Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-08-13
The DeacOn's Story.


ruR LEADNo HAND.
Deacon Baker laid down his religious
weekly, raised his "specs until they rested
on the top of his shiny bald head, grasped
firmly the arms of his Elder Brewster arm
chair crossed his legs and looked medita-
lively into the fire.
Whenever Deacon Baker raised his
"specs," assumed that position, and said he
had something to say, we knew it would be
worth hearing.
The deacon's household was primitive
one in it many of the old customs were pre-
served. There were oldfashioned chairs,
settles, fre-places and occupations. There
was nothing stilted or forced, and we
boys, who had been sent up from the city TO
get exercise and health on the farm, took in
the simple piety that abounded there as we
did the sunlight and the healthful air of
the hills. Father had been there before us,
aud he often said he owed much of his sue
cess in life to the wholesome teachings of the
good deacon.
My brother Ben was quicker in perception
than myself, and he always said the deacon
was the same sort as other people, and that
| away back he possessed the same frailties
and failings; only he had mastered them
compelled them to yield
al have heard people in prayer-meetings,"
said Ben, tell about being monuments of
Gods saving grace brands plucked from
the burning and all that don't put the
deacon in that line, but am certain that
some time, and in some place he has gone
wrong"
always tried to make out why Ben could
think SO, and | always ended as | began
in wonder. The evening of which | write
| it all came out.
81 have Jest read little circumstance"
continued the deacon, shat puts me back
matter of fifty years. You can read for
yourself what | alude to but what am
going to tell has never been in print.
"Fifty years ago, come April, was four
teen years old remember the day. and
more particular the night, as 'twere an hour
since see my old home as 'twere before
me now-the sloping roof, the big fiat stone
at the door, the maple trees, the orchard, the
ellsweep; | see the shadows they cast, for
the moon was up; | see myself standing in
the road and looking back hear the words
| said-they have always sounded in my
ears, more or less, coming back from the
past as the echo from the hills: The world
is wide said, and | mean to try it
will go where | can do as like, where
can be my own MASTER
"Poor fool that 1 was left pleasant
home, a dear mother, and good father
ran away. My only stock in life was de-
faint will and purpose to do as | had a
mind had rebeled because my father in
sisted on my obeying him without question.
found other things wide beside the world.
found there was great distance between
the starting out and the getting to; that a
poor boy with bundle, and good place
with kindness and pay in it, were out Of
sight of each other, as is our country on the
one side and China on the other. | found
it was one thing to plan what | would do,
and another to do it.
al have often heard people say that was
good because was born so-that 'twere the
natur of things. am not one of them sort
who call themselves vile worms of the dust !;
trust | have attained some measure of
grace, and have got it by hard discipline.
| would like to tell all my life from fourteen
to seventeen, but there is no time tonight,
and there is this particular circumstance
want to dwell on.
I" cant say had no principle at seven.
teen years old but can say, the good in
me was about all covered up. have often
thought of myself then as rich piece of
ground run over with weeds. My plans
were how to deceive my employers, how to
get the most for the least, and to get square
with the world because | had set myself
against it. My mother had forgiven me for
running away, and had gone to heaven my
father had brought home new wife, who
had no call for me, aud there seemed no
hand to hold me back. And this is what
struck Inc so forcible in that piece in the
paper; that there is leading hand of Provi
dence that it is ever stretched out and
above us; that its grip is often loose-that
1t lets one go and go, as 'twere--but at last
it reaches out and snatches one back-as
would snatch you from the edge of the falls
and filings him upon height from which
he can never more descend.
81 was seventeen years old when the
hand reached me. | had about touched
bottom | had contemplated, but, thank
God not committed crime. | had planned
with two companions TO rob my employer
We had engaged passage on an East India
man to sail at break of day; when the rob
berry would be discovered we would be on
I the high seas. In them days there was nc
telegraph TO get ahead of US, and we had nc
fear of being caught. | was to remain in
the store, secreted among some old boxes
at a certain hour | was to let in my com
panions and together we would do the des
perate deed. Well do | remember thai
night; it was dark, and outside it was still
inside there was noise enough. | could heal
my heart beat like taps on the door; the
blood forced into my head with whizzing
sound there were strange unnatural whis
pers in my ears, and | could have sworn
heard the clanking of chains and the open
ing and closing of prison doors. My OWL
breath became painfully audible and wa:
famed back into my face like hot flame
4 4 l.. Ion I rat,t
out from the boxes; | groped about until
, of written paper, took it up and read it
. 1t seemed to me then like the handwriting
J on the wall. Some time ! will show it Il
you; have laid it away. This is what wa
\ written;
, 90 Ii may be thou art on the verge OF
ruin if SO, turn back from a sinful pur
! pose it is never too late to retreat. Tn
9 path of evil thou hast well trodden forsakt
: it disused, the grass will grow upon it
. thou wilt perceive it no more
"Some would say it was chance laid tha
paper in my way | tell you, boys, it wa
the hand OF Providence; it grasped me ant
flung me clean out Of my wicked ways.
kept guard in that store all night; my com
rades, seeing the light, thought was caugh
o and would tell oil em, and so they shipped
in the East Indaman, and i'll the morning
were far away. With all my bad surround
: ings gone, began as 'twere new life.
-" have heard it is said, The sins o
youth become the smarts of old age. 1ha
may all be; but the sting is taken out o
my smart have bound up my bad day
like a book fastened with clasps, and | sci
dom open il; for hold, what God has fol
y given, man may forget But that little piec
"a In tha naner broupht il all back to nv min,
!. clear as MONDAY"
"Deacon Baker" said brother Ben, GRASP
ing he old mans hand, Z" knew it'll kne'
you had fought with temptation and beat it,.
G. "Did you ever" said |, shear from you
r. companions p
"Yes; there was missionary aboard tn
% ship; through him the Lord caught hold o
" them, One staid out to India, and Nv
hearn he did great deal of good there
the other one became master OF a full-rigge
q ship, and went down on her, standing by hi