Year: 1877




Some years ago a young man, hold


ing subordinate position in the Eas


India Company sservice, twice attempt


ed to deprive himself of life by SNAP


ping loaded pistol at his head. Fac


time the pistol missed fire. A frien'


entering his room shortly afterward
| he requested him to fire it out of th


window it then went off without an,


difficulty. Satisfied thus that the wea


pom had been duly Primed and loaded


the young man sprang up, exclaining


II must be preserved for something
great, and from that moment gave vi
the idea Of suicide, which, for some
time previous, had been uppermost il
his thoughts. That young man after
ward became Lord Give.


Two brothers were on one occasion
walking together, when violent storm
of thunder and lightning overlook
them. One was struck dead on the
spot; the other was spared, else would
the name Of the great reformer, Martin
Luther, have been unknown to man
kind.


Bacon, the sculptor, when a tender
boy of FIVE years old, fell into the pit
of a soap-boiler, and must have per
ished, had not a workman, just enter
ing the yard, observed the top Of his
head.


When Oliver Cromwell was an in
FAINT, a monkey snatched him from his
cradle, leaped with him from garnet
window, and ran along the leads ofthe
house. The utmost alarm was excited
among the inmates, and various were
the devices used to rescue the child
from the guardianship of his newly
found protector. All were unavail-
ing his would-be rescuers had lost
courage, and were in despair of ever
seeing the baby alive again, when the
monkey quietly retraced its steps, and
deposited its burden safely on the bed.
On a subsequent occasion, the waters
had wel-nigh quenched his Unsuitable
ambition. He fell into deep pond,
from drowning in which a clergyman
named johnson was the sole instru-
ment Of his rescue.


At the siege of Leicester, young
soldier, about seventeen years of age,
was drawn out for sentinel duty. One
of his comrades was very anxious to
take his place. No objection was made,
and this man went. He was shot dead
while on guard. The young man first
drawn, afterward became the author of
the "Pilgrim's Progress


Doddridge, when born, was so weak
ly an infant that he was believed to be
dead. A nurse standing by, fancied
she saw some signs of vitality. Thus
the feeble spark of life was saved from
being extinguished, and an eminent
author preserved to the world.


John Wesley, when a child, was
only just preserved from fire. Almost
the moment after he was rescued, the
roof of the house where he had been
fell in. OfPhiIip Henry, a similar in
stance is recorded.


Many years have now elapsed since
three subalterns might have been seen
in the water off St. Helena
one of them, peculiarly helpless, was
fast succumbing. He was saved to
live as Arthur Wellesley, Duke of
Wellington.


The life of John Newton is but the
history Of marvellous deliverances. AS
a youth he had agreed to accompany
some friends on board Of man-of-
war. He arrived too late; the boat in
which his friends had gone was cap
sized and all its occupants drowned.
On another occasion, when tide-sur-
veyor in the port Of Liverpool, some
business had detained him, to the great
surprise Of those who were in the habit
Of observing his undertaking punctual-
ity. He went out in the boat, as here
tofore, to inspect ship, which blew
up before he reached her. Had he left
the shore a few moments sooner, he
must have perished with the rest on
board.