The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-24
THE POWER OF LOVE.
To the Editor Of the Eagle.

To the Editor Of the Eagle
When Rev. ". G. Veazie was holding a
series of meeting in wichita two years ago
he narrated an incident that came within
his own experience in Colorado some years
since that was received with some OF the
evacgelist's hearers with incredulity, they
pronouncing il 10 exaggerated TO believe
This fact being reported to Mr.. Veazie ne
furnished proof of a substantial character
to viRdicate lis own truthfullness. Re-
Gently in the city again. holding meet
ing on Paramount he repeated the story by
request and gave the writer the name and
address of a merchant of Hutchinson who
was AT thar time doing business next door
to the building in Pueblo in which the
sutjecs OF the story IVES converted.
The details of the narrative are here
with furnished, in the belief that they will
be interesting 10 many of your readers.
Mr.. VeaZie was pastor OF church in
Pueblo and in the course of revival was
making much Of the love and grace OF
God, declaring that God loves every human
being and that His grace is sufficient TO
save any one. One morning as he WAS IN
his study, one OF the descons OF his church,
who had found himself unable 20 accept
everything his pastor had said as 10 the
possibilities OF grace, came in. bringing a
creature with him who he half dragged,
half led into the room and dropped on the
floor, saying 10 tue preacher There's
case tor you to try your hand on" The
evangelist said, III relating the occurrence,
there was the vilesJ, most abJect aud
most detestabie specimen OF humanity be-
fore me | ever saw. he refused to take
chair, as if such an article could have no
place for him, but crouched on the floor In
the corner OF the room with his hands
clasped about his knees and his face half
hidden behind them, while his small,
animal eyes peered stupidity out from an
ugly, swollen, disfgured, bloody face. The
behind his back, he had in
a saloon fought a badger with MS
teeth for all the whisky he could drink.
As the deacon threw out his challenge at
me, l confess my heart almost sank with
in me and had to cast about to see if nay
feith in the gospel | had been preaching
was equal 10 the occasion. Presently.
without waiting for preliminary remarks,
/ uttered the only words that | could find
to say, God loves you" Kelley the
bum," for that was the name by which he
was known, actually looked up with
something akin to surprise on his face,
but instantly all that seemed ike interest
faded out OF his look and his eyes dropped
again. | repeated the words GOD loves
you" After a few minutes pause l said
them again God loves you" After first
spoke them | asked myself inwardiy, do |
believe that? Their repeated iteration
gave me confidence until my whole soul
was moved toward the man before me,
who, IN his awful degradation, was yet
the creation of God aud my brother,
Again and again with increasing
emotion and emphasis | said look
ing straight into the little eyes that
now had become fixed upon me, God loves
your Friends, believe me, at last, borne
in by the Divine Spirit, the truth of God
found home in that poor mans soul. A
CLEAN of intelligence lighted up his dlsflg-
ured and beastly face, and lifting his eyes
and hands upward III an attitude OF prayer,
he burst out with, L don't quite under
stand it, but if you'll take me, oh, God,
you can have what there is of Kelly, the
bum"
a year later Kelly, who, thirty-eight
Years before, was born IN London, the off,
spring of an unlawful union, had never
slept in IA bed, but had spent his whole life
u saloons, married a respectable. lntelll-
gent woman, and moved iuto d comfOrta-
bic home. He is now the owner of ranch
and is a prosperous man and respected
citizen.
Truth is stranger than fiction" The
wonders of the grace OF God have not yet
beeu proved.
1t may be of interest to remark that it
was in the same work of grace III connec-
ton with which this incident occurred
Lincoln Street Presbyterian church, OF this
city, was converted and started in Christ
ian work NJ.