The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-11-30

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
g Brethren, 1 stand before you AS one
on whom the Fathers hand has faller
heavily. / am blind. shall never sec
you again in this world-you, my chill
dren-for whose souls I have striven sc
long. 1 have looked my last on your
kir d, familiar faces on this earth-see to
it that I miss none of you when my
eyes are unsealed again in heaven,
Grant, Father, that of those whom
Thou host given me, may lose none."
There was not fearless face among
those which were lifted toward him, a.;
he stood there with his sightless eye.
raised to heaven, his hands outstretched,
as if to bring down upon them the bless
ing for which he prayed. Some of the
women sobbed audibly, but the minister
was calm. After moment he said:
I" My brethren, as far as possible, the
services will proceed as usual"
Then in 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 I have called upon
Thee, oh, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. u
Afterward he gave out the first line oi
q hymn, which the congregation sung.
Then he prayed, and some said, who
heard him, the eyes closed on earth were
surely beholding the beautiful vision,
for he spoke as son beloved, whose
very soul was full of the glory of the
Fathers presence.
The sermon which followed was such
one as they had never heard before
from his lips. There was power in it, O
fervor, tenderness which no words of
mine can describe. It was the testi-
mony of 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 conee-
Grated by the amounting o. a special sor-
row, AID they dared not break the holy
silence around him with common
speech.
The next afternoon committee from
the church went to the parsonage. Mrs.
Spencer saw them coming, and told her
husband.
eft must be-" said he to her, "to ask
my advice in the choice of my success.
sor."
81 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, go
ing about her usual task, with q heart
full of bitterness. 1t was natural, per.
haps, that they should not want blind
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 husbands
voice calling her, and went into the
study prepared to sympathize with his
sorrow. : he found him sitting where
she had left him, with such look of
oy and peace and thankfuiness upon
lis face as she had never expected to
zee it wear again.
Mary" he said, "there are some
lind hearts in this world. My parish
wants to me to stay with them, and in
list on raising my salary hundred dol
ars year."
"Want you to stay with them 2" she
'ried. hardly understanding his words.
6 Yes, l told them that could not do
hem juotice, but they would,,not listen;
hey believe that my very affliction will
,lve me new power over the hearts of
ne (; that l can do as much as ever.
they would not wait day, you see,
est we should be anxious about our
uture."
"And I thought they were coming in
Indecent haste, to give you notice TO
20. Mrs. Spencer cried, penitently.
9 How l misjudged them! Shall never
earn Christian charity p
So it was settled that the minister of
lontclair should abide with his people.
For three years more his persuasive
olce called them to choose the better
ray; and then his own summons came
D go mp higher. In those three years
q had sown more seed and reaped more
arrests than some men in long life
lme. He did his work faithfully, and
'as ready when the hour came for him
D go home. just at the last, when
hose who loved him best stood weeping
ound his bedside, they caught upon
is face the radiance of a light not of
MS world. He put out his hands with
glad cry:
~ see, I seel Out of the dark, into
ghtl"
And before they could look with awe
nd wonder into each others eyes, the
lory had begun to fade, the outstretch-
d hands fell heavily, and they knew
nat the blind minister was gone, "past |
light. past day." where for him there |
ould be no more darkness.