ling, save that now, he leaned upon her
arm. In that hour of seclusion, he had
made up his mind what to do. They
walked up the familiar way; and she left
him at the foot of the pulpit stairs and
went back to her pew in front. He
CROPPED UP the stairs; and then rising in
his place, he spoke to the wondering
congregation:
Brethren, I stand before you as one
on whom the Fathers hand has fallen
heavily. l am blind. I shall never see
you again in this world-you, my chill
dren-for whose souls [ have striven SO
long. [ have looked my last on your
kind, familiar faces on this earth-see
to it that / miss none Of you when my
eyes are unsealed again in heaven.
Grant 0 Father, that of those whom
thou hast given me [ may lose none"
There was not fearless face among
those which were lifted toward him, as
he stood there with his sightless eyes
raised to heaven, his hands outstretch-
ed, as if to bring down upon them the
blessing for which he prayed.
Some of the women sobbed audibly,
but the minister was calm. After a
moment he said:
my brethren, as far, possible, the
services will proceed as usual"
Then in a clear voice, in which there
seemed to his listeners ears some un-
earthly sweetness, he recited the one
hundred and thirteenth Psalm, COM
mencing-
"Out of the deep / have called upon
Thee, O Lord; Lord hear my voice"
Afterward be gave out the first line
of a hymn, which the congregation
sang. Then he prayed, and some said
who heard him, the eyes closed on earth
were surely beholding the beautiful
vision, for he spoke as q son beloved,
whose very soul was full of the glory
of the Fathers presence.
The sermon which followed was such
a one as they had never heard before
from his lips. There was power in it,
a fervor, tenderness which no words
of mine can describe. 1t was the tes-
timony of a living witness, who found
the Lord very present help in the
time of trouble.
When all was over, and he came
down the pulpit stairs, his wife stood
again at the foot, and he took her arm
and went out silently. He seemed to
the waiting congregation as one set
apart and consecrated by the amounting
Of special sorrow, and they dared not
break the holy silence around him
with common speech.
The next afternoon q committee
from the church went to the parson-
age. Mrs. Spencer saw them coming,
and told her husband.
I" Il must be-" said he to her, ''to ask
my advice in the choice of my sue
cessor."
4" think they might have waited one
day." she cried, with woman's impa-
tience of any seeming forgetfulness of
the claims given him by his years of
faithful service.
The delegation had reached the door
by that time. and the minister did not
answer her. She waited on the men
into the study, and left them there,
going about her usual task, with heart
full of bitterness. It was natural, per-
haps, that they should not want blind
minister, but to tell him so now, to
make the very first pang of his sorrow
sharper by their unthankfulness, it was
too much.
An hour passed before they went
away, and then she heard her hus-
bands voice calling her, and went into
the study prepared to sympathize with
his. sorrow. She found him sitting
where she had left him, with such a
look of JOY and peace, and thankful
ness upon his face as she had never ex-
| pected to see it wear again.
Mary" he said, "there are some
kind hearts in this world. My parish
! wants me to stay with them, and insist
on raising my salary hundred dollars
q year."
/ "Want you to stay with them ?" she
cried, hardly understanding his words.
eyes, told them that I could not
do them justice, but they would not
listen, they believe that my very af-
Fiction will give me new power over
the hearts of men; that I can do as
much as ever. They would not wait a
day, you see, least we should be anx-
ious about our future"
And thought they were coming
in indecent haste, to give you notice to
co." Mrs. Spencer cried, penitently.
"How l misjudged them Shall I