The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-01-31
%@>@ go o. y 9 e q 9 g g O.
. The DND0ING OF The DFYIL. 4
q By Mrs. Ethel Thomas
1900 >0<0% <O<e<o%e%0<e
The dark seem fair again. -

Entering the church and slipping
into a seat near the door so that he
could get out easily if the atmos-
ph7re happened to be toe spiritually
warm for comfort, the Devil was dis
agreeably surprised to find Larger
congregation than usual. But out
side crowd Of youngsters We're
keeping up a most terrible racket
with baby-wakers, cannol-crackers,
pop-sticks and so on, and he smiled
triumphantly as he listened. Surely
sucn a disturbance would distract
and confuse this preacher and peo-
pie, and put them to flight. He was
decidedly uncomfortable as the peo-
pie sang:
"There were ninety and nine that
safely lay
In the shelter Of the fold,
But one was out on the hills away,
Far off from the gates Of gold"
A tramp was passing and paused
to listen. "God!" he exclaimed,
"that's me! That was mothers IA
vorte song, too," and strangely af-
fected ne peeped in at a window !;
seeing some vacant seas near the
door he pulled off his dirty cap and
softly walked in, taking seat di-
reetly in front Of the Devil.
Another song was sung: 'Glory
to God in the Highest, On Earth
Peace and Good will to Men," which
made the Devil restless. The tramp
listened with throbbing heart, Won
dering What was the matter with
him, and why he had come into tals
house Of worship. No one cared
whether he went ITO heaven or hell
no one ever had cared except a lit
tie woman in far off State VINO be-
lievea him dead-his' mother. Why
had he left her he won3o4ed.
To look at aim now, his face a
veritable signboard proclaiming his
dissipation, his eyes bleared and rest
less, his clothes ragged and filthy, it
was hard to realize that lie was once
an innocent babe, held in the arms Of
a loving Christian mother and per
haps cradled in the lap Of luxury.
Just another prodigal! What had
caused him to roam? Had ne travelled
50. far and at such break-neck speed
down the hill toward destruction,
that now it was impossible to
"throw on the brakes?'' Who be
sides himself was to blame? Who was
his mother? Where was his home
Gould it be that he had once been
a shining light in some church and
in the axuberance of youthful spirits,
; comitted some act of indiscretion 2
and had lying and tattling tongues
magnifed the fault to an unpardon-
able sin? Had he been thrust out
from a fold that should have hedged
him in with brotherly love and
wrapped him in a mantle Of charity
had nis name been voted from the
church roll, had he been stoned by
Others more guilty? If so, God pity
him! But Of one thing only could we
be assured-ne had once been some
mothers darline-now he was on the
road to destruction. Guilty Of many
dark and loathsome deeds perhaps,
black with sin, an outcast or an out
law: vet. Christ died for such as he,
and we so often forget it and "pass
bv on the otaer side.'' instead OF
trying to help them to a better an5
higher life.
The Devil was little uneasy over
the tramp's attitude and leaning over
he whispered in his ear:
"Ain't this a. sanetifed looking
show? They come here every Wed
jnesday night and raise cain. That
pious looking woman over there on
the front seat, is the biggest tattl71
in town. She's done some wonderful
things in the way of raising disturb
ances, and tearing down character
You Just ought to hear her religious
iexperience and iler high-flowa sentl-
ments concerning 'sanctifcation, .
wlrich she claims. Her life Is such
that to have her get up and testify
!! is enough to give one cnllls."
! "They are all hypocrites,' sneer-
ed the Devil.
II hope not" pleaded the tramp
!I"Oh. I hope not.''
"Well, my friend, suppose we pu'
them to the test, and give you the