Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-02-20

he began to anaIyze his Feelings, pro-
voked by the expressions of the prayer.
But his mind soon refused to criticise
anything and, without any special rea-
son for it, he began to ask If the saving
of men was any more the Salvation
Army's business than his own. He be-
gan to dwell on the word Saved" as it
was used so often in the prayer. Then,
by logical step which he did not at
tempt to argue about as he might once
have done, he was confronted with his
own condition, and although he thought
he tried to avoid answering the ques-
ton, it persisted in being put: cam
saved? What is Jesus to me?"
The whole matter was foreign to his
moral code. Besides, how could man
in his present position, with all this la
Dor trouble confronting him, attend to
religious questions? Nevertheless he
was forced to come back to the simple
question: cam saved? What is Jesus
to me?" All through the strange de-
bate now going on within him he seem
ed to feel that he was being driven ir-
resistibly to point where he must
answer or decide the matter OF his own
personal salvation.
He dressed and in a growing excite
ment walked the room In the twilight.
How are men converted? Was Saul of
Tarsus expecting to be met by the Vi
sion on the road to Damascus? Was it
not as sudden and astonishing to him
as lightning bolt out Of cloudless
evening? Does the Lord have any fee
Bile limitations in his way Of reaching
mems souls or in the time he chooses !:
Stuart tried again and again to stop
the persistent question that rose re
peatedly to his lips, but to no purpose.
He said, II will go down and inquire
about Eric" But he turned in his
walk every time he faced his door and
again paced back to the windows
which opened on the front Of the house.
Gradually as the light of the world
grew stronger outside another and an
inward light grew in Stuart's soul. He
watched it grow in awe Of Its strange
revealing power. He saw himself rs a
child Of God, with opportunities, pow
ers, values, all of them hitherto used
selfishly, and in and through all the
rest he saw illum:ned a radiant cross
What was Jesus to him2" The ques-
ton grew with meaning. Why was
the Jesus of history figure to be re
spected simply? OF what value and
meaning was the cross unless 1t be.
came personal redemption?
The sunrise of the outer world was
,etldening the pines out on the hills.
in little while the sun would be look
ing out over the ranges, and a new day
would be born. But a new man was
being born in the room of the Cham
pion iron mine owner. The sun of
righteousness was rising in him, and
soon 1t would be daylight. Stuart
trembled. He was alone. No man had
spoken to him of salvation or Of Chris
tianity. But the divine presence had
come at an unexpected moment, at
what might have seemed most in
( opportune time, and his whole nature
was in the hand of power that he
dared not resist. He almost feared to
breathe lest he should drive the heav-
emily presence away. He sat down
and with his head bowed waited, it
seemed to him, for something more to
happen. And then he seemed to hear
a voice say, my son, give me thine
heart He clasped his hands togeth-
err and replied, God, be merciful to
me, sinnerw And with the words a
flood of light poured in. He at once
/ kneeled down. 1t was an unusual hab
1 it with him. Now it seemed as neces
sary as breathing and as full of Joy as
loving.
How long he had been in that deer
communion with his Saviour, SO new
/ ly found, he could not have told. 1,
must have been some time. He was
aroused by one of the servants knock
ing at the door and announcing break
fast. He went down stairs, and til,
first person to meet him In the hall
way was Louise. 1t was new worlt
that Stuart was henceforth to know
and his heart went out to his sjste
this morning with new tenderness
She put her arm about his neck as b
stopped to kiss her.
What q dreadful time you mus
baye had, Stuart. It is great bless
ing you were not killed in that awfu
mine. The doctor has been telling m
about it.
Eyes, I feel as IL my life had beel
spared for some great reason" reptile,
Stuart. Flow is Eric this morning?
He put his arm about Louise and NOV
ed with her toward the door Of Eric
room, which was near by. Louise sin
ped away from him and answered
& oh lie is getting on all right! don
want to see him. Don't wait breakfas
{ long, Stuart"
She crossed over into the dinin
room, and Stuart went in to see Eric
who still lay in the down stairs bed
room which remained feature of Ros
Duncan's house as he had first design
ed and built it.
The doctor was there by the bed Il
had come up early. He had attended t
the wound, and Eric was resting con
fortably. He lay there looking yer
pale and almost stern. Stuart felt a
added tenderness for. the man who ha
oSSh LILO tuuI hour o
peril. Somehow the experience Of tn
morning deepened and enlarged all hi
thoughts Of friendship and love.
He kneeled down by the bed an
smiled as Eric turned his dark eye
toward him.
What sort Of night did you have
dear fellow" he asked as lie laid hi
hand in Eric's.
ooh, rested well. I'm able to get u
this morning, but the doctor here won
let me move"
"You can get up IL you want to,
replied DR.. Saxon grutily. "Stuar
please order my horse around SO
can get around to the undertaken
In time to make arrangements wit
him for Eric's funeral. DO you wan
the hearse with the black plumes al
around the top, or the other one wit
the weeping urn arrangement in til
middlei"
. Nonsense! I'm not so bad of a