Year: 1871

For many years | had been q follower ol
strange gods, and a lover Of this world and
its vauities. was sclfrightoous, and thought
| had religion enough Of my own that wa,
better than the Bible | did not believe in
the devil or hell believed that as God had
created man he was bound to save him. |
knew | did not serve him, did not know him,
did not obey him Prayer was forgotten,
church was neglected, and worldly morality
was the tree which brought forth its own de-
ceptiye fruit


As time rolled on God blessed us with
children. As our boy grew up our mutual
love for him made US anxious about his we'll.
fare and future career. His mind turned
over the little he had learned about God and
his nightly prayers had been taught by Us
from habit and superstition more than from
any conscientious feelings. His questions
often puzzled me, and the sweet and earnest
manner in which he inquired Of his poor sin-
iu father to know more about his Heavenly
Father, and that "happy land far, far, away,
Of which his nurse had taught him, proved to
me that God had given me a great blessing in
the child.


A greater distrust in myself, and greater
sense Of my inability to assure my boy Of the
truth contained in the simple little prayers
had learned from my mother, with my brothers
and sisters, gradually began to come over me,
and made me oitencr reflect. Still, | never
went to church had not even a Bible in the
house. What was to teach my boy-Christ
and him crucifed, or the doctrines had tried
to believe


One Of his little friends died, then anoth.
er, then his uncle. All these deaths made
an impression on the boy. lie rebelled against
it wanted to know why God had done
it2" Il was hard that God should Just 20
and take his friends be wished he would
not do it, l, of course, had to explain the
best | could. One evening he was lying on
the bed, partly undressed, myself and my
wife being seated by che fire. She had been
telling me that Tom had not been good boy
that day she had been telling what he had
been doing, and had reproved him for it.
All was quiet, when suddenly he broke out
in a loud crying and sobbing, which surprised
us. | went to him, and asked him what was
the matter


" don't want it there, father | don't
want it there said the child.


What, my child, what is it ?"


Why, father, don't want the angels to
write down in Gods Book all the bad things
| have done to-day. don't want it there
| wish it could be wiped out !" and his dis
tress increased. What could | do2 | did
not believe, but yet | had been taught the
way. | had to console him, 50 said,


Well, you need not cry; you can have it
all wiped out in a minute if you want"


How, father, how ?"


Why, get down on your knees, and ask
God, for Christ's sake, to wipe it out, and he
will do it."


l did not have to speak twice He jump
ed out of bed, saying " Father, won't you
come and help me T.?


Now came the trial The boys distress
was so great, and he pleaded so earnestly, that
the big man, who had never bowed down be-
fore God in spirit and in truth, got down on
his knees alongside Of that dear boy, and ask
ed God to wipe away his sins and perhaps,
though my lips did not speak it, my heart
included my own sins too. We then got up,
and he lay down in his bed again. In few
moments more he said,


Father, are you sure it is all wiped out ?''


Oh how the acknowledgment grated
through my unbelieying heart, as the words
came to my mouth.


"Why, yes, my son the Bible says, if
you ask God, from your heart, for Christ s
sake, to do it, and if you are really sorry for
what you have done, it shall be all botted
out


A smile ef pleasure passed over his face,
as he quietly asked.


What did the angel blot it out with
With sponge ?"


Again was my whole soul stirred within
me, as | answered,


No, but with the precious blood of Christ
The blood of Christ ceanseth from all sin. 4"


The fountains had at last burst forth.
They could not be checked, and my cold heart
was melted within me. | felt like poor
guilty sinner and, turning away, said,


My dear wife, ioe must find God, if we
want to show him to our children. We can.
not show them the way unless we know it
ourselves"


And in the silent hour of the night | bent
in prayer over that dear boy, and prayed,
Lord, believe, help Thou mine unbeief %
My wife, too, united with me, and we prayed
jointly for ourselves and our child. And God
heard our prayers, and received us, as he al.
ways does those who seek him with whole
heart.-The Parish Helper.