Nevada County picayune., 1886-03-10

give that of Blue Dick friendly grasp, and the fitting words spo- ken did not fail to strengthen the new purposes that were beginiiih z to shape in his mind. The coming 2 of the oue and the marked atten- tion shown him by the preacher, led some of the brethren to fear Ives, fear-that this poor outcast I'night offer himself for member ship; and they even expressed their fea1s to Brother Shaw, and predicted that it would ruin the church if one such as he should at tempt to enter the told. Brother Shaw, however, did not fail to show, in their liveliest colors, the tenderness and compassion of Him who came to give hope to the hopeless, to seek and save the lost, The lost sheep, and the way ward, wretched, ruined prodigal seemed to point to Blue Dick, and Blue Dick himself began to think they meant him; and one night when the preacher, with even more than his wonte1 earneStncss, urged the despairing and lost to come to Christ as their only hope, Blue Dick rose to come forward and accept thr gospel. offer. The preacner went half way down the aisle to meet him; angels, dcubt- less, too, at that moment. gave eX- pression to their joy in glad song, and He who died to save the lost was doubtless glad to see that the lost was found. But alas' where there was joy in heaven over the coming of Blue Dick to confess his Lord, to strive to lead a better life, did net send a thrill of joy through the church; some were there, who like the elder son in the parable, thought that the returned wander CT wonld never be other than a disgrace to the family, thought that Blue Dick had gone too far to retrace his steps, and that his new ly.formed resolutions would be broken on the first invitation to take drink, and that he would soon sink to even a lower depth if possible, than before. Such was the feeling of opposition with re- gard to him that Brother Shaw did not take Iris profession and baptize him for several days, feeling doubt less, that until ho could change their views on the subject, that their collness would repel and discourge, rather than help and save.
 Before the meeting closed, to the wonder of the whole commumi- ty, Blue Dick made a public con fession of his faith in Christ, was baptized, and by his consistent life soon disarmed whatever of ob- jection remained and was regarded as a standing proof of the power of the gospel.
 Years passed by; the faithful evangelist visited the same place. Blue Dick was no longer there, he was transformed ihto Brother Geo. NJ, one of the best members of the church, he was living in comfort able home surrounded by loving ard happy family, with every mark of neatneSs and thrift about them. As soon as Brother Shaw had catered this happy Christian home, he who had be0n Blue Dick said:
 "Brother Shaw, kneel down and thank Sod for what he has done for me. that 1, who, when you met me, was a poor. miserable, drunk on sinner, have been lifted up, and by the mercy of God, am what l am today
 Down they knelt-preacher, hus- band, wife and children-all wept, but they were tears of joy; and when they parted, it was with the glad hope of meeting in that bles- bed land where no parting shall | be.
 A Wise Captain.