Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-05-11

heart IN his eyes but ne could not speak |:
the sudden relief overpowered him.
"Stay here till ! draw it." Mr.. Car.
ter said, and before the hour had passed.
the money was in Jacob Pierces pocket.
81 can't thank you!' he said.
"Don't try" answered Mr.. Carter,
smiling.
The year passed slowly away, and with
it went much Of John Carters misery.
He felt like a man on desert island
who has suddenly found companionship
in the survivor of another wreck. He
met Mr.. Pierce continually, and hearty
hand shake or a cordial word always
passed between them; the borrower,
strange to say, felt no servitude to the
lender, no dreadful weight of debt; there
was something in Mr.. Carters whole air
and manner that set Pierce at his ease; ;
he felt as sure that his secret was safe as
if in his own bosom. The unconscious
atmosphere Of character is one Of the
influences we make little account Of, yet
it is weighty as gravitation, and inevita-
ble as life.
1t was the day before Thanksgiving
again, and there came to John Carter in
his office a note and inclosure to this
effect:
DEAR CARTER II have been lucky in the
recent rise in real estate, and you will find
herein certificate or deposit in our bank
to the amount Of your loan and interest.
want you to know that though i never
pretended to be Christian, you have
preached me the best sermon ever heard,
and pretty near converted me. God bless
you! J. FIERCE
John laid his head on his desk in q
strange, sweet, yet bitter amazement.
Could it be. He, the sinner, an exam
pie for and of Christ? Suddenly there
swept across his mind as with breath Of
divine power the aspiration and devotion
of David after his fall, the work Of Peter,
who before denied his Lord; the tender
forgiveness held out with such patient
love to Thomas. He seemed to hear the
same dear gracious voice saying to him;
"Reach hither thy finger and behold my
hand, reach hither thy hand and thrust
it into my side, and be not faithless but
believing"
"The blood Of Christ cleanseth from
all sin"
And like Thomas, his whole heart
burned within him, and his white lips
whispered, my Lord and my God"
The next day as his children were
clustering about him in the sunny parlor,
and his wife, with the baby in her arms
Growing and trying to reach the roses in
her hair, stood looking on, far lovelier
and fairer than in her beautiful girlhood,
there was a ring at the door and the
servant brought in basket of exquisite
flowers directed to Mrs. Carter, and on
the card was written: ga thousand
thanks to help your thanksgiving"
1t was a pleasant mystery only to
Sarah. John Carter knew the handwrit-
ing well, and the words Mr.. Dyer had
said to him a year ago flashed into his
mind.
Yes; today he could be thankful even
for his sin; it was forgiven of God, his
grateful heart we'll knew, and but fol
that experience would he ever have res
cued Jacob Pierce so willingly, SO JOY
fully, from the depths where he had
fallen. Could man who never had
strayed have had such intelligent pity fol
another wanderer. or would he himself
have known through any other teaching
the exceeding bitterness and sinfulness o
sin; have appreciated its wages; or val
ued its weight of degradation:
1t is true his soul was SCARED, bu
scars mean warning as well as shame
He felt sure now that no earthly temPta
ton would charm him again; that for al
his life the taste Of Marah would war;
him from strange fountains; and in tn
inmost recesses of his heart recognizing
the good that divine power can bring ou
of evil, he thanked God and took courag'
in spite of his great sin.