Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-12-18
Swallowed a Farm.

At one Of the Murphy meetings in George
town, KY, young man came forward who
had recently been reformed and whose ase
excited more than ordinary interest.
He was the son-I think the only surviv-
ing son-of an eminent Judge in a neigh
boring county, and few years ago the heir
to a handsome estate of perhaps 100000.
He is now moneyless, possesses nothing
in the world except wife and four chill
dren and what is left of himself. Down his
throat had gone in very short time, two
hundred and fifty acres of land, together
with suitable proportion of mules, COWS
sheep, hogs and farming implements aud,
as he expressed it, the fifteen likely negroes
whom he inherited from his father "would
have been swallowed too, in the same way"
but Uncle Abraham kindly reached out his
arm and relieved him of them and so saved
him that trouble.
He gave very touching description, all
the more impressive because of its artless-
ness and simplicity, of his signing the pledge
not long since at Murphy meeting; of his
returning home at eleven o'clock, finding
wife and children all asleep; of his going
into the room where his mothers picture
was hanging, sticking the card on which he
had signed the pledge into the frame of her
picture, and then kneeling down there to ask
his mothers God to help him keep that
pledge.
He said: :" I well remember her prayers
for me, when was but child. The pres
sure of her hand on my head was still felt,
as | knelt there, and gazed into the sweet
face pictured before me. recalled the last
scene in which had beheld that form.
was summoned to her side, during the war,
by an urgent message, but it was too late.
Her lips could speak no more. Her eyes
were closed to this world forever. They
told me that her last prayers were for ne.
She was anxious that | should come, that
she might plead with me, to desist from the
course which was running me, and breaking
her heart. But went back to the army
and to my sins.
"Now have resolved, God helping me, to
abstain. | am keeping that pledge By The
day. No man but poor inebriate knows
the power of this appetite. When it is on
me in its full mastery, believe that If a
blazing hell were gaping before me, spanned
only by a timber rail, and whisky on the
other side, | would cross that rail to get it.
| cannot say, as some have, after signing
the pledge, that the desire for spirits is gone
! wish it were so. ] have the appetite still
| 4'O'hhS cue 'Oh SihSc thb od't uiti vi
keep Inc safe. | entreat every Christian to
pray for me-"
He then made very feeling and earnest
appeal to young men, not to form the habit
and cultivate the appetite; and then to con
firmed drunkards to make one struggle fol
life for life for life
was deeply touched by this young mans
history and appeal Can remove any hin
drance out of the way along which he and
others like him are struggling, clambering
cropping out to light and hope and purity
Can ! remove any stumbling-block, or reach
out the helping hand If can, must not
if have the spirit of Christ? Can cal
myself a Christian and fail to heed hi,
agonizing cry" Pray for me !"
And if | pray for him, shall | not add the
aid of my example, my influence, cheer
them with sympathy, sustain them by stand
ing between them, in the name of oui
blessed Redeemer, who died to save the lost
Western Recorder.