Connecticut western news., 1893-04-13

word will bring back a score of echoes and I have to tell you this morning that a sympathetic word, kind word, gen erous word, a helpful word uttered ir the dark places of the town will bring back ten thousand echoes from all the thrones of heaven.
 Are there in this assemblage this morning those who know by experience the tragedies of midnight in town? am not here to thrust you back with one hard word. Take the bandage from your bruised soul and put on it the soothing salve of Christ's gospel and oi Gods compassion. Many have come. see others coming to God this morning, tired of sinful life. Cry up the news tc heaven. Set all the bells ringing. Spread the banquet under the arches. Let the crowned heads come down and sit at the jubilee.
 l tell you there is more delight in heaven over one man that gets reformed by the grace of God than over ninety and nine that never got off the track. could give you the history in a minute of one of the best friends l ever had. Outside of my own family never had 8 better friend. He welcomed me to my home at the west. He was of splendid personal appearance, and he had an ar dor of soul and warmth of affection that made me love him like brother.
 I saw men coming out of the saloons and gambling hells, and they surrounded my friend, and they took him at the weak point, his social nature, and saw aim going down, and l had fair talk with him, for never yet saw man you could not talk with on the subject of his habits, if you talked with him in the right way. l said to him, Why don't you give up your bad habits and become 8 ChristianY remember now just how he looked, leaning over his counter. as he replied: '1 wish l could. Oh, sir, should like to be Christian, but have gone so far astray can't get back"
 SICKNESS AND REPENTANCE.
 So the time went on. After awhile the day of sickness came. was sum- moned to his sickbed. I hastened. It took me but very few moments to get there. was surprised as went in. I odW ku1u III llo CAOolCot AoIlJ dressed, lying on the top of the bed. l gave him my hand, and he seized it con- vulsively and said: "Oh, how glad am to see youl Sit down there" sat down, and he said: ''Mr. Talmage, just where you sit now my mother sat last night She has been dead 20 years. Now, don't want you to think am out of my mind, or that 1 am superstitious; but, sir, she sat there last night just as certainly as you sit there now-the same cap, and apron and spectacles. It was my old mother-she sat there."
 Then he turned to his wife and said: T wish you would take these strings off the bed. Somebody is wrapping strings around me all the time l wish you would stop that annoyance" She said, There is nothing here" Then I saw it was delirium. He said: Just where you sit now my mother sat, and she said, Roswell, wish you would do better-I wish you would do better said, Mother, wish could do better. try to do better, but I can't. Mother, you used to help me. Why can't you help me nowY And, sir, I got out of bed, for it was reality, and I went to her and threw my arms around her neck, and l said: Mother, will do better, but you must help. can't do this aloner" l knelt down and prayed. That night his soul went to the Lord that made it.
 Arrangements were made for the ob- sequies. The question was raised wheth- CT they should bring him to church. ,onebody said, .sYou can't bring such a disso,ate man as that into the church. :" I said: "You will bring him in the church? He stood by me when he was alive. and will stand by him when he is dead. Bring him." As stood in the pulpit and saw them carrying the body up the aisle. felt as if could weep tears of blood.
 On one side of the pulpit sat his little child of 8 years, sweet, beautiful little girl that had seen him hug convulsively in his better moments. He put on her all jewels, all diamonds, and gave her all pictures and toys, and then he would go away as if bounded by an evil spirit to his cups and house of shame, a fool to the correction of the stocks. She looked up wonderingly. She knew not what it all meant. She was not old enough to understand the sorrow of an orphan child.
 TOO COMMON TRAGEDY.
 On the other side the pulpit sat the men who had ruined him. They were the men who had poured wormwood into the orphans cup; they were the men who had bound him hand and foot. l knew them. How did they seem to feelf Did they weep? No. Did they say, What pity that such generous man should be destroyedY' No. Did they sigh repentingly over what they had done? No; they sat there, looking as vul- lures look at the carcass of the lamb whose heart they have ripped out. So they sat and looked at the coffin lid, and I told them the judgment of God upon those who had destroyed their fellows. Did they reformr was told they were in the places of iniquity that night after my friend was laid in Oakwood ceme- tery, and they blasphemed, and they drank. Oh, how merciless men are, especially after they have destroyed youl Do not look to men for comfort or help Look to God.
 But there is a man who will not re- form. He says, II won't reform" We'll, then, how many acts are there to trag- edy9 I believe five.
 Act the First of the Tragedy-A young man starting off from home. Parents and sisters weeping to have him go. Wagon rising over the hill. Farewell kiss flung back Ring the bell and let the curtain fall.
 Act the Second-The marriage altar. Full organ. Bright lights. Long white veil trailing through the aisle. Prayer and congratulation and exclamation oi How well she looksr'
 Act the Third-A woman waiting fol staggering steps. Old garments stuck into the broken window pane. Marks oi hardship on the face. The biting of the nails of bloodless fingers. Neglect and cruelty and despair Ring the bell and let the curtain drop.
 Act the Fourth-Three graves in a dark