The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-11-23
Jerry McAuley's Conversion, as told
by Cough.

by Cough.
In my experience / found among
some of the hardest characters ten-
derness that was surprising, jerry
McAulev, once a river-.hief and a
abard case" now tender hearted
Christian, tfe love Of Jesus melting
the heart once so callous. One day
this man noticed a poor woman
with two or three children, whose
husband was drinking in bis shop,
looking anxiously in at the door.
The thought of the meanness OF sell
ing beer and making money out OF
the poverty of this family struck him
quite forcibly. and the impulse to
get out of the miserable business
came on him with such power that
he said to his wife, "Soe here, lass,
I'll work my fingers to the very
stunps before I'll keep box like
this; and III G, t out of it." When
it was known that he purposed
giving up the business, he was ad-
yised to advertise and sellit. What
was his reply? "Na; no; | give it
up because it's bad; and I'll put no
one in bad business for money.
If any man goes into this boz be
goes in on his own bottom for all
me-" To brewer, who offered to
put him into large and more
profitable house, he said, INA, |
would not do it for all the world. /
would die first" At that time he
saw no evil in drinking itself, only
in its abuse. lie therefore secured
q house. and took TO it several
barrels of ale and porter for moder-
ate use. One day he saw a notice
in the street Of temperance meet
ing to be held. He yielded to the
impulse, and decided to 60: Under
the influence of lecture, which was
delivered by Mr.. Jabez Inwards, of
London, he went home hastened to
the cellar. and turned the tap of
every barrel. His wife being told
by one of children, what was going
on, rushed into the cellar.
"What are thee doing, lad p
Don't thee see what | be do
ing ?"
"Eh! but wilful waste makes
woful want, and thee art wasting
the good stuff"
Seeing that she produced no ef-
feet by her appeal, she said:
"Art thee crazy, lad -
"Na, I'm not crazy; I'm coming
to my senses.
But how dost thee think | can
care for the children without drep
of ale ?"
"Thee must try porridge, for III
have no more of the stuff IN the
house"
He soon signed the pledge of total
abstinence, and it was to him the
/ dawn of a new life. 1t was rolling
away the stone from the door of the
sepuIchre. His next good impulse
was to 90 to a place of worship, hav-
ing never been inside enc before
The only religious exercise he re-
membered was part of a prayer by a
street preacher. He went with his
own accord, with no invitation, to heaI
the gospel preached for the first
time in his life. III was preacher,
! I would prefer an audience of men
and women who had never heard
the sound of the gospel, than an
audience of those who had heard
the message for forty years and been
unmoved by it. The first service he
heard was from the passage in Tim
othy: Goodness is profitable unto
all things. having the promise of the
| life that now is, and that which is
to come" The preacher was not a
learned man, or refined or elegant
sneaker: but his homely phrases
were thoroughly understood, and
the effect produced was shown by
the remark, after the discourse: "lf
| it's true what the chap says, it will
lust suit me. Only think good for
this life, and good for t'other. All
right now, and all right then. Safe
here. and safe there. That's just
what | want and I'll have it.
This led to his seeking and find
ing and the commencing of con-
slant Christian life. His fifty years.
recklessness had left him in debt ;
so he did what every Christian
should do-began to pay his debts.
He had seven little children and
was owing one hundred fifty pounds,
without penny to meet his obli-
cations. He went to his principal
creditor, to whom he was indebted
seventy-fiye pounds, and engaged to
pay five shillings per week, which
he did, never missing a week for
more than five years. TO another
creditor, who had never even mem
toned the debt to him, he went,
three years after he became a Chris
tan, and said:
81 believe l owe thee seven pounds.
Now, I've pig that I've fed instead
of feeding the publican, and thou
canst have the pig"
"Well, lad" was the reply, "1ll
take the pig; and if there's aught
over, III pay the balance.
The pig was killed, weighed, and
the balance of three pounds ten
shillings was paid over.
One one occasion an old compan-
ion. who did not understand the
great change wrought in him. called
at his shop to obtain some sporting
information, and wished to know
who was going to win the race in
HYDE Park.
II do not know anything at all
about it."
"Nay, thee canst tell US some-
thing about it; thou knowest what
they've done afore."
NAY, lad /; I've nobbut another
race to run, and then I've done"
Another race art thee going to
a--sL~~ 1907 iNh4 - ~