Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-11-01

Laden with thoughts Of ali that might
have been.
Had but known and answered differently
To what answered then.
CAPT. BALLS EXPERIENCE
have had strange experience, )" aid
Captain Ball, speaking with much emo
ton. " It began about three weeks ago.
had lately been making some very good
trades, and one night, was riding
home, reckoning up my gains, and feeling
= pride and triumph in the start / had got
In the world by my own shire wdness and
exerti0ns. 1t was starlight, and very
still could scarcely hear noise but
the field crickets, and the tramp of my
horse on the dark road, when suddenly
voice said
What shall 1t profit man If he shall
gain the whole world and lose his own
soul ?"
+" Was it actually voice 7" question
ed, as he hesitated.
No: knew 1t wasn't at the time. 1t
was, have no doubt, my own mind. But
the expression was just - distinct and as
unexpected as II 1: had been spoken by
some person in my ear. went TO talk
with my minister. wanted to get into
the church, where thought should bs
safe. had no conception Of repentance
and change Of heart. l supposed our
pastor would commence que ,tioninR me
about doctrines, and 90 forth, to let me
know what would have to understand
and believe, before Icould become church
member. But he didn't take any such
course. He made me 60 into the house
and sit down In his study, where he talked
with me long time about the blessedness
Of religion, and it, value above all other
things Of this world, independently of It's
rewards hereafter. Then he said
Captain Ball, do you know the first
thing requisite to be done, II you would
be Q Christian 2"
did not know
The Christian life-the life of faith
full follower of Jesus Christ, said he, can
be founded only upon repentance. Now
1t Is easy to say we repent, but the only
repentance that is worth anything, Is an
active repentsnce-by which mean not
only sorrow for sin, and an earnest desire
to avoid 1t In the future, but one that goes
to work and seeks, ss far as 1t is In his
power, to make amends for every wrong
we have ever done. Is there person in
the world, Captain Ball, who can look
you In tho face, and say you have wronged
hlmp
| he knew my weak point, added the
Captain. Every man has his weak
point, and suppose the lancet must be
applied there first. That question was
like sharp, scratching steel driven into my
soul. l writhed and groaned inwardly,
and struggled and perspired long time
before could answer. saw 1t WAS 60
ing to be dreadful hard for me TO be a
Christian. l meant, however, to get Oh
as easily as could. So determined to
confess something which / suppose was
known to everybody who knows me-my
horse trade with Peter Simmons, last
spring.
Did you wrong Peter p asked the
minister.
i shaved him q little,' said l.
How much ~ said he. " Tell me
honestly what you think
i let him have ring boned and wind
broken nag that had physicked up TO
look pretty Rsy-worth, for actual service,
not over ten dollars, and got In return q
sound and steady beast worth sixty dol.
lars, and twenty five dollars to boot. So
honestly think, said /, that shaved him
out OF about seventy-fve dollars
And with seventy-fve dollars In your
PossessiOn belonging TO poor Peter Sim
mons, do you think you can commence q
lifeof Christian purify Do you think
that Christ will hear your prs yers for par
don, with stolen money in your pocket a.
asked the minister.
" l said something about trade is a
trade, and must look out for themselves
when they swap horses-but he cut me
short.
"sYour own SOUL said he, will not
admit the excuses which your sci fshness
invents.'
".But the rule you apply said I, will
cut of the heads of church members as
well as mine. There's Deacon Rich, he
trades horses, and shaves whenever he
cam
"'No natter said he, whose head 10
cut OFF ; no matter what Deacon Rich
does. You have to deal with your owp
soul, and with your Lord. And l tell
you, whether you are out Of the church or
In 1t, single dollar which you have un-
justly and knowingly taken from any
man, without rendering him It's full value
to the best of your ability-a single dollar
l say, will be like milestone hung upon
your neck, to sink your soul into the sea
OF spiritual ceath.
~ couldn't stand that. The Spirit OF
God used those words with terrible effect
upon my heart. was greatly agitated.
The truth spoken by the pastor appealed
to my understanding with irresistible
power. / went away, hut l couldn't rest.
Sol took seventy-five dollars and went to
Peter and paid him, making him promise
not to tell anybody, for l wa, ashamed TO
have IL known that / was conscience
stricken, and had paid back money. Then
went to the minister again, ana told
him what had done. He didn't praise
me, as thought he would. He took 1t
as a matter OF course, and no more merit
In me than 1t is to wash my hands before
sit down to supper. On the contrary he
seemed to suspect that my hands were not
quite clean yet. He wanted to know If /
had wronged anybody else besides Peter.
tried to say no, but my conscience
wouldn't let me. l could have told
plumper lie than that once, without finch
ing-yes, and fattered my own heart to
believe the lie. l was discouraged.
felt bitterly disheartened. 1t was indeed,
&c much harder being Christian than
thai regretted going to talk
with the minister at all. Like the young
man who had great possessions, was on
the point of going away sorrowful. But
my heart burned within me, and was
forced to speak.
"'In the way of business said I, mo
doubt have taken advantage here and
there as everybody does-as church
members themselves do whenever they
can"
What everybody else does is no rule
for you and me, Captain Ball. said the
1t Is to be Christians in the
fullest sense-not simply to be church
ZEN bers-that we must strive with all
Tt,o {oct IF hat ~, <h> Ella