The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-01-31
HIS START IN LIFE.
A STORY THAT a DISCUSSION ON
RELIGION BROUGHT OUT.

/
RELIGION BROUGHT OUT.
II IRvsIved a Christian and an Inf
del and n Most Remarkable Cofnei-
dence. and the Narrative Pofnted n
Moral as Well
The question Of religion came up the
other day in the Busy Mems Lunch
club. and old Parmesan. who is senior
warden Of st. Peeunia's church and
therefore constitutes himself a de-
fender Of the faith. remarked. 'Y~
may say what you Ike. gentlemen. but
a religious man is more apt TO help
those who need il than an iufidel"
Il am 4 firm believer in Christiani-
/ ty," remarked Bilson. who has made
million or so in the Swamp during the
last few years. but I take exception
TO that statement When il comes TO
helping a fellow who is down. it's
about an even toss between a Chris
tian and an infdeL You doubt it,, he
continued as he saw old Parmesan
shake his head "Well. 20 prove what
l say viii give you an episode in my
own life. l came TO New York IN 1873
with no capital but a country made
suit Of clothes and n common school
education. I was 4 lank looking young
fellow, with 'hayseed' written all over
me; but. like many another raw coun-
Try lad. l was irresistibly attracted TO
the city. where soon expected TO
strike the combination that would lead
10 fortune and fame. But before long
NY main thought was TO keep from
starving. | could get no work. and no
body wouId listen TO me when asked
for it. ! tried TO keep up my courage.
but in my heart | would have given
anything to be back on the old farm
again.
wei. one day grew especially des-
perate. The papers were full Of the
triumphant success Of billy. the Con-
verted Bum wao was holding revivals
al over the country. And | asked my
self why l. clean. decent young fell
low. who had never been a bum
should be allowed to starve. while
Billy was living on the fat OF the
land. AT first the wild thought came
career of cr-I mean OF reyiyalism un-
der the name of Charley. the Con-
verted BOY Fiend' and rake in the
shekels like Billy But somehow l |
felt couldn't get down as low as that. |
\ brilliant thought struck me. how
ever. ! would state the whole thing in
an advertisement. more to relieve my
feelings than with any hope of getting
an answer.
$50 ! scraped enough money together |
TO insert the following in one Of the
papers: II | were a drunken "bum"
just taken ont Of the gutter. scores of |
kind religious people would stretch |
out a hand 10 help me. But as ! am |
only a decent and self respecting young |
man. with no vices or bad habits. am |
without work and starving in this |
great. cruel city And I added my |
initials and address.
The next day called 10 see If there |
might possibly be an answer and got |
two. The first one l opened read as
follows: i was touched by your
strange advertisement as l myself was
once in the same position. ! found help |
through a noble Christian man. and If |
you will call and see me ! viii prove |
10 you that there Is a Christian who is |
able and willing TO help you if you are |
worthy. Ask to see me personally. as
I am sorry to say my partner is an IN
fidel and. though a good man. he |
might not be disposed to look at your |
case so kindly
My heart jumped with joy on read |
ing this kind letter. and for a little |
while forgot the other one. But l |
soon opened it and read as follows: i |
WAS deeply stirred by the undertone |
of despair in your advertisement. as l |
was once as friendless as you are. ] |
found a start in life through n noble |
man who. like myself. was an unbe-
lever. And if you viii call and see
me I will prove TO you that there is an |
unbeliever who is both able and will
ing 10 give you a start in life II you /
are worthy. Ask TO see me personally. |
as my partner IS q Christian and. /
though 4 good man. he might not be |
disposed to look on your case kindly
Wonderful coincidence. wasn't II? /
But the most wonderful part OF the
story is yet TO be told. These two men |
were partners. Each one CT them was
trying 10 90 n good deed without the |
knowledge Of the other.
-The end Of the story? Well. that
was interesting and remarkable too.
After trying In vain TO decide TO which
Of these two gentlemen | should make
myself known I determined to see
them together and read the two letters
10 them. did so. and you ought 10
have seen the look Of blank surprise
that came over the faces Of both men
as they learned that. though differing
so widely in creed, they were at one in
acknowledging the religion of humani-
~. They were silent for a few mo-
ments. and then the Christian. with
tears in his eyes. grasped the hand OF
his partner and said:
Brother have WI onged you. for I
have learned that. without knowing IL.
you are not far from the kingdom OF
heaven
at is who have wrOnged you ex-
claimed his partner. in assuming that
you would not obey the teaching OF
your Master TO feed the hungry and
clothe the naked. Let Us hereafter live
as brothers indeed. even though we
may not be able TO profess the same
creed. And may the unknown God
whom isnorantly we worship accept US
st the last
"These two coed men gave me n
start aud were my dearest friends IN
fiF fhau 1in1 T1ta moral - O, ona |
Well ] think there is more goodness
In the world than can be enshriued in
any creed. however t'ue."-New York
Tribune
The manufacture OF quinine was be-
gun in Philadelphia by Jokn Fe-T IL
1S-,O. the year or its discovery.
Ter rs<--e Confidence Game