The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1900-07-06
Beside the father AT his gray.haired

Beside the father at his gray-hairedl
minister.
Judge Andrews looked prematurely
aged, but he rose with . sad dignity to
bid them welcome.
81 have asked you to come he
began, steadying his voice with an fort.
my message is solemn one from him
who was once as innocent 40 trust you
are now"
Some averted eyes showed that these
first words struck horne.
MY boy" he faltered, abegged me es-
pecialiy to invite the lads, because his
own first downward steps were taken
early. Had he stopped then-had he
never yielded rather, he might be with Us |
now" The strong man trembled.
II have requested my friend to sit be- |
side me and in case I cannot finish the |
message, he will complete 1t, but I will |
try. Oh, the power OF conscience |
Thank God II yours need not reproach
you, for, oh the power of an accusing
conscience It led nv boy to tell his own
story to the matchmaker, and thus
brought about his righteous sentence.
Better, q thousand times, the blow which
brushes me and my house, than that evil
should 90 unpublished"
| The wonderful rectitude of this man
had powerful effect on his audience.
He went on
"That guilty conscience made him
coward. The haunting presence of his
crime would not let him rest, until he
shared the knowledge in some sense with
another. But this Ia not the message.
He had been we'll taught, his mother saw
to that, even If failed. 1t was natural,
after his fate was fixed, that his mind
should turn to these teachings, natural
that they should tinge his words to you.
Tell the boys he said, with terrible
earnestness, mot to give place to the
devil! IT ever they want to drink gam
BILE, it is the devi that tempts them
That was where l started, and I wasn't
more than 16. There are so many chances
to 60 wrong here. Then wanted more
money-drinking and gaming always call
for more money. When that man said he
had thousand dollars, the devil told me
1 could get 1t somehow. Inever thought
of the dreadful way, until the money wai
out of MY reach in the safe. Then 1t waf
a suggestion ONLY played with it, and
1t grew! ALI night long gave place to
the devil, but the darkness was too full
OF breads. At daybreak got up and
walked outside while, but my master
had gained control then, and went back
to do his bidding. Oh, If had resisted
; at the iratv These are the very words
e he asked me to repeat to you, his friends,
9 and gave him my solemn promise. This
! is the reason L wished all from the age oil
Is up to % to be present AS he said
y boys can begin to give place to the devil
when they are very young. beg you
by his sad fate, to remember the only
aafety-is is to close your minds to the
:, first suggestions Of evil.'
The judges voice rose to the pitch Of
Y entreaty. He sat down and wiped hi
= forehead. but resumed, as if to speed .
= hard task.
II need not remind you how quickly
1 his ain found him out. he told me it wa
almost a relief. If we looked at him b,
J. imagined we suspected; he feared hi
I dearest friends. Think what it would b.
+ to have life at the expense Of such horri
10 BILE concealment to live always with sucl
J, an accusing conscience"
Again the father stopped. 1t was evi
dent the strain was becoming to great
He turned to his friend.
!, "Give them the last word" he said
s'for L cannot and abruptly pa sed int,
l. the next room while the minister took VI
% the message.
! 1.-THE wages Of sin is death' How
9 many times Morris Andrews repeate,
l. these words. Tell the boys,' said he,
d could preach sermon from that text
+ My dear friends, I have no wish to preacl
y to you now, much less to cay anythin,
:. sensational. You know that to him tn
wage Of sin was death-a disagreeabl
l. death. You are longing to ask me on
e question. In your faces see the In
e quiry, what is bis fate now?' I canno
= tell. tried to point him to the sourc
it of all forgiveness, but 1 cannot tell
Enough that he wanted you warned ; tina
o he wished to save you! can only ga,
:, reverently, Shall not the Judge of al
4 the earth do right?'
Silently the listeners bowed thei
s adieus. Silently they walked away. Tn
g years have covered their later history, bu
r such mess age could hardly be for
d ontten