Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1889-01-19

ty cc naO DCEh OtShSA ~ 49, $500
neglect Of duty, and how firmly con-
WINGED she was that if they unitedly
prayed for blessing on their pas
tor, that this answer would come
and the desired change in him be
wrought.
Then followed five earnest pray
ers, Auntie Goodwin joining in ST.
lently but none the less fervently /;
| and SIS they prayed their faith grew
stronger and stronger, until, as they
rose from their knees, each one felt
in his heart that they had indeed
been heard, and that in Gods own
good time the answer would be sent.
That same Friday night Mr.. eros
son sat in his study, trying to finish
his sermon for the coming Sabbath.
say trying, for somehow his
thoughts were away from the sub
ject upon which he had been writing
and others were pressing in upon
him. He had been visiting that af-
ternoon, and there had been brought
| to his notice certain inconsistent acts
of some Of his prominent members;
direct violations too OF the truth he
had enunciated most emphatically
only few Sabbaths previous. my
preaching seems to have no weight
at all with them," he murmured. II
have preached the truth as plainly
and earnestly as / knew how, and
vet I see no fruit, no evidence that
it has taken any hold upon their
hearts. When | came among them
| six years ago, how 1 hoped to build
them up into an active, consistent,
spiritual-minded people; and yet l
cannot see that they are any further
advanced in the Christian life than
when | came. What is the cause Z
| Can it be that have not done my
whole duty, or have not done it in
| the right way? Show me, 0 Lord
wherein have erred, and reveal the
obstacle that has kept thy blessing
from this people, And the Lord
did show him. He laid bare his
heart, and quickened his spiritual
sight SO that he saw it as it had APP
peared to divine eyes during the
past six years. And he saw that
while he had spoken the truth to his
people, he had not spoken it in love ;
too often, indeed, it had been with
an outspoken contempt for their
weakness, and no doubt a realization
of this feeling in the heart of their
| pastor towards them had caused that
lack of sympathy he SO often felt,
and impaired the influence he might
have exerted over them.
| At the root of all his errors and
shortcomings he saw too great
confidence in himself, and failure
tollean upon an Almighty arm for
guidance in his work. He bowed
his head in deep humility, and pray
ed that this might be the beginning
of a new relation with his people.
That he might love them as a shep-
herd loves his sheep, and they might
feel his love and be willing to be
guided by him and above all that
he might constantly have such re
alization of his own weakness and in
sufficiency that he would be lead to
rely more entirely on divine help
and strength.
And as the prayers were going up
from Auntie Goodwyn's parlor, the
answer to them was descending in
the pastors study. That night was
the beginning of new passionate.
There was no public acknowledge
ment of his past mistakes, but the
people soon felt the change. They
noticed it at first in his sermons
there were no more harsh rebukes /;
no critical upbraidings, but an earn
est pleading, which softened their
hearts as no words of his had ever
| done before. And then they felt a
| difference in the grasp of lis hand