Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-03-28


Flower Of Easter morn
--Harper's Magazine for April
The Nobleman's Offer Or, the Door
Was Shut.
Lord A. was nobleman OF wealth and
influence and ss an earnest Christian, he was
ever seeking to do good, both 10 the poor
about him and to the tenants on his large
estates. Like many other faithful Chris
t,ans he was often saddened and gfieved 10
find that so few seemed impressed with the
calls Of the,gospe and the offers OF redeeming
grace. Thinking over the matter he fixed
upon q plan which he hoped might
teach lesson of faith that would not be
forgotten, and which, at the same tine,
might impress the Importance Of now sc-
cepting the gracious offers of salvation.
Going down to his large estates he had the
following notice posted up in various places,
where all his tenants could see 1t. 1t fixed
on date some ten or twelve days in ad-
vance, and read as follows:
rNoTIcE Mr.. A will be present, with
his steward, at his office in the village, be-
tween the hours OF nine and twelve, on
Tuesday after next, and will then and there
freely pay all debts, to whomsoever due, of
any OF his tenants who have not the means
to discharge their obligations. To avail
themselves of this offer, the applicants must
each give an exact statement Of the amount
aud nature of his debts, and to whom they
are due and they must also give full state
ment of their own means and what property
they have"
Very soon crowds were seen gathering
about the various placards through the vii
lage and at the ofiice; and curiosity and as
constituent possessed them all. Every one
was asking What does this mean ?" But
to one and all the steward had but one and
the same answer, " This is Mr.. AS offer,
and the notice speaks for itself" Any fur
ther explain alton he declined to give. He
merely said he was directed to put up the
notice by Mr.. A himself, and that it meant
just what it said.
The day appointed in the notice rapidly
drew on, and the excitement among the ten
ants increased. Some, as they read the last
clause Of the notice, seemed to think it
meant that they must give up all they had
if they would claim the offered benefit and
as they were not insolvent, they concluded
that they would not apply. Some locked
over their accounts aud made out the re-
quired statements but thought they would
wait and see how others might fare, intend
their own list of debts. Some, again, plan
ned TO keep back part of their assets while
others, il fuenced by argument or ridicule,
gave up all thought of the matter; and still
Others thought the idea was SO strange and
incredible that they did not deem it worth
| moments notice. But there's his own
offer, and he'll never go back on that" said
| a neighbor. And 80 the discussion went on.
At last the day came, and the crowd Of
| tenants and lookers-on gathered about the
office. A little before the appointed hour
Mr.. A. stepped from his carriage into the
| office and closed the door after him. Pre-
cisely at nine O'Clock step came from the
| inner room, and the door was thrown wide
open, 80 that any one could enter. Men looked
OF each other and waited, none being willing
to be the first to go in, fearing either to con-
tess their poverty and Indebtedness, or to
meet the ridicule that might follow an un-
successful application. "Do you 60 and
try Jones'" said one to his neghbor. "No," /"
said the other =" l'm.not SO poor as that"
Do you CO." was said to another. :" |
guess III wait aud see how the others do, ,"
was the answer. "Why don't you try it 7"
said a fourth. "We'll," said the one spoken
TO, "there's plenty of time yet" And so
the hours passed on, each waiting to see
what the others would do, and no one 60
ing in.
1t was nearly IL o'clock, when an old
couple from the poor house came up TO the
office. "Is it true" they asked, "that Mr..
A. has offered to pay all our debts ?" "Well
yes but he hasn't paid any yet" Has
any one been in to see If he would do it 2"
Well-no-not yet we are thinking about
it." "Well," said the old man, the offer
seems plain, aud, thank God, we may yet
die free from debt; for we have some debts
we were never able to pay" And they both
started for the door of the office. "That's
right, old man." exclaimed one; "you 60
in first, and let US know how you fare"
"Well," said another, al guess he'll find
himself fooled, after ALL" sand" said an
other, I" guess he'll 60 back to the poor
house Just about as he came" Such were
some Of the comments and remarks as to the
old couple; but disregarding them all, they
went forward and entered the Office.
| Within they found MIR. A. and his stew.
on the table, saying 4" There, sir. are my
debts. l have no property, but live in the
poor-house; but that matters little if l can
but pay what honestly owe, and so die
free from debt" "But why should pay
your debts p" asked Mr.. A. al do not
know, except that you say you will and |
fully believe your promise and rely upon
your word" "That is enough" said Mr..
A.; and turning to his steward he told him
to fill out check for the whole amount,
which being done, he signed it, and handed
1t to the old man, who received 1t with the
deepest thankfulness, and then started for
door, saying, ~ must go and tell all those
outside of your kindness, that they too may
come as have DONE" "No," said Mr.. A.,
"you must not tell them; they must trust
my word for themselves, as you have done. :.
And so the old couple were shown into
another room TO wait till twelve, while Mr.
A., being satisfied that their poverty was
their misfortune and not their fault, ordered
the lease of a nice little place to be made
out to them for life, and added this to the
check he had given them.
Outside the office time wore away; some
wondering why the old couple did not come
out, and some concluding that they must
have failed and that after all there was
nothing in the matter. The hour Of twelve
drew near. Men looked at each other bu,
still did not 60 in. At last the hour rang
out from the church clock and with thu
last stroke from the bell the door opened
and the old man and his wife were seer
coming out. floW IL IL now III IL
cried the people. Have you got the
money 2" The old man showed them hi
check. Good" he said, as solid GOLD
it was all 3d." And at the same momen
MIR. A. came out and as he went to his car
riage there was rush toward it, each on'
pressing forward with his statement ant
crying, Here, Mr.. A. will you not pay IN,
debts ?"" Here is my account" "Will 20,
not look at my statement y
"Friends," was the reply, ait is afte
twelve O'Clock. The hour is past. 1t is to'
latel" Aud he drove away.
"Now is the accepted time !" and "nov
the day of salvation T. Strive to enter il
at the straight gate for many, say unit
you, shall seek TO enter in, and shall not b.
able when once the Master Of the hous
hath risen up and hath shut to the door |"
National Baptia.