Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-05-05
A Slaves Prayer.
ITS WONDERFUL EFFICACY IN CHANG
TIE LIVES OF HIS MASTER
AND MISTRESS.

st. Joseph (Mo.) Gazette Not long
since an old gentleman of Harrison
county, KY. was gathered to bis
fathers, after having attained the age
of seventy-fve years. A notice OF tho
old mans death was mailed to some
old friends in this city, and they, o
course, had great deal to say about
the life and character Of their deceased
friend. The circumstances OF the ole
genueman's death recalled to their
minds very remarkable incident in his
career, and we have been fortunate
enough to obtain the particulars there
with. The truth of the story we can
heartily vouch for, because it comes
from a source perfectly reliable. We
give il 10 show how it sometimes hap
pens that the current Of a mans life is
changed, almost IN the twinkling of an
eye, as it were, aud 10 illustrate the
efficacy Of prayer.
The circumstance occurred when the
gentleman referred to was comparative.
ly a young man, completely worldly in
the truest sense of the world. Neither
himselfnor his wife were members oi
any church, and up to the time men,
toned had never given the subject Of
religion any serious thought. He was
prosperous farmer, and as civil war
had not desolated the land and changed
the condition Of the peculiar institu-
tion,n Of course owned a number ol
slaves. Among the number was co.,
ored man named Jacob, who was known
to be very pious man, and whose
mind dwelt a great deal on the great
truths revealed in the Bible, but he had
to conform to the discipline which all
slaves were subjected to in those days,
and his master was a man of violent
temper and unreasonable prejudlces.
One evening Jacob came in from work
and his master beng in very ugly
frame of mind objected to something
he had done, and chastised him severe
" for it. Jacob received the chastlse-
ment meckly, and went away without 4
word Of complaint and attended to his
usual duties. The next morning he
got up looking very solemn and troubl-
ed in mind, and refused to eat his
breakfast. 1t was such an unusual
thing for him to refuse to eat, his mas
ter thought he was "sulklng," and cx'
pressed the opinion 10 bis wife that he
had not been severe enough with him
the night before. He therefore conclu'
ded to watch Jacob, and if he saw
more signs of sulkiness," as he call.
ed It, he would chastise him again. He
ate his breakfast and walked out TO see
what Jacob was doing, but at first could
not find him. Finally he went near
the corn crib, intending to throw few
ears of corn to some calves in the lot
and Just as he started to open the door
he heard a voice, and paused 10 listen.
Then he discovered that it was Jacobs
voice, and being curious TO know what
the former had to say, renamed mo-
tionless. After listening to the voice
few moments, be was seized with
amazement, for Jacob was praying,
aud for the master who had but short
time before wrongiully punished him.
1t was pathetic appeal, full of hum
bic simplicity and grand unseldshness
The burden Of i. was that the gooc
Lord would pardon the high tempered
master for the wrong he had done his
slave. and that He would fill his hear
with a love for the true, the beautiful
and the good. "Do not judge my poor
sinful master for his wrong to me-
said this lowly slaye, "but teach him
the error ofhis ways and bring him tC
Thy feet and save him from himself
II Thou wilt but teach him." he con-
ltinued, to feel as l do whenever
hear the stsry Of the suf'erings OF thy
Son on Calyary's cross. will not COM
plain of his treatment to me-"
Then he prayed for his mistress, an(
as kod God to forgive her aud show hel
the ioys OF the humble Christian life
Not one word did he utter for himself
but the end of his prayer was, For
give them, forgive thcm."
Subsequent events proved that ia
cob's lowly prayer ascended straight tt
.he Throne of Almighty God, for boil
master and mistress became changet
beings from that time until their death
AS soon as the prayer was finished thu
master slipped away and wandered owe
his farm for hours, his heart being dis
turbed By emotions it never felt before
In the afternoon he went to the house
and his wife was thunderstruck at th'
wonderful change in bis appearance au'
actions that naughty. overbearini
look, peculiar to himself, was gone, ant
was replaced by one of humble reslgna
ton.
His wife could only ask: William
what on earth has come over youW
His reply was: Mary, l have in
humanity chastised an angel, for Jacol
surely is one of them.' Then he toll
| her all. and she became almost as mucl
| affected as her husband. The resul
was they connected themselves wit
the Baptist church, and became note
| for their Christian virtues. Whereve
they were known their upright walk il
life and their noble charities we're sub
iects of general remark, and they wer
always pointed 10 as living evidences Q
the wonderful power Of Gods redeem
iny grace.