The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-03-13
The Stranger Within my Gates.
BY BELLE V. CHISOLM.


The Stranger within thy Gates.
EY BELLE V. CHIsOLM.
"Did you notice that young man
who occupied the corner in the back
pew during the morning service -
inquired Mrs. Murray of her husband ,
. as they fingered at the tea table one
brIght Sabbath evening in early au-
tumn.
Yes; Twas just going to speak OF
him. He occupied the same on last
Sunday morning, and attracted my
attention particularly, because he was
such a good listener" the pastor re-
piled, quietly. II meant to speak TO
him at the close of the service, but he
was gone before | could reach him" "
at is pity, for he seemed to be
alone" answered Mrs. Murray,
thoug ghtfully. "Do you know his
name"
II am sorry l do not. 1 made en-
ouiry about him last Sunday evening,
but no one seemed to know where he
was from, nor what he was doing in
this section. If he comes to church
again must not miss him."
But he did, and in precisely the
same way be had done on two former
occasions. He fully intended to grasp
his hand and give him cheering
word, but while he was busy here and
there the young stranger was gone,
and without exchanging words with a
living soul.
The pastor again lamented the neg
lect as he walked home by the side OF
his wife, and in his disappointment
expressed the hope that some other one
had taken the young man by the hand
and hidden him welcome. But no
one had.
II will try to see him during the
week and invite him to come to my
class next Sunday" he said, trying |"
make amends with his conscience for
the opportunity he had missed.
"Yes, | will not let another week pass
by without making his acquaintance y
he added, but how little he knew OF
the opportunities which the coming
week should deny. That very night,
Just as the clock struck twelve, Il
horseman, riding furiously, halted at
the parsonage gate, and in a fright
ened voice begged the minister TO
come without delay to the bedside OF
this same young man, George Fulton,
who was dying.
In very few minutes Mr.. Murray
was speeding toward the lumber
camp, where he learned the young man
was employed; but never before did
the two miles over the familiar road
seem so long, and never before, even
in the darkness, did his trusty mare
make so many false steps. When, al
last, the house where George was ly-
ing was reached, it was only to learn
that it was to late, that the spirit
which had dreaded to goOut into the
darkness beyond had departed, and
the opportunity of pointing q brother
to Christ was gone forever. The peo-
pie at the camp knew very little about
the young stranger, except that he was
qui ct and well behaved, and always
took the heaviest end of the timber
when there was lifting TO he done; i'll
deed, he prided i'm his strong physique
and great strength; and it was to this
very natural pride that the physician
laid the cause of his sudden death.
On the Friday preceding the men in
the camp had been testing their
strength by lifting heavy weights, and
he had complained little Of an over
strain at the time, but until he awOke
in the night, with the hemorrhage
that speedily terminated fatally, no
serious consequences were apprehen-
ded, either by himself or others. His
wish to have the minister called had
been gratiiied, but half III hour before
the messenger returned poor George
Fulton had gone to render up his ac-
count at the bar of God. From lit
tie diary that the father Of the dead
boy put into his hand on the day OF
the funeral, Mr.. Murray learned that
it was his loneliness that had driven
him to the house of God on the first
day, and that somethii e in the sermon
on that morning had set him to think
ing seriously of the careless life he had
been leading. Again and again he
went without receiving either the
comfort or the aid he sought, and then
before the welcome words that had
been lingering on the pastors lips
the words he fully meant to speak
had been uttered, he was gone, his
lifework was ended, and the opportu-
nifty of helping a struggling brother
heavenward had passed forever.
All this the young pastor felt. and
that day, us he stood by the coffin Of
the stranger who had passed into the
world beyond without so much as a
smile of recognition, he vowed to be
more faithful in the future. A full
decade has passed since that grave on
the hillside was dug, and the VOW
then made has been faithfully kept.
No stranger is allowed to visit Mr.
Murray's church. even for single SER
vice, without receiving warm hand
grasp and a kind word to cheer him
on his way. The lesson learned by
the coffin of'the' young lumberman
was never forgotten, and though it
came too late to be of aid to him, it
has helped others -wayfarers tarrying
for perhaps but day-to lay their bur
dens down at Jesus's feet, and in their
stead to bear a joyful song away.
Life is too short to miss single op-
portunity of giving Il cup Of cold Wa
ter in the Masters name; hence, in
imitation of Him, who came not to be
ministered unto, but to minister, let us
bid Godspeed to the stranger within
our gates, not knowing but that we
may thereby help Il struggling brother
into the light.
"Inasmuch as We have done it unto
one of the least of these My brethren,