The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-04-16
PRAYER REACHED A THIEF.

How n Clergyman Recovered stoi-n Jew
els Donated by Charitable Women for u
Hospital.
.ScJ York Herald.
A peculiar incident happened not
long ago in the grea. Baptist Temple, in
Philadelphia. ono OF tho lar cost and
most popular places Of worship in
America. Many devou. Philadelphians
who are regular attendants there and so
have heard OF the incident, are still
wondering whether it was q striking eyi.
deuce OF the power OF prayer or only
another illustration OF tho uneasy work.
ings OF 4 guilty conscience. Perhaps it
was n littlo OF both.
The Rev. Russell II. Conwell, the pop.
ular pastor. had been making n power
iul plea one Sunday morning for funds
with which TO carry on and extend the
good work OF the Samaritan hospital,
one OF the many charitable and educa-
tional olishoots Of this remarkable Bap.
list institution. and one which depends
upon it entirely for support. The pas
tors ploa, Il, usual, had found a gener-
Gus response in money and checks, and
among the contributions there were no
less than four handsome rings, set with
precious stones. They had been given
to Mr.. Conwell by women, who, moved
by his eloGuence aud tho w%orthiness OF
the cause. and possibly not having at
the time such a cash sum as they de-
sired to give. had willingly stripped the
rich jewels from their fingers aud given
them for the welfare OF the poor and
tho sick.
Mr.. Conwell took the pretty baubles,
tied a string through them TO keep
them together, and then laid them away
carefully in a small drawer OF his desk.
which stands IN the pastors study. It
was not unusual TO receive rings and
iewelry in the Temple collection boxes,
and it was Mr.. Couwell's purpose, IS he
had done before, to take the rings at his
leisure and have their value converted
into each.
A day or two later the pastor was
astonished 10 find that his study door
had been forced, the lock OF his desk
broken and tho little loop OF rings re.
moved from their biding place. The
thief had lett no clew. there was no.
body toward whom suspicion could
reasonably be directed.
The pastor naturally felt the loss
keenly, and regretted that he had lief.
the rings in his desk. even over night.
Whether or not the church authorities
took the police into their confidence l
do no: know. but the next Sunday came
and the missing rings had not been re-
covered. On that Sunday morning Mr..
Conwell, in the curse OF his prayer,
made an alluslon 10 the loss. lie PRAYED
that the heart OF tho unknown thief
might be touched; that the man or wo.
man who had been guilty OF taking for a
selfish purpose that which had been
generously given tor tho Lords use
might DO touched by the grace OF God,
moved 10 repentance and constrained
10 return the jewels, SO that they might
vet help TO ease tho sutierings OF the af-
tlicted and heal the wounds of the sick.
There was n trustees meeting or some
other church function in the temple
tine following evening. 1t was held N
the pastors study, and Mr.. Conwell
was presiding. He thought he heard
somebody turn the knob OF the door
softly from the outside. Rising from
his place he stepped toward tho door,
thinking more might he some need Of
his serviccs-a sick call or n message Of
some kind from one Of his numerous
flock. The door was not opened from
the outside, however, and Mr.. Conwell
opened is himself and looked out into
the corridor.
There was nobody in sight, only the
sound Of footsteps running swiftly but
softly through n distant aislc.
As the pastor turned the door knob
and threw open the door, however, he
had felt something fall and strike upon
tho too Of his boot He stopped, and
thore. safe and sound. neatly lied to.
gctler in q loon was tho bunch OF low.
cllcd rings, just as no had last seen
them when he had laid them away in
his desk. They had been hung quietly
over the door knob, and tho conscience
stricken thief had hurried on, into the
darkness.
There was n report that tho pastor
not only heard the pcnitent thief's re.
treating footsteps, but that there was q
rustlinc sound also. slightly suggestive
OF tho Tutoring OF feminine garments.
Mr.. Couwcll has not confirmed tina,
rurnor, though, and nobody but the
thief knows whether the conscience
touched by prayer was that OF n man or
a womNn.