The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-17

Affections, sorrows and bereaVementS
press hard upon them, they neither
complain nor give up in dispair; but,
turning the kaleidoscope, they catch
brighter views and rejoice that in
the midst of darkness the light will
break forth.
That was a very philosophical re-
mark of Mrs. Wigs, that If one had
nothing else to be thankful for, the
fact that he was neither club-footed
nor hair-lipped ought to make him
praise the Lord. Jobs utterance,
1.-The Lord gave and the Lord hath
taken away, blessed be the name OF
the Lord" has been quoted millions
of times, and will be quoted so long
as time shall last, by those bereaved
ones who fully trust the Lord.
Why God should have allowed such
terrible Affections to fall upon Job,
has always been mystery to the
world; but Job understood the mat
ter after awhile, and rejoiced that
he was counted worthy to be made an
example of patience, amid bereave-
ment sorrow and suffering. But Jobs
wife seems not to have been as phil
osophical as her husband. Whether
she took the loss of her children, and
of all the property of the family,
harder than Job did, we are not able
to say; but, she certainly had lost
her patience, and her religion as well,
when she advised her husband to curse
God and die. / suppose she thought
it very cruel of God to take away all
her children, and all the property, at a
single stroke; and, that it was insult.
added to injury, when her husband
was made 50 hideous looking and so
loathsome.
To his everlasting credit though
suffering all that man could suffer.
and Inundated to the condition of
wailowing in the ashes, Job didn't lose
confidence in God, for in the deepest
of his agony we hear him saying:
Though he Stay me l will trust in
him"
l once read a very sad story of
family that lost an only son-a young
man upon whom love and luxury had
laVished their very best gifts, and who
gave promise of being a good and
useful man. He was the pride of
father and mother and was almost
worshipped by sister, just entering
her teens. About the time he was
getting ready to enter the ministry,
indeed while attending a conference
to be ordained, a drunken man, under
the influence of delirium, who
thought. in his frenzy, that he was
being pursued, fired a shot that NOR
tally wounded the young man, as he
was passing along the street. The
family were almost crazed when the
news reached them, and public senti-
ment was unanimous in the opinion,
that the drunken wretch deserved i'm
mediate hanging. He was tried, but
the jury made the case manSlaughter,
because no malice was proved, and he
was sentenced to Imprisonment for
term of years. Although a drunkard
OF - nd fnr IA O
fired the fatal shot, he belonged to
a good family, and, in early life.
gave promise of being an upright and
useful citizen. But his WayWardness
had broken a mothers heart, and. af-
ter her death, his father married
woman who had no patience with his
wild. reckless way of living. And, so.
he went from bad to worse until that
unfortunate day when he fired the
shot that killed one of the best and
most dearly loved young men, of the
country, and cast lifetime shadow
on a once happy home.
He had served out about half the
term of his Imprisonment, when he
wrote to the father of the young man
whom he Killed. asking him to come
to see him in his prison. Such re-
quest from the slayer of his son was
no less unexpected than shocking, as
L
the matter a little thought, and, after
talking it over with the wife and
daughter, he decided to visit the pris
oner, and he did.
The meeting was a strange one
q father visiting the slayer of his only
son. At first an awkward silence en-
barrasSed the young criminal; but,
suddenly falling upon his knees be-
fore the father he implored his for
giveneSS, saying: 81, have no plea
to make in extenuation of my act, I
am guilty of killing your son, and you
cannot. of course, look upon me in
any other light than as murderer.
All l can say is, that l would, if it
were possible, give my life
to restore your son to you.
never saw him, therefore I
knew nothing of him; but
have heard much of him, and | cher
ish, beyond any other memories, the
stories 1 have heard of his upright
life and Christian virtues 1 only wish
l had known him and been permitted
10 associate with him, in other days,
when, under the influence of wicked
companions / was breaking my moth
er's heart. Can you forgive me
ut is a hard thing you ask me to
do, to say that / forgive the slayer
of my son; but, believing that you are
sincerely penltent L cannot say nay
to your prayer. / forgive you. Arise.
stand ON your feet and answer me
this question: Have you asked for
giveness of God, and are you intend
inc to lead better life?'"
81 would not have asked you to
come to see me, if 1 had not asked
Gods forgiveness, and had not felt
myself forgiven. Old things have
passed away, with me; all things are
become new. There had to be
checking up of my waywardness. 1t
has been done, but at a great cost
a tremendous sacrifice. If l am
saved there will be one star in the
crown of that dear son of yours, whom
| killed. His death led me to Christ:
and your forgiveness reinstates me
once more among Christians and gives
me something to live for-the proving
of myself worthy of your forgiveness
and your friendship"
Il forgive you. and / will pray for
you; but l do not know how l can
befriend YOU"
your prayers are all l ask of you.
l do not wish my term of imprison-
ment shortened. / had rather stay
here and serve it out; / desire to be