Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-07-04

ded would serve the deacon as he would
probably have served me under similar
circumstances. kept the note by me
good while, and when I thought the par
ticulars of our settlement had slipped his
mind. said to him one day, may be he
would like to take up that note which had
been due considerable time, He was
surprised-looked excited and angry-said
he had paid, and held out stoutly for
awhile; but there was the note. There
was no proof that it had ever been paid,
and finally he took out his pocket book,
and. with some pretty hard words, paid it
over again, with interest. ;"
"And now,'' said the minister, "what
are going to do about it ?''
ls'I SUPPOSE said I, "the money must
be paid now"
$50 went to the deacon the next day,
told him that on reflection was convinced
he was right and Twas wrong about the
payment Of the note, and returned him the
money hundred and thirty dollars-a
good deal to his astonishment.
The deacon coughed, and wiped his
forehead.
Il hoped then all was right" continued
Capt. Ball. II tried to satisfy my con-
science that it was all. But I was afraid
to go back to the minister, he has such
way of stirring up the conscience and find
ing mud at the bottom when we f1atter
ourselves that because it is out of sight
there is not impurity there. And knew
that as long as I dreaded to see the min
lister something must be wrong; and, on
looking carefully into my heart. [ found
the little matter of mortgage which I
foreclosed on poor man, and got away
his farm, when he had no suspicion but
what I would give him time to redeem it.
By that means had got into my posses
sion property worth two thousand dollars,
for which did not actually pay, and for
which Isaac Dorr never actually realized
more than half that amount. But the
proceeding was entirely legal, and tried
to excuse myself. But my awakened con-
science kept saying, You have taken
poor man IS land without giving him a just
return; the law of God condemns you,
although the law Of man sanctions the
wrong. You shall have no peace of soul
your heart will burn you-until withjus-
tice you wipe out your own injustice to
him and to others whom you have wrong
ed"
against this decree of my conscience I
rebelled a long time. 1t was hard for me
to raise thousand dollars, together with
the interest due from the time the mort
gage was foreclesed; and it was like taking
portion of my life to be obliged to sub
tract so much at that time from my gains.
and give it to man with no legal claims
upon it. groaned and mourned over it
in secret, and tried to pray, but that mort
gage came right up between my prayer and
God, and heaven looked dark and frown-
ing through it. At last [ could not resist
the appeals of conscience any longer, and
went again to the minister, told him my
troubles, and asked him what I should
do"
"There is simple test," said he. "Do
you love your neighbor as yourself? If
you do, you will be just to him, if it takes
from you the last dollar you have in the
world"
s'That was terrible sentence: I went
out staggering from it as if had received
blow"
"Oh, Godl" said, ''how can be
Christian?"
sBut had no help beyond myself other
wise could never have ended the strug
gle. knelt before God, and solemnly
vowed for His sake, for the sake Of His
pardon and love, would not only show
justice to the poor man I had wronged,
but would give up, if need be, all that l
hand in the world, so that I might have
peace in Him. A strange soothing indu-
ence came over my soul, and voice
seemed to say, Though you lose all you
have, God and Christ and the blessings of
heart pure and at peace shall be left you
the best and only source OF happiness
| and life.' And in the solemn night time.
after I gave up the struggle, that comfort
came to me, so great and precious, that I
felt willing, if it would only stay with me.
to accept poverty, and 60 into the world
poor and despised, hugging that priceless
blessing to my heart. The next day was
as light as if had wings. Nothing could
keep me from going to see Isaac Dorr, with
a couple of hundred dollars in my pocket
and note for the remainder I owed him.
"Well," said the narrator, with tears
running down his cheeks, 81 only wish
that every person here could have seen the
Dorr family when visited them and made
known my errand. Poor Isaac had grown
quite discouraged, and just made up his
MIND to quit his wife and children and go
to California. His children were crying,
and his wife was in an extremity of distress
and despair. She received me great deal
better than I had anticipated. Z had act
ed according to the law she said, 'and
Isaac, careless and improvident, was great
ly to blame.'"
Eyes," said Isaac, with the irmness Of a
desperate man, sit was savage game you
played on me-but was fool ever to 60
into debt as did, and then fancy that
any one would not take the advantage
when the law permits it. I am ruined in
consequences; and here you see this woman
and these babies''-
The poor fellow broke down as he look
ed at them, and cried like child.
| ''Isaac," said I, soon as could speak,
II have come to show you that man can
be honest, even when the law don't compel
him to be. want to do right Isaac, be-
cause God commands it, and have come
to tell you that you needn't leave your
wife and babies yet, unless you prefer to.