The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-01-17
audersnn Autetli0rnrr'
A Light That Failed.

lOPEkA, NAN, DeC' Ho.-1 10n uaJo .
ago an old man, dressed in rags, ap-
peared at the city prison in Coffey-
vile, Kan, and asked the jailer to
allow him to sleep in one Of the empty
cells overnight. He declined to tell
his name, but said he had arrived on
a freight train from Texas. His
request was granted. Next morning
he was found to be i'll, and though
properly taken care of, died four days
later.
A few hours before death he called
the jailer to his side and told him his
name was Edward Dunbar and that he
was the author of that beautiful hymn,
'There's Light in the Window for
Thee, Brother" He was buried in
the Cofeyville cemetery.
This mar had history as interest
ing as it is romantic. His name be-
came byword in the places where he
was known, and from prison cell he
went forth tramp and vagabond
upon the face of the earth. In 1867
Dunbar was arrested in Leavenworth,
while engaged in holding series Of
revival meetings, and taken to Min
neapolis, where he was tried for
bigamy, convicted and sent to the
penitentiary for 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, and, as the
lads work kept him away till after
dark, she always placed light in the
window to guide his footsteps home
ward. One day he took notion to
60 to sea, and off he went on three
years cruise.
During his absence his mother fell
i'll and went at deaths door. She
talked necessarily about her boy, and
every night she asked those around
her to place light in the window in
anticipation of his return. When
she realized that her end had come
she said: "Tell Edward that 1 will
set light in the window Of Heaven
for him." These were her last words.
The lad had grown to manhood ere
he returned home, and his mother s
dying message so affected him that he
reformed and became a preacher. In
the course of his reformation he wrote
the song, 'sThere'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 great revival in 1858,
and several children were the result
Of this union. The young divine soon
made reputation as a brilliant pulpit
orator, and the public was therefore
greatly surprised when one bright
Sunday morning he skipped the coun-
try, leaving his wife and children
behind. He came to Kansas, and
after snatcbing brands from the burn
ing in different parts Of the State he
went to Minneapolis, and began to
show the people the error Of their
ways. A great revival followed, and
hundreds were converted.
Miss Eunice Belle Lewis, a. hand
some 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 Kansas to fill an engage
| ment at Leayenworth. While he was
away the friends Of the bride, who had
mistrusted the evangelist all along,
laid their suspicious before W. D..
Webb, now Judge Of the I'd judicial
district of Kansas, and Judge Austin
Young, who were law pprtners in
Minneapolis, and they took the case.
The result was that they soon found
evidence sufficient to warrant an
arrest, and Dunbar S mini lsterial career
was brought to a sudden close.
Judge Webb and Judge Young
assisted in the prosecution Of Dunbar.
After Dunbar's incarceration Judge
Young secured divorce for Mrs.
Dunbar and 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 in Taunton,
Mass, about two years go.--Boston
Horo1J