Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1904-08-13
A CONVERSION
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and was obliged to invite him to the
house. My wife, being aware that l
was prejudiced against the cloth, beg
ged me to be careful as to my remarks.
l only half promised.
found the parson very different
sort of man from what had supposed,
an athlete, n fluent talker. and his In
tellectual endowments were vOuched
for by peculiar looking, old fashioned
watch key, the badge Of the Phi Beta
Kappa, an honor" college society. l
made I'D my mind 1 should like him
II he would throw out from his theol-
ogy those Bible stories which l have
long considered myths. To find out
about this flung Jonah and the whale
at him, bat he lodged. Then l tried
him on Lots wife and the pillar Of
salt, and he ducked. At last l poked
him with Daniel in the lions den. This
time he concluded to face the music.
YES" he said, II believe all these
stories, especially the first one you
have mentioned, because l have been
through a similar personal experience.
When l left college my father sent me
on sea voyage. He wanted me to see
something of the devil l was to fight,
SO he put me on a ship whose crew
was about as fighting, swearing set
as ever met. From the day we sailed
the weather was stormy, and we pass
ed from one gale into another till we
struck a regular hurricane. The crew
were blasphemously superstitious.
$50 great was their prejudice against
clergymen that they really got an idea
l was the cause Of all their troubles.
When the storm was at the worst, l
saw them coming aft and making
straight for me. 'Parson,' said the
spokesman, we're sorry to trouble you,
but you're bringin' this here stress O
weather on us, and were under the
painful necessity O. lookin' out for our
selves and the ship Every man bore
a hand. l was lifted over the gunwale
and tossed into the sea. I hadn't been
in the water q minute before 1 saw
shiny something moving toward ME,
and l knew 1t was q shark.
"Now that my story may not seem
impossible, I'll put in here that 1 was
while at college the right tackle of our
university football team and an ex-
pert swimmer. Sharks are numbering
things, and it doesn't require much
agility to get ahead Of them. This one
leisurely turned over on his side to
take me in. I watched till he opened
his jaws and had one on each side OF
me, when like a flash made quick
turn, planted my foot on his lower
row of teeth and braced both hands on
his upper jaw. Then had him wedg-
ed"
The minister paused, and l gave a
gasp. He proceeded:
1.-The sailors were looking over the
ships side and saw the whole thing. OF
course the shark was bound to drown
with his jaws pried open, and 1t wasn't
long before he was dead as dOornail.
Then threw myself on my back. gave
a shove with my feet and sailed away
from him. Sailors are quick to appre-
ciate any getting the better Of shark,
and nearly every man on the ship
threw me line But refused to come
aboard until they had apologized for
their rough treatment and had prom
Used me that should be permitted to
hold service every day during the rest
Of the voyage. They promised. and
was pulled ON deck. The captain offer
ed me stiff glass Of grog, which &C
cepted, for l needed 1t. You see, the
water was very cold, and the mus
cular effort had been considerable.
THAT episode was the means Of the
conversion of the whole crew, from
master to cabin boy. The weather
moderated Mt once, and I held services
every day. two hours morning and aft
ernoon, with psalm singing in the even
ing. found them singularly unbeliev-
ing, especially as to the miracles re-
corded In the Bible, and confined my
self principally to their explanation.
converted the crew to a belief in every
miracle In the gospel, though one burly
fellow held out so long that l was
obliged to give him good thrashing be-
fore l could convince him.
II have told you the story to show
you that there is no accounting for
how the divine purpose may be carried
out. We do not know but that was
placed on that very ship, thrown over
board by the men and given the
strength to save myself that the unholy
crew might be converted"
"ParsOn," l said, 1.-The manifestation
is quite enough to convert a whole city.
be 1t wicked as Nineveh, and 1 confess
myself convinced. l am sure that you
must have been given divine strength"
NO." said the parson. my strength
was only that vouchsafed me by Moth
er Nature"
at was divine" insisted.
"If you have gloves ready will con-
vince you that 1t was but natural"
Angered at his domineering tone-be-
sides. 1 was very proud Of my skill at
boxing-I led the way to an upper
room, where I kept my athletic para
phernalia. We each put on a pair of
gloves; but though 1 was in the best
of practice, he soon hammered me into
confusion, then knocked me down and
sat on me.
'Do you believer" he asked.
81 believe that you're as big sparrer
as liar. Let me up. and l promise you
I'll be at your church every Sunday
morning hereafter. 1 am convinced of