Year: 1877

Letter frem a Norwegian Youth.
PoRT MADISON, Nov. 26, 1877.


To THE EDITOR OF THE DISPATCH:


II the eAclosed, which is copied Ger
bdtim from the New York Witness. will
not trespass too much on your valuable
space, you would much oblige one Of
your subscribers by inserting it. The
writer of the article, MIR. William Bull,
is employed here, and every alternate
Sunday expounds the scriptures to the
residents of this place, who are not
quite so poor as he expresses himself in
his letter.


Your kindness in inserting his note to
the Witness would no doubt be tbs
means of bringing him before the no.
tice Of many who are not at all ac-
quainted with him at present, and ]
have no doubt would inspire him with
more zeal for the work he has under-
taken. SUBSCRIBER.


PoRT MADISON. W. T., Oct. -. II.


To the Editor Of the Witness


DEAR SIR: In your valuable paper of
Sept. 9th, yon call for some ''boys from
Is to 20. to write of their joys and gliefs,
hopes and disappointments;" and al
though I am older than 20, hope that
my experience will not be thrown into
the "basket." as people ir my cold
home Norway are several years be
hind the American people in coming to
maturity. But now for my "hopes and
disappointments:'' At the age of eight
years. my father-who bad the learning
of minister. doctor and lawyer-left
me poor orphan to be taken care OF
by the public alone. as all that he earned
went to the dram shop; and was sent
out into the country till the age of ff>
teen. at which time l had to take care
of myself. But alas. the same old SER
pent that had ruined my father in a
short time got the best of me, as at the
age of nineteen I was on the brink of
the pit; and it did not surprise me the
least to find myself by the roadside in
the morning, with my boots as my pill
low and the sky as my blankets. Four
years ago I came to this coast poor,
miserable thing" without money with
ont friends, and without Christ; body
full of disease, and soul black as He'll
But the same God who cares for the
spsrrows, and whose sun shines on bad
and good, did not withhold beam of
His Son of righteousness from pene-
trating my darkened heart; end all
though had never been before God on
my knees, yet while I was speaking he
answered, and l cannot describe tie
change which took place. as not only
my heart was changed from stone to
flesh, but also my very blood and body
was changed from that of 'thing" to
that of young man. Everybody said
that WAS crazy. and nearly was
brought to that opinion myself. which
was the only hope l had of not being
80; but as l have been acquainted with
the nature Of the malady, wish that 1
might be crazy at least once year.


As my eyes had been opened my
hearts desire was that must be the
means Of opening the eyes of others.
But what could I do as o stranger in a
strange land, not understanding more
than yes and no? Yes. I could prsyl
And the same God who heard me be-
fore. in His own time answered my
prayers, and enabled nee last winter to
get little education. which together
with that have obtained through self
study, has made me capable of preach~
ing the gospel to the poor for the last
six months. But as my "hope" was
crowned. disappointment was sure to
follow. and in coming back from school
lost my former employment. which I
have had for two years; and don't in
tend to covet any mans silver or gold
for my labor, so as not to offend weak
brother, for as I have freely recei> ed,
therefore l freely give. I care not what
becomes of myself, only 1 may be use>
full to my neighbors while l live.


WILLIAM BULL.