Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-01-20
CHATTER MIL.

Sl1hG EN- -NNIIl.
CONVERSION AND RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE.
Those who remained in prison suffered
scarcely less than their comrades. The
bitterness of death was upon us also. We
did not think that vengeance would stop
with those who had fallen. The hope we
had 50 long cherished was overturned Mt n
blow. In Knoxville we had urged that all
should be tried together, or that the SEN
tence of one should stand for all There
was no reason for giving any preference TO
one over another, and no indication that
such preference was to be given. But
even if we had not believed that only n
few days or hours of prison life lay be-
tween us and the scaffuld the parting
from our loved friends, whose voices were
yet lingering in our ears while they them
selves had passed beyond the gates Of
death, was enough to break the stoutest
heart. There We're tears then in eyes that
would not have quivered in the presence
of any danger
But | could not shed tear A cloud Of
burning heat rushed to my head, and
fever seemed 10 scorch through every
vein. For hours ! scarcely could realize
where was or the loss that had been suf-
fercd. Every glance around the room.
revealing the vacant places of friends,
would bring our sorrow freshly upon Us
again. Grief for our comrades and apprc-
hcnsiOn for ourselves We're inseDarlhlV
blended. The audiences of the shock Ny
which we were separate ed seemed to reveal
spirit that forbade us to hope. while it
| was a terrible aggravation of the pain Of
| parting. Thus the afternoon hours SLOW ~
drlfted by under a shadow too dark for
words No one ventured a. vet To speak
Of hope.
The first distraction in this terrible hour
we owed to our friendly iailer. He asked
us if we would like to be all put in one
room.
We were eager for this privilege, and lie
| brought over the eight who were in the
| front room and placed them with Us. We
were now fourteen, including Capt. Fry,
of East Tennessee fame, who was placed
with us. There would have been much
! to talk about in our separate experiences
| in Knoxville and Chattanooga ut any
| other time, but now the thought of the
! lost swallowed up everything else.
! AT length some voice suggested-rathcr
| family ut first, for only few hours be-
| fore it would have met keen ridicule-
| that it would he we'll for us to pray The
thought was warmly welcomed. Not The
| slightest objection was offered byany one,
and we at once all knelt. One member
of the party has lately told me that while
he knelt with the rest, and was careful tn
! say nothing TO discourage us, yet he never
| led in prayer, or said anything to Indicate
that he had changed his life purpose.
did not notice the exception at the time.
as every head was bowed and every face
covered. Capt. Fry was first requested
| to lead us, which was peculiarly appro-
| pirate, as he had always maintained a
consistent religious life, and now seemed
! to feel our great sorrow as If il We're his
own He prayed with deep earnestness,
strong sobs mingling with his fervent pc
! titons. Then others led and we CON
| tinucd until all but the one already al
| luded to had prayed in turn; then those
, who had prayed before began again.
| There seemed to be some help in simply
telling our trouble. On my own part,
do not think that there was a great deal
of faith, ut least so far as temporal deliv-
erance was concerned, but there came a
calmness and II passing away of bitter,
ness that was rcStful to our tired hearts.
We besOught God mainly that he would
prepare Us for the fate that seemed
inevitable, and that as he had led
us into great trials, he would in some
Hlulllltl SUSTAIN us lIlGft. w kept OH
praying with but short intervals till the
sun went down. AS twilight deepened
into darkncss-the emblem of our own
lves-so our petitions grew more solemn.
God seemed nearer than ever before. In
the darkness it appeared easier TO behold
the heavenly light We began to ask for
deliverance in this world as well as in the
hour Of death, and to have II hope, very
faint and trembling, that it might be grant
ed. Then little by little we began to profess
our purpose to live religious lives Will,
we We're spared, whether the time was
long or short, do not know that there
was anything clear and definite in the
way Of conversion or sudden change on
the part of any; but when it il rcmpm
bcrcd That in the forenoon we had amusc,
ourselves by all kind of games, that pro
fame words and jests We're not uncommon
and that we would have been ashamed I,
speak Of prayer or of religion in amy wa,
except ~ Il mere theory, it will he sccI
that there was no slight alteration in N
already. From that hour date the Lirtl
of an immortal hope and new purpus
in life. And in this experience / am no
solitary.
1t is an interesting fact, which the ra
tionalist may explain us he will. that from
the time of that long prison prayer meet
ing-lrOn early afternoon to midnight
the fortunes Of our party began to i'm