The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-28
CONSCIENCE SUFFERERS
Stress of Religious Emotion Helps
the Nations Fund.


H. the Nations Fund.
H. E. Armstrong in Ainslee's Magazine.
Stress of religious feeling prompts res
titution to the conscience fund in many
cases, and the contributors, not satisfied
with returning their i'll gotten gains, con-
fess their sin, crave absolution, promise
to lead better life and grovel in contri-
ton. But. as a rule, they are cal eful to
conceal their identity. In 1897 an I'm
happy penitent' addressed President Nc
Kinley as follows:
Enclosed please find three dollars, the
amount of which 1 did not defraud the gov
eminent OF. but only few small coins,
but will send more to give peace to my
tortured conscience. The act was com
mitted in childhood. Henlorse has taken
hold CT me. and l cannot rest. Who but
God, my Heavenly Father, has made me
do this? Oh, that l may feel that I am
forgiven, for God. my Father. knows I
wouldn't do such a thing now! Forgive
me for withholding my name II 1 were
face 70 face with you I woudn't hesitate
to tell you, but have other reasons.
Pray for me, too. May God bless you and
yours. Please do not publish this, but
still how am 1 ever to tiNd out that you
received It? I trust the Lord will take
care of it. But please don't publish it,
Ezekiel, 33d chapter. 18th verse
mo doubt, a derartn ent clerk looked
up the scriotural reference and read:
, IF the wicked restore the pledge, give
again that he had robbed, walk in the
statute Of life, without committing in
iquity, he shall surely live; he shall not
die
'"This is an extraordinary case. How are
we to diagnose it? Q few smaM coins
! measured the fraud on the government
Possibly the sinner got too much change
at the stamp window, in which case the
clerk had to make up the deficiency; or
some counterfeit nickels were passed,
and an apple woman may have been the
sufferer. A scared conscience required
a sacrifice. 1t was appraised at three
dollars, and the president of the United
States was called upon to pray that the
offender would keep the straight and mar
row path. A police magistrate, accus-
toned to deal with frail and per5ured hu-
manity, would say that "a few small
coins was dust thrown in the eyes of the
administration, and that the peculation
exceeded three dollars many times over.
The letter quoted ran the whole gamut Of
religious hysteria. It was like profess
sion OF faith at a camp meeting when the
brothers and sisters are powerfully moved.
Remorse is not often given to such con-
tortions. From one who wishes to lead
Christian life,' wrote contributor
who sent three pennies. God knows the
name and the SIM exclaimed another who
Enclosed a moderate sum with the state
ment that it belonged to the United
States treasury: Dignihed and sober was
| the explanation Of an old soldier, who
was evidently setting his house In or.
der:
/" Please find my thirty dollars, to be
placed to the credit Of the Conscience
Fund. From the awakened conscience
! Of an old veteran who has been laying
aside little at time, and who has moi
been able yet to figure Just what 1t Is,
but hopes to light on the data and re-
store 1t before he is called to meet his
God
'sThe letter was written on foolscap in
round, resolute hand. Probably this old
soldier on leaving the service had re-
tanned equipment that should have been
turned in, or the government had sent him
arrears Of pension to which he was not
entitled. The venerable citizen of Pleas
ant Lake, N. D., was making himself
presentable for the Judgment day when he
thus accounted for an Enclosure Of ten
dollars: All of US become honest as we
near the Great Hereafter. 7 need only
sign my name, Conscience