The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-11-06
gle gireside.
Lift Up the Fallen Ones.

John B. Cough tells the following
incident of minister who went to see
q poor besotted wretch:
He went up three or four pairs OF
stairs and knocked at the door--no ar>
swer; he opened the door aud went in;
aud he said, whom he saw that poor
creature crouched by the ire-place. he
began to feel little frightened; he be-
gan to feel sort Of Sickness III his
throat that sort Of feeling. / wish |
wasn't here. His hair was matted and
tangled, his clothing in rags. and filth;
a four weeks beard on his face, and his
cheeks cadaverous; and as he looked
around him there was a glare like thst
OF . mad beast. and he felt timid and
frightened. The frat words Of the
poor creature were:
"Who are you?
II am a minister. %
minister what DO you wantf'
well, have called to see you.
He rosa nuon his feet aud the miu>
lister said, "rhen / began to think
where ! shond take him; | expected n
struggle, and was determined | would
not give him mp. He came up pretty
close to me, and stretched ont his hand
and said, You have come 10 see me.
have you? Then zee ma. How do you
like the looks Of me? I'm bit Of IA
beauty, amt I? Come to see me, did
you?"
Thsn ne came q pace or two nearer,
aud he felt the pestiferous breath on
his face hot. as he said.
Now I will kick yon down stairsp'
"Stop," he said; don't dont-don' t
kick me down stairs now, because
have a call to make up above; and if
you kick me down I shall be obliged t.
come all the way up again, don't yon
see? Now if it is any qualification ia
kick the minister down stairs, who has
come to call on you out of pnre good
will, let ma e. and make my visit up
stairs, and then | will place myself at
your disposal.
"Well, you are rum'un.' said the
man, and shuffied back to his seat.
The minister made his oall up stairs.
came down. opened the door aud said
"Well, my man, here / am. l told
you would call again. Now if it is
any qualification to you to kick the min
istor down stairs, am at your dis
posal."
"Dld you cools to see me?' asked the
man.
"YAs 1 did"
"Well, then, sit down." and he be-
gan to talk to him, not as if he was
brute, but as if he was a brother, as il
he was a man And by aud by the puol
creature cried ont "C. sir. l am tht
most God forssk-n wretch on earthl'
and thea he spoke OF wife aud siz
children, OF sorrow and sin. aud de-
gradation and despair; aud the minister
poured in the oil Of sympathy into his
broken heart.
Well, the minister prayed with tina!
man and left him; came back sgaln,
and the result was. that man, with bis
wife and five children sat in G God E
house on the Sabbath. and paid Six
I-,iiiuS5s ,ussr t,v---~.A f..- ---l-, --~.-L-
ing seven times six sh,llipgs. He sat
in Code house clothed in his right
mind, under the influence Of the truth.
Ah, this spirit OF kindness! We ask
you, then, to set that example of pats
ent, loving sympathy with the erring.
Il will pay in the long rnn.
0. there is nothing 40 good; there is
nothing. it seems to me, 50 pleasant as
to Do instrumental IN lifting up poor,
debased, fallen brother, or to prevent a
brother from walking in the path that
leads to sin and to ruin. Do it, then
say for the sake of your brother; and
if not, do it for his sake who come to
seek and save the lost.