The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-25

to the careys?' and my friend nodded
his head, and the vermonter said. =
know the fellow that took that silver,
and he married one OF the incest girls
that ever were born in Virginia. IL 10
funny how war brings out
THE gentleman from Vermont went
on to say that when he started out TO
fight the gentlemen from the south
years < his mother W. him q Bible
in which was written on the first page
his name in full. At Bull Run. where
some little accident happened TO the
Union army, II was left in a hurry. for.
as well as l can remember, he must
ave been so eager to leave that un~
healthy neighborhood that he left eve
erything behind. including the Bible. a
tiny girl who lived near went over the
battlefield some weeks after and pick.
ed up this Bible. Being a child Of re-
ligious tendency, she said TO her moth
er, L am going to keep this Bible until
1 can give II to the man to whom II be-
longs After the war considerable
northern capital went south. and. while
at first II did not attract the men. from
the minute Of its arrival II was con
quered by the women. One OF the men
who had grown very rich married h
little girl who found the Bible. A long
time afterward he was going to =
meeting OF the G.. A. r., and she asked
him TO put the Bible In his pocket. for,
as she said with great sense, among
some Of the veterans he might come
| across it's owner. Now just think how
| little the world is! The man who was
| elected secretary was the original own
err OF the Bible, and the man who had
| had the good taste to marry q southern
| girl also had the pleasure of telling the
story right out in meeting and then
presenting the little book to its original
owner. The mother who rave It had
been asleep for man. years. and at the
| sight OF the book the tears came into
| the eyes of the one who remembere6
the day when he left home. taking with
him a mothers blessing and the good
book.
Sometimes we talk about religion,
/ and a few Of the men advance wild
| theories in which nobody IN to be pnns
ished for his sins and everybody il I'd
find happiness here and hereafter. Oths
| ers range q future where everybody
10 to be frozen or burned. I generally
smoke and keep quiet when ley talk
Of religion. Dear. ! do not possess .
Bible. ] have that quaint little copy OF
Holy Living o gave me 30 many
years ago. 1t rests against my heart,
Molly, and II a bullet IL aimed there it
will have to 60 through theb book before
II touches me. The other night when ]
was on guard I turned through the
book and read by the light OF the moon
the little prayer that / know you say
every night. the prayer for those whs
lie under the rod of war. I know with
what intensity you whisper: oh, gra-
cious Father and meroiful God, IL II be
thy will. say unite the destroying angel,
1T II enough" and. though we are not
better than our brethren. who are smit-
ten with the rod Of God. but much
worse. yet may 1t please thee. v . be-
cause thou art good and because We
are timorous and sinful, not vet lifted
for our appearance, to set thy mark
upon our foreheads. that thy angel, the
minister OF thy justice, may pass over
US and hurt US not. Let thy hand v
thy servants and hide VI In the clefto
Of the rock, in the wounds Of the holy
Jesus. from the present 8 that has
gone out against US, that. though We
walk through the valley OF the shadow
Of death, we may fear no evil and oufs
fer none. Amen"
Molly choked q little a. she finished
the letter, and her Amen was NOT
said alone. for all OF us a some q
away on in the southland lighting for
the good cause. and each n OF " ha4
prayed either by words or In SiIence foR
their safety. You. who are my nefghs
Dor, may nave said you prayer out>
right. /, who surely am your neighs
Dor, never even whisper mine. 1t Is IN
my heart, but IL is the prayer of silence,
though, after al, what 10 the difrcrs
ence? We are each asking In the hour
Of trouble that help may ceme to us. ~
we are each trying in our own way to
reach n land Of everlasting happiness.
If your path is q different n from
mine, do you think that n or the 9TH
err prayer of admission will have mo-
said in answer 10 II when we reach
theref People are fond of saying that
God Is just: but. for me, I like to think
Of him as merciful. That ID the belief
Of at least one poor sinner, she whom
Molly calls -m !.