The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-07-23

OF many people TO sheer at Cne wrong
doer when he resolves to amend his
habits of life. Instead of encouraging |
him in his honest efforts, the usual way
is to view them as some new scheme
to prey on society. knowledge of this !!
discouraging feature prevents many
from making the reformative effort to
regain respectable standing in the
community in which their fortunes are
thrown.
Editor Journal, Muscatine, Iowa.
Dear Sir:-A friend of mine has kindly
sent me a copy of your issue of the
18th ultimo in which there appears
an article relative to my recent visit to
your good old town of Muscatine and
my enlistment in the ranks of that
grand army of good and noble Chris
tians now doing battle for God and
country under the banner of the cross
of Christ; and 1 hasten to thank you
for the kindly and charitable senti-
ments conveyed therein, and, through
you, your good people for the gener-
Gus, hearty and enthusiastic manner
they welcomed the "Wanderers" re-
turn. After forty long and dreary
years of life spent in iniquity, serv
ing the devil as faithfully and as we'll
as he was ever served by child of
Adam, damning not only my own soul,
but the souls of thousands of others,
training the young and the old in the
pathway of viciousness and crime,
though believing in the existence of
God, yet hourly despising and tram
ping upon His Divine edicts, yet l
have at last found rest at the foot of
the cross. Hunted like a wild deer
from every city, town and village,
wherein was known, over this broad
land, having occupied cell in almost
every penitentiary in this country for
crimes of every kind and nature COM
mitted against the law, clad in the rags
of degradation and upon me heaped all
: the contumely and misery consequent
. on the life of sin and wickedness; sus-
pected, rejected and despised by my
fellow men and sunk so deep in the
mire of iniquity that the very dogs of
the streets would not deign to recog-
nize me; in an hour of mercy the low
ing arm of my crucifed Savior reached
down, picked me up, placed my foot
upon a rock and gave unto me that
peace which "passeth all understand
ing" With humble and contrite heart
} touched in spirit the hem of His gar
: ment and straightway He made me
whole. In sorrow 1 went to the foot
of the cross of my dying Redeemer and
laid all the sins of my past miserable
1 with them all my sorrows and He said
}. to me, "My Son, be of good cheer thy
sins are forgiven thee, 60 in peace and
sin no more" Yes, 1 found Christ
Il and in His holy love and service have
n found that true peace which cometh
from God alone and which no one can
ever find, even for an hour, in the ser
l. vice of hell At the foot of the altar in
i that "haven of rest,"-the dear old Pa
cific Garden Mission of this city
knelt in sorrow for the past, few
g months ago, and arose redeemed man
i. redeemed in the blood of the Cruel
i. fed One. While heretofore l was the
4 rejected of men, 1 am now the trieC
and trusted servant. While heretofore
- men met me with naught but frowns
is their cheerful and encouraging smiles
G now greet me. Who, l ask, has brough
is about this wonderful change; miracu
% lousy, may say, changed my life from
being despoiler of my fellow men ant
- a menace to society to one of peace ant
a goodwill to all? l answer, Christ m.
n Savior. His lips divine have said, "H
m that cometh unto Me I will in no wis
~, cast out" and again: "Come unto M
all We that are weary and heavy ladel
H. and will give you rest," the truth o
is which was at no time better demon
m strated than in my change of life.
n would not exchange that peace of mine
-. which l now enjoy in the love and SCI
vice of God for all the pleasures of lif
Is or the gold of Christendom. Truly
It. pays to serve Jesus.
le To those who have been and are stil
20 walking the Shiny pathway of sin an
are wanderers from home, l would say
~ "Arise and go to thy Father ask Hi
III forgiveness and He will grant it yot
C. Your redemption in the blood of tn
in Lamb will be chanted by angelic choir
he and, if ever faithful, yours will be
peace which kingdoms nor empire
can never purchase.
70 would ask my good friends in Mus
- catine. and elsewhere, to pray for M
"a that for the few short years of my pl
Is, orimape here below. [ may cOntlnu