The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-01-03

THE FA.l8ra l..E EST Nibel WE
talked enough once replied The
oid man. rising to his feet 4for SIX
lnraying Christians. Thirty years aso.
/ got my heart humbled and my
tongue bridled. and ever since that
rye walked softly before God. then
made VOWS solemn as. eternity and
don't you tempt me to break them
The troubler was startled at the
earnestness of the hitherto silent UNI
moved man. and asked What hap
pened to you thirty years ago?"
"well. sir, III tell you. was drawn
into scheme Just like this of yours.
to uproot one of Gods servants from
the field in which He had planted him:
In my blindness. fancied It little
thing to remove one OF the stars
which Jesus holds in His right hand,
If therey my ear could tickled. anil
the pews filled with those who turn
ed away from the simplicity of the
gospel. and the men that led me
for admit that was dupe. and n
fool-flattered ourselves that we were
conscientious. We thought we were
doing God service when We drove that
holy man from his pulpit and his
work. and said We considered his work
ended in b, where I then lived.
We groaned because there was no re-
vival while we were gossip about, and
criticIsing, and crushing. instead Of
unfolding, by our efforts and our
prayer, the instrument at whose hand
we harshly demanded the blessings.
Well. sir. he could not drag on the
chariot of the gospel with half-a-doz-
en- OF us haunting him for his weak,
ness, while we hung as dead weight
to the wheels; he had not the power
OF the Spirit, and could not convert
men: so we hunted him like a deer
till. worn and bleeding. he fled into &
covert to die. Scarcely had he gone.
when God came among us by His
Shirt to show that He had blessed
the labors of His dear rejected ser.
want. Our own hearts were broken,
and our hayward children converted,
and / resolved at a convenient season
to visit my former pastor and confess
my sin. and thank him for his faith
fulness to my hayward sons, which,
life long-buried seed. had now sprung
up. But God denied me that relief,
that He might teach me a lesson that
The who toucheth one Of his servants
toucheth the apple of his eye heard
my former pastor was Ill and taking
my oldest son with me. set out on a
twenty-five miles l:ac TO see him. 1t
was evening when arrived, and his
wife, with a spirit which any woman
ought to exhibit towards one who had
so wronged her husband. denied me
admittance to his chamber. She said
and her words we're arrows to my
soul He may be dying. and the sight
of your face might add to his an
guish!'
Had 1t come to this, | said to my
self that the man whose labors had,
through Christ, brought me into His
fold: who had conso:ed my spirit in a
terrible bereavement, and who had,
till designing men had alIenated us,
been to me as a brother-that this
man could not die in peace with my
face before him? God pity mel!
cried, what have done?' l confessed
my sins to that meek woman, and i'm
plored her for Christs sake to let me
kneel before His dying servant, and
receive his forgiveness. What did
care then whether the pews by the
door were rented or not? would glad
ly have taken his whole family to my
home for ever. as my flesh and blood;
but no such happiness was in store for
me.
"As I entered the room OF the bless.
ed warrior, whose armor was falling
from his limbs, he opened his languid
eyes, and said, Brother Lee! Brother
Lee" bent over him and sobbed out,
My Pastor! My Pastor!' Then rails
ing his white hand, he said in a deep,
impressive voice, Tough not mine
anointed, and do my prophets no
harm spoke tenderly to him, and
told him had come to confess my sin,
and bring some of his fruit to him,
calling my son to tell him how he had
found Christ. But he was unconscious
of all round; the sight of my face had
brought the last pang of earth to his
troubled spirit.
81 kissed his brow. and told him how
dear he had been to me. crayed his
pardon for my unfaithfulness. and
promised to care for his widow and
fatherless children; but his only reply,
murmured as II in troubled dream.
was, Tough not mine anolnted, and