The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-01-10
A Light that Failed,

OFEhAI AaSS y all = Gil I'd
ago an old man, dressed 10 rags, ap.
peared at the city prison in the Cof'ey.
vile, Kan, and asked tie jailer to allow
him to sleep in one Of the empty cells
overnight. He declined to tell mis- name
but said he had arrived on freight train
from Texas. HIS request wss granted.
Next morning he was found III, acd,
though properly taken care of, died four
days later.
A few hours before death be called
the taller to his side and told him his
name was Edward Dunbar and that he
was the author of that beautiful hymn
''There's a Light IN the Window for
Thee, Brother" He was buried ia the
Cofeyills cemetery.
This man had history as interesting
as it is romantic. HIS name became q
byWard in the places where be was
known, ard from prison cell he went
forth tramp and vaeabond upon the
face of the earth. In 1867 Dunbar was
arrested in LeayenWcrth, while engaged
IN holding series Of revival meetings,
and taken to Minneapolis, where he was
tried for bigamy, convicted and sent to
the penitentiary Tor three years and eight
months.
When Dunbar was small boy he
lived in New Bedford, Mass, and worked
in factory: His mother lived at the
foot Of the street on which the factory
was located, as the lads work kept him
away till after dark, she always placed
light 10 the window to guide his foot.
steps homeward. One day be took 3
notion to 60 to sea. and of be went on
three years, cruise.
During bis absence his mother fell i'll
and was at deaths door. STE talked IN.
cessantlY about her boy, and every
night she asked those around her to
pp!c.cce light 10 the window in snticipa-
ton of his return. When she realized
tnat her end had come ehe said: Tell
Edward that l will set light 10 the
window Of Heayen for him." These
were her last words.
The lad mad grown to manhood ere
he returned home. and his mothers dy.
ing message so affected him that he re-
formed and became q preacher. In the
course OF his reformation he wrote the
song, There's Light IN the Window
for Thee, Brother" The song became
widely known.
The Rev. Edward Dunbar married a
young woman in New Bedford during
his work in a great revival in 1858, and
several children were the result Of this
union. The young divine soon made
reputation rs brilliant pulpit orator.
and the public was therefore greatly
surprised when one bright Sunday morn.
ing he skipped the country, leaving his
wife and children behind. He can, to
Kansas, and after snatching brands from
the burning IN different parts Of the
STATE he went to Minneapolis, and began
tc show the people the error of their
ways. a great revival followed, and
hundreds were converted.
Miss Eunice Belle Lewis, handsome
young heiress of Indianapolis, was one
of the converts She fell in love with
the evangelist and married him against
the wishes of her friends. Shortly after
the wedding Dunbar returned to Kans as
to fill an engagement at LeaVenworth.
While he was away the friends OF the
bride, who had mistrusted the eVange-
list all along laid their suspicious before
W. D. Webb, now Judge Of the I'd judi.
cial district of Kansas, and Judge Aus
tin Young, who were law partners in
Minneapolis, and they took the case.
The result was that they soon fouad
evidece suffi Gent to warrant an arrest,
and Dunbar's ministerial career was
brought to sundden close.
Judge Webb and Judge Young assisted
in the prosecution of Dunbar. After
Dunbar's Incarceration Judge Young
secured dlvoce fol Mrs. lumbar ano
married her himself. They now live
happily together in Minneapolis. judge
Lochren, the present commissioner Of
pensions, defended Dunbar IN the case.
Dunbar's first wife died 10 Taunton,
Mass, about two years ago.