Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1888-11-06
Hidden Currents.

Hidden Currents.
Oh.,ime. In the city Of New York
have We watched from the docks the
stately vessel. coming up this srsnds',
Of marine highways. laden -i,h the fair.
81, fruits. the riches, productions. and
the hne., fabrics Of the commercial
world
AZ these noble vessel. come up the
hnbor wiihoa, sails. with brigh, psn-
nanu and gay s,ramer flying. and
and gracefully round up TO the wharf.
we involun,.nly look to see what pro-
duoe. ihi. enormous force. A careful
look from boz 10 stern discovers no side
or stern wheels. ba, further inquiry de-
velop. the fac, that ds,p beneath the
surface Of the water ou, Of sight. there 10
an iron propeller -hieh drives the vessel
30 steadily on i,s course.
This propeller. 40 deep beneath the
surface. !, typical Of many phases OF real
life, IL typical Of the .ilsn, force.
,ha, run beneath the lsver currents OF
the human soul. This hidden force may
be ior good OF bad according 10 the
mental make up Of the individual.
In the case Of Thomas j. Cluvsrius
of Virgins. testimony In court proved
him 90 have been . model young man.
bearing an honorable name through the
vsrioa. stage. Of hs education, 10 bis
admission 20 the bar. and q, the time OF
hi. .rs., he W. +. Sabbath School So.
perin,endent Hut beneath all this
iher. ~.s propslling force ,hs, led him
TO en,ioe hi. cousin. Lillian Msdsr.on, TO
accompany him =, nish, TO the reservoir
In the city Of Richmond. and trsseher-
ou.ly throw her into the deep -s,sr.
aud stain hi. soul With the crime Of
murder. for which he s,oned on the gal.
lows.
We have case In poin, In orr own
.,a,e-,he Portland cashier now in
State. Prison. His earne.,ness In
church work ~. such as to induce him
to supply the pulpi, himself In the
absence Of the pastor. Iii. honesty and
integrity were above suspicion outside
the bank. and In ability be VI. the peer
Of the mo., able Ba, the hidden evil
overbore the good. and he confessed TO
taking large sums Of money belonging to
Others
We lately heard old Father fsuins-
ton. nov over ninety years Of age, Who
formerly preached In Paris. tell some et.
perienee. Of his life. lie told ofhis boy
hood on the farm aud his father. desire
that he should settle there and Of hi. se-
qui,.esnee to the plan he told Of his
toll, and care. Of an increasing family
and finally Of bis promp,ins' TO leave
home AMI 20 ou, TO preach. Thi. white
haired pilgrim stood up in thi. open sir
meeting. With hi. cane supporting hi.
trembling limbs. and With the stamp OF
heaven upon his eountsnanee. telling OF
the fearful pleading. Of hi. wife. setting
forth hi. unf,ne.s and lack Of training
for the ministry. telling Of the final trial
Of leaving hi. home amid the tears OF
relatives and wife and children. supple
men,ed by his Own. and Of the aching
heart. after starting. then OF the halt
and determination 90 return. when his
little daughter sang hymn which de-
,ermined them 10 proceed. He,hen sang
hi. white hair Was hat,ering 10 the
the hymn In trembling eadeness. while
bre,rs and then "a, down. The analy-
81. Of hi. story shows 'hs, down deep in
the hidden curea,s Of hi. life. were sle.
men,. unknown to himself until after
the full dawn Of manhood.
Patrick Henry's history has no psral-
lei in American annals. for latent tslen,
hidden deep beneath the surface. We
6ad him with a poor education. married
at an early age. with limited means.
trying to supper, himself in mercantile
bu.ine.. at which he twice failed. Now
discouraged and without mean. be tries
farming. then follow years Of toll. sweat
ing by the roadside inveloped 10 the du',
from the carriage. Of the Ari.,ocrar who
would scarcely give him q look. In
lapse Of time he commenced the study OF
Law. Only expecting to add. in some
small degree. 20 the slender income from
! nj. farm. The history Of bis frs, case
|. yell worthy long article, but suffice
Il to ssy-ths, plea which opened 80
weak and hsl,ing A. to cause the oppos.
ing party to je.r and 'eoff. eliminated
Ia such .ca,hing invec,ives tha, they
,rembled like Felix before Pual. The
Judge 90 far forgo, himself as to shed
tears. and hi. argumsn, closed with the
house filed to lie u,,ermos, capacity. the
jury held ,pellbOund and the crowd in
perfect nppor, with the speaker. VII
liam Writ said OF them: "Tkey were
leaning forward In rspt attention listen
ing to hi. word. as II they were falling
from the lip. Of some heavenly vi'itsn'
whom they were In danger OF losing
On leaving the house he was seired by
the admiring crowd and borne aloft in .
triumphal march. All history furnishes
no parallel to this. A poor farmer law
yer. dressed In the coarse homespun ol
those colonial days. went to the court
house on foot. saw his uncle Il preacher
and begged him to go home, /. he had
to make plea against the preachers
On entering the court house he found
to hi. conformation. that be had tc
make hi. frat plea with his father or
the bench ss Judge. History says when
,hs, son commenced his plea in his din.
dent. hsl,ing. and embarrassed way. The
expression Of the father wu painful 4