Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-02-16

II remember it now. the bishop re-
piled gently. IL hope You have kept
your promise "
The man laughed savagcly. Then he
struck his hand against the fence with
such sudden passion that he drew blood.
kept n | was drunk inside of a
week. I've been drinking ever since,
but We never forgotten you or your
prayer Do you remember, the mornin,
after | came 10 your house and after
breakfast, You had prayers and asked
me to come in and sit with the rest +?
1hat got me But my mother used to
pray | can see her now knceing down
by my bed when | was a lad Father
her while she was kneenng there ~
me, but | never forgot that prayer of
yours that morning You prayed for
me just as mother used TO. and you did
not seem TO take count If the fact that
| was ragged and tough looking and
more than half drunk when runp vour
doorbell. My God, what a life I've
lived! The saloon has housed me and
homed me and made he'll on earth for
me. But that prayer stuck TO me all the
time. My promise not 10 drink was
broken in thousand pieces inside Of
two Sundays, and | lost the Job YOU
found for me and landed in "A police sta
tlon two days afterward. but | never
forgot You or your prayer. | don't
Know what good it's done me- but |
never forgot it, and | won't do any
harm TO you nor let any one else So
you re free to 20. That's why. "
! The bishop did not stir Somewhere
a church clock struck L. The man had
put on his hat and gone back 10 his seat
on the stone. The bishop was thinking
hard
slow long is it since you had work ?"
he asked and the man standing up
answered for the other
More Il six months since either of
ms did anything to tell of, unless YOU
count holding mp work. | call il pretty
wearing kind Of job myself especially
when we put in night like this one
and don't make nothing "
SUPPOSE | found good jobs for both
~ 10 ,l.a a.3 !. sin
all overY'
What's the u~e2" The man ON the
stone spoke sullenly. eve reformed .
hundred times Every time 4 so down
deeper. The devils begun to forcelose
on me already. It's too late. "
No said the bishop. and never be-
fore the most cnranced audience had
he felt tn" desire for souls burn MP in
him so strongly Al the time he sat
there during the remarkable scene he
prayed 80 Lord Jesus, give me the
souls of these two for thee | am hun
CRY for them GIVE them to me-
Mo-! the hop repeated "What
does God want Of you two men? 1t
doesn 80 muck matter what | want.
but he wants just what | do in this
case. Nou two men are of infinite value
TO him - And then the bishops won
derful memory came 10 his aid in an
appeal such as no one else on earth
among men could make under such cir ;
He had remembered the
man $ name in spite ~ the wonderfully
busy years that lay between his coming
to the house and the present moment.
BURNS, he said, and he yearned
over the men with an unspeakable long
ng for them both, ''if you and your
friend here will go home with me to-
hight | will find you both places of 4,
honorable employment. | will believe
n you and trust you. You are both
young men. Why should
rod lose your 1t is great thing to
win the love of the great Father. II is
! small thing that l should love you,
'ut If you need TO feel again that there
5 love in the world You will believe
ne when l say, my brothers, that | love
on, and In the name of him who was
rucliied for our sins 1 cannot bear to
ee you miss the glory of the human 7
life. Comet Be men Make another try
Or 1t, God helping you. No one but
rod and You and myself need ever
now anything of this tonight He has
orgiven it. The minute you ask him to
on will find that true. Come Wei
ght it out together, you two and i.
is worth fighting for. Everlasting life
. 1t was the sinner that Christ came o.,
} help. I'll do what | can for you O
-od, give me the souls of these two
len q"
The bishop broke into prayer to !.
Ou tuat va. "a continuation ca la, ap- =
al 10 tue Ncn. ms pcuJ up feeIrng
nd no other outlet Before he had
rayed many moments Burns was sit
ne with his face buried in his hands,
bbing. Where were his mothers
ayers now They were adding TO the
over OF the bishops And the other
an, harder less moved without n
'evious knowledge of the bishop, leaned
lck against the fence, stolid at first,
II as the prayer went on he was moved
: it, What force Of the Holy Spirit a
'ept over his dulled, brutal, coarsened
e nothing but the eternal records OF
g recording angel can ever disclose,
It that same supernatural presence that
lote Paul on the road to Damascus br
d poured through Henry Maxwells
urch the morning he asked disciples
follow IN Jesus steps and had again
oxen irTesistibly over the Nazareth