Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1904-06-02
A CONVERSION.


house. My wife. being aware that l
was preJudiced against the cloth, beg
god me 10 be- careful as TO my remarks.
l only half promised.
found the parson q very different
sort OF man from what had supposed.
an athlete, a fluent talker. and HIS In
| tellectunl endowments were vOuchsd
for by peculiar looking. old fashioned
watch key. the badge OF the Phi Beta
Kappa. an "honor" college society.
made up my mind ! should like him
IL he would throw out from his theol-
ogy those Bible stories which have
long considered myths. To find out
about this nung Jonah and the whale
ut him. but he lodged. Then tried
him ON Lots wife and the pillar OF
salt, and he duck cd. AT last ! 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 ! have been
through q similar personal experience.
when I left college my father sent me
Oh sea voyage. He wanted me 60 SEQ
something Of the devil l was to hight
80 he put me ON u ship whose crew
was about as lighting. swearing set
as ever met From the day we sailed
the weather was stormy. and We pass
ed from one gale into another ell We
struck regular hurricane. The crew
were blasphcmously supersteioue
so great was their prejudice against
clerDmen that they really got an idea
was the cause Of all their troubles.
when the storm was az the worst,
saw them coming aft and making
straight for me. 'Parson.' said the
spokesman. were sorry TO trouble you.
but you're bringm' this here stress o
weather on us, aud we're under the
painful necessity o. lookin' out for our
selves and the ship Every man bore
a hand. was lifted over the gunwale
and tossed into the sea. I hadn't been
Ia the water n minute before I saw
shiny something moving toward me.
aud I knew IL was q shark.
Now that my story may not seem
impossible. I'll put In here that was
white at college the right tackle OF our
university football team and an eH-
pert swimmer. Sharks are numbering
things. and it doesn't require much
agility 10 get ahead OF them. This one
lcisurely turned over 90 his side 10
take me In watched tiii be opened
his Jaws and had one on each side OF
me. when like IA fash made q quick
turn. planted my foot on his lower
row u teeth and braced both hands on
his upper Jaw. Then I had him wedg
ed"
The minister paused, and gave n
gasp. He proceeded:
The sailors were looking over the
ships side and saw the whole thing. or
with his jaws pried open. and-t wasn't
long before he was dead 40 doornaii.
| Then I threw myself on my back. gave
a shove with my feet and sailed away
from him. Sailors are qukrk to appre-
ciate any getting the better OF shark.
and nearly every man on the ship
| threw me line. hut refused 20 come
aboard until they had apolokibed for
their rough treatment and had prom
ised me that should be- permitted 20
hold service every day during the rest
OF the voyage. They promised. and l
was pulled on deck. The captain offer
ed me a stin glass OF greg. which ac-
ccpted. for I needed H. You sec. 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 10 cabin boy. The weather
moderated Mt once. and l held services
every day. two hours morning aud aft
ernoon. with psalm singing In the even
ing found them sinsuiariy unbeiiev-
ing. especially as 10 the unraeies re-
corded In the Bible. and confincd my
self principally TO their explanation.
converted the crew 10 belief In every
miracle In the gospel. though one bury
fellow held out so long that was
obliged 10 give him good thrashing be-
fore | could convince him.
hhNt 'biu yOu tht stoAy W buON
you that there IL no accounting for
how the divine purpose may b. 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." said. the manifestatio
Is quite enough 10 convert a whole city.
be II wicked as Nineveh. and confess
myself convinced. am sure that you
must have been given divine strength"
mo" said the parson. MY strength
was only that vouchsafed me by Moth
or Nature"
1T was divine" insisted
"If you have gloves ready / will con-
vince you that IL was but natural"
Angered at his domineering tone-be-
sides. | was very proud Of my skill at
boxing-I led the way TO an upper
room. where kept my athletic para
phernalia We each put on pair OF