And we did sing.
"Now, father, I want you should pray, and I will follow you."
We did pray, and Jesus heard us.
"Father, I am very happy. Why, I believe I shall get well. I feel much better."
From that hour all his symptoms changed--pulse went down, and countenance brightened. The current of life had changed.
The doctor soon came in and found him cheerful and happy--looked at him--felt his pulse, which he had been watching with intense anxiety, and said,--
"Why, Colonel, you look better."
"I am better, Doctor. I am going to get well. My father has told me how to become a Christian, and I am very happy. I believe I shall recover, for G.o.d has heard my prayer. Doctor, I want you should become a Christian, too. My father can tell you how to get hold of it."
In the evening three surgeons were in consultation, but saw no hope in the case, and one of them took his final leave of the colonel.
Next morning the two surgeons, who had been in constant attendance, came in and began as usual to dress the wound.
On opening the bandage, they suddenly drew back, and throwing up their arms, exclaimed,--
"Great G.o.d, this is a miracle! The gangrene is arrested, and the colonel will live! G.o.d has heard your prayers!"
"Why, Doctor," replied the colonel, "I told you yesterday, that I believed I should get well, for I asked Jesus that I might live to do some good. I knew he heard my prayer, and now you see he has. Bless the Lord with me, Doctor."
Meanwhile, "_Our son must die_," had gone over the wires, and made sadness at home. Next day, "_Our son will live, and is happy in Christ_," followed, and joy came again to the loved ones.
After his recovery, the colonel returned to the people whose sons he had led with honor through fifteen hard-fought battles. They, in return, gave him the best office in the gift of a loyal and grateful people. Among them he now lives in prosperity and honor, he is a member of the church of Christ, and the father of a happy family growing up around him, and consecrated to the service of his Redeemer.
I, too, was made a better man and better minister by that scene, where this dear son, struggling with his guilt and fear of death, was led to Jesus, and found the pardon of his sins. I there resolved never to forget that charge he made me, in his extremity: _"Make it so plain that I can get hold of it."_
I have made this the motto of every sermon I have preached, and G.o.d has blessed the effort.
A CHRISTIAN LIFE.
"A Christian life, have you ever thought How much is in that name?
A life like Christ, and all he taught We must follow, to be the same.
How little of ease the Saviour knew With his life of labor and love!
And if we would walk in his footsteps too, We must look not to earth, but above.
The darkest hour the Christian knows Is just before the dawn; For as the night draws to its close, It will bring in the morn.
So if you trust, though shadows fall, And dark your pathway be, The light, which shines from heaven for all, Will surely fall on thee."
A RETIRED MERCHANT
A London merchant engaged in Mediterranean commerce, had successfully prosecuted his business, and ama.s.sed what all merchants desire, an ample fortune. His, indeed, was a princely one. He had purchased a large and beautiful estate in the country, and had built and furnished a splendid mansion in town, on the Surrey side of the river, and now that he was verging towards sixty, he concluded to retire and enjoy the remnant of his life in peaceful leisure.
He negotiated for the sale of his abundance-making business, and sold it for another fortune. He then retired. He was a bachelor. He had his halls, his parlors, dining-rooms, and drawing-rooms, his library and cabinets of curiosities. The floors were covered with the most mosaic specimens of Brussels and Turkey carpetings, the furniture was of the most complete and exquisite selections, the walls were adorned with splendid mirrors and with cla.s.sic paintings, and fine linen decorated all.
Carriages, horses, grooms, and servants were at his command. Books, pictures, and engravings were at hand to interest him. The daily and the weekly papers, and the periodicals, brought to his table all the news of the great world, and his friends and his acquaintances paid him homage. How happy must the man be who has all this!
_He_ was not happy. He had no aim, no motive. The zest with which he read the papers when he was a merchant, he had lost now he had ceased to be engaged in commerce. A storm, a fleet, a pestilence along the Mediterranean sh.o.r.es, was full of interest to him before, because he had investments there. Now, they were of no consequence to him. The views and aims of government were watched by him before with searching scrutiny, because his destiny was bound up with theirs. The parliamentary debates were of the greatest consequence before, as indicating British policy; but that to him now ceased to be an object of importance. His fortune was achieved, his course was run, his destiny fulfilled.
Soon, every thing and place appeared to him one uniform and universal blank. His beautiful apartments were unused, his carriage and horses unemployed, his books unread, his papers unopened, his meals untasted, and his clothes unworn. He had lost all enjoyment of life, and contemplated suicide.
Sat.u.r.day night arrived, and he resolved on Sunday morning early, before the busy populace were stirring, he would make his way to Waterloo bridge and jump into the river, or tumble off.
At three o"clock, he set out on his final expedition, and had nearly reached the bridge, the shadows of the night protecting him from observation, when a figure stood before him. Amazed at being seen by any one, he turned out of the path, when the figure crouching low before him, revealed a tattered, miserable man, baring his head in abjectness.
"What are you doing here?" inquired the retired merchant.
"I have a wife and family, whom I can"t help from starving, and I am afraid to go and see them. Last night I knew they would be turned into the streets," replied the man.
"Take that," replied the merchant, giving him his purse, with gold and silver in it--thinking to himself, "how much more useful this will be to him, than in my pockets in the water."
"G.o.d bless you, sir--G.o.d bless you, sir," exclaimed the man several times, kneeling before the astonished merchant.
"Stop," said the merchant, "do not overwhelm me so with your thanksgivings--but tell me where you live."
"In Lambeth, sir."
"Then why are you _here_ this morning?" said the merchant.
"I do not like to tell you," said the man. "I am ashamed to tell a gentleman like you."
"Why so?" replied the merchant.
"Well, sir," replied the man, "as I had not a single penny, and did not know how to get one, I came here to drown myself, although I knew "t was wicked!"
The merchant was astonished and appalled, and after a long silence, said, "Sir, I am overwhelmed with wealth, and yet I am so miserable that I came here this morning for the same purpose as yourself.
There"s something more in this than I can understand at present. Let me go with you to see your family."
The man made every excuse to hinder the merchant, but he would go.
"Have you lost your character?" said the merchant.
"No, sir," replied the man, "but I am so miserably poor and wretched--and, for anything I know, my wife and children may be turned into the street."
"Why are you out of work and pay?" resumed the merchant.
"I used to groom the horses of the stage-coaches," said the man, "but since the railroads are come up the coaches are put down, and many men, like me, have no employment."