Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1904-03-02
One Good Mans
influence

WRITTEN BY TYLER Co. LADY
Imagine the crudest little mining
town to be found In Colorado, In
the early sixties; small log school
house, occasionally used as a
church, now crowded to utmost
capacity with miners, a few women,
and half score children; silence
deep and painful, broken only by
an occasional heart rendering sob,
as with bowed heads, and slow
measured tread. four stalwart
miners bear slowly up the aisle, a
rough hewn coffin, and you will
better understand the story l am
going to relate to you, In answer to
your inquiry, as to Nhat changed
me from one of the widest bloods
of the city, to an earnest, noble,
God. fearing man? as you are
pleased to put 1t, said Grorge W.
Martin, of New York City, to
to a number of his friends, as he
quietly smoked his cigar In the
Millionaire's Club rooms on Fifth
avenue, one pleasant winter eve
ming
l have listened entranced. to our
own Parkhurst; have heard the re-
nowned Spurgeon and Talmage;
enjoyed the learned discourses OF
Beecher; have been entertained
by the famous Moody, Sam Jones,
and many others; but never In all
my life, heard sermon that touch.
ed the heart, stimulated and
strengthened the love of God with
In the heart, as did that funeral
sermon, preached In the little log
house, surrounded by miners tents
and huts.
I had entered the church from
curiosity and If 1 did not remain
to pray" I at least, remained to
listen.
When the pail bearers had found
seats, there arose from behind a
huge dry goods box, upon which a
soiled Bible lay, the figure OF a
man. I say figure of a man, for
even now, after the lapse OF many
years, I cannot divest myself OF the
thought. that the man possessed
something of the Divine
Father Hudson" as afterward
found he was familiary called by
every man, woman and child, In
that mining district, was a man OF
perhaps eighty years of age. His
hair and beard, which reached al
most to his waist, were as white as
the snow, then to be seen crowning
the summit of Pixies Peak; though
his form was as erect as that of a
man In the prime of life; and his
eyes possessed all the fire of youth.
He looked to be more than six feet
In height. but was so emaciated,
you wondered how he could carry
himself so royalty. He was dressed
In a shabby black, the make OF 80
years before; but was scrupuously
neat and clean. But the mans face
i cannot describe 1t to you as
saw 1t that day. Imagine If you
can, the faces of Christian Martyrs,
slowly dying upon the cross, sur
rounded by Nero and his !awless
court, who gleefully watched them
die: think of how Stephen must
have looked while stoned to death
for being faithful to his Lord: Of
Daniel In the lions den. of all who
were prosecuted, suffered and died,
that right might prevail; and then
think of Jesus of Nazareth before
PLATE: the rabble without, clamor-
ing for his death: think of him as
cending Calvary, carrying the cross
upon which he was to die: think
of him In his last agony bestowing
forgiveness upon the suffering be-
Ing by his side: think of him as
calling upon the Father to forgive
those who were putting him to
death; and you will be able to form
some conception, of the look of love
and pity, upon the face Of the man
before me.
AS he slowly raised his head, ADD
gazed mou-nfully, lovingly, upon
the rough, uncouth beings before
him, these words came uncalled to
my mind: Though he was poor
and lowly, yet he was every inch a
king"