The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-09-15


As he entered the little study at the
church Just before evening service, the
minister found one of his men await
Ing him.
Pastor" broke out the man, In an
agitated voice, pastor, my brother-in-
law is in there, full of liquor. He's
ugly. I'm afraid he's going to make
trouble. Hadn't we better get police
man to come and clear him out?"
why, no, George" said the minister.
II shouldn't quite like to do that. You
know he might hear something that
would do him good. Don't worry. 1t
won't kill us If he does interrupt us.
We've been interrupted before now"
1t was a good congregation that the
preacher looked down upon that night
"a company of honest, self-respecting,
well-dressed working people, a large
portion of them young folk. But there
In the forefront Of the audience sat the
Objectionable brother-in-law. Bolt up
right he sat, with a flushed face, and
glared at the minister. HE certainly
Is about the toughest, ugliest-looking
customer l ever undertook to preach
to-" said the young man to himself.
The first part Of the service went
very well. "How these Germans do
sing! What full, sweet voices! How
they keep the key and the tune! How
they put their hearts into it," he
thought. The drunkard made little
noise, muttering something In maud
lin way during the prayer, but did not
disturb the folk greatly.
II believe he Is not going to bother
us much, after ALL" thought the min
lister.
But when 1t came to the preaching,
the minister had no sooner begun than
the man rose to his feet and commenced
speaking. What he said, or tried to
say, no one knew, himself least of all.
1t was some mumbled, incoherent talk.
But the young people, after their fash
ion, stralghtway began to giggle
Don't laugh, good friends" said the
minister, earnestly. Don't laugh
L LIS ID q SlSut LII W llldhc uS weep.
great solemn hush fell upon the
audience. The drunkard ceased to
speak and remained standing, the pic
ture of a fool.
Look at him. said the minister.
you know him well enough, most of
you. There stands the ruin of one of
the ablest mechanics that was ever
known in these parts! There stands
the profigate son Of a good mother
There stands the faithless husband
who has broken the heart of a pure
and lovely woman! There stands a
father whose disgraced children are
blushing with shame for him! He
might have been happy and prosper
GUS man. See what drink has made
Of him! Give it but half a chance,
and 1t will do as much for you. Tell
me. could 1, or could the most eloquent
minister in the land, ever preach you
such a temperance sermon as that?
isn't that sight enough to make you all
temperance men for life?"
And then, looking earnestly and
steadfastly in the drunkard's face, the
minister charged him in the name of
the living God to repent of his great
wickedness and pleaded with him that
he should forsake his cups and all his
evil ways, and on condition of sincere
penitence, promised him, in the name
Of Divine Savior, the help of the
Almighty. And there stood the man all
the while, motionless as a statue, amid
the stillest kind Of stiffness, the silence
of great, listening company. And
when the preacher had made an end
of speaking, the drunkard staggered
out into the night.
Now there was In the audience that
evening another man who for many
years had been the victim of the drink
habit. one whom the minister had
shortly, before found drunk on the
street and had helped home to his
house. This man, going out with the
crowd after the service, had no sooner
reached the sidewalk than he turned
back, saying to companion, I'm 60
Ing to see the parson."
1t was sorry looking figure that
came to the study -decently
dressed, but shaky and infrm, with
hair prematurely white, and sallow
face marred and SCARED by his vices
"Good-evening, Mr. Black! Come in,
come in! I'm glad to see you. Have a
chair" said the parson, cordially.
Pastor" said he, in a voice that
shook like leaf, I'm all broke up.
I've come to- sign the pledge"
stephen, haven't any faith In that
pledge. What's pledge? 1t is nothing
but promise, and q promise too hard
for you to keep. You've signed 1t ever
and over again, and every time you
break 1t within a week.
II know, know, parson! But this
time I'm a-going to do what never
! did before. I'm going to give my heart
to God before I sign that pledge"
They prayed together. The parson.
with his arm round him, prayed for
him; and the man prayed Tor himself