The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-01-22

He Was a Slave to Drink for
Seventeen Years, But Was
Converted by Sam
Jones.

opera house last night TO hear Sam
Small's experience in an interesting
talk entitled From Bar.room to Pull
pit"
The speaker was pleasantly intro
duced by Rev. Faris. of the Southern
Methodist church, and he began by
saving: There once came into an
oriental market place an aged and
decrepit stranger, who took little
note of the beautiful buildings
but seemed to seek something else.
He attracted the attention of the Curl
GUS and they followed him until ne
paused by the cage of some I'M
prisoned song birds. Into his eyes there
came a look of compassion and he
drew out his purse and purchased one
of the captives. He held the bird
tenderly for a moment and then he
released it, but alas it had been i'm
prisoned so long it could only futter
feebly and it fell to the ground. The
old stranger again took 1t up and
after a time nature asserted herself and
the bird became strong enough to soar
above the heads of the people.
when catching glimpse OF Its
distant and beautiful mountain home,
it burst into a glad song of triumph
and praise. One by one the old
stranger purchased all the binds yet in
the CAGE. and they too we're freed as
was the first one. The wondering
people who stood about asked, "why
do YOU do this?" The old man turned
his eloquent face toward them and in
a broken voice said simply: 81 was
captive myself; 1 know the dread
fulness of imprisonment" So l say to
you, continued Mr.. Small, L was once
a captive myself, I called out tor
succor, and thank God the Omnipotent
Arm lifted me out OF
the mire and clay and
placed me where 1 could sing a tri.
umphal song of deliverance. 81 l
would initiate the stranger, l would
help those who are struggling In the
awful tolls of intemperance and save
them from ignoble graves and an
eventual hell. l speak strongly,
because feel strongly" The speaker
then briefly referred to his early hume,
his mothers religious teachings and
the time when be passed out from his
childhuod's home, bis college career,
when he began the study of the law, bis
admittance to the bar and
finally his prospects of a promis'
ing career. He then began to
meet men who were supposed to be
exemplars and he discovered
there was a wide difference between
their views and the principles incul-
Gated by his mother. Then he cyan
to feel their influence and larger and
larger drafts were made upon his SEN
sibilities. Sometimes he would re-
member his early teachings and would
shrink from the possibilities before
him and when he would see some
strong man dragged from his dizzy
altitude, he would dimly recognize II
as one of Gods warnings to himself
He would see some young man whom
the world had applauded in hi:
recklessness, sink to his grave and
the same world would pass that grave
by without a tear. Time went OIL ano
il brought him a loving and beloved
wife and beautiful children. His wife
mad early discovered the evil infiu
ences of bis associates, but he laughed
at her warnings and told her how
necessary it was for man who Wa
starting in life to secure influence an'
to do that, he must fall into the way
of those possessing it. AfterwhiI
when he had gained their patronig
he would give them up. But tn
cloud came over his life and at last b
found himself incompetent to atten'
to his business. He could not contro
his appetite. He was powerless t
, throttle the incipient demons holdin
him, he could not bond the hellis
: passion in his nature. When he say
with horror what the result rust il
evitably be, he sought physicians, h
sought nostrums, he sought change
: scene, and secured an appointmer
abroad ; he went to Paris, but ther
he fell in with certain potentates an
!, representatives of different countrie
e and he entered upon career OF tn
| widest dehaucheries At last he lie
9 i'll and an eminent physician ws
called. but he frankly told him b
4 could not reach the seat of his diseai
and he did not believe there was an.
f thing in pharmacopia which coul
e help him. His wife was In despair
is and sorrowfully they came bac
e home again, where he agar
= resumed his duties as oficii
,o,oo,ta. 80 rho oourts and edii0r 4