Omaha daily bee., 1896-08-02

need He will work them through me, His
instrument. Or perhaps lie will not work
them, and I shall die. because thus His
ends will be best forwarded. At the least
go in faith, fearing nothing, for what has
he to fear who knows the will Of God and
does IL? But to you who doubt | say
leave met
The man spread out his hands in depre-
cation; his thick lips trembled a little, and
something like a tear appeared at the cor
ners Of his eyes.
Father" he said lam | a coward. that
you should talk to me thus? | who for
twenty years have been a soldier of my
king, and for ten a captain in my regi-
ment? These scars show whether or no I
am a coward" and he pointed to his
breast; but OF them | will not speak. l
am no coward, else | had not gone upon
that errand of yours. Why, then, should
you reproach me because my ears are not
so open as yours, and my heart has not
understanding? l worship that God of
whom you have taught me, but He never
speaks to me as He does to YOU. / never
meet Him as | walk at night; He leaves me
quite alone. Therefor IL is that | fear that
when the hour of trial comes He may desert
you; and unless He covers you with His
shield, of this | I'm sure, that the spear is
forged which shall blush red in your heart,
my father. 1t is for you that | fear, who
are so gentle and tender; not for myself,
who am well accustomed to look in the
eyes of death, and who expect no more
than death"
Forgive me- said Owen, hastily. for he
was moved; and be sure that the shield
will be over us till the time comes for us to
pass whittier we shall need none"
That night owen rose from the task at
which he was laboring slowly and painfully
"a translation of passages from the gospel
of st. John into the language of the
Amasuka-and going to the open window
place of the hut, he rested his arms upon 1t
and thought. Now it was as he sat thus
that a great agony of doubt took possession
of his soul. The strength that hitherto had
supported him seemed to be withdrawn and
he was left, as John had said, quite alone"
Strange voices seemed to whisper in his
ears, reproaching and reviling him; tempta-
lions long ago trampled under foot rose
again in might, alluring him.
"Fool!' said the voices, get you hence
before it is too late. You have been mad,
you who dreamed that for your sake, to sat
isfy your pride, the Almighty will break His
silence and strain his law. Are you, then,
better, or greater, or purer, than millions
who have gone before you, that for you and
you alone this thing should be done? Why,
were it not that you were mad, you would be
among the chief of sinners: You, who dare
to ask that the powers of heaven should be
set within your feeble hand, that the angels
of heaven should wait upon your mortal
breath. Worm that you are, has God need
Va ouNh % gOus 4 ~ 80 AhAS ~ w N''h 49,
heart Of yonder people He will do it, but
not by means of you. You and the servant
whom you are deluding to his death Will
perish miserably, and this alone shall be
the fruit of your pTesumptuousness before
the madness takes your far sin. Get you
back out of this wilderness before the mad
ness takes you afresh. You are young, you
have wealth; look where She stands yonder
whom you desire. Get back, and forget your
folly in her arms"
These thoughts and many others of like
nature tore Owens soul in that hour of
strange and terrible temptation. He seemed
to see himself standing before the thousands
of the savage nation he went to save, and
to hear the hooking voices of their witch
finders commanding him., If he were a true
man and the servant of that God whom he
prated, to give them a sign, only a little
sign, perchance to move a stone without
touching it with his hand, or to cause a
dead bough to blossom. Then he would be-
seech heaven with frantic prayers, and in
vain, till at length, amidst a roar of laugh
ter, he, the false prophet and the liar, was
led to his doom. He saw the piteous Won
dering look of the believer whom he had be-
trayed to death; he saw the fierce faces
and the spears on high, and. seeing all this.
his spirit broke, and, just as the little clock
in the room behind him struck the first
stroke of midnight, with a great and bitter
cry to God to give him back the faith and
strength that he had lost. Owens head fell
forward and he sank into a swoon there
upon the windowplace.