The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-04-06
The Rev, John Craig.

The Rev. John Craig.
My wife lay dying. And ], who had
called on the Most High from beside
so many deathbeds, could pray no
longer.
married her in no carnal desire,
but because l thought and she
together could serve God better than
she and Iapart. There was no beauty
in her face. other than the soft light
of kindness and health ofsoul. But
all the children in the village loved
her, and after she became my wife l
know did more good than l had
done before.
Then there came child ofour own,
to love and to rear in the fear ofGod.
But it was taken away-and in that
hour of common sorrow learned to
love Mary SO that she became more
beautiful to me than flowers. And
still we did our work together in the
village, Iamong the men and women
she among the children.
Then she fell i'll. / fought death
fercely, and prayed to God unceas-
ingly. But she grew weaker always,
and at last my wife lay dying.
All my prayers and my nursing, all
the tears of people who loved her,
could not cool her hot head-could
not even make death easy to her.
Invent into the empty church, where
the cool light of the early morning
shown through an opened blind, and
the notes danced in shaft of sun
beams over the table where the Bible
lay. I threw the book on the floor,
and standing on it l cried, 80 Satan,
/ turn to thee, for God has failed me-
have much to offer thee-the record
of a long service of the unjust God
mind trained in turning men to
God. Give me Mary's life, and l will
devote my soul to thee. Only spare
her, give her health, and let her still
serve the God she loves, and whom
henceforth hate, and l will be thy
servant forever"
/ left the Bible lying there, open at
the Twenty-third Psalm and torn by
my heel, and went to Mary's room
again. :.
sHush," said her sister, "she is
asleep,-the doctor says it will save
her life. Give thanks to God,-he is
very good
When she was quite well again,
told the people of the church that
was in the need of rest, and they gave
me four months in which to recover
my strength. ] had u brother mis-
sionary in the Fijis, and we thought
it best to spend our vacation il
going to visit him. We took passag'
| in the bark Seamew, from San Fran
| cisco.
On the tenth night out from port
heard great noise of tearing ant
crashing, and then a heavy shocl
threw us from our berths. helpet
Mary up to the deck, and saw thu
mate standing there, cutting tobacco
1t was bright moonlight.
swell. Parson, you brought Us
parsons luck" said the mate. "Th'
rest is off in boat with her bows
stove in, but I'd as lief drown here
The Dutch fool that run US down i.
a mile away by now, and showed NJ
siGe-Iights, cuss him."
He lit his pipe, and turned away t.
watch the water creeping up tn
sides of the vessel-almost up to til
deck now.
"Mary," / said, eve have not Ions
to live, Kiss me-"
She put her arms around my necl
and said, "John, / must tell yo'
something before the end comes
You used to say ] loved you NOR
with morher-love than anything else
But, lately, since you have been i'll
everything is changed with me.
love you now in way that woul'
have seemed wicked to mea year ag'
and John, am afraid | am no
going to heaven. Something ha
gone wrong with me; tell lies, and
think mean thoughts, and | hav
only pretended to say my prayer
since got well. l don't care-a
long as you love mel think it's be
cause l worship you SO that hav
lost God. Don't turn from me
know am not good enough to di
by your side, darling, but l love yo
Il love YOU
The bark gave a sudden lurch b
the bows, and we were in the sea.
saw Mary's face for a moment, bu
before could swim to her she sanl
A boat from the German vess'
picked me up. l am back in til
village again. preaching and praying
And the mark of my heel is still O
the Twcnty-third Psalm.-The Owe
land.