by ,the ,kentuckiana ,digital ,library7 
,illustration3 ,steve ,p4 ,holcombe4    
,,steve ,p4 ,,holcombe1    ,,the        
,,converted ,,gambler3    ,,his ,,life  
,,and ,,work4    ,,by ,,rev4 ,,gross    
,,alexander4     ,,introduction ,,by    
,,rev4 ,,sam ,p4 ,,jones4               
,,louisville3    ,,press ,,of ,,the     
,,courier-,,journal ,,job ,,printing    
,,company4    #ahhh4      ,,copyrighted1
 #ahhh4     ,,to    ,mrs4 ,s4 ,p4       
,holcombe1    ,,the ,,patient ,,wife1   
,,the ,,faithful ,,mother1    ,,the     
,,friend ,,of ,,publicans ,,and         
,,sinners1    ,,this ,,account ,,of     
,,the ,,life ,,and ,,work ,,of ,,her    
,,husband    ,,is ,,dedicated4          
,,table ,,of ,,contents4                
,,introduction ,,by ,,sam4 ,p4 ,,jones  
,,letter ,,from ,,dr4 ,j4 ,a4 ,,broadus 
,,life ,,and ,,work ,,of ,,steve ,p4    
,,holcombe--     ,,chapter ,i           
,,chapter ,,ii     ,,chapter ,,iii      
,,chapter ,,iv     ,,chapter ,v         
,,chapter ,,vi   ,,letters              

,,testimonials ,,of ,,converts          
,,sermons     ,,preface4   ,it has been 
thought and suggested by some of those  
having knowledge of ,mr4 ,holcombe's    
history1 that an account of his life and
 work in book-form would multiply his   
usefulness and do good4 ,and since the  
narration of his experiences by himself 
has been of such great benefit to those 
who have been privileged to hear him1   
why may not others also be benefited by 
reading some account of his uncommon    
career8  ,it is hoped that it will be of
 interest to the general reader as a    
revelation and record of the workings   
and struggles of some human hearts and  
the wretchedness and blessedness of some
 human lives4 ,it is a sort of luxury to
 read about and sympathize with         
wretchedness1 as it is a joy to see that
 wretchedness turned to blessedness4 ,it
 will show to those who are unwillingly 
the slaves of sin what ,god has done for
 such as they4 ,it will possibly        
interest and encourage those who are    

engaged in ,christian work4 ,it may     
furnish suggestions as to practical     
methods to be pursued in working among  
poor and needy classes1 whether in towns
 or cities4 ,even ministers of the      
,gospel may find encouragement and      
instruction in the experience of ,mr4   
,holcombe's life and the methods and    
successes of his work4  ,what few       
letters of ,mr4 ,holcombe's could be    
found are put in as showing phases of   
this interesting character that could be
 shown as well no other way1 and some   
letters written to him are selected out 
of several hundred of like character to 
show how he touches all classes of      
people4  ,the ,testimonies are from men 
who have been rescued under ,mr4        
,holcombe's ministry1 and will give some
 idea of the work that is being done4   
,these are only a few of the men who    
have been brought to a better and       
happier life through ,mr4 ,holcombe's   
efforts4 ,if any should feel that there 
is a sameness in these testimonies1     

which it is believed very few will do1  
perhaps others will feel the cumulative 
effect of line upon line1 example upon  
example4  ,the sermons or addresses are 
inserted because they have been the     
means of awakening and guiding many to  
salvation1 and they may be of interest  
and possibly of benefit to some who have
 not heard ,mr4 ,holcombe4 ,they contain
 much of the history of his inner life  
in statements of experience introduced  
by way of illustration4 ,they are given 
in outline only1 as will be seen4  ,the 
book lays no claim to literary          
excellence4 ,the position and work of   
the man make his life worth writing and 
reading apart from the style of the     
book4  ,the accounts here given of ,mr4 
,holcombe's character and work are not  
written for the purpose of glorifying   
him4 ,many of these pages are profoundly
 painful and humiliating to him4 ,but   
they are written that those who read    
them may know from what depths he has   
been brought1 and to what blessedness he

 has been raised1 through ,jesus        
,christ1 to whose name the glory is     
given and to whose blessing the book is 
commended4       ,,august1 #ahhh4       
,,introduction4  ,,by ,,rev4 ,,sam ,p4  
,,jones4   ,the author of this volume1  
the ,rev4 ,gross ,alexander1 ,professor 
of ,theology in ,vanderbilt ,university1
 was surely the man to give to the world
 the ,life of ,steve ,holcombe4 ,the    
warm heart and clear head of the author1
 and the consecrated1 self-denying life 
of the subject of the volume1 assure the
 reader ample compensation for the time 
given to the book4  ,mr4 ,alexander has 
known ,brother ,holcombe from the       
beginning of his ,christian life1 and   
tells the story of his fidelity to      
,christ and loyalty to duty as no other 
could4  ,i first met ,brother ,holcombe 
at ,louisville1 in the year #ahhb1 when 
,i was preaching in the church of his   
pastor1 ,rev4 ,j4 ,c4 ,morris4 ,it was  
from ,brother ,morris that ,i learned of
 this consecrated layman4 ,he often told

 me with joy of many incidents connected
 with the conversion and work of        
,brother ,holcombe4 ,my acquaintance    
with him soon grew into a warm          
friendship4 ,it has always been an      
inspiration to me to talk with him1 and 
a source of gratitude to me to know that
 ,i have his affection and prayers4     
,the work he is doing now in the city of
 ,louisville1 ,kentucky1 is very much   
like ,jerry ,macauley's work in ,new    
,york ,city years ago4 ,no man has      
experienced more vividly the power of   
,christ to save1 and no man has a       
stronger faith in ,christ's ability to  
save4 ,brother ,holcombe's humility and 
fidelity have made him a power in the   
work of rescuing the perishing and      
saving the fallen4 ,i have been charmed 
by the purity of soul manifested by him 
on all occasions1 and his continual     
efforts to bring back those who have    
been overtaken in a fault4 ,hundreds of 
men who have felt his sympathizing arms 
about them and listened to his brotherly

 words have grown strong1 because they  
had a friend and brother in ,steve      
,holcombe1 who1 in spite of their       
failures and faults1 has clung to them  
with a love like that which ,christ     
,himself manifested toward those who    
were as bruised reeds and smoking flax4 
,brother ,holcombe1 rescued himself by  
the loving hand of ,christ1 has extended
 the hand from a heart full of love for 
,christ and men1 and has done his best  
to save all who have come under his     
influence4  ,this volume will be        
especially instructive to those who are 
interested in the salvation of the      
non-churchgoers of the great cities4    
,for surely ,brother ,holcombe's        
,mission is a place where the worst     
sinners hear of ,christ's power to save1
 and where they see1 in ,brother        
,holcombe himself1 with his rich        
experience1 one of the greatest triumphs
 of the ,gospel4  ,i heartily commend   
this volume to all ,christian people1   
because it tells of the life of a saved 

man4 ,it tells also what a saved man can
 do for others1 and it will inspire many
 hearts with sympathy for such work and 
prepare many hands to help in it4 ,i    
heartily commend this book because it is
 the biography of one whom ,i love and  
whom all men would love1 if they knew   
him in his devotion to ,god and duty4   
,brother ,holcombe has frequently been  
with me in my meetings and in my private
 room2 ,i have frequently been with him 
in his ,mission1 in his family circle1  
on the streets of the great cities1 and 
he is one man of whom it may be said3   
,his conversation is in heaven4 ,i      
frequently feel that my own life would  
have been more successful with such a   
fervent consecration to my work as      
,brother ,steve ,holcombe exemplifies4  
,the sermons contained in this volume   
will be read with interest4 ,they are   
his sermons4 ,they come from his heart1 
and they have reached the hearts of     
hundreds and thousands who have heard   
him gladly4  ,i bespeak for the book a  

circulation which will put it into the  
library of all pastors and into         
thousands of homes4       ,,sam ,p4     
,,jones4       ,,cartersville1 ,,ga41   
,october #ah1 #ahhh4     ,,letter ,,from
 ,,dr4 ,,john ,a4 ,,broadus4   ,i have  
read with very great interest the ,life 
of ,steve ,holcombe1 and have carefully 
looked through the letters1 testimonies 
and sermons to be included in the       
proposed volume1 and ,i rejoice that it 
is to be published4 ,professor          
,alexander1 who was ,mr4 ,holcombe's    
first pastor1 has written the life with 
the best use of his fine literary gifts1
 and with sound judgment and good taste4
 ,it is a wonderful story4 ,i have long 
felt interest in ,mr4 ,holcombe and his 
work1 for after beginning his ,mission  
he attended my seminary lessons in the  
,new ,testament through a session and   
more2 but this record of his life warms 
my heart still more toward him and his  
remarkable labors of love4 ,i think the 
book will be very widely read4 ,it will 

stir ,christians to more hopeful efforts
 to save the most wicked4 ,it will      
encourage many a desperate wanderer to  
seek the grace of ,god in the ,gospel4  
,such a book makes a real addition to   
the evidences of ,christianity4 ,no one 
can read it without feeling that        
,christian piety is something real and  
powerful and delightful4 ,much may be   
learned from ,mr4 ,holcombe's recorded  
methods and discourses1 and from the    
testimonies of his converts1 as to the  
best means of carrying on religious work
 of many kinds4 ,the book will1         
doubtless1 lead to the establishment of 
like ,missions in other cities1 and put 
new heart and hope into the pastors1    
missionaries and every class of         
,christian workers4 ,it will show that  
zeal and love and faith must be         
supported by ample common sense and     
force of character1 as in ,mr4          
,holcombe's case1 if great results are  
to hoped for4 ,many persons can be      
induced to read his brief outline       

sermons who would never look at more    
elaborate discourses4 ,as to two or     
three slight touches of doctrinal       
statement1 some of us might not agree   
with the speaker1 but all must see that 
his sermons are very practical1 pervaded
 by good sense and true feeling1 and    
adapted to do much good4       ,,john   
,a4 ,,broadus4       ,,louisville1      
,,ky41 ,september #be1 #ahhh4     ,,life
 ,,and ,,work4     ,,chapter ,i4        
,steve ,p4 ,holcombe1 known in former   
years as a gambler and doer of all evil1
 no less known in these latter days as a
 preacher of the ,gospel and doer of all
 good1 was born at ,shippingsport1      
,kentucky1 in #ahce4 ,the place1 as well
 as the man1 has an interesting history4
 ,an odd1 straggling1 tired1 little old 
town1 it looks as if it had been left   
behind and had long ago given up all    
hope of ever catching up4 ,it is in this
 and other respects in striking contrast
 with its surroundings4 ,the triangular 
island1 upon which it is situated1 lies 

lazily between the ,ohio river1 which   
flows like a torrent around two sides of
 it1 and the ,louisville canal1 which   
stretches straight as an arrow along the
 third4 ,on its northeast side it       
commands a view of the most picturesque 
part of ,la ,belle ,riviere4 ,this part 
embraces the rapids1 or ,falls1 opposite
 the city of ,louisville1 which gets its
 surname of ,falls ,city from this      
circumstance4 ,in the midst of the      
rapids a lone1 little island of bare    
rocks rises sheer out of the dashing    
waters to the height of several feet1   
and across the wide expanse1 on the     
other side of the river1 loom up the    
wooded banks of the ,indiana side1      
indented with many a romantic cove1 and 
sweeping around with a graceful curve1  
while the chimneys and towers and spires
 of ,jeffersonville and ,new ,albany    
rise in the distance1 with the blue     
,indiana ,knobs in the deep background  
beyond4 ,from this same point on the    
island1 and forming part of the same    

extensive view1 one may see the two     
majestic bridges1 each a mile in length1
 one of which spans the river directly  
over the ,falls and connects the city of
 ,louisville with ,jeffersonville1      
,indiana1 while the other joins the     
western portion of ,louisville with the 
thriving city of ,new ,albany4 ,across  
the canal from the island1 on the south1
 lies the city of ,louisville with its  
near #bjj1jjj population1 its broad     
avenues1 its palatial buildings4  ,in   
the very midst of all this profusion of 
beauty and all this hum and buzz and    
rush of commercial and social life1 lies
 the dingy1 sleepy old town of          
,shippingsport with its three hundred or
 four hundred people1 all unheeded and  
unheeding1 uncared for and uncaring4    
,there are five or six fairly good      
houses1 and all the rest are poor4      
,there is a good brick school-house1    
built and kept up by the city of        
,louisville1 of which1 since #ahdb1     
,shippingsport is an incorporated part4 

,there is one dilapidated1 sad looking1 
little old brick church1 which seldom   
suffers any sort of disturbance4 ,on the
 northeast shore of the island directly 
over the rushing waters stands the      
picturesque old mill built by ,tarascon 
in the early part of the century4 ,it   
utilizes the fine water-power of the    
,falls in making the famous ,louisville 
cement4 ,part of the inhabitants are    
employed as laborers in this mill1 and  
part of them derive their support from  
fishing in the river1 for which there   
are exceptional opportunities all the   
year around in the shallows1 where the  
rushing waters dash1 with eddying whirl1
 against the rocky shores of their      
island4  ,there are1 at this time1 some 
excellent people in ,shippingsport1 who 
faithfully maintain spiritual life and  
good moral character amid surrounding   
apathy and immorality4 ,for except the  
,lord had left unto them a very small   
remnant1 they should have been as       
,sodom1 and they should have been like  

unto ,gomorrah4  ,and yet1              
,shippingsport was not always what it is
 now4 ,time was when it boasted the     
aristocracy of the ,falls4 ,the house is
 still standing1 says a recent writer in
 ,harper's ,monthly ,magazine1 where in 
the early part of the century the       
,frenchman1 ,tarascon1 offered border   
hospitality to many distinguished       
guests1 among whom were ,aaron ,burr and
 ,blennerhasset1 and ,general           
,wilkinson1 then in command of the      
armies of the ,united ,states4 ,he might
 have added that ,shippingsport was once
 honored with a visit from ,la,fayette1 
and later also from ,president ,jackson4
 ,but in other respects also            
,shippingsport was1 in former years1 far
 different from what it is to-day4 ,in  
business importance it rivaled the city 
of ,louisville itself4 ,in that early   
day1 before the building of the canal1  
steamboats could not1 on account of the 
,falls1 pass up the river except during 
high water1 so that for about nine      

months in the year ,shippingsport was   
the head of navigation4 ,naturally1 it  
became a place of considerable          
commercial importance1 as the shrewd    
,frenchman who first settled there saw  
it was bound to be4 ,very soon it       
attracted a population of some hundreds1
 and grew into a very busy little mart4 
,every day1 says one of the old citizens
 still living1 steamboats were landing  
with products and passengers from the   
,south1 or leaving with products and    
passengers from ,kentucky and the upper 
country4 ,the freight which was landed  
at ,shippingsport was carried by wagons 
and drays to ,louisville1 ,lexington and
 other places in ,kentucky and ,indiana4
 ,this same old citizen1 ,mr4 ,alex4    
,folwell1 declares that he has seen as  
many as five hundred wagons in one day  
in and around the place4 ,there were    
three large warehouses and several      
stores1 and what seems hard to believe1 
land sold in some instances for #ajj per
 foot4  ,the canal was begun in #ahbd1  

the first spadeful of dirt being taken  
out by ,de,witt ,clinton1 of ,new ,york4
 ,during the next six years from five   
hundred to a thousand men were employed 
on it4 ,they were1 as a general thing1 a
 rough set4 ,sometimes1 while steamboats
 were lying at the place1 the unemployed
 hands would annoy the workmen on the   
canal so that gradually there grew up a 
feeling of enmity between the two       
classes which broke out occasionally in 
regular battles4  ,in #ahcj1 when the   
canal was finished1 the days of         
,shippingsport's prosperity were        
numbered4 ,thenceforth steamboats1      
independent of obstructions in the      
river1 passed on up through the canal1  
and ,shippingsport found her occupation 
was gone4 ,the better classes lost no   
time in removing to other places1 and   
only the poorer and rougher classes     
remained4 ,many of the workmen who had  
been engaged in building the canal      
settled down there to live2 unemployed  
and broken-down steamboatmen gravitated 

to the place where they always had such 
good times2 shiftless and thriftless    
poor people from other places came      
flocking in as to a poor man's paradise4
 ,within easy reach of ,louisville1 the 
place became a resort for the immoral   
young men1 the gamblers and all the     
rough characters of that growing city4  
,such was the place to which ,steve     
,holcombe's parents removed from        
,central ,kentucky in #ahce1 the year of
 his birth2 and1 though coming into the 
midst of surroundings so full of moral  
perils1 they did not bring that strength
 of moral character1 that fixedness of  
moral habit and that steadfastness of   
moral purpose which were necessary to   
guard against the temptations of every  
sort which were awaiting them4  ,the    
father1 though an honest and well       
disposed sort of man and very kind to   
his family1 was already a drunkard4 ,his
 son says of him3 ,my poor father had   
gotten to be a confirmed drunkard before
 ,i was born1 and after he had settled  

at ,shippingsport1 my mother would not  
let him stay about the house1 so that   
most of his time was spent in lying     
around bar-rooms or out on the commons1 
where he usually slept all times of the 
year4 ,it is not surprising that as a   
consequence of such dissipation and such
 exposure he died at the early age of   
thirty-three1 when his son ,steve was   
eleven years old4 ,dead1 he sleeps in an
 unmarked grave on the commons where    
formerly he slept when drunk and shut   
out by his wife from his home4  ,mrs4   
,holcombe1 the mother of ,steve1 a woman
 five feet ten inches in height and one 
hundred and ninety pounds in weight1 was
 as strong in passion as in physical    
power4 ,when aroused1 says her son1 she 
was as fierce as a tigress and fearless 
of ,god1 man or devil1 although she was 
a woman of quick sympathy and impulsive 
kindheartedness toward those who were in
 distress1 and would go further to help 
such than almost any one ,i have ever   
known4 ,she was a woman of more than    

ordinary mind1 though entirely without  
education4 ,in the government of her    
children she was extremely severe4      
,though my father1 says ,mr4 ,holcombe1 
never whipped me but once in my life1   
and that slightly1 my mother has whipped
 me hundreds of times1 ,i suppose1 and  
with as great severity as frequency4    
,she has1 at times1 almost beaten me to 
death4 ,she would use a switch1 a cane1 
a broom-stick or a club1 whichever      
happened to be at hand when she became  
provoked4 ,she whipped me oftener for   
going swimming than for anything else1  
,i believe4 ,if ,i told her a lie about 
it she would whip me1 and if ,i told her
 the truth1 she would whip me4  ,from   
neglect and other causes little ,steve  
was very sickly and puny in his         
babyhood1 so that he did not walk till  
he was four years old2 but from the     
beginning his temper was as violent as  
his body was weak1 and from his earliest
 recollection1 he says1 he loved to     
fight4 ,at the same time he had his     

mother's tenderheartedness for those who
 were in distress4 ,once a stranger     
stopped for a few days at the tavern in 
,shippingsport1 and the roughs of the   
place caught him out on one occasion and
 beat him so severely that he was left  
for dead2 but he crawled afterward into 
an old shed where little ,holcombe1     
between five and six years old1 found   
him and took him food every day for     
about two weeks4  ,the boys with whom he
 associated in childhood were addicted  
to petty stealing1 and he learned from  
them to practice the same4 ,when about  
seven years old his mother1 on account  
of their poverty1 provided him with a   
supply of cakes1 pies and fruits to     
peddle out on the steamers while they   
were detained in passing the locks of   
the canal4 ,instead of returning the    
money to his mother1 however1 he would  
often lose it in gambling with the bad  
boys of the place1 and sometimes even   
with his half-brothers1 so that he      
seldom got home with his money1 but     

always got his beating4  ,at eight years
 of age he played cards for money in    
bar-rooms with grown men4 ,at ten he    
began to explore those parts of the     
river about the falls1 in a skiff alone 
looking for articles of various kinds   
lost in wrecks1 that he might get means 
for gambling4 ,this1 together with the  
fact that his hair was very light in    
color1 gained for him the distinction of
 the ,little ,white-headed ,pirate4  ,in
 #ahdb ,shippingsport was taken into the
 city of ,louisville1 and a school was  
established1 which he attended about    
three months during this period of his  
life1 and he never attended school      
afterward4 ,the brown-haired1 black-eyed
 little girl who afterward became his   
wife1 attended this school at the same  
time4 ,her parents had lately removed to
 ,shippingsport from ,jeffersonville1   
,indiana4 ,they were people of excellent
 character and were so careful of their 
children that they would not allow them 
to associate with the children of       

,shippingsport any farther than was     
necessary and unavoidable4 ,but1        
notwithstanding these restrictions1     
their little ,mary saw just enough of   
,steve ,holcombe in school to form a    
strange liking for him1 as he did also  
for her--an attachment which has lasted 
through many and varying experiences up 
to the present4 ,at that time he had    
grown to be a heavy set little boy1 as  
,mrs4 ,holcombe describes him1 and was  
very good looking1 indeed1 very         
handsome1 as she goes on to say1 with   
his deep blue eyes and his golden hair4 
,she did not know that she was in love  
with a boy who was to become one of the 
worst of men in all forms of wickedness1
 and as little did she know that she was
 in love with a boy who was to become   
one of the best of men in all forms of  
goodness and usefulness4 ,nor did he    
foresee that he was forming an          
attachment then and there for one who   
was to love him devotedly and serve him 
patiently through all phases of         

infidelity and wickedness1 and through  
years of almost unexampled trials and   
sufferings1 who was to cling to him amid
 numberless perils and scandals1 who was
 to train and restrain his children so  
as to lead them in ways of purity and   
goodness in spite of the father's bad   
example1 who was to endure for his sake 
forms of ill treatment that have killed 
many a woman1 and who was in long       
distant years to be his most patient    
encourager and helper in a singularly   
blessed and successful work for ,god and
 the most abandoned and hopeless class  
of sinful men1 and to develop1 amid all 
and in spite of all and by means of all1
 one of the truest and strongest and    
most devoted of female characters4 ,a   
singular thing it seems1 indeed1 that an
 attachment begun so early and tested so
 severely should have lasted so late4   
,and yet it is perhaps at this moment   
stronger than ever it was before4       
,illustration3 ,,birthplace ,,of ,,mr4  
,,holcombe4 ,,shippingsport4            

,notwithstanding young ,holcombe's lack 
of religious instruction and his        
extraordinary maturity in wickedness1 he
 declares that at times he had1 even    
before his tenth year1 very serious     
thoughts4 ,he says3  ,i always believed 
there was a ,god and that the ,bible was
 from ,god1 but for the most part my    
belief was very vague and took hold of  
nothing definite4 ,hence1 nearly all my 
thoughts were evil1 only evil and evil  
continually4 ,i am sure1 however1 that  
,i believed there was a hell4 ,when a   
child1 ,i used to dream1 it seems to me1
 almost every night1 that the devil had 
me1 and sometimes my dreams were so real
 that ,i would say to myself while      
dreaming1 ',now this is no dream2 he has
 got me this time1 sure enough4' ,i     
remember that one text which ,i heard a 
preacher read troubled me more than     
anything else1 when ,i thought about    
dying and going to judgment4 ,it was    
this3 ',and they hid themselves in the  
dens and rocks of the mountains1 and    

said to the mountains and rocks1 fall on
 us and hide us from the face of ,him   
that sitteth on the throne4' ,i always  
had a fear of death and a dread of the  
future4 ,the rattling of clods on a     
coffin filled me with awe and dread4    
,when ,i thought about my soul1 ,i would
 always say to myself1 ',i am going to  
get good before ,i go into the presence 
of ,god2 but now ,i want to keep these  
thoughts out of mind so ,i can do as ,i 
please and not have to suffer and       
struggle and fight against sin--till ,i 
get consumption4 ,when ,i get           
consumption ,i will have plenty of      
warning as to death's approach and      
plenty of time to prepare for it4' ,but 
,i had gotten such an admiration for    
gamblers and such a passion for gambling
 that ,i had a consuming ambition to    
become a regular blackleg1 as gamblers  
were called in those days4 ,i made up my
 mind that this was to be my business1  
and ,i began to look about for some way 
to get loose from everything else1 so ,i

 could do nothing but gamble1 with      
nobody to molest or make me afraid4  ,it
 is hard enough for a boy to keep from  
doing wrong and to do right always1 even
 when he has inherited a good           
disposition1 enjoyed good advantages and
 had the best of training4 ,but our     
little friend1 ,steve ,holcombe1 poor   
fellow1 inherited from his father an    
appetite for drink and from his mother a
 savage temper4 ,to balance these1 he   
had none of the safeguards of a careful1
 moral or religious education1 and none 
of those sweet and helpful home         
associations which follow a man through 
life and hold him back from wrong doing4
  ,thus unprepared1 unshielded1         
unguarded1 at the tender age of eleven  
years he left home to work his own way  
in the world4 ,no mother's prayers had  
hitherto helped him1 and no mother's    
prayers from henceforth followed him4   
,no hallowed home influences had blessed
 and sweetened his miserable childhood  
and no tender recollections of          

sanctified home life were to follow him 
into the great wicked world4 ,on the    
contrary1 he was fleeing from his home  
to find some refuge1 he knew not what1  
he knew not where4 ,he was going out1   
boy as he was1 loaded down with the     
vices and hungry with the passions of a 
man4 ,he did not seek employment among  
people that were good or in             
circumstances encouraging to goodness1  
but just where of all places he would   
find most vice and learn most           
wickedness--on a steamboat4 ,one knowing
 his antecedents and looking out into   
his future could easily have foreseen   
his career in vice and crime1 but would 
hardly have predicted for him that life 
of goodness and usefulness which now for
 eleven wonderful years he has been     
leading4  ,he was employed on a         
steamboat which ran on the ,tennessee   
river1 and his first trip was to        
,florence1 ,alabama4 ,his mother did not
 know what had become of him4 ,he was   
employed in some service about the      

kitchen4 ,he slept on deck with the     
hands and ate with the servants4 ,hungry
 as he was for some word or look of     
sympathy which1 given him and followed  
up1 might have made him a different     
character1 nobody showed him any        
kindness4 ,the steward of the boat on   
the contrary showed him some unkindness1
 and was in the act of kicking him on   
one occasion for something1 when young  
,holcombe jumped at him like an enraged 
animal and frightened him so badly that 
he was glad to drop the matter for the  
present and to respect the boy for the  
future4 ,on this trip he found five     
dollars in money on the boat1 and was   
honest enough to take it to the steward 
for the owner4  ,when he returned home  
from this trip1 strange to say1 his     
mother so far from giving him a severer 
beating than usual1 as might have been  
expected1 did not punish him at all4    
,she was probably too glad to get him   
back and too afraid of driving him away 
again4 ,but nothing could restrain him  

now that he had once seen the world and 
made the successful experiment of       
getting on in the world without         
anybody's help4 ,so that he soon went on
 another trip and so continued1 going on
 four or five long steamboat runs before
 he was fourteen years of age1 and      
spending his unoccupied time in gambling
 with either white men or negroes1 as he
 found opportunity4  ,after he was      
fourteen years old he went on the upper 
,mississippi river and traveled to and  
from ,st4 ,louis4 ,on the ,mississippi  
steamers of those days gambling was     
common1 not only among the servants and 
deck-hands1 it was the pastime or the   
business of some of the first-class     
passengers also4 ,sometimes when a rich 
planter had lost all his ready money in 
gambling1 he would put up a slave1 male 
or female1 that he might happen to have 
with him1 and after losing1 would borrow
 money to win or buy again the slave4   
,professional gamblers1 luxuriously     
dressed and living like princes1        

frequented the steamers of those days   
for the purpose of entrapping and       
fleecing the passengers4 ,all this only 
increased the fascination of gambling   
for young ,holcombe1 and he studied and 
practiced it with increasing zeal4      
,about this time1 when he was in the    
neighborhood of fourteen years of age1  
his mother1 awaking all too late to his 
peril and to her duty1 got him a        
situation as office-boy in the office of
 ,dr4 ,mandeville ,thum1 of ,louisville1
 hoping to keep him at home and rescue  
him from the perilous life he had       
entered upon4 ,dr4 ,thum was much       
pleased with him1 took great interest in
 him1 and treated him with unusual      
kindness4 ,he even began himself to     
teach him algebra1 with the intention of
 making a civil engineer of the boy4    
,and he was making encouraging progress 
in his studies and would1 doubtless1    
have done well1 had he continued4       
,during the time he spent in the service
 of ,dr4 ,thum1 he attended a revival   

meeting held by the ,rev4 ,mr4          
,crenshaw1 at ,shippingsport1 and was   
much impressed by what he heard4 ,he    
became so awakened and interested that  
he responded to the appeals that were   
made by this devoted and zealous        
preacher and sought interviews with him4
 ,he tried his level best1 as he        
expresses it1 to work himself up to a   
point where he could feel that he was   
converted1 a not rare1 but very wrong1  
view of this solemn matter4 ,but he     
could not feel it4 ,while1 however1 he  
could not get the feeling1 he determined
 to be a ,christian1 anyhow1 a rarer and
 better1 but not altogether correct1    
view of the subject either4 ,for a week 
or ten days he succeeded in overcoming  
evil impulses1 and in living right1 but 
he was led away by evil companions4     
,soon after this he tried it again1 and 
this time he succeeded for a longer time
 than before in resisting temptations   
and following his sense of right1 but   
was one day persuaded to go on a ,sunday

 steamboat-excursion to ,new ,albany1   
with some young folks from              
,shippingsport1 which proved the        
occasion of his fall4 ,on returning home
 he and two other boys went part of the 
way on foot4 ,they heard a man1 not far 
away1 crying for water1 and ,holcombe's 
quick impulse of sympathy led him to    
propose to go to the relief of the      
sufferer4 ,when they found he was not so
 bad off as they thought1 the two other 
boys began to abuse and mistreat the    
stranger4 ,he was an unequal match for  
the two1 however1 and as he was about to
 get the best of them1 young ,holcombe  
knocked the poor man down1 and they all 
kicked him so severely over the head and
 face that when they left him he was    
nearly dead4 ,holcombe went back the    
next day1 and half a mile away he found 
the coroner holding an inquest over the 
man4 ,he was preparing to flee to       
,indiana when he heard that the verdict 
of the jury was3 ,death from exposure to
 the sun4  ,this cowardly and wicked    

deed wrought in him such shame1 such    
self-loathing and such discouragement   
that he abandoned all hope and purpose  
of living a better life4 ,with a sort of
 feeling of desperation and of revenge  
against his better nature for allowing  
him to yield and stoop to such meanness1
 he left his position in ,louisville and
 shipped on a steamboat again for ,st4  
,louis4 ,while the boat was lying at the
 wharf at ,st4 ,louis he got into a     
difficulty with one of the deck-hands   
who applied to him a very disgraceful   
name4 ,instantly young ,holcombe seized 
a heavy meat-cleaver and would have     
split the man's head in two if the cook 
had not caught his arm as he swung it   
back for the stroke4 ,from ,st4 ,louis  
he went up the ,missouri river to       
,omaha1 engaging1 as usual1 in gambling 
and other nameless vices4  ,on his      
second trip from ,omaha to ,st4 ,louis  
he innocently provoked the anger of the 
steward of the boat1 who abused him in  
such a way that ,holcombe ran at him    

with an ice-pick1 when the terrified man
 rushed into the office and took refuge 
behind the captain4 ,it was decided that
 ,holcombe should be discharged and put 
ashore4 ,when the clerk called him up to
 pay him off1 he volunteered some       
reproof and abuse of the                
seventeen-year-old boy4 ,but1 upon      
finding he was dealing with one who1    
when aroused1 knew neither fear nor     
self-control1 he was glad to quiet down 
and pay him his dues1 as ,holcombe      
remarked3 ,you may discharge me and put 
me ashore1 but you shall not abuse me4  
,and they put him ashore at ,kansas     
,city1 then a small village4 ,while     
waiting at ,kansas ,city for the next   
boat to ,st4 ,louis 7all traveling being
 done in those days and regions by      
water71 he spent his time around        
bar-rooms and gambling-houses4 ,there he
 saw a different and more extensive kind
 of gaming than he had ever seen before4
 ,great quantities of money were on the 
tables before the players1 greater than 

he had ever seen1 and he saw it change  
hands and pass from one to another4     
,such a sight increased his desire to   
follow such a life4 ,so he put up his   
money1 the wages of his labor on the    
boat1 and lost it--all4 ,he spent the   
remainder of his stay in ,kansas ,city  
wandering around1 destitute1 hungry1    
lonely1 with various reflections on the 
fortunes and misfortunes of a gambler's 
life1 till at last he got deck-passage  
on a boat to ,st4 ,louis1 and paid his  
fare by sawing wood4 ,during this trip  
his violent and revengeful temper led   
him to commit an act that nearly        
resulted in murder4 ,one of the         
deck-hands threw down some wood which he
 had piled up1 and ,holcombe protested1 
whereupon the deck-hand cursed him and  
said3 ,you little rat1 ,i will throw you
 overboard6 ,mr4 ,holcombe replied3 ,i  
guess you won't1 and said nothing more  
at the time4 ,after the man had lain    
down and gone to sleep1 ,mr4 ,holcombe  
got a cord-stick1 slipped upon him1 and 

hit him on the skull with all his might1
 completely stunning the man4 ,now1 says
 ,mr4 ,holcombe1 speaking of this       
incident1 ,i can not understand how a   
man could do so cruel a thing1 but then 
,i felt ,i must have revenge some way1  
and ,i could not keep from it4  ,at ,st4
 ,louis he got a position on a boat for 
,new ,orleans1 and soon after arriving  
in that city he shipped on board a      
steamship for ,galveston1 ,texas1 but   
returned immediately to ,new ,orleans4  
,here1 however1 he soon lost1 in        
gambling1 all the money he had made on  
the trip1 and was so entirely without   
friends or acquaintances that he could  
find no place to sleep1 and wandered    
about on the levee until one or two     
o'clock in the morning4 ,to add to the  
loneliness and dismalness of his        
situation1 it was during an epidemic of 
yellow fever in the city1 and people    
were dying so fast they could not bury  
them1 but had to plow trenches and throw
 the corpses in1 as they bury soldiers  

on a battle-field4 ,about one or two    
o'clock1 a colored man1 on a steamboat  
seeing him walking around alone1 called 
him1 and finding out his condition1 took
 him on board the steamer and gave him a
 bed4 ,but ,holcombe was so afraid the  
negro had some design upon him1 as there
 were no others on board1 that he stole 
away from the boat and wandered around1 
alone1 all the rest of the night4  ,on  
that awful night the great deep of his  
heart was broken up and he felt a sense 
of loneliness that he had never felt    
before in his life4 ,he was in a strange
 city among a strange people4 ,he had no
 friends1 he had no means4 ,he had not  
where to lay his head4 ,the darkness of 
the night shut off the sight of those   
objects which in the day would have     
diverted his mind and relieved his      
painful reflections2 and the awful      
stillness1 broken only by the rattling  
of wheels that bore away the dead1 made 
it seem to him as if his thoughts were  
spoken to him by some audible voice4    

,his past life came up before him1 but  
there was in it nothing pleasant for him
 to remember4 ,it had been from his     
earliest recollection one constant      
experience of pain and sin4 ,he was     
uneasy about himself4 ,he was frightened
 at the past1 and the recollection of   
his hard1 but vain1 struggle to get his 
evil nature changed and bettered1 cast a
 dark cloud over his future4 ,what could
 he do8 ,where could he go8 ,who was    
there could help him8 ,who was there    
that loved him8 ,at his own home1 if    
home it could be called1 there was      
nothing but strife and cruelty and sin4 
,father1 he had none4 ,he that was his  
father had lived a drunkard's life1 had 
died a drunkard's death and was buried  
in a drunkard's grave4 ,and his         
mother--she had no power to help him or 
even love him as most mothers love their
 children1 and as on that lone dismal   
night he would have given the world to  
be loved4 ,of ,god's mercy and love he  
did not know1 he thought only of his    

wrath1 nor had he learned how to        
approach him in prayer4 ,alone1 alone1  
he felt himself to be shut up between a 
past that was full of sin and crime and 
a future that promised nothing better4  
,but he did think of one who had loved  
him and who had said she would always   
love him and he felt there was truth in 
her soul and in her words4 ,it was the  
brown-haired1 sweet-faced1              
strong-hearted little girl he had left  
in ,shippingsport4 ,he would go back to 
her4 ,she alone of all people in the    
world seemed able to help him and this  
seemed his last1 his only hope4 ,if she 
had remained true to him1 and if she    
would love him1 the world would not seem
 so dreary and the future would not seem
 so dark1 and maybe she could help him  
to be a better man4 ,on the next day1   
says ,mr4 ,holcombe1 an acquaintance of 
mine from ,louisville ran across me as  
,i was strolling about the streets1 took
 me aboard a steamer and made me go home
 with him4  ,illustration3 ,,the ,,old  

,,mill ,,at ,,shippingsport4            
,,chapter ,,ii4   ,as has already been  
said1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,evans1 the parents
 of ,mrs4 ,holcombe1 were people of     
excellent moral character and were so   
careful of their children that as long  
as they could prevent it1 they did not  
allow them to associate freely with the 
,shippingsport children4 ,but of ,steve 
,holcombe1 the worst of them all1 they  
had a special dread4 ,mr4 ,evans could  
not endure to see him or to hear his    
name called4 ,and yet1 this same ,steve 
,holcombe was in love with their own    
precious child1 and had now come home to
 ask her to marry him4 ,of course1 he   
did not visit her at her own home but he
 managed to see her elsewhere4 ,he found
 that she had not wavered during his    
absence1 but that the bond of their     
childhood had grown with her womanhood4 
,and yet she knew full well his past    
career and his present character4 ,she  
went into it with her eyes open1 to     
quote her own words4 ,against the will  

of her parents and against the advice of
 her friends she adhered to her purpose 
to marry ,steve ,holcombe when the time 
should come4 ,even his own mother1 moved
 with pity at the thought of the        
sufferings and wretchedness which this  
marriage would bring the poor girl1     
tried to dissuade her from it and warned
 her that she was going to marry the    
very devil4 ,she replied that she knew  
all about it1 and when asked why she    
then did it1 her simple answer was      
because ,i love him4  ,he promised her  
that he would try to be a better man and
 she1 as well as he1 believed it1 though
 not because she expected he would some 
time become a ,christian and not because
 she had the ,christian's faith and     
hope4 ,her simple belief was that the   
outcome of her love would be his        
reformation and return to a better life4
 ,it was not thus definitely stated to  
herself by herself4 ,it was an          
unconscious process of reasoning or     
rather it was the deep instinct of her  

strong and deeply-rooted love4  ,mrs4   
,holcombe was recently asked if1 during 
all the years of her husband's          
recklessness and disgraceful            
dissipation1 his sins and crimes1 his   
cruel neglect and heartless mistreatment
 of herself1 her love ever faltered8    
,she answered3 ,no2 never4 ,there never 
was a time1 even when ,mr4 ,holcombe was
 at his worst1 that ,i did not love him4
 ,it pained me1 of course1 that some    
things should come through him1 but ,i  
never loved him any less4 ,a rare and   
wonderful love it surely was4 ,when she 
was asked if during those dark and      
bitter years she ever gave up her belief
 that her husband would change his life 
and become a good man1 she answered1    
,no2 ,i never gave it up4 ,a woman of   
deep ,insight1 of large reading and wide
 observation1 on hearing these replies  
of ,mrs4 ,holcombe1 said3 ,it is the    
most wonderful case of love and patience
 and faith ,i have ever known4  ,he had 
come home then to marry ,mary ,evans4   

,he met her at the house of a mutual    
friend and proposed an elopement4 ,she  
was frightened and refused4 ,but he     
pleaded and besought her1 and1 wounded  
and vexed at what seemed a disregard of 
his feelings and rights1 he ended by    
saying1 ,it must be to-night or never4  
,whereupon she consented1 though with   
great reluctance1 and they went together
 to the house of his mother1 in the city
 of ,louisville4 ,but his own mother    
would not consent to their marriage     
under such circumstances until she could
 first go and see if she could get the  
consent of the girl's parents4          
,accordingly1 she went at once to       
,shippingsport1 night as it was1 and    
laid the case before them4 ,they did not
 consent1 but saw it would do no good to
 undertake to put a stop to it4 ,so     
that1 at the house of his mother in     
,louisville1 they were married1 ,steve  
,holcombe and ,mary ,evans1 the hardened
 gambler and the timid girl4  ,after his
 marriage he quit running on the river1 

settled down at ,shippingsport and went 
to fishing for a living4 ,and it did    
seem for a time that his hope was to be 
realized and that through the helpful   
influences of his young wife he was to  
become a better man4 ,he grew steadily  
toward better purposes and toward a     
higher standard of character1 and within
 two or three months after their        
marriage they joined the church         
together4 ,mrs4 ,holcombe says1 however1
 that she does not now believe that she 
was a ,christian at the time4 ,they     
thought in a general way that it was    
right to join the church1 and that it   
would do them good and somehow help them
 to be good4 ,if they had had some one1 
wise and patient and faithful1 to teach 
them and advise them and sympathize with
 them at this time of awakening and of  
honest endeavor after a spiritual life1 
they would probably have gone on happily
 and helpfully together in it4 ,but     
alas6 as is true in so many1 many cases 
to-day1 nobody understood or seemed to  

understand them1 nobody tried or cared  
to understand them2 nobody cared for    
their souls4 ,it was taken for granted1 
then as now1 that when people are gotten
 into the church1 nothing special is to 
be done for them any further1 though1 in
 fact1 the most difficult and delicate  
part of training a soul and developing  
,christian character comes after        
conversion and after joining the church4
 ,mr4 ,holcombe attributes his present  
success in the helping and guidance of  
inquiring and struggling souls to his   
lack on the one hand of careful and     
sympathetic training in his earlier     
efforts to be a ,christian and on the   
other hand to the great benefit of such 
training in his later efforts4 ,in such 
a nature as his1 especially1 no mere    
form of religion and no external bond of
 union with the church was sufficient4  
,the strength of his will1 the tenacity 
of his old habits1 the intensity of his 
nature and the violence of his passions 
were such that only an extraordinary    

power would suffice to bring him under  
control4 ,it was not long1 therefore1   
before he was overcome by his evil      
nature1 and he soon gave over the       
ineffectual struggle and fell back into 
his old ways4 ,his poor wife soon found 
to her sorrow that reforming a bad man  
was a greater undertaking than she had  
dreamed of1 and was often reminded of   
her mother-in-law's remark that she had 
married the very devil4 ,and ,mr4       
,holcombe found out1 too1 that his wife1
 good as she was1 could not make him    
good4 ,some men there are so            
hungry-hearted and so dependent1 that   
they can not endure life without the    
supreme and faithful and submissive     
affection of a wife1 but who know not   
how to appreciate or treat a wife and   
soon lose that consideration and love   
for her which are her due4 ,then        
marriage becomes tyranny on the one side
 and slavery on the other4  ,perhaps the
 reader will conclude later that this   
description applies all too well to the 

married life of ,steve ,holcombe and his
 faithful and brave-hearted young wife2 
for it was not long before he returned1 
in spite of all his solemn vows and his 
earnest resolutions1 to his old habit of
 gambling and to all his evil ways4 ,on 
a certain occasion not long after he    
married1 in company with a friend1 who  
is at this moment lying in the jail in  
,louisville for the violation of the law
 against gambling1 he went on a fishing 
excursion to ,mound ,city1 ,illinois4   
,having returned to the landing one     
night about midnight they found a       
fierce-looking man sitting on the       
wharf-boat who said to them on entering1
 ,i understand there are some gamblers  
here and ,i have come to play them1 and 
,i can whip any two men on the ,ohio    
river1 at the same time exposing a large
 knife which he carried in his boot4 ,he
 was evidently a bully who thought he   
could intimidate these strangers and in 
some underhanded way get from them their
 money4 ,mr4 ,holcombe did not reply but

 waited till the next morning when he   
sized up the man and determined to play 
against him4 ,after they had been       
playing some time ,mr4 ,holcombe        
discovered that the man was holding     
cards out of the pack on him4 ,he said  
nothing1 however1 till the man had      
gotten out all the cards he wanted1 when
 ,mr4 ,holcombe made a bet4 ,the other  
man raised him1 that is1 offered to     
increase the amount4 ,mr4 ,holcombe     
raised him back and so on till each one 
had put up all the money he had4 ,then  
the man showed down his hand as the     
saying is1 and he had the four aces4    
,mr4 ,holcombe replied ,that is a good  
hand1 but here is a better one2 and with
 that struck him a quick heavy blow that
 sent the man to the floor1 ,mr4        
,holcombe took all the money and the    
other man began to cry like a child and 
beg for it4 ,mr4 ,holcombe was instantly
 touched with pity and wanted to give   
him back his money but his partner      
objected4 ,he did1 however1 give the man

 enough for his immediate wants and left
 him some the wiser for his loss of the 
rest4  ,at the same place the owner of  
the storeboat left a young man in       
charge1 who1 during the absence of his  
proprietor1 offered to play against ,mr4
 ,holcombe and lost all the money he    
had4 ,then he insisted on ,mr4          
,holcombe's playing for the clothing    
which he had in the store and ,mr4      
,holcombe won all that from him1 leaving
 him a sadder1 but it is to be hoped a  
wiser1 man4  ,having thus once again    
felt the fascination of gambling and the
 intoxication of success1 ,mr4 ,holcombe
 was impelled by these and by his       
naturally restless disposition to give  
up altogether his legitimate business   
and to return to the old life4 ,so      
without returning to visit his wife and 
child or even informing them of his     
whereabouts1 he shipped on a steamer for
 ,memphis and thence to ,new ,orleans4  
,on his return trip from ,new ,orleans  
he played poker and won several hundred 

dollars4 ,on landing in ,louisville1 his
 half-brother1 ,mr4 ,wm4 ,sowders1 the  
largest fish and oyster dealer in       
,louisville1 gave him a partnership in  
his business1 but they soon fell out and
 he quit the firm4  ,he removed to      
,nashville1 ,tennessee1 and opened a    
business of the same kind there in      
connection with his brother's house in  
,louisville1 ,mr4 ,holcombe shipping his
 vegetables and produce in return for   
fish and oysters4 ,this was early in    
#ahfj4 ,it was a great trial for his    
young wife to be taken from among her   
relatives and friends and put down among
 people who were entire strangers1      
especially that she had found out in    
four or five years of married life that 
her husband had grown away from her1    
that his heart and life were in other   
people than his family1 in other places 
than his home and in others pleasures   
than his duty4 ,she knew that she could 
not now count on having his             
companionship day or night1 in sickness 

or in health1 in poverty or in wealth4  
,and to make the outlook all the more   
gloomy for her1 she had just passed     
through one of the severest trials that 
had come into her life4  ,when an       
intense woman finds that she is deceived
 and disappointed in her husband1 and   
the hopes of married bliss are brought  
to naught1 she finds some compensation  
and relief in the love of her children4 
,so it was with ,mrs4 ,holcombe4 ,but   
just before the time came for them to   
remove to ,nashville1 death came and    
took from her arms her second-born      
child4 ,this made it all the harder to  
leave her home to go among strangers4   
,but already1 as a wife1 she had learned
 that charity which suffereth long and  
is kind1 which seeketh not her own and  
which endureth all things4  ,mr4        
,holcombe's business in ,nashville was  
very profitable and he made sometimes as
 much as fifty dollars a day1 so that in
 a short time he had accumulated a      
considerable amount of money4 ,but his  

passion for gambling remained4 ,his wife
 had hoped that the sufferings and death
 of their little child might soften his 
heart and lead him to a better life4    
,but it seemed to have no effect on him 
whatever4 ,though he did not follow     
gambling as a profession1 he engaged in 
it at night and in a private way with   
business men4  ,when the active         
hostilities of the war came on1 his     
communication with ,louisville was cut  
off and so his business was at an end4  
,leaving his wife and only remaining    
child alone in ,nashville he went to    
,clarksville and engaged in the ice     
business4 ,while he was there1 the      
,kentucky troops1 who were encamped near
 that place1 moved up to ,bowling       
,green1 ,kentucky4 ,the sound of fife   
and drum and the sight of moving columns
 of soldiers stirred either his         
patriotism or his enthusiasm so that he 
got rid of his business and followed    
them on up to ,green river in ,kentucky1
 and went into camp with them where he  

spent some time1 without1 however1 being
 sworn into service4 ,but this short    
time sufficed for him and he became     
satisfied that lugging knap-sack1 box   
and gun was harder work than gambling4  
,he quit the camp1 settled down at      
,bowling ,green1 and opened a grocery   
and restaurant1 doing a very prosperous 
business4 ,while there1 he had a severe 
spell of sickness and came near dying1  
but did not send for his wife and child1
 who were still alone in ,nashville4    
,just before the ,federal troops took   
possession of ,bowling ,green1 he sold  
his grocery for a large claim on the    
,confederate ,government which a party  
held for some guns sold to the          
,confederacy4 ,he then rode horseback   
from ,bowling ,green to ,nashville1     
where he rejoined his wife and child4   
,after another severe spell of sickness 
through which his wife nursed him1 he   
left his family again in those trying   
and fearful times and went ,south to    
collect his claim on the ,confederate   

,government4 ,having succeeded in       
getting it he returned to ,nashville    
with a large sum of money4  ,as he had  
no legitimate business to occupy his    
time and his mind1 he returned to       
gambling and this is his own account of 
it3 ,then ,i began playing poker with   
business men in private rooms2 and one  
of those business men being familiar    
with faro banks1 roped us around to a   
faro room to play poker2 and while we   
were playing1 the faro dealer1 who had  
cappers around1 opened up a brace game1 
and the game of poker broke up1 and ,i  
drifted over to the faro table1 and did 
not look on long until ,i began to bet1 
and soon lost two or three hundred      
dollars which ,i had in my pockets1 and 
lost a little on credit1 which ,i paid  
the next morning4 ,i lost what ,i had   
the next day1 and kept up that same     
racket until ,i was broke4 ,during this 
time ,i had been very liberal with the  
gamblers1 treated them to oyster stews  
and other good things2 and when ,i got  

broke ,i got to sitting around the      
gambling-house1 and heard them say to   
each other1 ',we will have to make      
,steve one of the boys1' and thus it was
 ,i became familiar with faro4          
,,chapter ,,iii4   ,the initiation of   
,mr4 ,holcombe into the game of faro was
 an epoch in his life4 ,he was so       
fascinated with it1 and saw so much     
money in it1 that he now finally and    
deliberately gave up all attempts at any
 other business or occupation1 and1     
removing again to ,louisville1 in       
partnership with a gambling friend he   
opened up a game or established a house 
of his own for playing faro in that     
city4 ,he sent for his family thinking  
he was settled for life4 ,alas6 how     
little he knew of that heart of his that
 knew so little of ,god4 ,he found out  
later what ,st4 ,augustine has so       
beautifully said for all humanity3 ,thou
 hast made us for ,thyself and our      
hearts find no repose till they repose  
in ,thee4 ,it was not long before he had

 lost all his money and was dead broke  
again4 ,it was about this time and      
during this residence at ,louisville1   
that1 uncontrolled by the grace and     
power of ,god1 and untouched by the love
 that can forgive as it hopes to be     
forgiven1 he committed the greatest     
crime of his life4  ,a young man was    
visiting and courting a half-sister of  
his at ,shippingsport1 and1 under       
promise of marriage1 had deceived her4  
,when ,mr4 ,holcombe found it out1 he   
felt enraged1 and thought it his duty to
 compel him to marry her4 ,but knowing  
himself so well1 and being afraid to    
trust himself to speak to the young man 
about it1 he asked his two older        
half-brothers to see him and get the    
affair settled4 ,they refused to do so4 
,mr4 ,holcombe then got a pistol and    
looked the man up with the deliberate   
intention of having the affair settled  
according to his notion of what was     
right1 or killing him4 ,he met him at   
,shippingsport1 near the bank of the    

canal1 and told him who he was--for they
 scarcely knew each other4 ,then he     
reminded him of what had occurred1 and  
said that the only thing to be done was 
to marry the girl4 ,this the man        
declined to do1 saying3 ,we are as good 
as married now4 ,he had scarcely uttered
 the words when ,mr4 ,holcombe drew his 
derringer and shot him4 ,when he fell1  
,mr4 ,holcombe put his hand under the   
poor man's neck1 raised him up and held 
him until a doctor could be called4 ,he 
was touched with a great feeling of pity
 for his victim1 and would have done    
anything in his power for him4 ,but all 
his pity and repentance could not bring 
back the dying man4 ,he went into a     
neighboring house and washed the blood  
from his hands1 but he could not wash   
the blood from his conscience4 ,in after
 years the cry of another murderer1     
,deliver me from blood-guiltiness1 ,o1  
,god6 was to burst from his lips1 and   
faith in the blood of a murdered ,christ
 was to bring the answer of peace to his

 long troubled soul4 ,but alas6 alas6 he
 was to add crime to crime and multiply 
guilt manifold before that time should  
come4  ,he was soon arrested and taken  
to jail1 where1 after some hours1 he was
 informed that the man was dead4 ,some  
time afterward he was tried by a jury   
and acquitted1 though the               
,commonwealth's ,attorney1 assisted by  
paid counsel1 did all he could to       
procure his conviction4 ,but no human   
sentence or approval of public opinion  
can quiet a guilty human conscience when
 awakened by the ,god whose sole        
prerogative of executing justice is     
guarded by ,his own solemn and awful    
words1 ,vengeance is mine2 ,i will      
repay1 saith the ,lord4 ,when the       
conscience is pressed with a great sense
 of guilt1 it seeks relief by the way of
 contrition and repentance1 or it seeks 
relief by a deeper plunge into sin and  
guilt1 as if the antidote to a poison   
were a larger dose of poison4 ,there is 
no middle ground unless it be insanity4 

,nor did ,mr4 ,holcombe find any middle 
ground1 though he declares that he never
 allowed himself to think about the     
killing of ,martin ,mohler1 and could   
not bear to hear his name4 ,he had to   
keep very busy in a career of sin1      
however1 to keep from thinking about it1
 and that is exactly the second         
alternative of the two described above4 
,after this1 says ,mr4 ,holcombe1 ,i    
continued gambling1 traveling around    
from place to place1 and at last ,i     
settled down at ,nashville and dealt    
faro there4 ,i took my family with me to
 ,nashville4 ,i gambled there for       
awhile1 and then came back to           
,louisville1 where ,i opened a game for 
working men4 ,but when ,i looked at     
their hard hands and thought of their   
suffering families1 ,i could not bear to
 take their money4 ,then ,i turned my   
steps toward the ,south and landed in   
,augusta1 ,georgia4 ,i went to ,augusta 
in #ahfi in connection with a man named 
,dennis ,mc,carty4 ,we opened there a   

big game of faro1 where ,i did some of  
the biggest gambling ,i ever did in my  
life4 ,on one occasion ,i played        
seven-up with a man and beat him out of 
five thousand dollars1 which broke him  
up entirely4  ,let us now take a peep   
into his home-life3 ,mrs4 ,holcombe says
 that in ,augusta he was in the habit of
 staying out for several days and nights
 at a time1 a thing which he had never  
done before4 ,they lived in ,augusta    
something over two years1 and during all
 that time she had not one day of peace4
 ,he was more reckless than he had ever 
been before4 ,she suffered most from his
 drunkenness and his ungovernable       
temper4 ,sometimes he would come into   
the house in a bad humor and proceed to 
vent his wrath on her and the furniture2
 for he was never harsh to his children1
 but on the contrary1 excessively       
indulgent1 especially to his sons4      
,during his outbursts of anger1 ,mrs4   
,holcombe always sat perfectly still1   
not in fear1 but in grief2 for she knew 

as little of fear as he4 ,many a time he
 has come into the house in a bad humor 
and proceeded to upset the dining-table1
 emptying all the food onto the floor   
and breaking all the dishes4 ,on one    
occasion he came home angry and found   
his wife sitting on a sofa in the       
parlor4 ,he began to complain of her and
 to find fault with her1 and as her     
silence seemed to provoke him1 he began 
to curse her2 and as she sat and wept in
 silence1 he grew worse and worse1 using
 the most dreadful oaths she ever heard4
 ,when he had fully vented his passion1 
he walked out and stood awhile at the   
front gate as if in a study4 ,then he   
walked back into the house where she    
sat1 still weeping1 and said1 in a mild 
and gentle tone3 ,well1 ,mary1 ,i was   
pretty mad awhile ago1 wasn't ,i8 ,then 
he began to apologize and to tell her   
how sorry he was for having talked to   
her so harshly1 and wound up by petting 
her4 ,he was at times almost insanely   
jealous of his wife1 and if he saw her  

even talking with a man1 no matter whom1
 it put him in a rage which ended only  
when he had vented it in the most       
abusive language to her4  ,on another   
occasion1 while they were living in     
,augusta1 an incident occurred which    
illustrates at once her unexampled      
devotion and his unexampled depravity4  
,on the night in question she had gone  
to bed1 but not to sleep4 ,about        
midnight he came staggering in and fell 
full length on the floor at the foot of 
the stairway4 ,she tried to help him up1
 but he was so dead drunk she could not 
lift him4 ,she left him lying at the    
foot of the stairway and went back to   
bed4 ,but1 though she was very tired1   
she could not endure the thought of     
lying in a comfortable bed while her    
husband was on the floor4 ,she got up1  
therefore1 and went down stairs again   
and sat on the floor beside him in her  
night-dress till morning4 ,then she left
 him and went up stairs to dress1 that  
she might be prepared for the duties of 

the day4 ,when1 some time afterward1 she
 came back to where he was lying1 he    
abused and cursed her for leaving him   
alone1 and1 before his tirade was ended 
he was sorry1 and tried to smooth it    
over by saying3 ,i did not think you    
would leave me4  ,mrs4 ,holcombe says   
concerning her life at this period3 ,i  
usually walked the floor1 after the     
children were in bed1 till past midnight
 waiting for him to come home4 ,one     
night in particular1 between eleven and 
twelve o'clock1 ,i heard a shot fired   
and ,i heard a man cry out not far from 
the house4 ,i thought it was ,mr4       
,holcombe1 and my agony was almost more 
than ,i could bear while waiting for day
 to come1 for ,i was sure somebody had  
shot him4 ,but between three and four   
o'clock ,in the morning he came in1 and 
his coming brought me great relief4     
,then another time1 she goes on to say1 
,i was sitting by the window when an    
express wagon drove up with a coffin in 
it4 ,the driver said to me1 ',does this 

coffin belong here8' ,i understood him  
to say1 ',does ,mr4 ,holcombe live      
here8' ,i thought it was ,mr4 ,holcombe 
and that he had been killed and sent    
home to me in his coffin4 ,the driver   
repeated his question twice1 but ,i was 
so paralyzed ,i could not answer him a  
word4  ,from ,augusta ,mr4 ,holcombe    
removed with his family to ,atlanta1    
where he made a good deal of money4     
,mrs4 ,holcombe says concerning their   
stay in ,atlanta1 ,my life at ,atlanta  
was no better than it had been at       
,augusta4 ,much of my time was spent in 
walking the floor and grieving4 ,often  
in my loneliness and sorrow my lips     
would cry out1 ',how can ,i endure this 
life any longer8' ,i had not then become
 a ,christian and did not know what ,i  
do now about taking troubles and burdens
 to ,god4 ,and yet ,i believe that it   
was ,god who comforted my heart more    
than once when my sorrow was more than  
,i could bear4 ,i cried to ,him without 
knowing ,him4 ,all these years ,i tried 

to raise my children right1 and ,i      
taught them to respect their father4 ,i 
hid his sins from them when ,i could1   
and when ,i could not1 ,i always excused
 him to them the best ,i could4 ,but    
,mr4 ,holcombe instead of aiding his    
wife's efforts to bring up their        
children in the right path1 often       
perversely put obstacles in her way and 
increased her difficulties1 though he   
did try to conceal his drinking from    
them1 and would never allow his boys to 
have or handle cards4 ,so in many things
 he was a combination of contradictions4
 ,he could not endure1 however1 for his 
wife to punish the children1 and        
especially the boys4 ,on one occasion he
 came home and the younger son was still
 crying from the punishment inflicted by
 his mother for wading in a pond of     
water with his shoes on4 ,mr4 ,holcombe 
asked him what was the matter1 and when 
he found out1 he was so angry he made   
the boy go and wade in the pond again   
with his shoes on4 ,and yet ,mrs4       

,holcombe's love for her husband never  
wavered1 and she loved him when he was  
at his worst4  ,while ,mr4 ,holcombe was
 living in ,atlanta he attended the     
races in ,nashville1 and while there1   
two men came along that had a new thing 
on cards1 and they beat him out of five 
or six thousand dollars--broke him1 in  
fact4 ,after he was broke1 he went to   
one of the men by the name of ,buchanan 
and said1 ,i see that you have got a new
 trick on cards1 and as ,i am well      
acquainted through the ,south1 if you   
will give it away to me1 we can go      
together and make money4 ,the man1 after
 some hesitation1 agreed to do so4 ,they
 went in partnership and traveled       
through the ,south as far as ,key ,west1
 ,florida1 stopping at the principal    
cities and making money everywhere4 ,at 
,key ,west he and his partner had a     
split and separated4 ,from ,key ,west   
,mr4 ,holcombe crossed over to ,cuba1   
and spent some time in ,havana4 ,in     
seeking adventures in that strange city 

he made some very narrow escapes1 and   
was glad to get away4 ,on landing at    
,new ,orleans1 though he had a good deal
 of money1 the accumulations of his     
winnings on his late tour through the   
,south1 he got to playing against faro  
bank and lost all he had4 ,but he fell  
in with a young man about twenty years  
of age1 from ,georgia1 on his way to    
,texas1 and became very intimate with   
him4 ,finding that this young man had a 
draft for #a1jej1 by the most adroit    
piece of maneuvering he got another man1
 a third party1 to win it from him for  
himself1 and gave this third party #ej  
for doing it4 ,then he took charge of   
the young man in his destitution and    
distress1 paid his bill for a day or two
 at a hotel in ,new ,orleans1 and gave  
him enough to pay his way on to ,texas4 
,the young man departed thinking ,mr4   
,holcombe was one of the kindest men he 
had ever met4 ,the gentle reader1 if he 
be a young man who thinks himself wise  
enough to be intimate with strangers1   

might learn a useful little lesson from 
this young ,georgian's experience as    
herein detailed4  ,from ,new ,orleans1  
,mr4 ,holcombe went by river to         
,shreveport1 ,louisiana1 where he met   
again with his former partner1          
,buchanan4 ,they made up their          
differences and went into partnership   
again1 and were successful in winning a 
good deal of money together4 ,but       
afterward their fortunes changed and    
they both lost all they had4 ,this      
soured ,buchanan1 who had never         
cordially liked ,holcombe since their   
quarrel and separation at ,key ,west4   
,mr4 ,holcombe himself shall narrate    
what took place afterward3 ,during this 
time we had been sleeping in a room     
together4 ,buchanan knew that ,i had two
 derringer pistols4 ,he got ,phil       
,spangler to borrow one1 and ,i feel    
satisfied he had snaked the other4 ,a   
friend of mine1 ,john ,norton1 asked me 
to deal faro bank1 and ,i got broke1 and
 the night that ,i did1 ,i put the box  

in the drawer pretty roughly1 and made  
some pretty rough remarks4 ,buchanan was
 present1 but took no exception to what 
,i said that night4 ,the next morning1  
however1 in the bar-room he began to    
abuse me1 and we abused each other      
backward and forward until ,i had backed
 clear across the street4 ,during this  
time ,i had my derringer pistol out in  
my hand4 ,he had a big stick in his hand
 and a knife in his bosom4 ,when we got 
across the street ,i made this remark1  
',mr4 ,buchanan1 ,i do not want to kill 
you1' ,he was then about ten feet from  
me1 and made a step toward me4 ,i took  
deliberate aim at his heart and pulled  
the trigger1 but the pistol snapped4 ,he
 walked away from me then4 ,i ran up to 
the hotel where ,aleck ,doran was1      
knowing that his six-shooter was always 
in good condition4 ,i borrowed it and   
started to hunt ,buchanan up1 and when  
,i found him1 he came up to me with his 
hand out4 ,we made up and have been good
 friends ever since4 ,after we left     

there1 these parties with whom we had   
been playing1 got to quarreling among   
themselves about the different games1   
and the result was that ,john ,norton   
killed ,phil ,spangler and another one  
of the men4 ,and such is the life of the
 gambler4 ,and such is too often1 alas6 
the death of the gambler4  ,from        
,shreveport he went back to ,atlanta    
where his family1 consisting now of his 
wife1 two sons and two daughters1 had   
remained4 ,but he could not be contented
 at any one place4 ,it seemed impossible
 for him to be quiet1 no matter how much
 money he was making4 ,indeed1 the more 
he got the more disquieted he seemed1   
and yet it was his passion to win money4
 ,sometimes he would go to his home with
 his pockets full of it and would pour  
it out on the floor and tell the        
children to take what they wanted4 ,he  
was so restless when he had won largely 
that he could not sleep2 and his wife   
says she has known him to get up after  
having retired late and walk back to the

 city to his gambling house to find     
somebody to play with4 ,he seemed to    
want to lose his money again4 ,in fact1 
he seemed happier when he was entirely  
without money than when he had a great  
deal4  ,not contented1 then1 at         
,atlanta1 he went from there to         
,beaufort1 ,south ,carolina1 to gamble  
with the officers of the navy4 ,he got  
into a game of poker with some of them  
and won all the money4 ,then he was     
ready to quit and leave the place1 but  
he got into a difficulty with a man     
there whose diamond pin he had in pawn  
for money lent him1 and though it be at 
the risk of taxing the reader's patience
 with these details1 yet1 in order to   
show vividly what a gambler's life is1  
we shall let ,mr4 ,holcombe give his own
 account of the affair3  ,this man was  
the bully of the place4 ,i had his      
diamond pin in pawn for seventy-five    
dollars1 and another little fellow owed 
me eighteen dollars1 or something like  
that1 and ,i wanted him to pay me4      

,instead of paying me1 however1 he began
 to curse and abuse me2 and ,i hit him  
on the nose1 knocked him over and       
bloodied it1 and he was bleeding like   
everything4 ,he got over into the crowd2
 and under the excitement of the moment1
 ,i drew my pistol and started toward   
him4 ,this big bully caught me gently by
 the vest1 and asked me quietly to put  
up my pistol4 ,i did so4 ,then he said1 
',you can't shoot anybody here1' ,i said
 ',i do not want to shoot anybody4' ,i  
then asked him to turn me loose4 ,he    
again said ',you can't shoot anybody    
here4' ,i then said1 ',what is the      
matter with you8 ,are we not friends8'  
,and he said ',no1' and made the remark1
 ',i will take your pistol away from you
 and beat your brains out4' ,i struck   
him and knocked him over on a lounge1   
but he rose up and came at me1 and we   
had quite a tussle around the room4 ,the
 others all ran and left the house1 and 
the barkeeper hid4  ,when we separated1 
the big fellow had quite a head on him2 

was all beaten up4 ,he then went into   
the other room and sat down1 and the    
barkeeper came in where ,i was4 ,i was  
willing to do or say anything to        
reconcile this man1 and ,i said to the  
barkeeper that ,i was sorry of the      
difficulty1 as ,i liked the man1 which  
was a lie1 and a square one1 for ,i     
hated him from the moment ,i saw him4   
,when he heard what ,i said1 he came    
sauntering into the room1 and ,i said to
 him1 ',i am sorry this occurred1 but   
you called me such a name that ,i was   
compelled to do as ,i did4 ,you know    
that you are a brave man2 and if any man
 had called you such a name1 you would  
have done just as ,i did4' ,he called me
 a liar1 and at it we went again4 ,we   
separated ourselves every time4 ,i got  
the best of the round4 ,after that he   
stepped up to the sideboard and got a   
tumbler2 but ,i looked him in the eye so
 closely that he could not throw it at  
me1 and he put it down4 ,after a little 
more conversation1 he started to lift up

 a heavy spittoon of iron4 ,i stepped   
back a foot or two1 drew my pistol1 and 
told him if he did not put that down1 ,i
 would kill him4 ,he put it down4 ,i    
then told the barkeeper he must come in 
there and witness this thing1 because ,i
 expected to have to kill him4 ,after   
the barkeeper came in1 the man went out1
 saying1 ',you had a gun on me to-night1
 and ,i will have one on you to-morrow4'
 ,feeling satisfied if ,i remained1 one 
of us would have to be killed2 and      
feeling that ,i did not want to kill    
him1 neither did ,i want to get killed  
on a cold collar1 ,i concluded to walk  
out of the place4 ,i got the barkeeper  
to promise to ship my trunk to ,atlanta1
 and walked through the swamps to a     
station fourteen miles away1 arriving   
there some time next day4 ,other such   
experiences ,mr4 ,holcombe had enough to
 fill a volume perhaps1 but these are   
sufficient to give an impression of what
 a gambler's life is and to show what   
was the life of that same ,steve        

,holcombe who now for eleven years has  
been a pattern of ,christian usefulness 
and zeal4  ,after spending a short time 
at ,atlanta1 he went to ,hot ,springs1  
,arkansas1 and then again to            
,louisville1 where he opened a faro bank
 and once more settled down for life1 as
 he thought4 ,at any rate for the first 
time in his life he thought of saving a 
little money1 and he did so1 investing  
it in some houses in the ,west ,end4    
,poor man6 he had wandered nearly       
enough4 ,he had almost found that rest  
can not be found1 at least in the way he
 was seeking it1 and the time was       
approaching when he would be prepared to
 hear of another sort and source of     
rest4 ,until he should be prepared1 it  
would be vain to send him the message4  
,to give the truth to some people to-day
 would be to cast pearls before swine1  
to give it to them to-morrow may be     
re-clothing banished princes with due   
tokens of welcome and of royalty4 ,to   
have told ,steve ,holcombe of ,christ   

yet awhile would probably have excited  
his wonder and disgust2 to tell him a   
little later will be to welcome a       
long-lost1 long-enslaved and perishing  
child to his ,father's house and to all 
the liberty of the sons of ,god4  ,so he
 thought of saving a little money and of
 investing in some cottages in the west 
end of ,louisville4 ,and ,god was       
thinking1 too1 and ,he was thinking     
thoughts of kindness and of love for the
 poor wicked outcast4 ,he was more than 
thinking1 ,he was getting things ready4 
,but the time was not yet4 ,a few more  
wanderings and the sinning one1         
foot-sore1 heart-sore and weary will be 
willing to come to the ,father's house  
and rest4 ,truth and ,god are always    
ready1 but man is not always ready4 ,i  
have many things to say to you1 but you 
can not bear them now4  ,his income at  
,louisville at this time was between    
five and seven thousand dollars a year4 
,he had a large interest in the bank and
 some nights he would take in hundreds  

of dollars4 ,but he could not be        
contented4 ,the roving passion seized   
him again1 and in company with a young  
man of fine family in ,louisville1 who  
had just inherited five thousand        
dollars1 he set out on a circuit of the 
races4 ,but in ,lexington1 the very     
first place they visited1 they lost all 
they had1 including the young man's     
jewelry1 watch and diamond pin4 ,they   
got more money and other partners and   
started again on the circuit and they   
made money4 ,at ,kalamazoo1 ,michigan1  
,mr4 ,holcombe withdrew from the party1 
just for the sake of change1 just       
because he was tired of them2 and in    
playing against the faro banks at       
,kalamazoo he lost all he had again4    
,then he traveled around to different   
places playing against faro banks and   
catching on when he could4 ,he visited  
,fort ,wayne1 ,cleveland1 ,utica1       
,saratoga and ,new ,york4 ,at ,new ,york
 he was broke and he had become so      
disgusted with traveling around and so  

weary of the world that he determined he
 would go back to ,louisville and settle
 down for life4 ,he did return to       
,louisville and got an interest in two  
gambling houses1 making for him an      
income again of five thousand dollars a 
year4  ,during all these years his      
faithful wife1 though not professing to 
be a ,christian herself1 endeavored in  
all possible ways to lead her children  
to become ,christians4 ,she taught them 
to pray the best she could1 and sent    
them to ,sunday-school4 ,after her first
 child was born she gave up those       
worldly amusements which before she had1
 to please her husband1 participated in 
with him--a good example for ,christian 
mothers4 ,she was in continual dread    
lest the children should grow up to     
follow the father's example4 ,she always
 tried to conceal from them the fact of 
his being a gambler4 ,the two daughters1
 ,mamie and ,irene1 did not1 when       
good-sized girls and going to school1   
know their father's business4 ,they were

 asked at school what his occupation    
was1 and could not tell4 ,more than once
 they asked their mother1 but she evaded
 the question by saying1 ,he isn't      
engaged in any work just now1 or in some
 such way4 ,mrs4 ,holcombe begged her   
husband again and again not to continue 
gambling4 ,she says1 ,i told him ,i was 
willing to live on bread and water1 if  
he would quit it4 ,and she would not lay
 up any of the money he would give her1 
nor use any more of it than was         
necessary for herself and the children1 
for she felt that it was not rightly    
gotten4 ,and because she would neither  
lay it up nor use it lavishly1 she had  
nothing to do but let the children take 
it to play with and to give away4 ,under
 the training of such a mother with such
 patience1 love and faith1 it is no     
great marvel1 and yet perhaps it is a   
great marvel1 that ,willie1 the eldest  
child1 notwithstanding the father's     
example1 grew up to discern good1 to    
desire good and to be good4 ,while he   

was still a child1 when his father came 
home drunk1 the wounded and wondering   
child would beg him not to drink any    
more4 ,mrs4 ,holcombe says of him       
further1 ,when ,willie would see his    
father on the street drinking1 ,i have  
seen him1 when twelve years old1 jump   
off the car1 go to his father and beg   
him with tears to go home with him4 ,and
 ,i never saw ,mr4 ,holcombe refuse to  
go4  ,in this way the boy grew up with a
 disgust and horror of drunkenness and  
drinking1 and when in the year #ahgg the
 great temperance movement was rolling  
over the country and meetings were held 
everywhere1 and in ,louisville also1    
though the boy had never drunk any      
intoxicating liquor in his life1 he     
signed the pledge4 ,he took his card    
home with his name signed to it1 and    
when his father saw it1 he was very     
angry about it4 ,and yet1 strange to    
say1 on that very evening the father    
himself attended the meeting2 and on the
 next evening he went again1 in company 

with his wife4 ,during the progress of  
the meeting he turned to his wife and   
said1 ,mary1 shall ,i go up and sign the
 pledge8 ,concealing her emotions as    
best she could1 lest the show of it     
might disgust and repel him1 she        
replied1 ,yes1 ,steve1 ,willie and ,i   
would be very glad if you would1 and he 
did so4  ,some time after that1 ,willie 
asked his father and mother if they     
would accompany him to the ,broadway    
,baptist church in the city to see him  
baptized4 ,while witnessing the baptism 
of his son1 ,mr4 ,holcombe made up his  
mind that he would quit gambling1 and as
 he went out of the church1 he said to  
his wife1 ,i will never play another    
card4  ,some friend of his who overhead 
the remark said to him1 ,steve1 you had 
better study about that4 ,he answered1  
,no1 ,i have made up my mind4 ,i wish   
you would tell the boys for me that they
 may count me out4 ,they may stop my    
interest in the banks4 ,i am done4  ,his
 wife1 who was hanging on his arm1 could

 no longer now conceal her emotions1 nor
 did she try4 ,she laughed and cried for
 joy4 ,god was saying to her1 ,mary1 thy
 toils and tears1 thy sufferings and    
patience have come up for a memorial    
before me1 and ,i will send a man who   
will tell thee what thou oughtest to do1
 and speak to thee words whereby thou   
and all thy house shall be saved4  ,mr4 
,holcombe was as good as his word4 ,he  
did give up gambling from that time4    
,but he had had so little experience in 
business that he was at a great loss    
what to do4 ,finally1 however1 he       
decided to go into the produce and      
commission business as he had had some  
experience in that line years before in 
,nashville1 and as that required no     
great outlay of money for a beginning4  
,all the money he had was tied up in the
 houses which he had bought in          
,portland1 the western suburb of        
,louisville4 ,he was living in one of   
these himself1 but he now determined to 
rent it out and to remove to the city   

that he might be nearer his business4   
,one day in ,october1 #ahgg1 a stranger 
entered his place of business1 on ,main 
street1 and1 calling for ,mr4 ,holcombe1
 said3 ,i see you have a house for rent 
in ,portland4  ,yes1 said he1 ,i have4  
,well1 said the stranger1 ,i like your  
house2 but as my income is not large1 ,i
 should be glad to get it at as low a   
rent as you can allow4  ,mr4 ,holcombe  
replied3 ,i am rather pressed for money 
now myself1 but maybe we can make a     
trade4 ,what is your business8  ,i am a 
,methodist minister1 and am just sent to
 the church in ,portland1 and you know  
it can not pay very much of a salary4   
,that settles it then1 sir1 said ,mr4   
,holcombe1 with that abruptness and     
positiveness which are so characteristic
 of him1 ,i am a notorious gambler1 and1
 of course1 you would not want to live  
in a house of mine4  ,he expected that  
would be the end of the matter1 and he  
looked to see the minister shrink from  
him and leave at once his presence and  

his house4 ,on the contrary1 the        
minister1 though knowing nothing of ,mr4
 ,holcombe's recent reformation1 yet    
seeing his sensitiveness1 admiring his  
candor and hoping to be able to do him  
some good1 laid his hand kindly on his  
shoulder and said3  ,oh no1 my brother2 
,i do not object to living in your      
house2 and who knows but that this      
interview will result in good to us     
both1 in more ways than one8  ,mr4      
,holcombe's impression was that         
ministers of the ,gospel were1 in their 
own estimation1 and in fact1 too good   
for gamblers to touch the hem of their  
garments1 and that ministers had1 for   
this reason1 as little use and as great 
contempt for gamblers as the average    
gambler has1 on the very same account1  
for ministers4 ,but he found1 to his    
amazement1 that he was mistaken1 and    
when the minister invited him to come to
 his church he said1 not to the         
minister1 yet he said3  ,yes1 ,i will   
go1 ,i never had a good man to call me  

'brother' before4 ,and he knows what ,i 
am1 for ,i told him4 ,i am so tired2 ,i 
am so spent4 ,maybe he can tell me what 
to do and how to go4 ,if ,sunday ever   
comes1 ,i will go to that man's church4 
,and when ,sunday came the minister and 
the gambler faced each other again4     
,with a great sense of his              
responsibility and insufficiency the    
preacher declared the message of his    
,lord1 not as he wished1 but as he      
could4 ,to the usual invitation to join 
the church nobody responded4 ,after the 
benediction1 however1 ,mr4 ,holcombe    
walked down the aisle to the pulpit and 
said to the minister3 ,how does a man   
join the church8 ,he had not attended   
church for twenty-three years1 and had  
been engaged in such a life that he had 
forgotten what little he knew4 ,the     
minister informed him4  ,then1 said he1 
may ,i join your church8  ,you are      
welcome1 and more than welcome1 replied 
the minister1 and the people wondered4  
,from the day ,i joined his church1 says

 ,mr4 ,holcombe1 that minister seemed to
 understand me better than ,i understood
 myself4 ,he seemed to know and did tell
 me my own secrets4 ,he led me into an  
understanding of myself and my          
situation4 ,i saw now what had been the 
cause of my restlessness1 my wanderings1
 my weariness and my woe4 ,i saw what it
 was ,i needed1 and ,i prayed as        
earnestly as ,i knew how from that time4
 ,i attended all the                    
services--preaching1 ,sunday-school1    
prayer-meeting1 class-meeting in any and
 all kinds of weather1 walking          
frequently all the way from ,second     
street to ,portland1 a distance of three
 miles1 because ,i was making too little
 to allow me to ride on the street-cars4
 ,but with all this1 ,i felt something  
was yet wanting4 ,i began to see that ,i
 could not make any advance in goodness 
and happiness so long as ,i was burdened
 with the unforgiven guilt of forty     
years of sin and crime4 ,it grew worse  
and heavier until ,i felt ,i must have  

relief1 if relief could be had4 ,one day
 ,i went in the back office of my       
business house1 after the others had all
 gone home1 and shut myself up and      
determined to stay there and pray until 
,i should find relief4 ,the room was    
dark1 and ,i had prayed1 ,i know not how
 long1 when such a great sense of relief
 and gladness and joy came to me that it
 seemed to me as if a light had flooded 
the room1 and the only words ,i could   
utter or think of were these three3     
',jesus of ,nazareth4' ,it seemed to me 
they were the sweetest words ,i had ever
 heard4 ,never1 till then1 did the      
feeling of blood-guiltiness leave me4   
,it was only the blood of ,christ that  
could wash from my conscience the blood 
of my fellowman4  ,as in his case1 so   
always1 in proportion as a man is in    
earnest about forsaking sin1 will he    
desire the assurance of the forgiveness 
of past sins1 and vice versa4 ,but ,mr4 
,holcombe did not find this an end of   
difficulty and trial and conflict--far  

from it4 ,indeed1 it was the preparation
 for conflict1 and the entrance upon it4
 ,hitherto1 in his old life1 he had made
 no resistance to his evil nature1 and  
there was no conflict with the world1   
the flesh and the devil4 ,but such a    
nature as his was not to be conquered   
and subjected to entire and easy control
 in a day4 ,his passions would revive1  
his old habits would re-assert          
themselves1 poverty pinched him1 people 
misunderstood him1 failure after failure
 in business discouraged him4 ,hence1 he
 needed constant and careful guidance   
and an unfailing sympathy4 ,and he thus 
refers to the help he received from his 
pastor in those trying days3  ,seeing   
the great necessity of giving me much   
attention and making me feel at home in 
his presence and in the presence of his 
wife1 he spent much time in my company1 
and with loving patience bore with my   
ignorance1 dullness and slowness4 ,in   
this way ,i became so much attached to  
him that ,i had no need or desire for my

 old associations4 ,he led me along till
 ,i was entirely weaned from all desire 
for my old sinful life and habits4 ,i   
think he gave me this close attention   
for about two years1 when he felt that  
it was best for me to lean more upon    
,god and less upon him4  ,mr4 ,holcombe 
received continual kindness and         
encouragement from the minister's wife  
also1 who not only had for him always a 
cordial greeting and a kindly word of   
cheer1 but who took great pleasure in   
entertaining him frequently in their    
home4 ,it was a perpetual benediction to
 him to know her1 to see the daily      
beauty of her faithful life1 to feel the
 influence of her heavenly spirit4 ,with
 quick intuition she recognized the     
sincerity and intensity of ,mr4         
,holcombe's desires and efforts to be a 
,christian man2 with ready insight she  
comprehended the situation and saw his  
difficulties and needs1 and with a very 
,christlike self-forgetfulness and joy  
she ministered to this struggling soul4 

,not only ,mr4 ,holcombe1 but all who   
ever knew her1 whether in adversity or  
prosperity1 whether in sickness or in   
health1 admired the beauty and felt the 
quiet unconscious power of her          
character4 ,as for ,mr4 ,holcombe       
himself1 his mingled feeling of         
reverence for her saintliness and of    
gratitude for her sisterliness led him  
always to speak of her in terms that he 
did not apply to any other person whom  
he knew4 ,he could never cease to marvel
 that one of her education1 position and
 tender womanliness should take such    
pains and have such pleasure in helping1
 entertaining and serving such as he4 ,a
 few years only was he blessed with the 
helpfulness of her friendship4 ,in      
#ahhe1 when she was just past the age of
 thirty-one1 her tender feet grew so    
tired that she could go no further in   
this rough world1 and ,christ took her  
away4 ,few were more deeply bereaved    
than the poor converted gambler1 and    
when he was asked if he would serve as  

one of the pallbearers on the occasion  
of her funeral1 he burst into tears and 
replied1 ,i am not worthy1 ,i am not    
worthy4 ,if those who knew her--little  
children of tender years1 young men and 
women1 perplexed on life's threshold and
 desiring to enter in at the strait     
gate1 people of rank and wealth1 people 
in poverty and ignorance1 worldly-minded
 people whom she had unconsciously      
attracted1 experienced ,christians whom 
she unconsciously helped1 and1 most of  
all1 her husband and children who knew  
her best--if all these should be asked1 
all these would agree that ,st4 ,paul   
has written her fitting epitaph3        
,well reported of for good works2       
,if she have brought up children1       
,if she have lodged strangers1     ,if  
she have washed the saints' feet1       
,if she have relieved the afflicted1    
,if she have diligently followed every  
good work4  ,it was not long after ,mr4 
,holcombe's conversion before his entire
 family became members of the church4   

,though this was to him cause of        
unspeakable joy and gratitude1 it did   
not mark the limit of his love and zeal4
 ,from the time of his conversion he had
 a deep and brotherly sympathy for all  
who were without the knowledge and joy  
he had come into the possession of1 but 
he felt a special interest in the       
salvation of the wretched and the       
outcast1 and of the men of his own class
 and former occupation who were as      
ignorant as he was of these higher      
things and as shut out from             
opportunities of knowing them4 ,so that 
from the very beginning of his          
,christian life he undertook to help    
others1 and when they were in need1 not 
stopping to think of any other way1 he  
took them to his own house4 ,this1 with 
the support of his own family1 increased
 the cost of his living to such an      
extent that he was soon surprised and   
pained to find that he could not carry  
on his business4 ,he had taken to his   
home1 also1 the father of his wife1 whom

 he cared for till his death4 ,and in a 
short time he was so pressed for means  
that he had to mortgage his property for
 money to go into another kind of       
business4  ,when it was first reported  
that ,steve ,holcombe1 one of the most  
successful1 daring and famous gamblers  
in the ,south1 had been converted and   
had joined the church1 the usual        
predictions were made that in less than 
three months1 etc41 he would see his    
mistake or yield to discouragements and 
return to his old life of               
self-indulgence and ease4 ,but when men 
passed and repassed the corner where    
this man had a little fruit store and   
was trying to make an honest living for 
his family1 their thoughts became more  
serious and their questions deepen      
,steve had got something or something   
had got him4 ,he was not the man of     
former times4 ,and most of his friends1 
the gamblers included1 when they saw    
this1 were glad1 and while they wondered
 wished him well4 ,but there was one man

 engaged in business just across the    
street from the little fruit store1 who 
with a patronizing air bought little    
fruits from ,mr4 ,holcombe1 and then    
spent his leisure in discussions and    
arguments to prove not only that he had 
made a big blunder in becoming a        
,christian1 but that religion was all a 
sham1 the ,bible a not very cunningly   
devised fable and that ,mr4 ,ingersoll  
was the greatest man of the day1 because
 he had shattered these delusions4 ,mr4 
,holcombe patiently heard it all1 and   
perhaps did not frame as cogent or      
logical an answer to this man's         
sophistries as he could do now1 but he  
felt in his own heart and he saw in his 
own life that he was a new man4 ,he felt
 a profound pity for his friend who knew
 not nor cared for any of these things1 
and he lived on his humble1 patient1    
uncomplaining ,christian life4 ,it may  
not be out of place to add as the sequel
 of this little episode that the        
testimony of this man across the way1   

who was such an unbeliever and scoffer1 
is given elsewhere in this volume1 and  
doubtless will be recognized by the     
reader4 ,mr4 ,holcombe's life was too   
much for his logic4  ,when ,mr4         
,holcombe had failed in every kind of   
business that he undertook1 his property
 was forced on the market and nothing   
was left him from the sale of it4       
,christian men of means might have      
helped him and ought to have helped him1
 but for reasons known to themselves    
they did not4 ,perhaps they were afraid 
to take hold of so tough a case as      
,steve ,holcombe was known to have been1
 perhaps they saw he was not an         
experienced business man1 perhaps they  
felt indisposed to help a man who was so
 incapable of economy and so generous in
 entertaining his friends and helping   
the needy4 ,greatly pressed1 he went at 
last to his half-brother with whom in   
former years he had been associated as  
partner in business1 and putting his    
case and condition before him asked for 

employment4 ,but his half-brother       
declined on the spot1 giving as his     
short and sole reason that he believed  
,mr4 ,holcombe was a hypocrite and was  
making believe that he was a ,christian 
for some sinister purpose4  ,this was   
the most unkindest cut of all and for   
days the poor wounded man felt the iron 
in his soul4 ,during his former life he 
would have cared nothing for such       
treatment4 ,a ruined character is       
benumbed like a paralyzed limb1 but a   
revived and repentant soul is full of   
sensitive nerves and feels the slightest
 slight or the smallest wound4 ,he found
 out months afterward1 however1 that his
 half-brother was already losing his    
mind and was not responsible for this   
extraordinary behavior4 ,he tried and   
his friends tried everywhere and every  
way to find employment for him1 but he  
could get nothing to do4 ,his money was 
all gone1 his property was all gone1 he 
sold his piano1 he sold his ,brussels   
carpets1 he removed from place to place1

 following cheaper rent till at last he 
took his family to a garret4 ,it was now
 two years since his conversion4 ,during
 these two years he had done nothing to 
bring reproach on his profession or to  
give ground for a doubt of his          
sincerity4 ,he had not only lived a     
consistent life himself1 he had striven 
earnestly to help others to do so4 ,he  
assisted in holding meetings in         
,shippingsport1 and the people marveled 
and magnified the grace of ,god in him4 
,but he was with his family on the point
 of starvation4 ,when at last everything
 had been tried and no relief was found1
 in his desperation he thought of the   
improbable possibility of finding       
something1 at least something to do1 in 
the ,west1 and he decided to go to      
,colorado4  ,in ,louisville1 where he   
was suffering and where his family was  
suffering1 he could have returned to    
gambling and have been independent in a 
month4 ,he could have been living in a  
comfortable house2 he could have had1 as

 he was wont1 the best the market       
afforded for his table1 he could have   
decked himself with jewelry and         
diamonds1 he could soon have been once  
more in position to spend1 as he had    
regularly done1 from two to ten dollars 
a day for the mere luxuries of life4 ,he
 could have done all this and he could  
do all this even yet2 for even yet he is
 in the prime of life and power4 ,but he
 did not1 and he does not4 ,he did not  
turn ,christian because he had played   
out as a gambler4 ,he did not turn to   
,christianity because fortune had turned
 away from him4 ,but he turned away     
himself from fortune when he was        
fortune's pet1 in order to turn to a    
better and worthier life4  ,when he had 
decided to go to ,colorado1 he went to  
his pastor and told him4 ,the pastor was
 astonished1 alarmed4 ,after two years  
and more of faithful and self-denying   
service was his friend and brother about
 to give away8 ,was this a plan to get  
away into a far country where he might  

turn again to sin8 ,he reasoned with    
him1 he appealed to him1 he besought    
him4 ,he tried to picture the perils of 
the journey and the perils of the place4
 ,he reminded ,mr4 ,holcombe of the     
condition1 as far as he knew it1 of his 
family4 ,but all to no purpose4 ,he     
committed his friend trustfully to ,god 
and gave it up4  ,but1 said the pastor1 
how are you going to get there8  ,i am  
going to walk from place to place and   
work my way out4 ,i can not stay here1  
,i can get nothing to do and ,i must try
 elsewhere4 ,i am desperate4  ,then1    
said the pastor1 if your mind is made up
 and you are going1 ,i can let you have 
some money4 ,i have about sixty-one     
dollars in bank which ,i laid aside when
 a single man1 to use for ,christ1 and  
if that will pay your way out1 you can  
have it4 ,christ has called for his own4
  ,he accepted it with tears1 left a few
 dollars of it with his wife and1 with  
the rest1 started for ,leadville4  ,when
 he first landed at ,denver1 he met an  

old friend1 ,john ,chisholm1 with whom  
he had gambled in ,atlanta4 ,this man   
had left ,atlanta on account of having  
killed somebody there1 and had made a   
considerable amount of money in         
,california4 ,he had now come to ,denver
 and opened a game of faro4 ,when he saw
 ,mr4 ,holcombe on the street1 he said3 
,you are just the man ,i want4 ,i have  
opened a game of faro here1 and ,i am   
afraid ,i can not protect myself4 ,i    
will give you a good interest if you    
will go in with me4  ,mr4 ,holcombe     
replied3 ,yes1 ,john2 but ,i am a       
,christian now1 and can not deal faro4  
,i know1 said the man1 you were a       
,christian in ,louisville1 but you are a
 long ways from there4  ,yes1 ,mr4      
,holcombe said1 but a true ,christian is
 a ,christian everywhere4               
,notwithstanding1 he insisted on ,mr4   
,holcombe's going to his room to see    
another old ,atlanta friend4 ,he did so1
 but felt so much out of place there    
that he did not remain ten minutes4     

,from ,denver he concluded to go to     
,silver ,cliff instead of ,leadville4   
,when he arrived in that strange        
village1 his money was all gone and he  
lacked fifteen cents of having enough to
 pay the stage-driver4 ,it was about    
sundown1 says he1 when ,i got there4 ,i 
did not know a living soul4 ,i had not a
 cent of money4 ,my courage failed me4  
,i broke down and wept like a child4    
,having a good trunk he knew he would   
not be asked to pay in advance1 and he  
went to a hotel and spent the night4 ,in
 the morning he walked out after        
breakfast to see what sort of a place he
 had gotten into4 ,as he stood at the   
post-office1 he saw across the street   
what he recognized as a gambling-house1 
everything wide open1 no attempt at     
concealment or privacy4 ,he asked some  
one out of curiosity who was the        
proprietor1 and found that two of his   
old acquaintances were running the      
house4 ,he could easily1 and at once1   
have gotten a situation with them1 and  

could soon have had money to relieve his
 own wants and the wants of his family4 
,but he had already stood severe tests1 
and had now arrived at a point where he 
had no inclination whatever to gamble   
and felt no temptation to procure money 
in that way or from that source4 ,he did
 not even look for the proprietors of   
the establishment or let them know he   
was in the village4 ,but while he was   
standing there1 thinking of his         
condition and wondering what he should  
do1 he overheard a man say that a       
dining-room waiter was wanted at the    
,carbonate hotel1 the one at which he   
had spent the night4 ,he went at once to
 the hotel1 made application for the    
place1 and was accepted at a salary of  
twenty-five dollars a month and board4  
,he was filled with thankfulness and    
joy1 and he has declared since1 that    
though1 on one night during his gambling
 life1 he had won three thousand dollars
 in money1 the satisfaction which he    
felt then could not be compared with    

that which he felt now when the         
hotel-proprietor gave him this position 
of dining-room waiter at a salary of    
twenty-five dollars a month4 ,he entered
 at once upon his duties4 ,to his great 
surprise he found several ,louisville   
gentlemen stopping at the hotel1 some of
 whom had known him in other days and   
circumstances1 and whom he had boarded  
with at hotels where he paid five       
dollars a day1 with two to four dollars 
a day1 extra1 for wine and cigars4 ,but1
 notwithstanding that1 he was not       
ashamed of his present position4 ,on the
 contrary1 he was very thankful for it  
and happy in it4 ,he did such faithful  
service there that the proprietor became
 interested in him and showed him much  
kindness4  ,during his stay at ,silver  
,cliff he did not neglect any           
opportunity of doing good to others4    
,one day1 when he was standing in the   
door of the post-office1 a man1 whose   
name he afterward found to be ,james    
,lewis1 came in1 got a letter and sat   

down on the step right under ,mr4       
,holcombe to read it4 ,as he read it1 he
 was much affected and tears were       
running down his hardened face4 ,mr4    
,holcombe became so interested that he  
read the man's letter over his shoulder4
 ,it was from his wife1 who1 with her   
three children1 had left her husband on 
account of his drunkenness4 ,mr4        
,holcombe made up his mind he would see 
if he could do something for the poor   
man to better his condition1 and1 if    
possible1 bring about the reunion of the
 family4 ,he did not like to approach   
him then and there4 ,he watched him till
 he got up and moved away and started   
down through an alley4 ,as he emerged   
from the alley1 at the farther end1 ,mr4
 ,holcombe1 who had gone around another 
way1 met him4 ,little did the man       
suspect that the stranger who accosted  
him knew his trouble and his family     
secrets4 ,mr4 ,holcombe1 with that tact 
which his knowledge of men had given    
him1 spoke to him kindly1 but in a way  

that would not arouse his suspicions4   
,he told him1 after a little while1 his 
own condition in that far-off land away 
from his family and friends4 ,he found  
out from the man where he stayed4 ,he   
went to see him1 found that he slept in 
a stable1 provided him with some things 
he needed1 and then got down on his     
knees there in the stable and prayed for
 him4  ,finally1 when the proper time   
had come1 ,mr4 ,holcombe showed him a   
,murphy pledge and asked him if he would
 not sign it4 ,he told him what he      
himself had been before1 and what he had
 become1 since signing that pledge4 ,the
 man gave ,mr4 ,holcombe his confidence1
 unbosomed himself to him and eagerly   
sought counsel4 ,he signed the pledge   
also and said he would1 by ,god's help1 
give up his sins that had separated him 
from a loving wife1 and would try to    
live a better life4 ,mr4 ,holcombe wrote
 to the man's wife informing her of the 
change in her husband and the effort he 
was making to do right4 ,she came at    

once to ,silver ,cliff and ,mr4         
,holcombe had the pleasure of seeing    
them reunited and ate with them in their
 humble cabin4  ,when he had been some  
time at the ,carbonate hotel1 he found a
 position where he could make more money
 and worked there till he had saved     
enough to buy an outfit for prospecting 
in the mountains4 ,this outfit consisted
 of a little donkey1 several            
agricultural implements for subverting  
terra firma such as spade1 pick1 etc41  
and provisions for two or three weeks4  
,having procured these and packed his   
burro1 as the donkey is called out      
,west1 he and his partner started for   
the mountains4 ,mr4 ,holcombe kept a    
sort of diary of this part of his       
,western trip1 and we give it here1     
including the time from his leaving     
,silver ,cliff to his return to ,denver4
   ,,diary4  ,tuesday1 ,may #bg1        
#ahgi4--;,i entered into partnership    
with a man by the name of ,j4 ,e4 ,white
 from ,wisconsin for prospecting in the 

mountains4 ,he had some blankets at ,oak
 ,creek1 a distance of thirty miles from
 ,silver ,cliff4 ,we walked out there   
one day and returned the next4 ,the road
 was very full of dust and gravel4 ,my  
shoes would get full of it4 ,every      
little mountain stream we came to ,i    
would stop and wash my feet1 which was  
very refreshing4 ,this made me think of 
the blessed ,son of ,god and why1 when  
he was a guest at different places1 they
 brought him water for his feet1        
,those blessed feet     ,which1 eighteen
 hundred years ago1 were nailed     ,for
 our advantage on the bitter cross4     
,wednesday1 ,may #bh4--;,after having   
bought a burro and a two weeks'         
grub-stake1 ,j4 ,e4 ,white and myself   
started for the ,sangre de ,christo     
mountain1 a wild1 high range of the     
,rockies4 ,we paid for our burro        
twenty-one dollars1 and for our grub    
seven dollars4 ,it consisted of flour1  
coffee1 sugar1 bacon1 salt1 pepper1     
potatoes and baking powder4 ,we had a   

coffee-pot1 frying-pan1 tin cups4 ,we   
used our pocket-knives instead of       
table-knives4 ,we had a butcher-knife   
and some teaspoons4 ,with these and some
 other things we packed our burro and   
started4 ,it was a funny sight4 ,it all 
looked like a house on top of the poor  
little animal which was not much larger 
than a good sized ,newfoundland dog4    
,but it was strong1 faithful and        
sure-footed and could go anywhere in the
 mountains that a man could4 ,we        
traveled this first day about ten miles 
and camped in a gulch at night4 ,had a  
hard storm4 ,our only shelter was a hut 
made of boughs of trees1 ,indian        
fashion4  ,thursday1 ,may #bi4--,we     
moved up the gulch as far as we could   
for the snow4 ,did some little          
prospecting of which neither of us knew 
very much1 and1 of course1 we found     
nothing4 ,every once in awhile1 ,white  
would pick up a rock1 look at it wisely 
and say ,this is good float4 ,i think   
there is a paying lode up on this       

mountain somewhere4 ,up the mountain we 
go about #i1jjj feet above the sea      
level4 ,we turned over all the stones   
and dug up the earth every now and then 
and toward night we went to work to make
 our hut which we got about half        
finished4 ,during the night snow fell   
about three inches4 ,we were on the side
 of the mountain4 ,could hardly keep the
 fire from rolling down the side of the 
mountain4 ,could hardly keep our        
victuals from upsetting4 ,this and the  
snow made me weaken considerably1 and ,i
 did say in my heart ,i wished ,i was   
back home4  ,friday1 ,may #cj4--,we     
prospected the second ridge1 south of   
,horn's ,peak1 going up about #cjj feet 
above timber line1 or about #ab1jjj feet
 above the sea-level4 ,there were no    
indications of minerals4 ,about five    
miles off we could see a beautiful lake4
 ,i was very anxious to go to it1 but   
,white objected4 ,said it would be      
dangerous1 might be caught in a         
snow-storm4 ,the sun was shining        

brightly4 ,weather was very pleasant4 ,i
 could not conceive of a snow-storm on  
the #cjth of ,may4 ,so ,i persuaded him 
to go4 ,after we had gone some distance1
 all of a sudden it began to blow up    
cold and in a little while to snow4 ,we 
turned our faces toward camp4 ,just then
 we saw one of those beautiful ,rocky   
mountain spotted grouse4 ,we were so    
hungry for something fresh to eat1 we   
took several shots at it with ,white's  
pistol4 ,but the blinding snow made it  
impossible for us to hit it4 ,we had no 
grouse for supper4  ,it grew cold very  
rapidly and in a very short time it     
seemed to me as cold as ,i ever felt it 
in my life4 ,my moustache froze stiff4  
,at last the storm got so heavy1 and1   
the evening coming on1 we could hardly  
see our way4 ,the side of the mountain  
was full of dead timber1 which was slick
 like glass and1 as everything was      
covered with snow1 we could not always  
see where to put our feet down1 and to  
have slipped would have been almost     

certain death4 ,once ,white did slip and
 but for having the pick and sticking it
 in a soft place1 he would have been    
killed4 ,we got lost and wandered about 
over the mountain side till late in the 
evening when we providentially struck on
 our camp4 ,we were hungry1 tired and   
wet4 ,our bedding was covered with snow4
 ,before going to bed ,i read the first 
chapter of ,romans4  ,saturday1 ,may    
#ca4--;,cloudy morning4 ,four inches of 
snow4 ,no wind4 ,felt very well4 ,we    
moved our camp4 ,stopped at a deserted  
cabin4 ,found a grindstone and ground   
our hatchet4 ,we pitched camp about     
three miles ,south-east4 ,built a hut of
 boughs4 ,we got wet4 ,i had but one    
pair of pants and one pair of socks4 ,my
 feet were soaking wet4 ,at bedtime ,i  
read ,romans1 second chapter4  ,sunday1 
,june #a1 #ahgi4--,snowed ,saturday     
night4 ,when ,i awoke our blankets were 
wet4 ,i had symptoms of rheumatism in   
knees and wrists4 ,i read ,romans1 third
 chapter1 and we had prayer together4   

,white sang ,tell ,me the ,old1 ,old    
,story and ,safe in the ,arms of ,jesus4
 ,it made me think of my family so far  
away1 of my dear pastor1 ,brother----1  
and the dear old ,portland church1 and  
the tears streamed down my face4 ,spent 
the day in camp4  ,monday1 ,june        
#b4--,woke up very cold4 ,our hut of    
pine boughs was not sufficient to keep  
us warm4 ,so much snow on the mountains 
that we prospected the foot-hills and   
found what we thought were indications  
of mineral4 ,at night read ,romans1     
fourth chapter4 ,much encouraged by     
,abraham's faith4 ,so cold ,i had to get
 my hat in the night and put it on my   
head to keep warm4 ,dreamed that ,i was 
at home with my precious wife4 ,tried to
 wake her up1 but she was dead4 ,what   
awful feelings6  ,tuesday1 ,june        
#c4--;,a beautiful bright morning4 ,read
 ,romans v4 ,partner wanted to go deer  
hunting with a pistol4 ,seemed to me so 
foolish ,i would not go4 ,i stayed at   
camp and was very lonesome4  ,wednesday1

 ,june #d4--;,bright1 clear morning4    
,read ,romans vi4 ,had our breakfast1   
bread1 bacon1 coffee and potatoes1      
early1 so as to prospect on third       
mountain south of ,horn's ,peak4        
,started for the mountains4 ,went up    
above timber line4 ,ate lunch up there4 
,too much snow to go any higher4 ,found 
what we thought were indications of     
mineral4 ,saw a gray eagle sailing      
around4 ,it looked very grand away up   
above that lonely mountain4 ,suppose its
 nest was near4 ,in evening returned to 
camp very tired4 ,read ,romans vii41 and
 it did me a great deal of good4        
,thursday1 ,june #e4--;,clear morning4  
,prospected some around the foot-hills4 
,found nothing4 ,began to get disgusted 
with prospecting4 ,struck camp about ten
 or eleven o'clock ,a4 ,m4 ,packed our  
burro and crossed valley about fifteen  
miles4 ,very hot crossing4 ,pack slipped
 out of place several times4 ,very      
troublesome4 ,white got out of humor4   
,was inclined to quarrel1 but ,i would  

not quarrel with him4 ,after getting    
across the valley we had trouble finding
 a place to camp convenient to water1   
but found it at last4 ,while we were    
unpacking a big rabbit jumped up4 ,white
 fired three or four shots at him with  
his revolver4 ,followed him up the side 
of the mountain4 ,at last he killed him4
 ,he came down the mountain swinging old
 ,brer ,rabbit1 and ,i think he was as  
happy looking a man as ,i ever saw4 ,no 
doubt a smile of satisfaction might have
 been seen on your ,uncle ,remus' face1 
too1 when ,i saw that rabbit4 ,that was 
the first thing in shape of fresh meat  
we had had for about ten days4          
,,supper--,,bill ,,of ,,fare4           
,fried ,rabbit1              ,fried     
,bread1              ,potatoes1         
,coffee4  ,after supper we raised a few 
poles and threw our blankets over them  
for shelter4 ,read ,romans viii41 and   
went to sleep1 feeling satisfied that if
 ,i died before morning1 ,i would wake  
up in heaven4  ,friday1 ,june           

#f4--;,bright morning4 ,fine appetite4  
,good breakfast4 ,read ,romans ix4 ,we  
moved from the foot-hills and went up   
into the mountain4 ,white went          
prospecting while ,i built us a hut for 
the night4 ,when he came back he said he
 had found some very good float4 ,very  
cold night4 ,our burro got loose in the 
night and made considerable noise moving
 around4 ,we were sure it was a mountain
 lion1 but1 of course1 we were not      
afraid4 ,i had my hatchet under my head 
and he had his pistols4 ,of course1 we  
were not afraid4  ,saturday1 ,june      
#g4--,very cold morning4 ,prospected4   
,found a lode of black rock4 ,felt sure 
we had struck it rich4 ,dug a whole in  
the ground and staked a claim4 ,read    
,romans x1 at night4 ,slept cold4 ,got  
to thinking4 ,thought it was easier to  
find a needle in a haystack than a      
paying mine in the ,rocky mountains4    
,sunday1 ,june #h4--,morning clear and  
bright4 ,owing to the disagreeable place
 in which we were camped1 we thought our

 health justified us in moving even on  
the ,lord's day4 ,found an old cabin4   
,it was worse than any horse stable1 but
 we cleaned it out4 ,made a bed of      
poles1 which we cut and carried some    
distance4 ,this was on the ,pueblo and  
,rosita road4  ,monday1 ,june           
#i4--;,bright1 cold morning4 ,ice on the
 spring branch4 ,after breakfast we     
started prospecting4 ,found nothing1    
except another old deserted cabin of the
 ,arkansaw ,traveler's style4 ,returned 
to camp in the evening4 ,read ,romans   
xii4 and xiii4 and slept like a prince4 
,tuesday1 ,june #aj--;,another bright1  
clear1 cold morning4 ,we prospected     
some4 ,staked off a claim1 more in fun  
than anything else1 for we knew it was  
worth nothing4 ,the locality is called  
,hardscrabble4 ,and it was the right    
name4 ,our provisions had about given   
out1 and it was a hard scrabble for us  
to get along4 ,concluded to return to   
,silver ,cliff1 go to work1 get another 
grub stake1 and take another fresh      

start4 ,in the afternoon we rested4     
,read ,romans xiv41 xv4 and xvi4        
,wednesday1 ,june #aa4--;,another       
beautiful ,colorado morning4 ,read #a   
,cor41 i4 ,started for ,silver ,cliff   
about #g3jj ,a4 ,m4 ,i carried ,white's 
pistol4 ,on the way ,i killed two doves4
 ,had them for dinner about #c3jj ,p4   
,m4 ,how sweet they did taste6 ,arrived 
at ,silver ,cliff about dark4           
,thursday1 ,june #ab4--;,concluded the  
best thing ,i could do was to get home  
as soon as possible4 ,we sold our burro 
for #ae4jj1 and with my part 7#g4ej7 ,i 
started with a friend by the name of    
,hall for home4 ,we got a cheap ride in 
a freight wagon from ,silver ,cliff to  
,pueblo4 ,the country through which we  
passed is the wildest and grandest ,i   
ever saw anywhere in my life4           
,hardscrabble canon is one of the most  
picturesque in the world1 and then the  
beautiful mountain stream all the way1  
winding like a serpent down the valley4 
,we crossed and re-crossed it several   

times4 ,that night we slept in the      
wagon4 ,i never neglected praying any   
day while ,i was on the prospecting     
tour4  ,friday1 ,june #ac4--;,arrived at
 ,pueblo about #b3jj ,p4 ,m4 ,had a     
little money4 ,got a bite to eat4 ,at   
that time there was a railroad war4 ,men
 were killing each other for three      
dollars a day for corporations4 ,the    
excitement about this1 and the moving   
bodies of men all anxious for news1 kept
 me from thinking of my condition till  
night4 ,at night ,i went out to the     
commons1 on the edge of the city1 and1  
with other tramps1 went to sleep on the 
cold ground4  ,saturday1 ,june          
#ad4--;,had a little money4 ,some others
 of the tramps had a little4 ,we pooled 
it1 bought a little grub1 and at #ab3jj 
o'clock started on a tramp to ,denver1 a
 distance of about one hundred and      
twenty-five miles4 ,i felt fresh and    
strong4 ,we walked about six miles and  
slept on the ground at night4  ,sunday1 
,june #ae4--;,got up early4 ,had a      

little breakfast4 ,started about #f3jj  
,a4 ,m4 ,walked about three miles when1 
two of our party having such sore feet1 
we stopped4 ,i had a voracious appetite4
 ,went to cooking4 ,we had some canned  
tomatoes and canned syrup4 ,i cooked    
some tomatoes and ate them4 ,then ,i    
went to a ranch1 bought a nickel's worth
 of milk1 fried some cakes1 ate them    
with the syrup1 drank the milk and      
was--sick4 ,did not feel strong again   
all the time4 ,i had had no experience  
in tramping and tried to carry too much 
luggage4 ,my feet got sore4 ,every day's
 tramp after that was a drag4 ,one of   
the party left us and went on ahead by  
himself4 ,we never saw him again4       
,another was so broken down we had to   
leave him4 ,hall and ,i went on sick and
 tired4 ,about dark we went up to the   
house of a ranchman1 and ,i told him my 
story4 ,he took us in4 ,i found out he  
was a professing ,christian4 ,i read    
,romans vii41 and prayed with the       
family4 ,his name is ,john ,irvine1 ,el 

,paso1 ,colorado4  ,monday1 ,june       
#af4--,left ,john ,irvine's soon after  
breakfast4 ,walked five miles to a      
water-tank where the train had to stop  
for water4 ,we waited till the train    
came along1 and boarded her4 ,the       
conductor did not see us till we had    
passed ,colorado ,springs some distance4
 ,when he did see us1 ,i made the appeal
 of my life on account of myself and my 
friend1 whose feet were so sore he      
could1 with difficulty1 hobble along4 ,i
 told the conductor my own condition1   
and of my anxiety to get home to a      
suffering family4 ,when ,i saw he would 
not believe what ,i said1 ,i offered him
 my pocket-knife1 a very fine and costly
 one1 to let us ride a short distance   
further1 but he was like a stone4 ,at   
the next stop he put us off without a   
cent of money or a bite to eat4 ,we     
walked about six miles1 lay down on the 
ground1 with the sky for a covering1 and
 slept like logs4  ,tuesday1 ,june      
#ag4--,we started about daybreak1       

without anything to eat4 ,walked about  
eight miles to a little place called    
,sedalia4 ,saw a ,german boarding house4
 ,sent ,hall in to see if we could get  
anything to eat4 ,had no money1 but told
 him to tell her ,i would give her a    
butcher-knife and a silver teaspoon1    
which ,i had brought from home1 for     
something to eat4  ,she said to him so  
,i could hear her3 ,breakfast is over1  
but ,i will give you what ,i have4 ,that
 was enough for me4 ,in ,i went4 ,sat   
down to a real ,german lunch1 and never 
did a breakfast taste sweeter to me than
 that4 ,god bless that good old ,german 
woman1 not only for her good breakfast1 
but for her kind1 motherly words to two 
strangers in want4 ,it taught me a      
lesson which ,i have not forgotten yet1 
and ,i pray ,god ,i never may4  ,i left 
,sedalia feeling comfortable4 ,walked   
about four miles4 ,hall was about done4 
,he could go no further4 ,while we were 
sitting there1 a ,christian man by the  
name of ,jennings came along1 took pity 

on us1 took us in his wagon1 gave us    
something to eat and brought us to      
,denver4 ,we arrived there about #f3jj  
,p4 ,m41 without one cent1 nothing to   
eat1 no place to go4 ,slept that night  
in a stable-yard under ,jennings' wagon4
  ,wednesday1 ,june #ah4--;,got up next 
morning about daybreak4 ,had a little   
cold breakfast with ,jennings4 ,knocked 
about town a little4 ,had a baker's     
blackberry pie and a cup of water for   
dinner4  ,here the diary of the         
prospecting tour and the tramp to       
,denver ends4  ,mr4 ,holcombe continued 
the next day to knock about town1 not   
knowing what to do1 when his old friend1
 ,frank ,jones1 by nature one of the    
kindest-hearted men in the world1       
chanced to meet him and insisted on     
sharing his room with him4 ,as his      
friend ,jones1 however1 was himself     
broke1 he could render ,mr4 ,holcombe no
 further assistance and it was necessary
 for ,mr4 ,holcombe to look about for   
something to do4 ,he spent a week in    

this occupation1 or want of occupation1 
and at the end of that time found       
employment in a brickyard4 ,but the work
 was so hard1 at the end of three weeks1
 he had to give it up4 ,after some time 
what little money he had was expended   
and again he was destitute4 ,and at one 
time he was so pressed that he went into
 a grocery store and offered his fine   
pocket-knife again for something to eat1
 but it was refused4 ,several times he  
passed the ,young ,men's ,christian     
,association rooms4 ,each time he       
stopped1 looked wistfully in and debated
 with himself whether they would        
probably believe him and help him if he 
ventured to go in and make his condition
 known4 ,but he had never been used to  
asking favors1 and he did not know how  
to approach ,christian people1 and so   
his heart failed him4  ,at that time and
 in that condition he was assailed by a 
sore temptation4 ,the devil1 he says1   
suggested these thoughts to him3 ,this  
is a fine condition for ,steve ,holcombe

 to be in4 ,before you heard of ,god and
 this religion1 you could stop at       
first-class hotels1 wear fine clothes1  
live like a gentleman1 have a good home 
and all that money could buy for your   
family4 ,now1 you say you are serving   
,god4 ,you say ,he is your father and   
that ,he owns everything in the world4  
,yet here you are without food and      
clothing and your family is at home in  
want4 ,you have not enough to buy a meal
 for them or for yourself4 ,can you     
afford to trust and serve such a master 
as that8  ,but he had not been serving  
,god two years and more for naught4 ,he 
had learned some things in that time4   
,one of them was that trials and        
privations are a part of the            
,christian's heritage1 and that if any  
man will live godly in this present     
world1 he must expect to suffer4 ,so his
 reply was ready and he met the         
temptation with decision4 ,yea1 and     
though ,he slay me1 yet will ,i trust in
 ,him4 ,and the sequel will show whether

 he made a mistake in trusting ,him4    
,when he saw it was useless for him to  
remain longer away from home1 he        
informed his friend1 ,mr4 ,jones1 of his
 purpose to leave at once for           
,louisville4 ,mr4 ,jones got him money  
enough to buy a ticket to ,kansas ,city1
 and there the great temperance         
lecturer1 ,francis ,murphy1 having found
 out his character and condition1 gave  
him enough to get home4  ,whether ,god  
can or not1 at any rate ,he does not    
pour wisdom into a man as we pour water 
into a bottle4 ,he does not so favor    
even ,his own children1 if favor it     
could be called4 ,but ,he gives a man   
opportunities of self-discipline1 and   
if1 aided by ,his divine help and grace1
 the man is willing to go through the   
process1 he comes out with larger       
knowledge and better equipment for life 
and service and usefulness4  ,without   
the experiences and lessons of this     
,colorado trip1 ,mr4 ,holcombe could not
 have been the efficient man he is      

to-day4 ,that season of loneliness and  
self-searching and severe testing and   
humiliation was to him1 though a        
painful1 yet a helpful1 and perhaps     
necessary1 stage in his ,christian life4
  ,indeed1 all the trying experiences   
that had come to him since his          
conversion were helpful to him in one   
way or another4 ,he needed to learn     
patience1 he needed to learn economy1 he
 needed to learn self-control4 ,the     
disposition to practice all these was   
given him at the time of his conversion1
 he needed now to be put to the test and
 to learn obedience1 practically1 by the
 things which he suffered4 ,moreover1 if
 he was to serve efficiently the poor   
and the tempted1 he needed to become    
acquainted with their condition1 their  
sorrows1 their conflicts1 by passing    
through them himself4  ,the endurance of
 the evils which give occasion for the  
exercise of self-denial and for the     
acquisition of self-control is a far    
less evil than the want of self-denial  

and of self-control4 ,so ,mr4 ,holcombe 
was willing to suffer all these things  
rather than to decline them and be      
without the blessing which comes through
 them4 ,this reflection justified his   
past sufferings and prepared him for any
 that might come in the future4 ,he knew
 what he had been and he had learned    
that he was to be purified by fire4 ,so 
he felt that if ,god would be patient   
with him1 he would be patient with      
,god's dealings4 ,when he arrived at    
home he found his family in a very needy
 condition4 ,shortly after his departure
 for ,colorado1 his wife had to remove  
from the house she was occupying1       
because she could not pay the rent4 ,she
 had never taken care of herself before 
or done any sort of work1 for he always 
provided well for his family2 but now   
she saw it was necessary for her to     
support the family4 ,accordingly1 she   
took in sewing1 and in that way did     
support them till ,mr4 ,holcombe's      
return4 ,for six weeks after his return 

he could find nothing to do1 and ,mrs4  
,holcombe1 brave1 noble woman1 continued
 to support the family with her needle4 
,the time of her full deliverance was   
coming1 but it was not yet4 ,nor did she
 know when it would come1 or that it    
would ever come4 ,but all the same she  
waited1 and while she waited1 she       
served1 and with a glad heart1 too1 for 
had not her husband turned his face     
heavenward8 ,and poverty seemed now a   
small thing4  ,some time after ,mr4     
,holcombe's return1 his friend1 ,major  
,ed ,hughes1 was elected ,chief of the  
,fire ,department in ,louisville1 and he
 made application to him at once for a  
position4 ,major ,hughes gave it to him 
unhesitatingly2 but1 as ,mr4 ,holcombe  
was entirely without experience1 it had 
to be a subordinate one1 in which the   
salary was not large1 being only a      
dollar and a half per day4 ,it was      
impossible for him to support his family
 on so little1 and though ,mrs4         
,holcombe undertook to help him out by  

keeping boarders and doing all the work 
herself1 they got behind all the time he
 was in the fire department4 ,finding   
that keeping boarders after ,mrs4       
,holcombe's liberal fashion was entirely
 unprofitable1 she gave that up and     
commenced taking in sewing again4 ,she  
even learned to make coats for clothing 
stores in ,louisville1 and continued    
that for some time4  ,illustration3     
,,engine ,,house4  ,meanwhile1 he was   
having a hard time in his subordinate   
position in the fire department4 ,in the
 first place he was required to be at   
the engine-house night and day and      
,sundays1 with the bare exception of a  
half hour or such a matter at meal time4
 ,for a man of his nature and habits    
this confinement was almost intolerable1
 and would have been quite so1 if he had
 not been radically changed4 ,in the    
second place he was subject to the      
orders of his superiors1 though he had  
never been obliged to obey anybody1 and 
as a matter of fact never had obeyed    

anybody since he was a mere infant4 ,in 
the third place1 notwithstanding his    
experience1 his knowledge of the world  
and his capacity for higher work1 he was
 required to do work which a            
well-trained idiot might have done just 
as well4 ,one of his duties was to rub  
the engine and keep it polished4 ,in    
order to clean some parts of it1 he     
would have to lie down on the floor     
under it flat on his back2 and in order 
to clean other more delicate parts of   
the machinery1 he had to work in such   
places that he was always bruising and  
skinning his hands4  ,if repeated       
failure in business in ,louisville was  
hard1 if starving in ,colorado was      
harder1 the confinement and drudgery of 
his position at the engine-house were   
hardest4 ,it would require some effort  
to think of a position more thoroughly  
disagreeable and trying than this one   
which ,mr4 ,holcombe filled to the      
satisfaction of his superiors for two   
mortal years4 ,but he was learning some 

things he needed to know4 ,he was       
passing through a necessary             
apprenticeship1 though he did not know  
it1 for something vastly higher4 ,it    
perhaps should be added that ,mr4       
,holcombe was practically isolated and  
alone at the engine-house1 for none of  
the men there employed were congenial   
companions4 ,however1 to their credit1  
be it said1 they showed great respect   
for him and for his ,christian          
profession2 they quit gambling1 they    
refrained from using obscene or profane 
language in his presence1 and1 in       
general1 were very kind to him4         
,nothing could lessen ,mr4 ,holcombe's  
sympathy for the outcast and the lost1  
and nothing destroy his zeal for their  
salvation4 ,though he was not allowed to
 leave his post even on ,sunday1 without
 hiring1 at his own expense1 a          
substitute1 yet he frequently went to   
,shippingsport and other places to hold 
services among the poor with the hope1  
as he says1 of helping and blessing     

them4 ,he incurred the expense of a     
substitute that he might1 once in       
awhile1 go out bearing light and        
blessing to others1 and he even took to 
his own home men who were trying to     
reform and live better lives4 ,in view  
of the condition of his family1 this was
 doubtless more than he ought to have   
done1 and in after years he saw it was a
 mistake1 but such was his insatiable   
longing to help and bless others1 he let
 his zeal1 perhaps1 go beyond his       
prudence in that single particular4     
,most of us err very far on the other   
side4 ,he did not hesitate to take to   
his home in some instances men who had  
gone in their dissipation to the extent 
of delirium tremens4 ,one such case was 
that of a fine young fellow who belonged
 to an excellent family in ,louisville1 
but who through drink had gone down1    
down1 down1 until he had struck bottom4 
,during his drinking sprees he was the  
most forlorn and wretched looking man in
 ,louisville4 ,he was at this time1 by  

,mr4 ,holcombe's invitation1 staying at 
his house4 ,he ate there1 he slept      
there2 it was his home4 ,but on one     
occasion1 some time after midnight1 he  
was attacked with a frightful spell of  
delirium tremens1 or1 as he said1 the   
devils got after him4 ,they told him1 he
 said1 that if he did not kill ,mr4 and 
,mrs4 ,holcombe and their baby1 they    
would kill him4 ,he heard them4 ,they   
told him to go and get his razor1 and he
 did it4 ,then they advanced on him and 
he backed from them1 his razor in hand4 
,as they advanced he retreated4 ,he     
opened ,mr4 ,holcombe's door 7for he had
 hired a substitute and remained at home
 on the night in question in order to   
help his man through his spell74 ,he    
backed to the bed in which ,mr4 and     
,mrs4 ,holcombe were sleeping4 ,he      
struck the bed as he retreated from the 
devils1 and ,mrs4 ,holcombe awoke to    
find a demonized man standing over them 
with a drawn razor4 ,she woke her       
husband4 ,he jumped out of bed1 caught  

the man's arm and took the razor from   
him4 ,after that ,mr4 ,holcombe sat up  
with him the remainder of the night1 and
 during most of the time the man was    
talking to imaginary devils4 ,about     
daylight he snatched up a brickbat out  
of the hearth and rushed toward the door
 saying there were three big men out    
there who had come to kill him4 ,mr4    
,holcombe kept him with himself all next
 day4 ,the next night while they were   
walking together in the open air1 the   
man imagined that a woman whom he knew  
to be dead was choking him to death1 and
 he was on the point of dying with      
suffocation when ,mr4 ,holcombe called a
 physician to his aid4  ,such was the   
kind of men ,mr4 ,holcombe1 even in     
those days of poverty and               
discouragement1 was trying to help and  
rescue1 and such were his efforts and   
trials and perils in rescuing them4     
,when ,mr4 ,holcombe's pastor saw the   
grace of ,god that abounded in him1 it  
was plain to him that he might1 in      

future1 when a suitable opening should  
come1 make a very useful helper in the  
work of the church4 ,in order1          
therefore1 that ,mr4 ,holcombe might be 
prepared for an enlarged sphere1 if it  
should ever come1 the pastor proposed to
 teach him in certain lines and did so1 
visiting him regularly at the engine    
house for that purpose4 ,mr4 ,holcombe  
studied very industriously1 but it was  
with extreme difficulty that he could   
apply himself to books at that time4    
,later1 however1 he overcame to a great 
extent this difficulty and has gotten   
now to be quite a student4 ,he has      
attended also1 for two years1 with great
 profit1 the lectures of ,dr4 ,broadus  
in the ,baptist ,seminary in            
,louisville4  ,as has been said         
elsewhere1 ,mr4 ,holcombe remained in   
the fire department for two years1      
enduring the confinement1 performing the
 drudgery and trying1 as best he could1 
to help and bless others4 ,four years   
and more had now elapsed since his      

conversion4 ,it was a long stretch and  
at times a heavy strain4 ,but he endured
 it1 and grew strong4     ,,chapter     
,,iv4   ,the time had now come for such 
an extraordinary career and such an     
extraordinary man to be recognized1 and 
he was4 ,he had made an impression and  
his work1 humble as it was1 had made an 
impression4 ,moreover1 ,mr4 ,holcombe   
himself was now growing impatient to get
 into a position more favorable to his  
usefulness4 ,it was not the selfish     
impatience that could not longer endure 
the humiliation and manifold            
disagreeablenesses of his position at   
the engine house4 ,he had overcome all  
that4 ,it was the noble impatience of   
love and zeal4 ,oh1 how he did long to  
get into a place where he could help    
somebody and serve somebody and love    
somebody4  ,he had been very kindly     
treated by his old friends1 the         
gamblers1 during all this time2 and     
though he was loath to allow it and at  
first declined it1 yet fearing lest his 

refusal might alienate them1 he had1    
more than once1 accepted substantial    
help from one or two particular friends 
among them4 ,encouraged by assurances   
from some of these and by the promise of
 all the help his pastor could possibly 
give him1 financially and otherwise1 he 
had made up his mind to rent a room in  
the central part of the city and to open
 a meeting for the outcast classes4 ,but
 on the very day when he was engaged in 
making these arrangements1 his          
remarkable conversion and character and 
career were the subject of discussion at
 the ,methodist ,ministers' meeting4    
,the result was that before the week had
 passed1 the ,rev4 ,jas4 ,c4 ,morris1   
pastor of the ,walnut-street ,methodist 
church1 visited him at the engine-house 
and informed him that the ,official     
,board of his church had authorized him 
to take measures for the establishment  
of a mission in the central part of the 
city and to employ ,mr4 ,holcombe to    
take charge of it at an assured salary  

sufficient to meet the wants of his     
family4 ,he at once accepted it as a    
call from ,god and gave up his position 
in the fire department1 with no great   
degree of reluctance4  ,a vacant store  
in the ,tyler ,block1 on ,jefferson     
street between ,third and ,fourth1 was  
offered free of rent4 ,regular noon-day 
meetings were held there in charge of   
,rev4 ,mr4 ,morris and ,mr4 ,holcombe4  
,it was a phenomenon4 ,within two blocks
 of the two faro banks which ,steve     
,holcombe used to own and run1 he was   
now every day at high noon declaring the
 ,gospel of the grace of ,god4 ,the     
people came to see and hear4 ,they found
 it was no mushroom fanatic1 but a man  
who for forty years was a leader in     
wickedness and for four years had been  
almost a pattern of righteousness4 ,he  
spoke no hot words of excitement1 but   
narrated facts with truth and soberness4
 ,many of his old time friends1 the     
gamblers1 their timidity overcome by    
their curiosity1 joined the crowd and   

heard the man4 ,poor drunkards1 too far 
gone for timidity or curiosity1 dragged 
themselves to the place where the famous
 gambler was telling about his          
conversion and his new life4 ,and the   
power of ,god was present to heal1 and  
great grace was upon them all4 ,among   
those who were saved at that time and   
place were ,mr4 ,ben ,harney1 son of the
 distinguished editor of the old        
,louisville ,democrat1 who lives again  
in happiness and prosperity with his    
beloved family1 and ,mr4 ,d4 ,c4        
,chaudoin1 at one time a ,main-street   
merchant1 who remained faithful until   
death4  ,when the supporters of the     
movement saw that it promised so much1  
they took steps at once to make larger  
provision for it and to secure its      
permanence4 ,they sought a suitable     
house in a convenient place1 and finally
 decided to take the room at ,no4 #dcf  
,jefferson street1 between ,fourth and  
,fifth streets1 which had formerly been 
used as a gambling-house4 ,mr4 ,holcombe

 took possession of it1 and found some  
of the gambling implements still there4 
,a ,board of ,managers was elected1     
consisting of ,john ,l4 ,wheat1 ,james  
,g4 ,carter1 ,p4 ,h4 ,tapp1 ,c4 ,p4     
,atmore and ,george ,w4 ,wicks4 ,some   
friends from the ,walnut-street church  
and others volunteered as singers2 the  
room was supplied with hymn-books1 an   
organ was secured1 and the meetings     
commenced under the most promising      
circumstances4 ,at first1 meetings were 
held three nights in the week1 and the  
attendance was large4 ,soon after1      
meetings were held every night and on   
,sundays4 ,people of all classes came4  
,the services consisted of singing1     
prayers1 reading of ,scripture1 a short1
 earnest address from ,mr4 ,holcombe1   
and sometimes testimonies from the men  
who had been helped and saved--among    
whom were drunkards1 gamblers1          
pick-pockets1 thieves1 burglars1 tramps1
 men who had fallen from high positions 
in business and social circles1 and in  

short1 men of all classes and kinds4    
,many of these gave unquestionable      
proofs of conversion1 of whom the       
greater part remain unto this present1  
but some are fallen asleep1 faithful    
unto death4 ,among those who were       
converted during that period were       
,robert ,denny1 ,fred ,ropke1 ,captain  
,b4 ,f4 ,davidson and ,charles ,wilson1 
whose testimonies will be found         
elsewhere in this book--besides others1 
some of whom are residents of           
,louisville and some of other places4   
,by request1 the ,rev4 ,james ,c4       
,morris1 ,d4 ,d41 now of ,kansas ,city1 
,mo41 has written a brief account of    
,mr4 ,holcombe's work from the beginning
 to the point which we have now reached 
in this narrative4 ,and1 as no part of  
it can well be omitted or changed for   
the better1 it is here introduced       
entire1 with a part of the genial letter
 which accompanied it3      ,,kansas    
,,city1 ,,mo41 ,august #ad1 #ahhh4      
,my ,dear ,brother3      ,i inclose the 

notes for which you ask4 ,you see they  
are in a     crude state4 ,but do not   
judge from that that ,i have no interest
     in the work you have in hand4 ,my  
,father in heaven knows ,i keep     it  
very near my heart4 ,i felt it would be 
sufficient for me to     furnish you the
 matter in a crude state1 and let you   
work it     into your plan rather than  
give it any literary shape myself4      
,besides1 ,i am pressed1 pressed to my  
utmost1 and ,i therefore     send you   
this imperfect sketch with an apology4  
,i am glad you     are doing the work4  
,it will surely do good4 ,brother       
,holcombe's     work ought to be known4 
,i wish in my heart of hearts that every
     city and town had such a man in it 
to work for ,god and souls4     ,praying
 ,god to bless you and your work1 ,i am1
      ,yours affectionately1            
,,james ,c4 ,,morris4  ,in the year     
#ahha1 while ,i was pastor of the       
,walnut-street ,methodist church1 in    
,louisville1 ,ky41 ,i heard of ,steve   

,holcombe1 the converted gambler2 of his
 remarkable career2 of his remarkable   
conversion1 and of his unusual devotion 
and zeal in the cause of religion4 ,i   
heard also of his efforts in the line of
 ,christian work and of his desire for  
better opportunities4 ,i mentioned his  
case to the ,official ,board of the     
,walnut-street church1 and suggested    
that he might be usefully employed by   
our churches in the city in doing       
missionary work4 ,the matter was kindly 
received1 but the suggestion took no    
practical shape4 ,as ,i walked home from
 the meeting one of the stewards said to
 me3 ',why could not we1 of the         
,walnut-street church1 employ ,brother  
,holcombe ourselves8' ,this question put
 me upon a course of thought about the  
work we might be able to do1 and at the 
next meeting of the ,board ,i made the  
suggestion that we organize some work of
 the kind and employ ,brother ,holcombe 
to take charge of it4 ,they unanimously 
accepted the suggestion and directed me 

to investigate the case4 ,if anything   
could be done1 they were ready to enter 
upon the work and support it4 ,i lost no
 time in seeing ,brother ,holcombe4 ,he 
was then employed at the engine-house1  
on ,portland avenue4 ,i found him       
rubbing the engine4 ,it took but a      
moment to introduce myself1 and in a    
short time we were up-stairs1 alone1    
talking about religion and work for     
,christ4 ,he told me how his heart was  
drawn out in solicitude for the classes 
who never attended church--the gamblers1
 drunkards and the like4 ,it was easy to
 see that the movement contemplated was 
of ,god4 ,we talked and rejoiced        
together2 we knelt down and prayed      
together for ,god's guidance in all our 
plans and undertakings4 ,i then told him
 how ,i came to call on him1 and laid   
before him our plan4 ,his eyes filled   
with tears--tears of joy--at the thought
 of having an opportunity to do the work
 that was on his heart4  ,at once ,i    
reported to the ,board1 and recommended 

that ,brother ,holcombe be at once      
employed and the work set on foot       
without delay4 ,god breathed on them the
 same spirit that he had breathed on us 
together at the engine-house4 ,with     
unanimity and enthusiasm they entered   
into the plan and pledged their support4
 ,they fixed his salary at nine hundred 
dollars a year and authorized me to do  
all that was necessary to carry the plan
 into effect4  ,early the next morning  
,brother ,holcombe gave up his place at 
the engine-house1 and we went out to    
look for a house in which to domicile   
our work4 ,i can never forget that day4 
,what joy there was in that heart that  
had waited so long and prayed so        
fervently for an open door of           
opportunity4 ,now the door was opened   
wide1 and a song was put in his heart   
and in his mouth4 ,we walked miles to   
find a suitable place1 while we talked  
much by the way as our hearts burned    
within us4  ,at length we found a vacant
 storeroom on ,jefferson street1 between

 ,third and ,fourth1 and as we looked in
 the window1 we said3 ',this would make 
a grand place to begin in4' ,we went to 
see ,mr4 ,isaac ,tyler1 the owner1 and  
he gave us a favorable answer and the   
key4 ,the next day we began a meeting   
which continued through three months4   
,and who can write the history of that  
work8 ,only the ,all-seeing ,god2 and   
,he has the record of it in ,his book4  
,we had a noon-day service every day1   
except ,sunday1 and a ,saturday evening 
service every week4  ,the services were 
advertised and men stationed at the door
 invited the passer-by to come in4 ,at  
the meetings all classes of men were    
represented4 ,there were strong1 wise1  
honorable business-men and there were   
tramps and drunkards with all the       
classes that lie between these two4 ,no 
man was slighted4 ,many a man was       
brought in who was too drunk to sit     
alone in his seat4 ,many were there who 
had not slept in a bed for months4      
,there were gamblers and drunkards and  

outcast men from every quarter of the   
city4 ,the gathering looked more like   
that in the police courts of a great    
city on ,monday morning than like a     
religious meeting4 ,the workers did     
literally go out into the highways and  
into the lowways and compel them to come
 in4 ,and marvelous things took place   
there4  ,steve ,holcombe was known all  
over the city1 and such a work done by  
such a man who had lately been a noted  
gambler in the community drew men who1  
for years1 had had no thought of        
attending church4 ,the old companions of
 his worldly life came1 the worst       
elements of the city came1 good men from
 all the churches came4 ,brother        
,holcombe was in his element4 ,his soul 
was as free to the work as that of an   
,apostle4 ,daily he trod the streets    
inviting people to come1 and daily1 as  
they came1 he spoke words of deep       
feeling to them1 urging them to be      
saved4 ,no man ever had a more          
respectful hearing than he had4 ,no man 

ever devoted himself more fully in the  
spirit of the ,master to doing men good 
than did he4 ,his devotion to the poor  
outcast who showed any willingness to   
listen or any wish to be saved was as   
marvelous as his own conversion4 ,i     
never saw such in any other worker for  
,christ4  ,in the progress of the work  
we often spoke of keeping a record of   
those who professed conversion there4 ,i
 am sorry it was not done4 ,hardly a day
 passed without some case of exceptional
 interest4 ,men were saved who had been 
for years in the very lowest stages of  
dissipation and vagrancy4 ,not a few of 
those who were thus saved were men who  
had belonged to the very best social1   
and business circles of the city4 ,many 
of them are bright and blessed lights in
 ,christian circles to-day4 ,many homes 
were built up out of wrecks where only  
ashes and tears remained4 ,many         
scattered families were brought together
 after long separation4 ,god only knows 
the results of that three months' work4 

,i remember some conversions that were  
as marvelous as that of ,saul of        
,tarsus4 ,i could tell of some of them  
but perhaps this is not the place4      
,this meeting in the ,tyler block was a 
feature of a meeting which was in       
progress at the ,walnut-street church   
and to this it was tributary4 ,in the   
evening those who had been reached by   
the services at the mission were invited
 to the church4 ,they were largely of a 
class not often seen in the church but  
they came1 and when they came the church
 welcomed them4  ,then there was        
rejoicing in the presence of the angels1
 for many sinners were repenting and    
returning4 ,i saw the ,gospel net       
dragged to the shore enclosing fish that
 no one would have been willing to take 
out of the net except ,steve ,holcombe4 
,but it is far different with them      
to-day4 ,changed by the power of ,god1  
these repulsive creatures are honored   
members of the various churches1 heads  
of happy families and respected and     

useful citizens of the community4  ,at  
the end of three months the meetings in 
the storeroom were discontinued4 ,mr4   
,holcombe had won thousands of friends1 
hundreds had been put in the way of a   
new life and the whole city was in      
sympathy with the work4  ,we were now to
 select and secure a suitable place for 
the permanent home of the mission4      
,another search brought us to the room  
on the south side of ,jefferson between 
,fourth and ,fifth streets1 ,no4 #dcf4  
,it had been occupied as a gambling     
room1 and the gambling apparatus was    
still there when we took possession of  
it4 ,in a few days the house was fitted 
up and the ',gospel-,mission' was       
opened4  ,the work was now thoroughly   
organized4 ,there was1 in addition to   
the regular services1 a ,sunday-school  
for the children whose parents never    
went to church4 ,colonel ,c4 ,p4 ,atmore
 was superintendent4 ,the ',industrial  
,school' also was organized1 where      
,christian women taught the girls to    

sew1 furnishing them the materials and  
giving them the finished garments4 ,it  
is especially worthy of remark that the 
old associates of ,mr4 ,holcombe1 the   
gamblers1 contributed more than #ejj    
toward the expenses of this work4  ,this
 house became an open home for any      
weary1 foot-sore wanderer who was       
willing to come in1 and through the     
years many were the hearts made happy in
 a new life4  ,the year following the   
organization of the work1 ,rev4 ,sam ,p4
 ,jones conducted a meeting at the      
,walnut-street church1 and his heart was
 strangely drawn to that mission4 ,he   
himself conducted many services there   
and he was more impressed with the      
character of the work and of the man who
 was in charge of it than with any      
,christian work he had ever seen4       
,during this meeting of ,mr4 ,jones a   
programme of street-preaching was       
carried out by ,mr4 ,holcombe and his   
fellow-workers4 ,mr4 ,holcombe himself  
preached several times on the courthouse

 steps1 and1 even in the midst of the   
tumult1 souls were converted to ,god4   
,this is the end of ,dr4 ,morris'       
account of the beginnings of ,mr4       
,holcombe's work1 though the reader will
 probably wish it were longer1 and even 
more circumstantial4  ,mr4 ,holcombe's  
family lived in the same building1 over 
the mission room1 and whenever men in   
need or distress applied1 he gave them  
board and lodging4 ,mrs4 ,holcombe says 
that for three months they had never    
less than twenty men eating two meals a 
day4 ,of course1 among so many there    
were1 doubtless1 some imposters1 but it 
took a pretty keen man to play imposter 
without being spotted by the keen man   
who was in charge of the enterprise4    
,mr4 ,holcombe had mixed with men long  
enough to know them4 ,he had spent most 
of his life among bad men4 ,he had      
studied their ways and he knew their    
tricks4 ,and it is not necessary to say 
to the reader who has perused the       
foregoing pages1 that ,mr4 ,holcombe was

 not afraid of any man4 ,his former     
experience in sin and his former        
association with sinners of every sort  
led him to see that it was necessary for
 him rigidly to protect the work he was 
now engaged in and he determined to do  
so4 ,men would come into the meetings1  
sometimes1 in a state of intoxication2  
sometimes lewd fellows of the baser sort
 would come in for the purpose of       
interrupting the service and still      
others for other purposes2 but when ,mr4
 ,holcombe had put a few of them out1   
they saw that this man in getting       
religion had lost neither common sense  
nor courage1 and that ,steve ,holcombe1 
the converted gambler1 was not a man to 
be fooled with any more than ,steve     
,holcombe1 the unconverted gambler2 so  
that all such interruptions soon ceased4
 ,but nobody should get the impression  
that ,mr4 ,holcombe was harsh or        
unsympathetic4 ,on the contrary1 he is  
one of the most tenderhearted of men1   
and few men living would go farther1 do 

more or make greater sacrifices to save 
a drunkard or a gambler or an outcast of
 any sort1 than ,steve ,holcombe4 ,for  
days he has gone without meat for       
himself and his family that he might    
have something to help a poor drunkard  
who was trying to reform4 ,indeed1 his  
pitying love for wretched men and women 
of every class and degree1 manifested in
 his efforts to look them up and to do  
them good in any possible way1 is the   
chief secret of his wonderful success in
 dealing with hardened and apparently   
inaccessible cases4 ,the following      
account of his last and perhaps most    
desperate case is taken from one of the 
,louisville daily papers and will       
illustrate what has been said3          
,illustration3 ,,james ,,williams ,,as  
,,he ,,was4       ,,drunk               
,,twenty-,,three ,,years4               
,,remarkable ,,story ,,of ,,whisky      
,,jim',s ,,wasted ,,life ,,and ,,final  
,,conversion4 ,,how ,,the ,,work ,,was  
,,effected4  ,the work that ,steve      

,holcombe is doing is well known1 in a  
general way1 but the public understand  
but little of the wonderful good that   
man is doing4 ,the reformations he has  
brought about may be numbered by the    
hundred1 and the drunkards he has       
reclaimed would make a regiment4  ,but  
of all the wonderful and truly startling
 examples of what ,mr4 ,holcombe is     
doing1 the case of ,james ,williams is  
the climax4 ,williams has been known for
 years as ,whisky ,jim and ,old ,hoss1  
and there is not a more familiar        
character in the city4 ,until the last  
two or three weeks no man in ,louisville
 ever remembers to have seen ,jim free  
from the influence of liquor4 ,he was   
always drunk1 and was looked upon as an 
absolutely hopeless case1 that would be 
able to stand the terrible life he was  
leading but a year or two longer4  ,the 
story of his life and reformation as    
related to a ,times reporter is very    
interesting4 ,he had asked ,mr4         
,holcombe when his protege could be     

seen1 and was told at nine o'clock at   
the mission4 ,williams was seen coming  
up the steps1 his face clean shaven1 his
 eyes bright and his gait steady4 ,mr4  
,holcombe said3 ,there he is now1 ,god  
bless him2 ,i could just kiss him4 ,i   
knew he'd be here4 ,one thing ,i've     
learned about ,jim is1 that he is an    
honest man1 and another is that he will 
not tell a lie4 ,i feel that ,i can     
trust him4 ,he has had the hardest      
struggle to overcome the drinking habit 
,i ever saw1 and ,i feel sure that he   
has gained the victory4 ,i began on him 
quietly about one month ago and got him 
to attend our meetings4 ,but here he is4
 ,the reporter was introduced1 and ,mr4 
,williams readily consented to tell     
anything concerning himself that would  
be of interest to the public and        
calculated to do good in the cause of   
temperance4 ,he said3 ,i was born in    
,paducah1 ,ky41 and am forty-eight years
 old4 ,my father's name was ,rufus ,a4  
,williams4 ,while a boy ,i was sent to  

school1 and picked up a little          
education4 ,i was put at work in a      
tobacco manufactory1 and am a           
tobacco-twister by trade4 ,my father    
died when ,i was nine years old1 after  
which our family consisted of my mother1
 now seventy-five years of age1 my      
sister and myself4 ,we now live on the  
east side of ,floyd street1 near        
,market4 ,shortly after ,i grew up ,i   
found work on the river and have been   
employed on nearly every boat between   
,louisville and ,new ,orleans4 ,that is 
what downed me4 ,i began to drink little
 by little1 and the appetite and habit  
began to grow on me until ,i gave up all
 idea of resistance4 ,up to yesterday a 
week ago1 ,i can truthfully say that ,i 
have been drunk twenty-three years1 day 
and night4  ,in #ahfb ,i got a job on   
the ',science1' ,number #b1 a little    
,government boat running the ,ohio and  
,cumberland rivers4 ,coming down the    
,cumberland on one trip ,i was too sick 
to work1 and the boat put me ashore     

about twenty miles above ,clarksville4  
,the woods where ,i was dumped out were 
full of guerrillas1 but ,i managed to   
secure a little canoe in which ,i       
paddled down to ,clarksville4 ,there ,i 
sold it for three dollars and with the  
small sum ,i had already ,i came to this
 city1 where we were then living4 ,i    
then drank up every cent ,i could rake  
and scrape4 ,i could get all sorts of   
work1 but could keep no job because ,i  
couldn't keep sober4 ,i finally depended
 on getting odd jobs along the river    
front1 such as loading and unloading    
freight1 etc4 ,but the work was so hard 
,i could scarcely do it1 and finally ,i 
had to give that up1 especially after   
falling and breaking my leg while at    
work on the old ',united ,states'       
several years ago4 ,that accident laid  
me up in the ,marine ,hospital for      
several months1 and just as ,i felt able
 to get out ,i broke the same leg again 
at the same place4 ,after recovering ,i 
yielded entirely to the appetite for    

strong drink and cared for nothing else4
 ,as ,i say1 for twenty-three years ,i  
have not known what it is to be sober   
until a few days ago4  ,for the past six
 years ,i have earned my drinks and some
 free lunch by picking up old boxes and 
barrel staves which ,i would dispose of 
to the saloon-keepers along the river   
front who knew me4 ,i did not often ask 
any one for money with which to buy     
whisky1 for ,i could always earn it in  
this manner4 ,i usually slept at my     
mother's house4 ,as to eating ,i did not
 eat much and was getting so ,i could   
scarcely eat at all4 ,i am getting over 
that now1 and have a good appetite1 as  
,mr4 ,holcombe can testify4  ,well1     
about one month ago ,mr4 ,holcombe came 
to me and gave me a little talk4 ,he did
 not say much1 but he set me to thinking
 as far as ,i was capable of thinking4  
,he saw me the second time1 and then    
several times4 ,of course1 ,i was always
 drunk but ,i understood him4 ,finally  
he said to me ',jim1 if you're bound to 

have whisky1 come around to the ,mission
 and let me give it to you4' ,i promised
 him ,i'd come around1 and ,i did so1   
for ,i wanted some o' the liquor4 ,after
 ,i had gone around several times and he
 had given me a few drinks1 not to make 
me drunk1 of course1 but to help me get 
sober1 if possible2 he invited me to go 
in and attend the religious services4 ,i
 did so and he invited me to come again1
 which ,i did4 ,at last he insisted that
 ,i should take my meals at the mission1
 and ,i have been doing so for some     
days4 ,finally ,i made up my mind to    
quit drinking altogether1 and ,i intend 
to stick to the pledge ,i have taken4 ,i
 was full last ,sunday week for the last
 time4 ,i was trying to taper off then1 
but a saloon-keeper on ,market1 just    
below ,jackson1 knowing my condition and
 knowing that ,i was trying to quit1    
gave me a bucket of bock beer4 ,i knew  
he meant no good to me1 but ,i couldn't 
help drinking it4 ,other saloon-keepers 
have been trying to get me to drink     

again1 and ,i think they are trying to  
get me to do a great wrong4  ,i went to 
church yesterday for the first time     
since ,i was a boy4 ,heard ,dr4 ,eaton  
preach4  ,my poor old mother is greatly 
rejoiced at the change in me1 for ,i    
have given her a great deal of torment  
and misery4 ,as soon as the ,murphy     
meetings are over ,mr4 ,holcombe and ,i 
will spend a couple of weeks at ,french 
,lick ,springs4  ,illustration3 ,,james 
,,williams1 ,,as ,,he ,,is  ,during this
 period1 when the mission occupied rooms
 at ,no4 #dcf ,jefferson street1 the    
meetings were not confined to that      
single place1 but services were held in 
other parts of the city1 on the streets 
and even on the courthouse steps4 ,many 
strangers1 as well as citizens of       
,louisville1 attended these1 and some   
were so powerfully impressed that after 
going away to their distant homes they  
wrote back to ,mr4 ,holcombe            
acknowledging the good they had         
received1 and in some instances giving  

an account of their conviction1         
repentance and conversion4 ,the         
,holcombe ,mission became one of the    
sights of the city1 so that strangers   
visiting the city would look it up and  
attend services there4  ,in #ahhd a new 
feature was added which1 in turn1 added 
much to the efficiency and usefulness of
 the mission4 ,it was suggested by the  
sight of the poorly clad children who   
attended the mission with their parents1
 and who seemed willing and anxious     
themselves to do better and be better4  
,this new feature was the ,industrial   
,school1 an account of the origin1      
history and methods of which is         
furnished by ,mrs4 ,clark1 the          
,superintendent4 ,a ,sunday-school was  
organized also1 with ,c4 ,p4 ,atmore1   
,esq41 as ,superintendent1 and some of  
the most earnest ,christian people of   
the city as teachers and helpers4 ,a    
little later the ,kindergarten was also 
organized and is now in successful      
operation4  ,illustration3 ,,the        

,,industrial ,,school4 #a4 ,,cutting    
,,garments4 #b4 ,,boys ,,making         
,,carpets4 #c4 ,,girls ,,sewing4   ,,the
 ,,industrial ,,school ,,and ,,the      
,,kindergarten4  ,in order to enlarge   
the mission work and better reach the   
homes of the needy1 both spiritually and
 temporally1 the ,union ,gospel         
,industrial ,school was opened in       
,april1 #ahhd1 with six little girls and
 three teachers in attendance4 ,in ,may 
following it was formally organized as  
,the ,union ,gospel ,mission ,industrial
 ,school with      ,mrs4 ,j4 ,r4 ,clark1
 ,superintendent2     ,mrs4 ,l4 ,g4     
,herndon1 ,assistant ,superintendent2   
,miss ,ella ,downing1 ,secretary2       
,miss ,ella ,harding1 ,treasurer4  ,in  
,june1 #ahhd1 it closed for the summer  
with twenty-two pupils and five         
teachers4 ,in ,september following it   
opened for the fall and winter term with
 the same teachers and a small increase 
in the number of pupils1 all from the   
neglected classes4 ,the school was      

organized in the old mission room1 at   
,no4 #dcf ,jefferson street1 between    
,fourth and ,fifth1 and continued there 
for three winters4 ,the children came1  
however1 from all parts of the city1    
some of them from garrets and cellars4  
,their ages ranged from five to eighteen
 years4  ,in ,may1 #ahhf1 the school was
 removed to its present spacious rooms  
in the ,union ,gospel ,mission building 
on ,jefferson street1 above ,first4 ,the
 work has steadily increased1 each year 
bringing in a larger number of the      
neglected children4 ,those who come are 
so interested and benefited1 they become
 missionaries1 so to speak1 to other    
poor and neglected children4 ,there is  
one class of girls1 however1 who are not
 charity-scholars1 but come for the     
purpose of learning to sew4 ,their work 
is done1 not for themselves1 but for the
 younger children of the poorer class   
who are not yet old enough to sew4 ,for 
this reason1 the class just mentioned is
 called ,the ,missionary ,class1 and it 

is one of which the school is justly    
proud4 ,they not only do their work for 
others1 they do good in other ways and  
in general exert a good influence over  
the other children who are less         
fortunate4  ,the children are first     
taught all the different stitches that  
are used in sewing4 ,then work is cut   
out for them by a committee of ladies   
who attend for that purpose1 and the    
children are taught to make all kinds of
 garments4 ,when the garment is         
completed and passes examination1 it is 
given to the child who made it4  ,there 
is a class of boys1 sixty in number1    
ranging from five to twelve years of    
age4 ,these are first taught to sew on  
buttons and to mend rents in their own  
clothes and then other things follow4   
,they are at present engaged in making a
 carpet for ,mr4 ,holcombe's office4    
,the teachers in charge of them endeavor
 to train them to habits of industry1   
self-reliance1 cleanliness1             
truthfulness1 etc4 ,some of the boys are

 very bright and promising and some of  
them seem hopelessly cowed and broken4  
,their histories would1 doubtless1 be   
full of pathos and of pain1 if they were
 known4  ,the school meets every        
,saturday morning at #i3ae4 ,the opening
 services consist of--  #a4 ,singing    
7,gospel ,hymns74  #b4 ,responsive      
recitation of a ,psalm1 or the          
,beatitudes or the ,ten ,commandments4  
#c4 ,prayer4  #d4 ,distribution of      
work-baskets4  ,the sewing continues for
 one hour and a half1 then1 at the tap  
of the bell1 the work is folded nicely1 
replaced in the basket and taken to     
another room4 ,the children then return 
to the large room and join in the       
closing exercises1 which consist of--   
#e4 ,singing4  #f4 ,repeating of        
,scripture texts1 each teacher and child
 repeating a verse2 or this is sometimes
 replaced with a chalk-talk1 sometimes  
with a short address on the             
,sunday-school lesson for the following 
,sunday1 sometimes with a short earnest 

appeal to the children by some visitor  
who is known to be an effective speaker 
for such occasions4  #g4 ,the ,lord's   
,prayer is recited in concert4  #h4     
,dismissal4  ,the teachers1 besides     
instructing the children in the art of  
sewing1 converse with them on pleasant  
and profitable topics and upon the      
subject of religion in seasonable times 
and ways4  ,quite a number of families  
have been brought under ,christian      
influence through the pupils of the     
,industrial ,school4 ,several parents as
 well as children have been converted4  
,mr4 ,robert ,denny1 the account of     
whose conversion is given by himself in 
another part of this volume1 was induced
 to attend the meetings of the ,holcombe
 ,mission by what his children told him 
of the things they learned at the       
,industrial ,school4 ,one of the members
 of the first class of six and her      
mother are now acceptable members of the
 ,first ,presbyterian church4 ,the      
daughter has become an artist and is    

employed in retouching pictures in one  
of the city photograph galleries4 ,three
 or four of the girls connected with the
 school have died4 ,two of them1 one    
aged twelve and the other fourteen1 gave
 every evidence of being ,christians4   
,one of these when asked when she       
learned to love ,god and to pray1       
answered1 ,at the sewing school2 ,jesus 
is always there4  ,many when they began 
to attend did not even know the little  
prayer beginning3      ,now ,i lay me   
down to sleep4  ,the ignorance of these 
poor children led the superintendent to 
open a ,mothers' ,meeting1 for the      
mothers of these children and any others
 who might wish to attend4 ,the results 
have been wonderful4 ,so many homes have
 become changed1 and are now neat1      
clean1 orderly and happy4 ,in the rounds
 of the superintendent's visits she     
found a very sick woman who said to her3
  ,oh1 ,i'm so glad you have come1 ,mrs4
 ,clark4 ,i want you to pray with me4   
,mrs4 ,clark said1 ,can't you pray      

yourself8  ,she replied1 ,i don't know  
what to say4 ,i did not know ',now ,i   
lay me down to sleep1' till my little   
,jennie learned it at the sewing school1
 and ,i learned it from her4  ,but can't
 you say ',our ,father who art in       
heaven8' asked ,mrs4 ,clark4  ,no2 not  
all of it1 ,i know only a little of it4 
,mrs4 ,clark was much moved at the      
ignorance1 helplessness and need of the 
poor woman1 and was praying with her    
when the husband came in4 ,she talked   
with him and he was deeply impressed1   
and before she left promised he would   
try to live a better life4 ,a position  
as street car driver was gotten for him1
 and for a while he did well1 but after 
a time he fell into his old ways and was
 dismissed4 ,but1 through the           
intervention of the friends who had     
helped him before1 he was restored to   
his place1 and to-day he is a sober     
industrious man and a member of the     
,first ,christian church in the city4   
,illustration3 ,,kindergarten1          

,,thanksgiving ,,day  ,perhaps a score  
of similar instances could be cited4    
,the sewing school closed ,may #ab1     
#ahhh1 with the annual picnic4 ,the     
following is the report for the year    
just past3  ,average weekly attendance  
of girls1 #afb2 average weekly          
attendance of boys1 #ba2 total average  
attendance of pupils1 #ahc2 average     
attendance of officers and teachers1    
#cb2 average attendance of visitors1 #d2
 total average attendance1 #bai2 total  
number of garments made by1 and given   
to1 the children1 #hdh4  ,the officers  
for the past year were as follows3 ,mrs4
 ,j4 ,r4 ,clark1 superintendent2 ,miss  
,mary ,l4 ,graham1 assistant            
superintendent2 ,mrs4 ,l4 ,g4 ,herndon1 
superintendent of work2 ,miss ,lithgow1 
treasurer2 ,miss ,ella ,gardiner1       
secretary4   ,,the ,,kindergarten4  ,in 
,january1 #ahhe1 there were so many     
little boys and girls between the ages  
of three and five years that the        
teachers did not know what to do with   

them4 ,the superintendent1 who had some 
knowledge of the kindergarten system1   
believed that its introduction here was 
what was needed4 ,she could not see her 
way clear1 however1 to incur any more   
expense4 ,but in answer to prayer the   
way was opened4 ,money was given for the
 appliances and ,miss ,graham1 an       
excellent teacher1 offered her services 
freely4 ,the class at first averaged    
twenty-four pupils1 met each ,saturday  
morning in connection with the sewing   
school1 and was called the ,kindergarten
 class4  ,the interest increased till   
,february1 #ahhf1 when the board of     
directors of the ,holcombe ,mission     
consented that the superintendent should
 open a regular kindergarten for every  
day in the week except ,saturday4 ,more 
money was raised and a trained          
kindergarten teacher from ,cincinnati   
was employed4 ,in ,june1 #ahhf1 the     
school closed with sixty little children
 in attendance and four young ladies    
training for kindergarten teachers4     

,arrangements were made for the         
following year and several hundred      
dollars pledged4 ,in ,september1 #ahhg1 
the kindergarten was re-opened with     
,miss ,bryan1 of ,chicago1 as teacher of
 training class and superintendent of   
the school4 ,in the following ,october a
 large and enthusiastic meeting was held
 in the ,warren ,memorial church and the
 ,free ,kindergarten ,association was   
formally organized4 ,in ,february1      
#ahhh1 a second free kindergarten was   
opened in another part of the city4 ,the
 year's work closed in ,june1 #ahhh1    
five young ladies graduating as         
kindergarten teachers4 ,the number of   
children enrolled for the year was one  
hundred4 ,the kindergarten1 it will be  
noticed1 is thus distinct from the      
industrial school4  ,in #ahhe1 another  
department still was added to meet a    
want which had been developed in the    
progress of the work4 ,the great number 
of broken-down men and tramps that came 
to ,mr4 ,holcombe for food and help of  

one sort or another made it impossible  
for him to give them lodging in the     
mission rooms or board in his own       
family4 ,and it encouraged indolence in 
unworthy men to feed and lodge them as a
 mere charity4 ,and yet1 if anything was
 to be done for their souls1 they had   
for a time to be cared for4 ,mr4        
,holcombe conceived the idea1 therefore1
 of establishing some sort of a place in
 connection with his work1 where these  
men might earn their food and lodging by
 the sweat of their brows and at the    
same time be brought under the powerful 
religious influences of the ,mission4   
,illustration3 ,,mrs4 ,j4 ,m4 ,,clark4  
,the result was the establishment of the
 ,wayfarers' ,rest4 ,mayor ,reed and    
,chief of ,police ,whallen gave ,mr4    
,holcombe a police station building free
 of rent and ,mr4 ,j4 ,t4 ,burghard gave
 the money to furnish it with bunks1    
stove1 cooking utensils1 facilities for 
bathing1 etc41 and it became at once an 
established feature1 and a very         

admirable one1 of the ,union ,gospel    
,mission4  ,when ,mayor ,jacob came into
 office he gladly continued the use of  
the building free of rent1 and the      
institution has continued in successful 
operation up to the present time--a     
space of three years4  ,the rooms are   
arranged for the accommodation of sixty 
men4 ,all who come are required to do   
some sort of work for whatever they     
receive1 whether it be food or lodging4 
,the men do various kinds of work1      
according to their several ability1 but 
the chief employment is sawing kindling 
wood out of material provided by the    
superintendent4 ,each man is required to
 work an hour for one night's lodging or
 for a meal4 ,the kindling wood is sold 
all over the city1 and under the        
excellent management of ,mr4 ,w4 ,h4    
,black1 the present superintendent1 the 
enterprise has become more than         
self-supporting1 bringing in enough to  
pay the salary of the superintendent and
 the book-keeper1 and leaving a surplus4

 ,it should1 perhaps1 in justice be     
added1 that donations of food are made  
daily and have been from the beginning1 
by the ,alexander ,hotel ,company4      
,during the winter of #ahhg ,mr4 ,black 
fed and lodged an average of fifty men a
 day4 ,he has never turned one away4    
,the average income per day from the    
sale of kindling wood is1 in winter1 ten
 dollars4 ,the rules for the government 
of the inmates requiring registration1  
cleanliness1 bathing1 etc41 are wisely  
conceived and strictly carried out4     
,this institution has proved in         
,louisville the solution of the vexed   
question as to the proper treatment of  
tramps and beggars4 ,the citizens1      
instead of encouraging indolence and    
pauperism by feeding tramps at their    
houses1 some of whom are burglars in    
disguise1 can now send them to the      
,wayfarers' ,rest1 where they are always
 sure of finding food and lodging1 and1 
what is better1 the opportunity of      
earning what they get by honest work4   

,and ,mr4 ,holcombe's experience as a   
tramp in ,colorado leads him to take a  
brotherly interest in all these         
unfortunate men4  ,in #ahhf1 the work   
had expanded beyond its quarters and    
beyond all expectations4 ,it was        
predicted that ,steve ,holcombe would   
hold out three months4 ,he had now held 
out three times three years1 and that   
through unprecedented trials and        
discouragements4 ,during these nine     
years he had helped many and many a man1
 almost as bad as he1 into the blessed  
life that he was living4 ,he had        
established a unique institution in the 
city of ,louisville which had been the  
means of helping and uplifting and      
blessing men and women and whole        
families4 ,but the end was not yet4 ,the
 man and his work had so won the        
confidence of the people of the city    
that in #ahhf1 a formal request was made
 by the ,evangelical churches of the    
city that they be allowed to share with 
the ,walnut-street ,methodist church in 

the expense and the care and the        
usefulness of the ,mission4 ,it was     
changed then into a ,union ,mission1 and
 representatives from the ,presbyterian1
 ,baptist1 ,episcopal1 ,christian and   
,lutheran churches were added to the    
board of directors4  ,in the same year1 
when ,mr4 ,holcombe was feeling the need
 of more spacious quarters for his      
expanding work1 the large and elegant   
house on ,jefferson street above ,first1
 known as the ,smith ,property1 was     
advertised for sale4 ,mr4 ,holcombe saw 
it and liked it4 ,it was the very sort  
of a building he needed for his work and
 all its various departments4  ,he      
procured the keys and went through the  
building alone1 from cellar to garret1  
stopping in every room to pray that1 in 
some way1 ,god would put it into his    
hands1 with a firm persuasion1 moreover1
 that his prayer would be answered4 ,an 
interesting letter written by ,mr4      
,holcombe in ,february1 #ahhf1 contains 
a reference to the project of purchasing

 the new house4 ,it is addressed to one 
of the converts of the ,mission1 ,mr4   
,s4 ,p4 ,dalton1 of ,cleveland1 ,ohio1  
and1 as it shows also ,mr4 ,holcombe's  
interest in his spiritual children1 it  
is given entire3       ,,louisville1    
,,ky41 ,february #c1 #ahhf4       ,dear 
,brother ,dalton3       ,your welcome   
and encouraging letter is just received4
 ,i      acknowledge your claim1 so     
gently urged1 to something better       
than a hasty postal in reply4 ,when ,i  
write you briefly1 it is      because my
 work compels it4 ,my soul delights to  
commune with      spirits like yours1   
consecrated to ,god1 and with brothers  
who      live in my memory as associates
 in our humble work here4 ,our          
mission is being abundantly blessed of  
,god1 although meeting1      from time  
to time1 with those drawbacks which     
remind us of our      dependence and the
 need of constant prayer4 ,we are having
 good      meetings and conversions are 
numerous1 and1 as a rule1 of such      a

 character as to make us believe they   
are genuine and      permanent4 ,as ,i  
write1 our friends are canvassing the   
city for      the collection of means to
 purchase the old ,smith mansion on     
,jefferson street1 for our use1 and     
believing all our work to be      of    
,god ,i have no doubt that it will be   
ours within a week4 ,then      shall we 
do a great work for ,louisville and for 
souls4 ,our      sewing-school and our  
,sunday-school1 having outgrown our     
present quarters1 will be greatly       
enlarged1 and every      department of  
our work also4       ,i am truly glad   
you are having such opportunities of    
doing      good in ,cleveland4 ,may ,god
 bless you and your dear wife1 my       
dear brother1 and in ,his own time bring
 you back to us and to      the work    
which always needs such help1 is the    
prayer of       ,your brother1      ,s4 
,p4 ,,holcombe4   ,an incident that     
occurred in connection with the purchase
 of this elegant property will show how 

,mr4 ,holcombe and his work were looked 
upon in ,louisville even by those who   
were not ,christians4  ,illustration3   
,,the ,,wayfarer',s ,,rest4 #a4         
,,exterior4 #b4 ,,office4 #c4 ,,sleeping
 ,,apartment4 #d4 ,,taking ,,meals4 #e4 
,,at ,,work4 #f4 ,,on ,,the ,,levee4  ,a
 ,german singing society was negotiating
 for the building at the same time1 and 
had offered a higher price than the     
friends of the ,mission thought they    
could give4 ,mr4 ,holcombe went to the  
leader of the society and told him he   
desired the building for the ,mission1  
and1 though the man was an unbeliever1  
he said3 ,mr4 ,holcombe1 though ,i am   
not a ,christian and do not believe in  
,christianity1 ,i do believe in the work
 you are doing4 ,i will not be in the   
way of your getting that building4 ,he  
withdrew his bid at once1 and the       
,directors of the ,holcombe ,mission    
purchased it for #ab1ejj4  ,mr4         
,holcombe at once took possession4 ,he  
fitted up the rooms of the lower floor  

for the various departments of the      
mission work4 ,the large and elegant    
double-parlors were thrown into one and 
arranged for the audience-room4 ,this   
has a seating capacity of two hundred or
 more4 ,the other rooms of the lower    
floor are used1 one for ,mr4 ,holcombe's
 office1 two others for the             
,kindergarten1 another for a cloak-room1
 and so on4 ,the second floor1 with its 
seven large1 bright1 airy rooms1 is     
occupied by ,mr4 ,holcombe's family1    
and1 for the first time since his       
conversion1 they are in comfortable     
quarters4     ,,chapter ,v4   ,at last  
after years of love and faith and       
faithfulness ,mrs4 ,holcombe has her    
full reward and joy4 ,the long          
twenty-five years of sorrow and suspense
 passed by and her husband is what she  
unconsciously believed her love had the 
power of waiting for him to become--a   
good man4 ,and more than a good man4 ,he
 is consumed with the desire and somehow
 clothed with the power of making other 

men good1 of making bad men good1 of    
making the worst of bad men good4 ,this 
he has now been doing1 by ,god's grace1 
for seven faithful years and more--and  
continues to do4 ,her husband is honored
 and beloved for his character1 his work
 and his usefulness--no man1 no minister
 in ,louisville more so4  ,all her      
children are members of the church even 
down to little ,pearl1 the latest-born4 
,her oldest son1 her ,willie1 is happily
 married1 occupies the position of      
book-keeper with the ,sievers ,hardware 
,company on ,main street1 and is an     
efficient officer of the church of ,god4
 ,her second daughter is happily married
 to a ,christian man1 one of the best of
 husbands1 who is book-keeper in the old
 ,kentucky ,woolen ,mills1 of           
,louisville4 ,her oldest daughter is a  
devoted ,christian and serves with equal
 efficiency as organist of the ,mission 
and teacher in the ,kindergarten4 ,her  
baby-boy now eighteen years old and the 
rise of six feet in height is a member  

of the church and a good boy4 ,he also  
is in business with the ,sievers        
,hardware ,company on ,main street4 ,and
 ,pearl1 the blue-eyed1 golden-haired1  
eight-year-old girl baby is1 nobody dare
 question1 the flower of the flock4 ,her
 dead children are in heaven all1 for   
they died before they knew sin1 and her 
living children are on the way to       
heaven1 all1 for they trust in and serve
 ,him who was manifested to take away   
sin4  ,illustration3 ,,mrs4 ,s4 ,p4     
,,holcombe4  ,mrs4 ,holcombe helps her  
husband in his noble work and the       
converts look on her as their spiritual 
mother as they regard him as their      
spiritual father4 ,she might say with   
,simeon1 the ,nunc dimittis1 ,now       
lettest thou thy servant depart in      
peace1 for mine eyes have seen thy      
salvation2 but instead of that she says 
with ,st4 ,paul1 ,nevertheless to abide 
in the flesh is more needful for my     
husband1 my children and the work of    
,christ4  ,mrs4 ,holcombe still has     

trials1 but they are few and small1     
while her blessings are many and great4 
,she still has faults1 perhaps1 as most 
of mortals have2 but they are few and   
small1 while her virtues are very many  
and very great4 ,many daughters have    
done virtuously but few have excelled   
this one in those qualities which       
constitute a noble womanly character4   
,the following letter1 written to her by
 her husband during a short visit in the
 country1 will show how that after so   
long a time of waiting1 the hope of her 
earliest love is realized at last4      
,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,may #bi1 #ahhh4   
,my ,dear ,wife3       ,your letter to  
hand4 ,i am so happy to know that you   
are having      a good time4 ,isn't ,god
 good to us8 ,when we look back over our
      past lives and see how good ,god  
has been to us1 how thankful we         
should be4 ,very little sickness in our 
immediate family and no      death in   
thirty years4 ,the two babes that we    
lost thirty years      ago are safe in  

the arms of ,jesus1 and all the living  
ones are      sweetly trusting in ,him4 
,let us from this hour be more earnest  
and untiring in our efforts to save the 
children of others4      ,kiss ,mamie   
for me and then look in the glass and   
kiss yourself      a thousand times for 
him who loves you with a true1 deep     
love4      ,yours in life1 yours in     
death1       ,,steve ,p4 ,,holcombe4    
,those who are familiar with ,mr4       
,holcombe's career as a ,christian      
worker would regard any sketch of his   
life incomplete which did not contain   
some account of the assault made upon   
him by three strange men in the winter  
of #ahhg4 ,a few months after his       
removal to the new quarters that had    
been purchased by the ,mission1 he was  
attacked by three men in his own house  
and severely injured4 ,on a ,sunday     
afternoon in ,january1 #ahhg1 he heard  
some one walking in the hall on the     
second floor of the building1 and went  
out to see who it was4 ,he found a man  

there whom he had never seen before1 and
 asked him who he was and what he       
wanted4 ,the man replied in an insolent1
 manner that he had come to visit a     
servant girl who was at the time working
 in ,mr4 ,holcombe's family4 ,when ,mr4 
,holcombe asked him why he came into his
 private family apartments1 the man     
became more impudent and defiant1 and   
gave utterance to some abusive language4
 ,already provoked at the man's audacity
 and alarmed at the thought of what such
 a ruffian might have done to some one  
of his family if he had been absent1    
,mr4 ,holcombe's quick nature now became
 so exasperated that he forgot himself  
for a moment and thrust the man         
violently down the stairway and out of  
the house4 ,the man left the place and  
,mr4 ,holcombe thought that was the end 
of it4 ,but an hour or two later some   
one knocked at his room door on the same
 floor1 and as he opened it1 he saw     
himself confronted by three men1 one of 
whom he recognized as the man he had put

 out of the house4 ,the two others      
professed to be policemen who had come  
to arrest ,mr4 ,holcombe1 but when he   
asked to see their badges of authority  
they seized him4 ,one against three1 he 
resisted them with all his might1       
uttering no cry of distress or call for 
help4 ,in the struggle ,mr4 ,holcombe's 
leg was broken1 both bones of it1 and as
 he fell1 with all his weight1 the men  
thought he was badly hurt and fled1     
leaving him lying helpless on the floor4
 ,he was taken up by those whom he      
called and laid on his bed4 ,physicians 
were sent for4 ,the news spread in a few
 minutes all over the neighborhood1 and 
before night1 all over the city4 ,the   
,chief of ,police1 ,colonel ,whallen1   
set his detectives to work looking for  
the men1 and many citizens1             
self-constituted detectives1 inquired   
concerning the appearance of the men and
 kept a sharp lookout for them4 ,but    
they succeeded in escaping1 and it was1 
perhaps1 well for them they did4 ,before

 night ,mr4 ,holcombe's room was crowded
 with friends filled with sympathy and  
indignation4 ,drs4 ,kelly and ,alexander
 set the broken limb and gave ,mr4      
,holcombe the unwelcome bit of          
information that he would have to lie in
 his bed for some five or six weeks1 a  
sore trial to his restless spirit2 but  
by the help of ,god he accepted it and  
settled down to endure it1 not knowing1 
however1 what good he was to get out of 
it4 ,it was an opportunity for the      
people of ,louisville to show their     
estimation and appreciation of him1 and 
it is safe to say that no man in        
,louisville would have received the     
attentions and favors which this poor   
converted gambler1 ,steve ,holcombe1 did
 receive4 ,it reminds one of a passage  
in ,dr4 ,prime's account of the funeral 
of ,jerry ,mc,auley in the ,broadway    
,tabernacle in ,new ,york4 ,dr4 ,prime  
himself was to conduct the funeral      
service1 and this is what he says3  ,we 
are going to-day to the tabernacle to   

talk of what ,jerry ,mc,auley was and   
what he has done1 to the little         
congregation that will gather there4 ,if
 it were ,dr4 ,taylor1 the beloved and  
honored pastor1 the house would be      
crowded and the streets full of         
mourners1 but poor ,jerry1 he is dead   
and who will be there to weep with us   
over his remains8 ,ah1 how little did ,i
 know the place poor ,jerry held in the 
hearts of the people of this vast city6 
,i was to conduct the funeral and went  
early to complete all arrangements4 ,as 
,i turned down from ,fifth avenue       
through ,thirty-fourth street1 ,i saw a 
vast multitude standing in the sunshine1
 filling the streets and the square in  
front of the tabernacle4 ,astonished at 
the spectacle and wondering why they did
 not go and take seats in the church1 ,i
 soon found that the house was packed   
with people so that it was impossible   
for me to get within the door4          
,proclamation was made that the clergy  
who were to officiate were on the       

outside1 and a passage was made for us  
to enter4 ,what could be more impressive
 and what more expressive of the        
estimate set upon the man and his work8 
,there is no other ,christian worker in 
the city who would have called out these
 uncounted thousands in a last tribute  
of love and in honor of his memory4     
,the tribute which the people of        
,louisville paid to the work and worth  
of ,steve ,holcombe before his death was
 hardly less4  ,on ,monday1 the day     
following his misfortune1 ,mr4          
,holcombe's room was1 nearly all the day
 long1 full of people of every grade1   
from the mayor and the richest and      
finest people on ,broadway and ,fourth  
avenue1 down to the poor drunkard and   
outcast1 who forgot his shabby dress and
 pressed in among those fine people in  
order to see ,brother ,holcombe1 and    
find out how he was4 ,the ministers of  
the leading churches of every           
,protestant denomination came with words
 of sympathy and prayer4 ,fine ladies   

came in their carriages1 bringing       
baskets of fruit and all sorts of       
delicacies4 ,those who could not go sent
 letters and messages4 ,and ,mr4        
,holcombe lay in his bed and wept--not  
for pain1 but for gratitude and humble  
joy4 ,why1 said he1 ,i would be willing 
to have half a dozen legs broken to know
 that these people think so much of me  
and of my poor efforts to be useful4    
,this1 then1 was the first compensation 
and blessing4  ,he learned also that it 
would be absolutely necessary for him to
 watch more closely his impulsive and   
fiery temper1 and get a better control  
of it4 ,for he does not deny that he was
 inexcusably hasty and severe in his    
treatment of the impudent intruder4     
,and then he was temporarily relieved   
from the incessant demands and the      
constant strain of his daily activity   
and his nightly anxiety4 ,he had time   
and opportunity1 as far as the          
importunity and kindness of his friends 
would allow1 to get calmed1 to look down

 into his own heart1 to analyze his     
motives1 to study his own nature1 to see
 his own faults1 to find out his own    
needs and to pray4 ,he had been told by 
one of his friends1 that while he did   
not work too much1 he did not pray      
enough1 and that he was1 therefore1     
liable to be overtaken by some sudden   
temptation and be betrayed into sin4    
,that same friend1 in conducting service
 in one of the churches of the city on  
that very ,sunday morning1 had offered  
special public prayer for ,mr4 ,holcombe
 and his work4 ,he prayed specifically  
that if ,brother ,holcombe needed a     
thorn in the flesh1 to keep him humble1 
,god would send it4 ,it was thought to  
be a special and speedy answer1 that    
before sundown of that very day1 ,mr4   
,holcombe did receive almost literally a
 thorn in the flesh2 a messenger of     
,satan it was withal to buffet him4 ,and
 ,mr4 ,holcombe was the first to        
acknowledge that he needed this trial   
and the threefold blessing which came   

with it4  ,the perpetrators of the      
cowardly deed were1 some time afterward1
 caught and imprisoned--every one of    
them4 ,one of them has been pardoned and
 released1 and through ,mr4 ,holcombe's 
kindly intervention the other two       
probably will be1 while through his     
friendly counsels one of them has been  
brought to realize his own sinfulness1  
and has promised to live a better life4 
,it would be out of the question to     
reproduce here all the written messages 
of sympathy which ,mr4 ,holcombe        
received during his confinement from the
 injury he received4 ,but one of them is
 too touching and beautiful to be left  
out4 ,it was written by ,miss ,jennie   
,casseday1 a lady of culture and        
refinement1 who has1 for eighteen years1
 been confined to her sick bed4 ,she is 
well known as the originator of the     
,flower ,missions1 which1 all over this 
country1 have been the bearers of       
blessing to many unblessed and unloved  
ones3       ,,sick ,,bed1 ,january #ah1 

#ahhg4       ,dear ,christian ,friend3  
,i send you some lines which have been a
 great blessing to me3              ',i 
can not say1     ,beneath the pressure  
of life's cares to-day1             ,i  
joy in these2             ,but ,i can   
say     ,that ,i had rather walk this   
rugged way             ,if ,him it      
please4             ',i can not feel    
,that all is well1 when darkening clouds
 conceal             ,the shining sun2  
,but then ,i know     ,god lives and    
loves1 and say1 since that is so1       
,thy will be done4              ',i can 
not speak     ,in happy tones2 the      
tear-drops on my cheek             ,show
 ,i am sad2             ,but ,i can     
speak     ,of grace to suffer with      
submission meek1             ,until made
 glad4              ',i do not see      
,why ,god should e'en permit some things
 to be2             ,when ,he is ,love2 
,but ,i can see1     ,though often      
dimly1 through the mystery1             
,his hand above4              ',i do not

 know     ,where falls the seed that ,i 
have tried to sow             ,with     
greatest care2             ,but ,i shall
 know     ,the meaning of each waiting  
hour below             ,sometime1       
somewhere4'       ,selected with tender 
sympathy4      ,your friend1            
,,jennie ,,casseday4     ,,chapter ,,vi4
   ,in conclusion it will not be out of 
place to glance for a moment backward   
and to call attention definitely to some
 plain facts4  ,mr4 ,holcombe inherited 
from his parents a diversely perverse   
and bad nature4 ,already in his         
childhood he was cross1 irritable1      
spiteful4 ,in his boyhood his temper was
 savage and revengful4 ,in his manhood  
he took the life of a fellowman4 ,he    
inherited the love of drink from his    
father1 who was a confirmed drunkard    
before the child was born2 and the child
 himself was drunk before he was twelve 
years old4 ,he was given to sensuality  
from his boyhood4  ,his education was   
not good--as far as the educating power 

of daily example goes1 it was bad1      
positively bad1 continually bad4 ,his   
associations outside of home were1 for  
the most part1 of the worst sort4 ,his  
boyish companions were given to         
gambling1 pilfering1 fighting1 and in   
all these things they called him chief4 
,but the companionship of boys did not  
long satisfy him and already before he  
was fifteen1 he drank and gambled with  
grown men in the bar-rooms of the       
village4  ,he had an impulsive sympathy 
for helpless suffering when it was      
before his eyes4 ,he had a vague1 faint 
fear of the ,power that makes for       
righteousness1 so that in his youth he  
made three or four ineffectual efforts  
to get the mastery of his evil nature   
and to become better4 ,he provided well 
for his family in meat and drink and the
 like4 ,he was generous to his friends4 
,when this is said1 about all is said on
 that side4 ,apart from these things he 
gave himself up for forty years to the  
indulgence of all his passions without  

let or hinderance from parental         
authority1 domestic bonds1 fear of ,god 
or regard for man4 ,so that the adverse 
power of evil habit1 strengthened by    
forty years of indulgence1 was          
superimposed upon the moral helplessness
 of an inherited bad nature made worse  
by bad education and bad associations4  
,such he was4 ,the preceding pages have 
described in part what he is4 ,and only 
in part4 ,the uttermost details of the  
purity of his life since ,october1      
#ahgg1 could not be stated without      
violating delicacy any more than the    
uttermost details of his sinful life    
could be uncurtained without injuring   
the innocent and offending the public4  
,the candid reader will bridge for      
himself the past and present of ,mr4    
,holcombe's life4 ,these are the facts4 
,and these facts are freely and fully   
recognized by all classes of the        
community in which he lives his daily   
life4 ,thousands of eyes have watched   
him for years and no one has detected   

any immoral practice or act or found any
 fault of a serious nature in him4      
,candor requires us to say that he is   
sometimes over-sensitive1 that he has   
his own views as to the best methods of 
conducting his work and is sometimes a  
little domineering in carrying them out2
 that he sometimes uses unnecessary     
harshness in his public addresses in    
dealing with the sins and shortcomings  
of people1 especially of the converts of
 the ,mission1 a thing which is probably
 due to his over-anxiety for them2 that 
he has not yet learned economy and the  
best way of conducting his financial    
affairs1 and that owing to his own      
former wicked life he would be a trifle 
too severe in the control of his family 
but for the good sense and prudent      
firmness of his wife4 ,but these are    
minor matters and when they are said1   
about all is said on that side4  ,and   
,mr4 ,holcombe has come to occupy a     
unique and commanding position in the   
city of ,louisville4 ,all classes       

respect him1 all classes look up to him 
and people from all classes seek his    
counsel and aid in certain emergencies4 
,mothers in distress over the sins of   
their sons1 sisters in sorrow over the  
dissipation of their brothers1 wives in 
despair over the wickedness of their    
husbands1 all these go to ,steve        
,holcombe for advice1 comfort1          
encouragement and help2 and when they   
can not go1 they write2 sometimes from  
distant places1 as far away as ,canada4 
,the ministers of ,louisville refer to  
him those extreme cases which they meet 
with in their ministry1 and which they  
feel his experience and his knowledge of
 the ways and temptations of dissipated 
men enable him to handle1 as a letter   
from ,dr4 ,broadus and one from ,dr4    
,willits1 elsewhere reproduced1 will    
show4 ,and the dissipated men           
themselves1 the drunkards1 the gamblers1
 the outcast1 the lost--all these feel  
that ,steve ,holcombe is their friend1 a
 friend who has the willingness and the 

power to help them up1 and they go to   
him when they are in distress or when   
they awake to a sense of their wretched 
condition and desire to rise again4 ,and
 through his instrumentality many a one 
has risen again1 and to many a mother1  
wife1 sister1 family1 has come through  
him a resurrection of buried hope and   
joy4  ,and those gamblers who have never
 yet come to distress or to religion    
regard him with admiration and          
affection4 ,the following letter from   
,mr4 ,a4 ,m4 ,waddill1 one of the       
leading sporting men of the ,south1 was 
written in answer to an inquiry as to   
how ,mr4 ,holcombe is looked upon by the
 gamblers3       ,,louisville1 ,,ky41   
,august #ac1 #ahhh4      ,rev4 ,gross   
,alexander3       ,,dear ,,sir3 ,in     
writing of my friend1 ,steve ,p4        
,holcombe1 ,i will      say that his    
adoption of the pulpit has not lowered  
him in the      esteem of his former    
associates--the gamblers4 ,far from it4 
,they are his admirers and his friends1 

and1 when they have the      funds1 are 
as willing supporters of his work as    
any4 ,they can      not show him too    
much respect and can not exhibit a more 
profound love than is shown him every   
day by some one of his      old         
companions4 ,he has wielded a wonderful 
influence over them      for good1 both 
here and elsewhere1 and has made many   
converts      from their ranks1 who     
could not have been influenced probably 
by any other minister of the ,gospel4 ,i
 myself have been1 ,i am      happy to  
say1 wonderfully benefited by the       
influence of his      benevolent        
character4       ,very respectfully     
yours1      ,a4 ,m4 ,,waddill4  ,the    
esteem in which he is held by the       
leading business men of the city is     
shown by the fact that the ,board of    
,directors of the ,mission is composed  
of such men as ,john ,a4 ,carter1 ,j4   
,p4 ,torbitt1 ,l4 ,richardson1 ,j4 ,b4  
,mc,ferran1 ,r4 ,j4 ,menefee1 ,j4 ,t4   
,burghard1 ,h4 ,v4 ,loving1 ,arthur     

,peter1 ,john ,t4 ,moore1 ,j4 ,k4       
,goodloe1 ,p4 ,meguiar1 ,c4 ,mc,clarty1 
,w4 ,t4 ,rolph1 ,john ,finzer1 with ,p4 
,h4 ,tapp as ,treasurer4  ,he has the   
confidence and esteem of the officers   
both of the city and ,state1 and he has 
a large influence with them4  ,the      
,mayor1 the ,chief of ,police1 and the  
,judges of the ,courts recognize his    
usefulness1 his ability and his         
efficiency by co-operating with him1 as 
far as may be1 and by adopting his views
 and suggestions as to the treatment of 
criminals charged with lesser crimes and
 misdemeanors4  ,the ,governor1 ,j4     
,proctor ,knott1 readily granted pardon 
to the only man for whom ,mr4 ,holcombe 
ever asked it1 and the testimony of this
 now happy man is given in this volume4 
,not only is ,mr4 ,holcombe thus in     
honor and demand at home2 he is in      
demand all over the country4 ,until it  
came to be known that he would not leave
 his own work in ,louisville1 he was    
constantly receiving requests to attend 

or conduct meetings of one sort or      
another in all parts of ,kentucky and in
 several other ,states4  ,year before   
last1 in the summer of #ahhf1 he was1 by
 appointment of the ,governor of the    
,state1 a ,commissioner from ,kentucky  
in the ,national ,convention of         
,corrections and ,charities at          
,washington4  ,in the fall of #ahhg he  
attended1 by request1 the ,convention of
 ,christian ,workers of the ,united     
,states and ,canada1 in the ,broadway   
,tabernacle in ,new ,york ,city1 and    
made two addresses1 both of which are   
printed among his sermons in this book4 
,he was appointed a member of the       
,executive ,committee of that body1 in  
which capacity he now serves4  ,but not 
only in direct results has the power of 
,god been manifested through this       
instrument4 ,mr4 ,holcombe's conversion 
and work have had the effect of         
quickening the faith and zeal of all the
 churches of the city4 ,it has not only 
drawn them nearer together in fostering 

and furthering a common enterprise into 
which they entered of their own motion1 
and without solicitation1 but it has    
revived the languishing faith of all    
classes4 ,not only has the ,gospel saved
 ,steve ,holcombe and others1 he 7let it
 be said reverently and understood      
rightly7 has1 in one sense1 saved the   
,gospel4 ,many had lost faith in it4    
,they thought it was an old1 worn-out   
story4 ,it had lost its novelty and     
vitality1 and it had not the power it   
claimed to have4 ,its achievements were 
not equal to its pretensions4 ,some of  
the men who have been brought to a      
better life through ,mr4 ,holcombe's    
instrumentality have said that1 though  
they did not1 out of respect for other  
people1 publish the fact1 they had lost 
all faith and were1 at heart1 utter     
infidels4 ,some of them continued to    
attend church and to give to the church 
of their means1 and to give respectful  
attention to the preaching1 but it was  
out of deference to relatives or respect

 for custom1 or for mere ,sunday        
pastime4 ,but the conversion of ,steve  
,holcombe1 and the life he was living1  
arrested their thought1 awakened inquiry
 and revived their faith1 and many of   
these have been saved4  ,the conversion 
of these has in turn resulted in the    
conviction of others and so the stream  
has broadened and deepened4 ,as ,mr4    
,holcombe says in one of his addresses1 
,there is naturally in the minds of men 
a doubt as to the truth and divinity of 
the religion which fails to do what it  
proposes to do1 and so in times of      
religious deadness men lose faith and   
unbelief gets stronger and more stubborn
 while they see no examples of the power
 of the ,gospel to save bad men4 ,but   
when bad men have been reached and      
quickened and made better through the   
,gospel1 and this continues year after  
year1 then the tide turns1 and faith    
becomes natural and easy not to say     
contagious and inevitable4  ,these      
effects have demonstrated the reality of

 conversion in opposition to the view   
that it is an effect of the excitement  
of the imagination4 ,one hears1 it is   
said1 the narration of the experience of
 others who claim to be converted1 and  
he works at himself till he works       
himself up to the persuasion that he    
also has got it4 ,but1 as one of the    
converts in narrating his experience    
said1 ,imagination could not take the   
whisky habit out of a man4 ,it never did
 take it out of me4 ,but the power of   
this ,gospel which ,steve ,holcombe     
preaches has taken it out root and      
branch4  ,another thing is shown also by
 the history of this work4 ,a           
distinguished minister said once1 ,we   
must get the top of society converted   
and then we may expect to reach the     
lower classes4 ,mr4 ,holcombe1 on the   
contrary1 in accordance with the example
 and words of ,jesus and of ,paul1 of   
,luther and of ,wesley1 has given his   
time and labor primarily and largely to 
the lower classes and the lost classes1 

and through these he has reached also   
the higher classes1 exemplifying again  
what was said by the most apostolic man 
since the ,apostles1 that the ,gospel   
works not from the top down but from the
 bottom up4  ,if you should ask what is 
the explanation of ,mr4 ,holcombe's     
success1 it may be answered that it is  
due to three things4 ,the extraordinary 
change which has taken place in his     
character and in his life arrests       
attention and produces conviction4  ,in 
the second place is his intense and     
pitying love for those who are not      
saved1 and especially for those who1    
besides being most utterly lost1 are1   
either by their own suspicions and fears
 or by the customs and coldheartedness  
of society1 or both1 shut out from all  
sympathy and opportunity4 ,he has a very
 mother's love for poor1 sinful1        
struggling souls1 and he shows this not 
in words only or chiefly1 but in        
service4 ,some account has already been 
given from one of the ,louisville papers

 concerning his rescue of a man who had 
been drunk continuously for twenty-three
 years4 ,to have preached temperance and
 morality and duty to this wild and     
degraded man would have been useless1 to
 have told him of the love of ,god      
would1 perhaps1 have been no better4    
,but when this far off love of ,god took
 concrete form in the person of ,steve  
,holcombe and was brought nigh and made 
real in his brotherliness and gentleness
 and patience and service1 it proved    
stronger than a twenty-three years'     
whisky habit and to-day this man1 who   
lately dwelt apart from men like the man
 among the tombs and who was possessed  
by the demon of drink so that no man    
could bind him with bonds of morality or
 duty--this man is to-day clothed and in
 his right mind4 ,and though he has not 
fully apprehended the way of salvation1 
he says1 yet a transfiguration has taken
 place in him which is little short of  
miraculous4 ,he says also that he has   
got some light on the question of       

personal religion4 ,he is thoroughly    
honest and will not claim or profess    
what he has not4 ,he says a man who has 
always gone slow in everything else     
can't go fast in getting religion4#a  #a
 ,this man has1 since the above was     
written1 been brought into a clear      
experience of conversion1 and is now a  
clean and happy ,christian man4  ,in the
 third place1 ,mr ,holcombe's success is
 due to the character of his preaching4 
,it is the simple ,gospel1 wherein two  
points are continually made and         
emphasized1 the reality and tenderness  
of ,god's love for sinful men1 even the 
worst1 and the absolute necessity of    
regeneration and a holy life4 ,both     
these great truths he illustrates with  
fitness and force from his own life and 
that of the men who have been converted 
under his ministry4 ,his sermons are so 
striking in their directness and        
simplicity1 and so helpful withal1 that 
some of them have been reproduced in    
outline in the present volume1 and the  

reader who has never heard him may get  
some idea of his preaching from these1  
and1 it is hoped1 some profit as well4  
,whatever men may say1 the fact remains 
that when the ,gospel is preached on    
apostolic conditions1 it has still      
apostolic success4  ,in #ahhf1 when     
,rev4 ,sam ,p4 ,jones was holding a     
meeting in ,cincinnati1 he said of ,mr4 
,holcombe3  ,mr4 ,holcombe's work is    
finer than anything done since the death
 of ,jerry ,mc,auley4 ,he is fully      
consecrated to the work of rescuing the 
perishing and saving the fallen4        
,hundreds of men1 dug by him from the   
deepest depths of dissipation and       
degradation1 are to-day clothed in their
 right minds4 ,some of the most         
efficient ,christian men have passed    
through his ,mission1 at ,no4 #dcf      
,jefferson street1 in ,louisville4 ,i   
feel that in helping ,steve ,holcombe1  
,i shall be able to say1 at least3      
',lord1 if ,i did not do much when ,i   
was on earth1 ,i did what ,i could to   

help ,steve ,holcombe1 the converted    
gambler1 in his mission work among men  
who never hear preaching1 and to whom a 
helping hand is never extended4'  ,there
 are mighty few men like ,steve         
,holcombe to take hold of poor fellows  
and bring them back to a purer and      
better life4  ,in #ahhh1 during a great 
temperance meeting in ,louisville1 ,mr4 
,francis ,murphy said of ,mr4 ,holcombe3
  ,of all the noble men ,i know1 he is  
one of the noblest1 and ,louisville may 
well be proud of the grand1 big-hearted 
,christian man1 who1 in his quiet1      
unassuming manner is doing such a world 
of good here4  ,mr4 ,d4 ,l4 ,moody1     
during his great meeting in ,louisville1
 in the months of ,january and          
,february1 #ahhh1 said of ,mr4          
,holcombe3  ,i have got very much       
interested in a work in your city       
conducted by a man you call ,steve      
,holcombe4 ,i don't know when ,i met a  
man who so struck my heart4 ,i went up  
and saw his headquarters and how he     

works4 ,he is doing the noblest work ,i 
know of4 ,i want you to help him with   
money and words of cheer4 ,remember1    
here in ,louisville you make so many    
drunkards that you must have a place to 
take care of the wrecks4 ,steve         
,holcombe rescues them4 ,let us help him
 all we can4  ,and ,mr4 ,holcombe's work
 is not done4 ,he is in the vigor of    
life1 with fifteen or twenty years of   
life and service1 ,god willing1 before  
him4 ,he is only beginning to reap the  
results of these ten years of study and 
these ten years of ,christian living and
 working4 ,he knows the ,gospel better  
than he ever did before1 and he preaches
 it better4 ,he knows himself and ,god  
better than he ever did before1 and he  
lives nearer the ,source of ,power4 ,he 
knows men good and bad1 better than he  
ever did before1 and he deals with them 
in all states and stages more wisely and
 successfully4  ,he is of that nervous  
and ,intense temperament which can not  
rest without getting something done1 and

 he is always doing something to advance
 his work4 ,and though so intensely in  
earnest1 he is singularly1 it is not at 
all too strong to say1 entirely free    
from fanaticism4 ,he is in high esteem1 
with large influence at home and abroad1
 and this he does not prostitute to     
selfishness1 but uses for usefulness4   
,and1 best of all1 he has tokens1 not a 
few1 in the form of discipline on the   
one hand1 and success on the other1 that
 ,god is guarding and guiding his ,life 
and ,work4  ,illustration3 ,,the ,,union
 ,,gospel ,,mission4     ,,letters4     
,,to ,,his ,,first ,,pastor4            
,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,november #f1      
#ahhc4      ,my ,dear ,brother3         
,our meetings continue in interest4     
,last night the ,holy ,ghost was        
with us in great power4 ,at the close of
 the talk1 we invited     backsliders to
 come forward and kneel4 ,six responded4
 ,then we     invited all others who    
wanted to become ,christians to come    
forward and nine others responded1 most 

of them the most     hardened sinners in
 the city4 ,i am sure nothing but the   
power of     ,god could have lifted them
 from their seats4 ,men who have fought 
each other actually embraced last night4
 ,continue to pray for     us4          
,yours1      ,s4 ,p4 ,,holcombe4        
99       99       99       99       99  
,,to ,,the ,,same4      ,,louisville1   
,,ky41 ,november #ai1 #ahhc4      ,dear 
,brother3      ,last night about two    
hundred persons were present1 most of   
them     non-churchgoers4 ,about forty  
stood up for prayers4 ,and oh1 such     
good testimonies1 no harangues but      
living testimonies as to what     ,god  
can and will do for those who will let  
him4      ,yours truly1      ,s4 ,p4    
,,holcombe4         99       99       99
       99       99      ,,to ,,the      
,,same4      ,,louisville1 ,,ky41       
,november #ba1 #ahhc4      ,dear        
,brother3      ,how grateful ,i am to   
you for all your kindness ,god alone    
knows4     ,i may and do lack education 

and refinement1 but ,i will not allow   
myself under any circumstances to lack  
gratitude4 ,the results of     our      
meetings prove to me that it is the work
 of the ,holy ,ghost4     ,of course1 ,i
 could hardly believe you would come to 
,louisville     even for a little while 
and not come to see me1 one who has cost
     you so much of time and care4      
,there was a time when ,i could not     
have stood it4 ,but thanks to ,god ,i am
 now above letting small     things or  
great things upset me4 ,give my love to 
your dear     family4      ,yours truly1
      ,s4 ,p4 ,,holcombe4         99    
99       99       99       99      ,,to 
,,the ,,same4      ,,louisville1 ,,ky41 
,february #c1 #ahhd4      ,dear         
,brother3      ,how ,i do wish you could
 have been where you could have looked  
in     on us last night4 ,the room was  
full4 ,they had to be turned away       
from the door4 ,and they were so anxious
 to hear the glad     tidings4 ,no      
carpet1 nothing to deaden the sound and 

yet you     could have heard a pin drop4
 ,all the churches are feeling the      
results of our work4 ,yesterday ,g4 ,h4 
joined the ,christian     church4 ,he   
seems to be a thoroughly converted man1 
if ,i know     one4 ,p4 ,d41 whom you   
know1 came in here about a week ago     
under     the influence of liquor4 ,said
 ,i am an infidel and a drunkard4       
,pray for me4 ,we did pray for him4 ,he 
has been coming ever     since4 ,he is  
now perfectly sober and says he was     
never so moved     before4 ,these are   
two out of many cases4      ,yours      
truly1      ,s4 ,p4 ,,holcombe4         
99       99       99       99       99  
,,to ,,the ,,same4      ,,louisville1   
,,ky41 ,february #g1 #ahhd4      ,dear  
,brother3      ,your kind favor         
received4 ,p4 ,d4 comes every night and 
sometimes     speaks4 ,he is not        
drinking4 ,he says he can not believe4  
,he does     so pitifully and pleadingly
 ask for the prayers of ,christian      
people4 ,he is in earnest4 ,pray for    

him4      ,c4 ,t4 testified last night4 
,he was a schoolmate of yours4 ,he      
said3 ,for the last five years1 when ,i 
would meet ,brother     ,holcombe1 ,i   
would say to myself3 ',i wish he would  
say good day1     and pass on4' ,but he 
would not4 ,he generally had something  
to     say about the way ,i was living4 
,of late1 every time he has met     me  
he has invited me to the ,mission4 ,i   
would promise to go1 but     went1      
instead1 to some bar-room1 until ,i     
wound up by losing my     position1     
being sent to the work-house1 and being 
left by a     loving wife4 ,two weeks   
ago he met me again1 and this time ,i   
kept     my promise4 ,i have been coming
 every night since1 and have not        
touched liquor since1 and by ,god's help
 ,i do not expect to do so     any more4
 ,i enjoy the meetings so much4 ,the two
 hours ,i spend     here seem so short4 
,g4 ,h4 never misses a night4 ,he is in 
the room with me now     singing1 ,happy
 ,day1 ,when ,jesus ,washed ,my ,sins   

,away4 ,and he is     happy4 ,although  
in the last four years he has spent     
thirty     thousand dollars in riotous  
living1 and although his wife has       
left him1 he said to me3 ,brother       
,holcombe1 ,i believe ,i am as     happy
 as ,i ever was in my life4 ,i asked    
him1 why8 ,he said3     ,because ,i have
 something which ,i never had when ,i   
had wife1     child and money4 ,i have  
the forgiveness of sins and the         
friendship of ,god4      ,i said3 ,you  
will have to watch the devil or he will 
get you in     his power again4         
,yes1 he replied1 the devil told me when
 ,i first began to come     to this     
,mission that ,i was too mean1 and my   
heart was too dead     ever to get      
religion2 but ,i fought him on my knees 
and ,i got the     victory4 ,i know how 
hard it was to get1 and by the help of  
,god ,i     am going to keep it1 whether
 ,i ever have wife or child or money    
again4      ,pray for me1 that ,i may   
make no mistake in my difficult work4   

,yours1 as ever1      ,s4 ,p4           
,,holcombe4         99       99       99
       99       99  ,,to ,,the ,,same4  
,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,february #ac1     
#ahhd4  ,dear ,brother3      ,i did just
 what you suggested2 though ,i was      
disappointed ,i did     not show it4    
,god is helping me to give up my        
preferences4 ,i am     trusting in the  
,lord1 and sweetly singing      ,oh1 to 
be nothing1 nothing1       ,only as led 
by ,his hand2     ,a messenger at ,his  
gateway1       ,only waiting for ,his   
command4  ,i am willing to preach on the
 streets1 at the ,mission1 at           
,walnut-street church1 or ,i am willing 
to be door-keeper--anything for ,christ4
  ,so you heard that ,i am improving in 
preaching4 ,well1 ,i do believe that ,i 
shall yet learn how to preach4  ,i had a
 letter requesting me to go to          
,nicholasville to preach4 ,but ,i can   
not go4 ,i feel ,i have a little1 humble
 work to do in ,louisville1 and ,i am   
going to do it4 ,the mission men are all

 doing well4 ,though to you ,i may seem 
very weak1 ,i am to them what you are to
 me4 ,yours1 etc41      ,s4 ,p4         
,,holcombe4         99       99       99
       99       99      ,,to ,,the      
,,same4      ,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,may  
#a1 #ahhd4      ,dear ,brother3         
,yours to hand4 ,i do not think you     
negligent4 ,i know you love me1     and 
,i know you love the cause of ,christ   
for which ,i am laboring1     and ,i    
know you will do all you can to help me 
to help it4 ,i am     surprised1 not at 
what you don't do1 but at what you do   
do4      ,i suppose you saw in the paper
 what a handsome thing they did     for 
us in the way of giving us a            
fifty-dollar parlor set1 a fine         
,brussels carpet1 a large walnut        
book-case and many other     articles1  
including a fine portrait of dear       
,brother ,morris4      ,even for this   
donation and for all the love shown me  
by these     good people ,i am indebted 
to you4 ,jesus must needs go through    

,samaria to save the woman at the well4 
,you must needs be sent     to ,portland
 church to save and instruct and guide  
,steve     ,holcombe4 ,this morning ,i  
prayed nearly an hour before breakfast1 
and it was lucky for me ,i did4         
,something came up at noon that         
would have completely upset me1 but ,i  
was fortified and     withstood the     
temptation successfully4      ,i am     
improving every way4 ,my health is      
better1 my memory is     better4 ,i can 
read my ,bible more profitably than ever
 and ,i can     pray better4      ,god  
grant you may have good health1 length  
of days and all of     this world's     
goods that may be good for you4      ,s4
 ,p4 ,h4         99       99       99   
99       99  ,,to ,,the ,,same4         
,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,may #bc1 #ahhd4   
,dear ,brother3      ,yours of the #afth
 to hand4 ,god is so good to me4        
,certain     temptations have come to me
 lately and ,i could not have borne     
them but for ,his help4 ,i talked at the

 church last ,sunday night     in the   
absence of ,dr4 ,messick4 ,i felt so    
humble1 it seemed a     privilege to be 
treated shamefully that ,i might have an
     opportunity of showing that a      
,christian can give up his own          
rights for the good of others4 ,i have  
grown in grace since you     showed me  
the necessity of secret prayer and of   
getting so well     acquainted with ,god
 that he would become more real to me   
than my     own father ever was4        
,you have seen in the papers poor ,d4   
,t4's attempt at suicide4 ,but     ,god 
has spared him yet another season4 ,he  
will recover4 ,pray for     him4 ,may   
,god bless you and strengthen you and   
keep you is the     prayer of      ,your
 friend and brother1      ,s4 ,p4       
,,holcombe4         99       99       99
       99       99  ,,to ,,the ,,same4  
,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,july #bc1 #ahhd4  
,my ,dear ,brother3      ,yours received
 this ,a4 ,m4 ,i am so pressed for means
 ,i can not     now buy the book you    

speak of1 but will do so as soon as ,i  
can4     ,i am taking time to study4 ,i 
am getting much better acquainted       
with ,god and the better ,i know him the
 more ,i love him4      ,yours in love1 
,s4 ,p4 ,h4         99       99       99
       99       99  ,,to ,,the ,,same4  
,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,july #be1 #ahhd4  
,dear ,brother3      ,the men are all   
doing tolerably well4 ,the attendance at
 the     meetings is increasing4        
,sunday-school holds up well4 ,my great 
desire now is to be able to study the   
,bible better4 ,the more ,i     think of
 what you have been to me1 the more     
grateful ,i feel4 ,i     wish ,i could  
in some substantial way show you how ,i 
appreciate     your care4 ,but ,god will
 reward you4      ,yours1 etc41  ,s4 ,p4
 ,h4         99       99       99       
99       99  ,,to ,,the ,,same4         
,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,july #cj1 #ahhd4  
,dear ,brother3      ,the ,bible is     
becoming very sweet to me4 ,i can study 
it all day     long and not get tired4  

,i am sure the ,holy ,ghost is helping  
me4     ,i have read the book you gave  
me4 ,it is very helpful4      ,brother  
,davidson has gone to housekeeping4 ,he 
has his son and     daughter with him4  
,oh1 the love and power of ,god4 ,praise
 ,his     name6      ,s4 ,p4 ,h4        
99       99       99       99       99  
,,to ,,the ,,same4      ,,chicago1      
,,ill41 ,september #e1 #ahhd4      ,dear
 ,brother3      ,yours of the #b;d to   
hand4 ,think of you8 ,the sun may forget
 to     shine1 but poor ,steve ,holcombe
 can never forget the man who has       
done so much for his soul4 ,never has a 
day passed since my     conversion that 
,i have not prayed ,god's blessing on   
you1 your     family and your work4     
,well1 ,chicago is a great city1 a grand
 field for ,christian work4     ,i find 
many earnest ,christian men and women   
laboring for the     ,master4 ,i am not 
idle either4 ,i talked four times last  
,sunday--three times on the street and  
once at a ,mission4      ,i am having a 

royal time1 sailing on the lake1 riding 
on     street-cars1 taking in the town4 
,i wish you were here4      ,god bless  
you always4 ,,steve4         99       99
       99       99       99  ,,to ,,the 
,,same4      ,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,july 
#a1 #ahhe4      ,dear ,brother3         
,yours of ,june #beth received4 ,i do   
hope you will get ,brother     ,c4#b    
those books to sell4 ,these men must    
have employment4 ,they     can not live1
 as some ,christian people seem to      
think1 on     promises4 ,it is all right
 to say1 ,oh1 let go and trust in the   
,lord1 to a man who knows the way1 but  
it is all not right when     it is said 
to a poor struggling gambler1 who1 in   
faith1 is as     weak as a baby4 ,i know
 of ,brother ,l4's troubles4 ,my heart  
goes     out to him4 ,all well4         
,yours1  ,s4 ,p4 ,h4  #b ,a converted   
gambler4         99       99       99   
99       99  ,,to ,,the ,,same4         
,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,may #ae1 #ahhe4   
,dear ,brother3      ,since writing my  

card this morning ,i have learned that  
,d4 ,mc,c41     the boss ,nashville     
gambler1 and an old partner of mine1 is 
attending ,sam ,jones' meetings4 ,i want
 you to go to see him4     ,don't be    
afraid to go right up to him and        
introduce yourself4     ,tell him you   
and ,i are old friends1 and that ,i love
 him1 and     requested you to see him4 
,but you know better how to approach    
him than ,i can tell you4 ,but you must 
see him4 ,take ,sam ,jones to     see   
him4 ,visit him at his home1 with ,sam  
,jones4 ,he is worthy of                
concentration4 ,if you can get him      
converted1 he will be a power     for   
good4 ,most of your members know him1 ,i
 guess4 ,if you don't     like to call  
on him1 alone1 get some of them to go   
along and     introduce you4 ,may ,god  
help us save poor ,d4 ,mc,c4            
,yours1      ,,steve4         99        
99       99       99       99  ,,to     
,,the ,,same4      ,,louisville1 ,,ky41 
,december #bj1 #ahhg4      ,dear        

,brother3      ,your favor to hand4 ,i  
have had a terrible battle with self1   
but     by the grace of ,god ,i have    
come out conquerer4 ,i praise ,god now  
that ,i had the struggle1 because it has
 enabled me to realize     the emptiness
 of all that is earthly4 ,it has        
convinced me that     to depend on men  
is like a foot out of joint4 ,i make    
more     miles toward my haven of rest  
during a night of storm than in     days
 of calm weather4 ,wishing you a merry  
,christmas and a happy     ,new ,year1  
,i am as ever1      ,your friend and    
brother in ,christ1      ,,steve ,p4    
,,holcombe4         99       99       99
       99       99  ,,to ,,the ,,same4  
,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,december #bi1     
#ahhg4      ,dear ,brother3      ,yours 
was received a few days ago4 ,yes1 ,i   
thank ,god ,i am almost     rid of my   
love of praise4 ,i am willing to do the 
dirty and     disagreeable work and let 
others have the picnics and the         
praise4 ,who am ,i that ,i should be a  

leader of the ,lord's     people8 ,but  
,i confess ,i did not get to this point 
without a     struggle4 ,how ,i did have
 to wrestle with ,god4 ,he showed me the
     envy that was in my heart1 that is 
my jealousy of any one who     did more 
work or had more attention paid them    
than ,i had4 ,but     glory to ,god ,i  
hope ,i am rid of it at last4           
,yours1      ,s4 ,p4 ,h4         99     
99       99       99       99  ,,to     
,,the ,,same4      ,,louisville1 ,,ky41 
,january #bf1 #ahhh4      ,dear         
,brother3      ,yours just received4 ,i 
hardly think it would be worth while to 
ask ,mr4 ,moody to visit our ,mission1  
as his time is so completely            
occupied4 ,i think our work is as much  
thought of as ever4 ,it is     quiet but
 ,i think deep4 ,i have kept it out of  
the papers1     because too much        
newspaper notoriety is calculated to    
cause a     poor little-brained fellow  
to exaggerate his own importance4 ,and  
then there is such sweetness in the work

 when you are sure it is     not for    
praise but for ,christ4 ,i am afraid    
that many of us on     analyzing our    
hearts will find first1 self2 second1   
self2 and     almost all for self in one
 way or another4 ,may ,god deliver me   
from self4      ,yours as ever1         
,,steve ,p4 ,,holcombe4         99      
99       99       99       99  ,,to     
,,the ,,same4      ,,louisville1 ,,ky41 
,july #aj1 #ahhh4      ,dear ,brother3  
,your letter to hand4 ,there is nothing 
so comforting as true     friendship4   
,alas6 how little of it there is in this
 world4 ,happy     the man who can claim
 one true friend4 ,i know a man that has
 a     true friend4 ,i am that man and  
you are that friend4 ,how do ,i     know
 it8 ,you are so faithful in telling me 
the truth about     myself and showing  
me my faults and mistakes4 ,who but a   
true     friend that had your best      
interest at heart would have written    
such a letter as this last one from you8
 ,i want you to know that     while ,i  

loved you much before1 ,i love you more 
now4 ,i have been     going through the 
fire lately1 but ,i think ,i shall come 
out all     right4 ,doesn't ,god sift a 
fellow8 ,i believe ,i can say ,i rejoice
     in tribulation4 ,i find ,i can not 
expect to be understood in this         
world or always have sympathy1 but ,i do
 expect1 if ,i meekly     wait and      
murmur not1 to find it is all right in  
my ,father's     house4      ,your      
friend and brother in ,christ1          
,,steve ,p4 ,,holcombe4         99      
99       99       99       99  ,,to ,s4 
,p4 ,,dalton 7one of the converts74     
,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,july #ag1 #ahhc4  
,my ,dear ,brother ,dalton3      ,your  
good letter to hand4 ,it is1 as you say1
 so sweet to be     bound together by   
the ties of ,christian love1 and there  
is no     tie which binds men more      
closely than the religion of ,christ4   
,it     breaks down every barrier1 and  
all are alike to the true     ,christian
 man2 rich1 poor1 halt1 lame1 blind1    

there is no     difference4 ,and the    
,christian is happiest when he is       
denying     himself to help others4     
,in order to convince the world of the  
truth and power of our     religion1 our
 own standard must be very high4 ,we    
must deny     ourselves of things which 
in themselves would be innocent1 but    
which1 if practiced by us1 would lessen 
our influence for good4     ,and how    
comforting to think that if we suffer   
with ,him1 we     shall also reign with 
,him4 ,the suffering comes first1 the   
humiliation first1 the toil and         
weariness first4 ,yes1 we may     expect
 troubles and crosses here1 but we leave
 it all behind     when we enter within 
the gates into the city4 ,i thank ,god  
that     your heart has been changed and
 that you have tasted of the     powers 
of the world to come4 ,i am glad you    
find more pleasure in     my poor       
company and lame words than in the      
follies and     friendships of the      
world4 ,hoping for you all good things1 

,i am     with much love1      ,your    
brother in ,christ1      ,,steve        
,,holcombe4         99       99       99
       99       99  ,,to ,,the ,,same4  
,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,july #bc1 #ahhe4  
,dear ,brother ,dalton3      ,your      
letter from the great ,falls is to hand4
 ,it is very     gratifying to me to    
know that in the midst of so much       
excitement     you could and did think  
of one so humble and obscure as myself4 
,i have been at the ,falls and have seen
 many wonderful and grand     things1   
but the most beautiful thing ,i have    
ever seen is an old     hardened sinner 
picking up his grip-sack and bidding the
 devil     farewell forever4 ,and1      
praise the ,lord1 that is my privilege  
almost daily in the dear old mission4   
,though the weather is very     hot1 we 
have glorious meetings2 new converts    
testifying almost     nightly4 ,two     
professional gamblers have just been    
converted4 ,one     of them was one of  
the sweetest conversions ,i ever saw4   

,the old     converts are nearly all    
doing well4 ,don't grow1 cold1 but be in
     some work for the ,master every    
day1 and you will not miss the     time 
or regret the service4 ,god bless you4  
,your friend and brother in ,christ1    
,s4 ,p4 ,,holcombe4         99       99 
99       99       99  ,,to ,,the ,,same4
      ,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,april #ag1  
#ahhf4      ,dear ,brother ,dalton3     
,yours of the #fth to hand4 ,we have    
purchased the property for our     new  
home1 and we shall move in in about a   
month4 ,our work is     moving like a   
thing of life4 ,it was never so         
prosperous before4     ,i wish you could
 be here to work with us4 ,sister ,clark
 is in her     glory4 ,she is one of the
 grandest ,christian women ,i have ever 
seen4 ,nearly all the converts are doing
 well4      ,yours1      ,s4 ,p4        
,,holcombe4         99       99       99
       99       99  ,,to ,,the ,,same4  
,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,november #ae1     
#ahhf4      ,dear ,brother ,dalton3     

,i receive no letters that touch my     
heart more deeply than those     ,i     
receive from you4 ,our work is more     
quiet now4 ,the papers do     not notice
 it so much1 but we are doing a good    
work4 ,it is now     more among the     
unfortunate business men of the city    
some of     whom1 were fallen very low4 
,some who have recently been            
reclaimed are now first-class business  
men4 ,the old converts are     all right
 and doing well1 but they don't stand by
 me in the work     as ,i wish they     
would4 ,oh1 for consecration and        
concentration4     ,that is my motto4   
,my married daughter has got one of the 
best of husbands and ,i     think they  
are the happiest couple ,i know4 ,the   
rest are all     well4 ,i hope you will 
be blown back this way by some favoring 
breeze1 so we can have your help in our 
work4      ,yours1      ,s4 ,p4         
,,holcombe4         99       99       99
       99       99  ,,to ,,the ,,same4  
,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,january #f1 #ahhg4

      ,dear ,brother ,dalton3      ,our 
work is going on grandly again4 ,you can
 see from the papers     ,i am kept as  
busy as a bee4 ,you must know from the  
number that     come that my time is all
 taken up in nursing them4 ,hence1 ,i   
can     not write long letters1 however 
much ,i would like to4      ,hope to see
 you soon4      ,yours1      ,s4 ,p4    
,,holcombe4         99       99       99
       99       99  ,,to ,,the ,,same4  
,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,october #bh1      
#ahhg4      ,s4,p4 ,dalton1 ,cleveland1 
,ohio3      ,,dear ,,brother ,,dalton3  
,yours of the #agth is received4 ,i am  
glad     you are an active worker in the
 church1 and that they have shown       
their appreciation of you by making you 
a steward in the church4      ,i believe
 you will render a good account of your 
stewardship4     ,the main thing for you
 to guard against is care4 ,remember1   
always when you think you are too busy  
to pray in secret1 read     the ,bible1 
go to the meetings1 etc41 what ,jesus   

said to ,martha3     ,thou art careful  
and troubled about many things4      ,i 
am trying to be a faithful servant4 ,god
 is blessing my humble     efforts4 ,the
 converts are sticking and the work is  
growing4 ,most     of the converts are  
prospering in business4 ,some that were 
in     the gutter are now making from   
fifty to two hundred dollars a          
month4      ,your friend and brother in 
,christ1      ,s4 ,p4 ,,holcombe4       
99       99       99       99       99  
,,to ,,the ,,same4      ,,louisville1   
,,ky41 ,may #aa1 #ahhh4      ,dear      
,brother ,dalton3      ,yours of the    
#ith to hand4 ,glad to hear of your     
continued success     in business4 ,you 
are a great man1 but a man who is so    
prosperous     in business must keep his
 eyes open4      ,remember to give to   
the ,lord all that belongs to ,him of   
every     dollar you earn4 ,john        
,wesley's motto is hard to improve on3  
,make all you can1 save all you can1    
give all you can4 ,and oh6     what     

sweetness there is in giving4 ,never get
 too busy to do some     ,christian     
work4 ,we have just had ,murphy at      
,louisville1 for a     month4           
,good-bye1      ,,steve ,p4 ,,holcombe4 
99       99       99       99       99  
#c,,letters ,,to ,,mr4 ,,holcombe4  #c  
,a few of the letters to ,mr4 ,holcombe 
have been selected out of several       
hundreds4      ,mr4 ,holcombe3      ,i  
have heard and read so much of your     
influence and prayers for     men       
leading dissolute lives1 that ,i am     
going to ask you if you     won't find  
my husband and stay and pray with him   
until he is     saved4 ,the other night1
 when he was drinking very hard1 he     
appealed to me to send for you to pray  
for him4 ,he has much     confidence in 
your prayers1 and believes in your life2
 ,i have     often heard him say so4 ,he
 has a noble1 loving disposition1 and   
forgiving2 so you need not be afraid of 
offending him4 ,his whole     heart     
would forever offer thanksgivings for   

his delivery from     drink2 for it is  
that that he prays for4 ,i have thought 
that1     perhaps1 ,god intended        
salvation to come to him through you2   
and     how earnestly ,i pray that it   
may4 ,so much has been done1 and so     
many prayers offered for him1 won't you 
please1 at your next     opportunity1   
find him and talk and pray with him8    
,you would make     a miserable1 lonely 
woman's life happy again4 ,we have been 
so     happy together1 so congenial1 so 
well mated2 and if ,god will     answer 
all our united prayers1 happiness will  
return to our     hearts tenfold4 ,oh1  
,mr4 ,holcombe1 pray the prayer of      
faith1 and     my heart will ever turn  
in grateful acknowledgment to ,god for  
making you the humble instrument of my  
much-loved husband's     salvation4     
,won't you go now immediately and       
wrestle for and with     him in prayer8 
,believe me1 most earnestly1 your       
co-worker in prayer for his             
salvation4      ,,mrs4 ,h4         99   

99       99       99       99           
,,birmingham1 ,,ala41 ,may #ab1 #ahhh4  
,dear ,brother ,holcombe3      ,i hope  
you will not think hard of me for asking
 you to write     once more to my       
husband4 ,i feel so confident it will   
stir up a     remembrance of his        
conversion4 ,oh1 brother1 don't give up 
helping me4 ,try to save my husband4 ,it
 nearly kills me to see     him come    
home full of the destroying thing called
 whisky2 and it     seems to have such a
 strong hold on him4 ,all the imploring 
,i can     do will not change him at    
all4 ,i have grieved until my life is   
almost grieved away4 ,but oh1 ,god will 
surely hear my cry after a     while4   
,if ,i could give my life to save my    
husband's soul1 ,i     would willingly1 
yes1 gladly1 do it4 ,brother ,holcombe1 
what do     you think about this plan8  
,if you can get one of the converts     
whom my husband knows1 and one who has  
been a great drunkard1 to     write a   
friendly1 brotherly letter to him1 don't

 you think that     might do some good8 
,oh1 ,i have thought of so many plans   
and ways     to try and get him back to 
the ,lord4 ,i am sorry to say that the  
city of ,birmingham is the most wicked  
place ,i have ever seen2 so     few     
,christians1 and they are not working4  
,i do fervently hope     ,god will send 
some one here who is like yourself1 not 
ashamed to     work for the lost4 ,i    
hope you will write1 ,brother ,holcombe4
 ,pray     for me2 and oh1 do ask all   
the friends there to pray for my        
husband4      ,mrs4 ,p4         99      
99       99       99       99           
,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,december #c;d4    
,brother ,holcombe3      ,will you ask  
the prayers of your people in behalf of 
my     skeptical son-in-law4 ,he is a   
talented man1 but he is using his       
influence against his best friend4 ,my  
poor child is suffering     the penalty 
for marrying an infidel4 ,if ,i dared   
tell you how     desperate the case1 ,i 
am sure your heart would be troubled to 

its depths4 ,do pray that this man may  
be led into the light of     the        
,gospel1 and become a better husband1   
father and citizen4      ,a ,,suffering 
,,mother4         99       99       99  
99       99      ,,bowling ,,green1     
,november #aj1 #ahhd4      ,mr4         
,holcombe3      ,will you please go and 
see my son ,l41 and try to persuade him 
to     live a better life8 ,he has great
 faith in what you say4 ,when you       
wrote to him last spring he seemed very 
much affected1 and said     to me4 ,that
 is one of the best men in the world4   
,oh1 for     heaven's sake1 pray for    
him4 ,if you can go and talk to him1    
advise him to leave ,kentucky and go    
away off and reform his     life4 ,if he
 comes back here1 danger awaits him4 ,i 
feel sure     you can influence him1 for
 he believes you are sincere4 ,he is    
not mean and sinful at heart1 but oh1   
the accursed demon ,drink     causes him
 all his trouble4 ,if he could get some 
respectable     work and some one to    

encourage him and lift him above his    
darkened life1 ,i believe he would be   
all right4 ,he has relatives     there1 
but they are the last to apply to for   
assistance4 ,he is     in jail in your  
city now4 ,god only knows the pang it   
causes me     to say he is in jail4 ,he 
was such a good ,sunday-school boy and a
     good ,templar4 ,is it possible that
 he is to be lost8 ,i can't yet     give
 up all hope4 ,while my ,father in      
heaven has so sorely     afflicted me1  
,i can't help believing that after      
awhile the     change will come4 ,oh1   
how ,i wish ,brother ,morris could go to
 him     to-day4 ,he took more interest 
in him than any one else ever did4      
,please do what you can4 ,i know ,god   
will hear your prayer and     help you  
to save him4 ,yours with a mother's     
aching heart for her     boy1      ---- 
----         99       99       99       
99       99      ,,chicago1 ,may #bdth4 
,rev4 ,steve ,holcombe3      ,,my ,,dear
 ,,friend3 ,i have just received a      

letter from my son1 who     has almost  
ruined himself and broken my heart by   
his     intemperance4 ,i have been      
always praying for his reformation1     
but felt almost hopeless1 as he would   
not go to church and     seemed         
hardened1 and ,i know very well he could
 not rely on his     own strength and   
would not look to a stronger arm for    
help4 ,do     you know when ,i received 
a letter from him to-day making a full  
confession of all his past course1 and  
saying he had been to     hear you and  
asked for your prayers1 ,i could not    
realize it8 ,how     we are surprised   
when ,god hears us4 ,i write this to    
thank you     for anything you may have 
said to help him1 and to beg you to     
follow him with your prayers and advice4
 ,oh1 won't you try to     help him all 
you can8 ,it will be a hard battle with 
him1 poor     fellow1 as he has been for
 some time indulging freely4 ,will you  
look after him as much as you can and if
 he should fall1 help     him up8 ,i am 

praying for you and your work1 and have 
been doing     so for a long time4 ,your
 friend1      ,,mrs4 ,p4 ,w4 ,m4        
99       99       99       99       99  
,,wednesday ,,night4      ,dear ,mr4    
,holcombe3      ,will you please come   
out to my home on ,third street in the  
morning as early as you can8 ,i dislike 
to trouble you in this     way2 but ,i  
am in great trouble with ,mr4 ,l4 ,he   
has been drinking1     and ,i feel that 
you can be the means of bringing him    
back to     ,god4 ,i have prayed with   
him1 and done all ,i could for him4 ,i  
feel crushed to the earth with this deep
 sorrow and     mortification4 ,don't   
let him know that ,i sent for you4 ,he  
is     quite sick to-night4 ,pray that  
,god may sustain us and lift us     out 
of this deep dark sorrow1 and cast out  
the demon that seems     to possess my  
poor dear husband4 ,god bless you1 our  
dear good     friend1 and keep us all   
this night4      ,sincerely your friend1
      ,,mrs4 ,l4         99       99    

99       99       99      ,,louisville1 
,,ky41 ,april #ab1 #ahhh4      ,rev4 ,s4
 ,p4 ,holcombe3      ,,dear ,,brother3  
,it is with grief in my heart ,i must   
write you     again4 ,mr4 ,l4 went on a 
business trip three weeks since1 but    
fell into bad company1 and has been on a
 protracted spree4 ,he     came home    
last night utterly discouraged--will not
 even try to     pray again4 ,i am      
almost discouraged myself2 can only wait
 and     trust4 ,i think if you could   
make it convenient to call to see       
him to-day1 perhaps ,god will put words 
into your mouth that will     help him4 
,i leave it with you2 and would not ask 
you to leave     your duties1 except ,i 
know your willingness to work for the   
,master4 ,he will not know that ,i have 
sent for you4 ,oh1 help me     to pray  
that ,god will help my husband4         
,your friend1      ,,mrs4 ,l4         99
       99       99       99       99    
,,october #bh,,th4      ,friend         
,holcombe3      ,i am locked up1 and go 

to the work-house this morning4 ,oh1 can
     anything be done to help me2 ,i    
want to become a different man4     ,try
 and save me4      ,truly1 ---- ----    
99       99       99       99       99  
,,city ,,work-,,house1 ,november #a1    
#ahhb4      ,rev4 ,stephen ,p4          
,holcombe3      ,,dear ,,sir3 ,you      
kindly requested me to write you in     
event ,i     reached the conclusion that
 under a change of condition ,i might   
become a different man4 ,my knowledge of
 your own career inspires     me with   
more confidence than anything that has  
ever fallen under     my notice4        
,coupled with the impression made upon  
me by the     sermon on ,sunday         
afternoon1 ,i firmly believe if you will
 come     and see me1 and allow me to   
state to you fully my convictions as    
to your ability to make a sober man of  
me1 you will do one of     the greatest 
and noblest acts of your life2 and1 in  
keeping me     from the slavery of      
drink1 rescue one who has suffered1 and 

who     has caused1 and now is causing1 
much suffering to others4 ,i     stand  
ready to unite with you in any manner   
you may suggest1 and     pray ,god      
,almighty to bless you4      ,truly1    
---- ----4         99       99       99 
99       99      ,,city ,,work-,,house1 
,november #b1 #ahhb4      ,friend       
,holcombe3      ,when ,i penned the few 
lines to you yesterday1 ,i had to do it 
in     so short a space of time1 that in
 all probability ,i omitted to     state
 specifically why ,i desired to see you4
 ,heretofore1 ,i have     never         
entertained any settled plan of         
operations to restrain my     appetite  
for liquor other than the mere will     
power ,i deemed in     my own possession
 and control1 and1 as a result1 would   
invariably find myself in the very midst
 of violating every     previously      
conceived resolution4 ,your kindness in 
pointing out a     course of discipline 
and conduct1 and extending to me a      
welcome     among those who have made1  

and who are making1 successful battle   
against the great destroyer of          
happiness1 awakened within me an        
entirely different current of thought2  
and when ,i stated ,i would     unite   
with you in any manner you would        
suggest1 to effect the     object in    
view1 ,i meant it with all my heart and 
mind2 and ,i     appeal to an all-wise  
and merciful ,creator to attest the     
sincerity of my declaration in this     
matter4 ,again1 my resolve is     to    
attend strictly to any suggestions you  
may make4 ,the accursed     appetite has
 beggared me4 ,i do not ask charity from
 any mortal     toward me4 ,i am not    
deserving of either sympathy or pity2   
and     while the embracing of the cause
 of religion and temperance can     not 
of itself work reformation1 it places a 
man in a position     where he can climb
 upward and go forward1 instead of      
forever     traveling the broad way that
 leads to destruction4 ,holcombe1 ,i    
want to redeem myself4 ,i only crave    

this one last opportunity1     and if   
,god will help me no man shall ever know
 of me using     either intoxicating    
drink or profane language as long as    
breath     is in my body4 ,when         
released1 ,i do not want to be idle a   
day4 ,i     have mouths to feed whose   
entry into this troubled life is        
chargeable solely to me4 ,i will work   
for a dollar a day to do my     duty    
towards them4 ,judge ,w4 ,l4 ,jackson1  
,judge ,h4 ,h4 ,bruee1 ,gary     ,b4    
,blackburn or ,major ,tom ,hays1 would1 
,i am sure1 put in a good     word for  
me2 and ,judge ,price himself1 ,i think 
has some hope for     me4 ,i had a      
violent chill to-day1 and am in the     
hospital     department1 and my fingers 
are somewhat stiff from researches in   
the geological department4#d ,hence this
 cramped writing4 ,come     and see me1 
and do not give me up as hopeless4      
,truly1 ---- ----4  #d ,he means the    
rock-pile4         99       99       99 
99       99      ,,bowling ,,green1     

,,ky41 ,march #bg1 #ahhh4      ,rev4    
,steve ,holcombe3      ,,dear ,,sir3 ,i 
am so much obliged to you for the kind  
letter you     were pleased to write me4
 ,you no doubt think ere this that the  
seed has fallen on stony ground1 and1   
perhaps1 among thorns2 but     ,i can   
assure you that ,i made up my mind when 
in your city to     lead a different    
life1 and to devote the remainder of my 
life to     the service of my ,god4 ,i  
have so often thought of you1 and have  
wished to see you4 ,pray for me1 and ,i 
do hope we may meet again4     ,if ever 
convenient1 call and see me4 ,our doors 
will be open1     yes1 wide open1 to    
you4 ,thanking you again for your       
remembrance     of me1 ,i am1 yours     
truly1      ----4         99       99   
99       99       99      ,,sick ,,bed1 
,february #eth4      ,dear ,christian   
,brother3      ,i have a tenant in a    
little house1 a grocery1 on ,sixth      
street1     right next to the ,first    
,presbyterian church1 who is a fearfully

     wicked man1 a common drunkard1 and 
steeped in sin2 and ,i come to     you  
to-day to beg you to seek him out and   
try to rescue him4 ,he     has four or  
five little motherless children1 whose  
lives are     full of the bitterest     
sorrow2 they are so dirty and unkempt   
that     the public school teacher had  
to send them home4 ,they are under      
no control2 have no one to train them   
for ,god1 and ought to be     where some
 one would save them from themselves and
 ruin4 ,when ,i     leased my house to  
him1 he was a very handsome1 well-to-do 
man2     young1 apparently honest1 paid 
his rent regularly1 and had a     very  
nice little wife1 who has since died--,i
 think with a broken     heart4 ,will   
you not look him up at once8 ,or1 if you
 are too full     of other cases1 will  
you not get some one of your workers to 
try     to lead him back to good paths8 
,he is a very desperate case1 ,i        
know1 and seems almost past saving now2 
but you know ,god's grace     can reach 

any heart4 ,i would lay this poor       
dissolute creature1     lost to all     
sense of honor1 shame or manliness1 on  
your soul1 my     brother1 and beseech  
you1 for ,christ's sake1 for the sake of
     these poor motherless children1    
whose souls are worth saving for        
,christ1 do try to bring your influence 
and your prayers for     ,god's help1 to
 this miserable man's case1 and see if  
you can     help4 ,if he is past ,god's 
mercy--and ,i can not believe           
that--will you not see what can be done 
for the little ones8     ,the oldest boy
 is a bright little fellow1 and may     
become a great     light in our         
,father's work4 ,i hear that this man   
has been to     hear ,mr4 ,moody4 ,i do 
not know if it helped him4 ,will you not
     send after him1 and try to get him 
to go to-night8 ,i will meet     you in 
prayer there for him4      ,in bonds of 
,christian friendship1      ,,jennie    
,,casseday4         99       99       99
       99       99      ,,alexander',s  

,,hotel1     ,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,may  
#cj1 #ahhh4      ,my ,dear ,mr4         
,holcombe3      ,i am struggling as hard
 as ever a poor wretch did against my   
appetite for liquor4 ,i have asked the  
good ,lord to help me     overcome the  
habit1 but ,i feel that my prayers      
amount to     nothing4 ,may ,i ask you  
to ask the ,great ,controller of us all 
to     give me strength to overcome this
 habit8 ,save me1 or help save     me1  
,i beg and implore you4 ,please give me 
your prayers4      ---- ----4         99
       99       99       99       99    
,,october #af1 #ahhg4      ,my ,dear    
,steve3      ,your kind favor of the    
#gth instant reached me in due time4 ,i 
was1 of course1 delighted to hear from  
you1 and inexpressibly     glad to hear 
of the improved state of your health4 ,i
 also note     with much pleasure what  
you say in regard to the pleasant and   
extensive trip that you have just       
finished4 ,it gratifies and     pleases 
me beyond expression to know that the   

people of     ,louisville are at last   
awakened to your worth1 and are willing 
to manifest some substantial recognition
 of the same4 ,all     things work well 
for those who love the ,lord4 ,i believe
 the     quotation is correct4 ,oh1 had 
,i continued in the way you pointed     
out to me1 how different my situation   
and circumstances would     be4 ,instead
 of being broken in health and bankrupt 
in purse1     separated from all that ,i
 love and hold most dear1 ,i would be1  
,i     am sure1 what ,i was while ,i was
 endeavoring to lead a ,christian       
life--a happy husband and father and a  
respectable citizen4 ,oh1     ,steve1 my
 dear friend1 ,i am wretched1 miserable1
 broken hearted4     ,when ,i reflect   
upon what ,i was and what ,i might have 
been1 and     consider what ,i am and   
how little ,i have to look forward to1  
,i     simply get desperate4 ,but ,i    
will not weary you with my troubles4    
,as regards myself and habits1 ,i may   
say1 without exaggeration1     that ,i  

am in better health and my mode of      
living is plainer and     more regular  
than it has ever been4 ,i rise every    
morning between     four and five       
o'clock1 and retire between eight and   
nine4 ,my     food is of the plainest   
and coarsest kind4 ,my companions are1  
,i     regret to say1 cowboys4 ,you     
know1 ,i presume1 what they are1 so ,i  
will say nothing about them4 ,i neither 
drink nor smoke2 ,i chew     tobacco    
very moderately1 and expect to quit     
that4 ,i suffer     terribly at times   
for the want of congenial company4 ,you 
must     excuse this effort1 as ,i am   
surrounded by a lot of boys who are     
making a terrible lot of noise4 ,give my
 love to all of your     family4 ,god   
bless you1 my dear ,steve4 ,pray for me 
and mine4      ,your friend1 ---- ----  
----4         99       99       99      
99       99      ,,november #b1 #ahhg4  
,my ,dear ,steve3      ,your letter of  
the #bgth is before me4 ,it is just such
 a letter     as ,i expected--so full of

 sympathy1 love and good1 wholesome     
advice4 ,i wish it were possible1 or1   
rather1 expedient1 to     listen to your
 advice and return home1 for ,i am      
heartily sick     and tired of the life 
,i am now living4 ,don't you know that  
my     life out here reminds me1 in a   
measure1 of your western     experience8
 ,of course1 ,i am not subjected to the 
hardships and     deprivations that you 
were forced to undergo4 ,but1 as far as 
bodily comfort and companionship are    
concerned1 ,i must say that     your    
experience must have been rather tough1 
if it was worse     than mine4 ,now1    
don't misunderstand me1 ,i have plenty  
to eat1     such as it is1 ,i have a    
fairly good bed1 in a fairly good room4 
,my companions are1 as you know1        
cowboys4 ,that they are rough and       
all that1 goes without saying1 but let  
me tell you1 my dear     friend1 ,i have
 received better treatment and more     
consideration     from these wild1      
half-civilized cowboys1 upon whom ,i    

have no     earthly claim1 than ,i ever 
received from some from whom ,i had a   
right to expect1 if not fair treatment1 
at least some     consideration4 ,the   
people one meets out here are always    
willing     to give a fellow a white    
man's chance4 ,when you write1 tell me  
something about the dear old ,mission   
and its workers4 ,what has     become of
 ,davidson1 ,peck1 ,booker and all of   
the boys8 ,i would be     extremely     
sorry to hear that any of them had      
forsaken the narrow     for the broad   
way4 ,the dear old ,mission6 ,what a    
train of happy     memories is connected
 with it4 ,i almost forgot to inquire   
about     ,clay ,price4 ,tell me about  
all of them4 ,i am about to change my   
quarters4 ,don't know where ,i will go4 
,you had better wait until     you hear 
from me again before answering4 ,with   
much love to     yourself and family1 ,i
 am1 as ever1      ,your friend1        
---- ---- ----4         99       99     
99       99       99      ,,december    

#aj1 #ahhg4      ,my ,dear ,steve3      
,your letter1 or rather note1 of        
,november #bith1 reached me in due      
course4 ,you advise me to keep up a     
brave heart4 ,steve1 old     fellow1 my 
heart is broken4 ,i know you will smile 
and shake your     head2 but ,i honestly
 believe that if there is such a thing  
as a     broken heart1 mine is broken4  
,haven't ,i suffered enough8 ,well1     
how is the ,mission getting along8 ,i   
noticed in the     ,courier-,journal the
 other day that ,george ,kerr had been  
reclaimed4 ,well1 well1 who would have  
thought it8 ,i know him     well4 ,he is
 a fellow of some parts4 ,if he can only
 keep sober1     he is abundantly       
qualified to do well4 ,write me         
something about     the boys4 ,i would  
be mighty glad to hear good reports of  
them4     ,have you seen the ----s      
lately4 ,give them my regards when you  
see them2 and remind them for me1 that  
they are in debt to me a     letter4    
,they and you1 old fellow1 are about all

 the friends ,i     have left4 ,what a  
sad commentary upon human nature is the 
mutability of so-called friendship6     
,when ,i was prosperous1 ,i had     all 
the friends ,i wanted1 and more1 too4   
,now1 ,i can count them     upon the    
fingers of one hand4 ,ah1 well1 ,i      
suppose it has been     the same time   
out of mind2 ,i am not an exception4    
,now1 ,steve1     write me a long       
letter1 and tell me all the news4       
,very truly your friend1 ---- ----4     
99       99       99       99       99  
,,from ,a ,,convert4      ,,kansas      
,,city1 ,,mo41 ,may #cj1 #ahhh4         
,rev4 ,steve ,p4 ,holcombe1 ,louisville1
 ,ky43      ,yours received4 ,would have
 written sooner but ,i have been away   
and busy4 ,i have been at ,fulton1 ,mo41
 since the tenth instant4     ,brother  
,jones left ,monday morning4 ,i tell you
 ,i just had a     glorious time4       
,steve1 ,i love the work6 and ,god is   
blessing me     wonderfully2 everything 
is prosperous2 business is getting      

better2 my health is getting better4 ,in
 short1 everything is     just glorious4
 ,of course1 ,i feel gloomy sometimes2  
but1 blessed     be ,god1 he will not   
allow us to be tempted above that we are
     able to bear2 and1 with every      
temptation there is a way of     escape4
 ,i feel just that way4 ,every time     
temptation comes to me1     ,i flee to  
,god for help1 and ,i never yet failed4 
,i have gone into     this for life2    
and1 ,god helping me1 ,i will stick4 ,i 
have not     tasted drink of any kind   
since about ,january #ith1 and ,i tell  
you     ,i was a slave to it4 ,i never  
think of drinking now2 my thought     is
 all in a different channel2 bless ,god 
for it4 ,our little     mission is      
gradually growing1 and we hope for grand
 things from     it4 ,pray for us4      
,brother ,morris wishes to be remembered
 to     yourself and family4 ,i am a    
member of his church1 and ,i love       
him4 ,he is a grand man4 ,i am going to 
,chillicothe1 ,missouri1 the     #abth  

of ,june--,brother ,jones will be there 
for ten days4 ,give my     regards to   
all who know me2 and tell them ,i am    
trusting ,jesus     for everything4 ,may
 ,god bless you in your good work4 ,i   
shall     never forget you4 ,write as   
soon as convenient4      ,your friend   
and brother1      ,,harry ,,chapman4    
99       99       99       99       99  
,,from ,a ,,convert4      ,,chicago1    
,july #ba1 #ahhd4      ,my ,dear        
,brother ,steve3      ,your kind postal 
of the #bast to hand this ,p4 ,m4 ,i    
must really     beg your pardon for     
having neglected your cards2 but ,i have
 no     excuse to offer4 ,it has been   
nothing but carelessness4 ,i was        
absent from ,chicago a week with my     
friend ,d41 and had a very     pleasant 
time4 ,it is probable that he will start
 into business     in ,chicago4 ,he will
 know in the next few weeks4 ,the ,lord 
has     taken wonderfully good care of  
me since ,i have been here1     although
 on one or two occasions ,i have had to 

do with only one     meal a day4 ,he has
 blessed me all the time4 ,he has kept  
me     cheerful through all1 and ,i feel
 to-day that ,i am nearer to ,him       
than ,i have ever been4 ,i have put     
myself into ,his hands     unreservedly1
 and ,i feel that ,he is taking care of 
me4 ,yesterday     ,i got a letter from 
my brother4 ,he asked me to pray for    
him1 and     ,i shall certainly continue
 to do so as long as ,i live4 ,whenever 
you see him1 speak to him about the     
salvation of his soul4 ,i     have      
written to him about it1 and he wants to
 try and become a     ,christian4 ,pray 
for him4 ,sunday ,i saw ,dr4 ,s4 ,he is 
better     dressed than ,i ever saw him4
 ,i notice he wears the ,murphy ribbon  
in his button-hole4 ,i am glad he is    
looking so well4 ,this was     the first
 time ,i had seen him for weeks4 ,steve1
 there is only     one thing lacking to 
make my happiness complete1 and that is 
to     have my mother think more        
favorably of my reformation4 ,i have    

written to her twice1 and she has not   
even deigned to answer4 ,i     feel1    
however1 that the ,lord will bring this 
about all right4 ,as     to my getting  
into a situation1 it will be some time  
yet1 as     business hardly ever starts 
up here until about ,september4 ,then   
the ,lord will put me into something    
permanent1 ,i know4 ,the     captain is 
indeed happy with his family reunited   
with him4 ,he     ought to shout ,god's 
praises from morning till night2 but he 
is     not the only one that can        
shout--my heart is forever full4        
,neither hard times1 nor anything else1 
can keep me down as long     as ,i have 
,jesus with me4 ,i must close2 it is    
time to go to     convert's meeting4 ,my
 prayers are for you and the ,mission4  
,i     humbly ask you1 as well as all   
the good ,christians there1 to     pray 
for me4 ,may ,god bless you and yours4  
,your brother in ,christ1      ,,fred   
,,ropke4  ,remember me to ,mrs4         
,holcombe and the rest of the family1 as

 well as to all inquiring friends4      
99       99       99       99       99  
,,from ,,the ,,same4      ,,chicago1    
,august #c1 #ahhd4      ,dear ,steve3   
,your kind letter to hand4 ,i feel      
ashamed of myself for not     answering 
your letters more promptly4 ,it does my 
heart good to     think that you at last
 have confidence in me1 and that my     
going     to ,chicago must not          
necessarily round up in my going to     
hell4 ,it     seems to me1 although ,i  
have not been in the service of our     
glorious ,master as long as you have1   
yet ,i have1 or rather had1     more    
faith in ,his power to keep me than you 
had2 but your remark     has often been 
recalled to my mind4 ,do you remember   
saying that     if ,i went to ,chicago1 
,i was certainly bound for hell8 ,was   
this     charity or placing much faith  
in ,god's word8 ,well1 let the          
matter drop4 ,i have just come home from
 a glorious meeting4 ,oh1     how ,i    
thank ,god this morning for a lightness 

of heart and a     buoyancy of spirit   
that lift me above surrounding trials   
and     troubles6 ,i am poor in purse2  
but1 bless ,his holy name1 ,i am        
rich in promises and faith4 ,my temporal
 affairs are not in a     very          
prosperous condition1 but               
notwithstanding all this1 ,i have       
the confidence ,he will take care of me4
 ,he has done this in a     wonderful   
manner to this time1 and ,he certainly  
has not changed     since ,i have become
 one of ,his4 ,captain ,davidson keeps  
me pretty     well posted as to your    
meetings4 ,i am glad they are well      
attended4 ,the ,lord willing1 ,i will be
 with you on a visit this     coming    
winter1 and ,i will bring a friend4 ,you
 will then see in     what style they   
conduct their meetings here in ,chicago4
 ,i have     as yet received no answer  
to my long letter to ,h41 but ,i praise 
,god that my humble words have set him  
to thinking4 ,my prayers     ascend to  
heaven daily that he may be saved4 ,your

 friend1 ,frank     ,jones1 is here in  
,chicago4 ,i saw him once on ,clark     
street1 but     had no chance to talk to
 him4 ,this has been some two weeks ago4
     ,remember me in ,christian love to 
the ,millers1 ,captain ,denny1          
,dalton1 ,ben ,harney1 ,tom ,watts--in  
fact1 all2 but especially give     my   
regards to ,mrs4 ,holcombe4 ,don't      
forget ,mulligan1 and my     prayers are
 that ,god may bless you as abundantly  
as he is     blessing your brother in   
,christ1      ,,fred ,,ropke4         99
       99       99       99       99    
,,from ,a ,,convert4      ,,louisville1 
,,ky41 ,september #ab1 #ahhg4      ,rev1
 ,s4 ,p4 ,holcombe1 ,new ,york ,city3   
,,my ,,dear ,,old ,,friend3 ,you do not 
know the pleasure your letter     gave  
me1 ,i have wanted to write you ever    
since my return1 but     did not know   
where a letter would reach you1 nor do  
,i know where     to direct this1 but   
suppose ,i can get your address from    
,will4 ,i     was at the ,mission last  

night1 and missed you sadly4 ,we all    
missed you in many ways4 ,your good1    
hard1 common horse sense is     sadly   
needed4 ,it is the same old story2 we   
never appreciate a     man until it is  
too late4 ,i used to think ,i could pick
 many     flaws in your management of   
the mission work1 but ,i have now       
come to the conclusion that you can't be
 downed in that line1     and hereafter 
,i shall not even think a thought       
against your     management4 ,last night
 we had some ignoramus to preach1 and   
his     grammar and ways of expressing  
himself were 7to say the least7         
tiresome2 but we had testimonies        
afterward1 and ,i said to     myself1   
,well1 ,brother ,steve is away1 and ,i  
have been on the     quiet lay for a    
long time2 ,i think1 for the sake of    
,christ and     old ,steve1 ,i will give
 a red-hot testimony right from the     
shoulder1 and ,i did4 ,i was followed by
 ,hocker in a like strain1     and      
others chiming in1 we made the welkin   

ring from turret to                     
foundation-stone4 ,but the banner-bearer
 was not there2 so the     good intended
 to be done fell short4 ,only one stood 
up for     prayer4 ,but never mind1 we  
will have our old veteran leader with   
us soon1 when we will unfurl our        
battle-flag anew and carry     terror   
and dismay into old ,beelzebub's camp4  
,i think if our     winter campaign is  
well organized1 there will be no        
,indians on     the warpath next spring4
 ,i miss you and want to see you so bad1
     that you may give me a hundred     
lectures and ,i won't shirk4 ,your      
true blues are all holding fast4 ,your  
,old ,guard is a true and     tried one4
 ,i think they all can be depended on   
both on dress     parade and under fire4
 ,your family are all well4 ,may our    
heavenly ,father bless you1 my dear     
friend1 both here and     hereafter4    
,your sins have been great2 but oh1 what
 would ,i not     give to know that1    
after life's fitful fever is over1 ,i   

would be     permitted to occupy a seat 
in the beautiful land of the blest      
alongside of you4 ,truly your faith has 
made you whole4 ,good-bye1     and once 
more1 ,god bless you4      ,your sincere
 friend1      ,p4 ,b4         99        
99       99       99       99           
,,from ,a ,,convert4      ,,atlanta1    
,,ga41 ,february #c1 #ahhe4      ,dear  
,brother ,holcombe3      ,your letter of
 ,december #agth was received in due    
time4 ,your     postal card was also    
received a few days ago4 ,i have no     
lawful     excuse to offer but pure     
procrastination1 from time to time1 for 
not answering4 ,you are not forgotten by
 me or my wife and     daughter4 ,we    
often speak of you1 and the question is 
often     asked1 ,will he come and see  
us this year and hold another           
mission meeting8 ,you did so much good  
in ,atlanta4 ,the meetings     were kept
 up until the bad weather broke us up2  
they were well     attended nearly every
 night1 and the good seed you sowed     

germinated2 and1 by ,brother ,barclay's 
good tilling and the     assistance and 
the goodness of ,god1 has brought forth 
much fruit     of repentance2 and1 thank
 ,god1 we all bless the day ,he sent you
     to us4 ,if your ,mission managers  
could see the great good you            
accomplished while with us1 ,i do not   
think they would say no to     your     
making ,atlanta another visit2 and we   
look forward to the     day as not being
 far distant when you will do so4 ,i am 
trying my     best to live right4 ,i    
know ,i am changed2 ,i feel very        
different     from what ,i did before   
you visited us4 ,you have known me      
fifteen     years2 and you know how bad 
and sinful ,i was1 and how              
dissipated4 ,i have not even wanted a   
drink of anything since     your visit4 
,you know ,i told you ,i had put my foot
 on the serpent     and ,i intended to  
keep it there4 ,i do not go with any of 
my old     associates who drink or who  
visit bar rooms4 ,i select good         

company2 ,i keep up the family altar1   
and we are a happy little     family    
now4 ,can you appreciate that you saved 
one of your old     lost friends by your
 good work8 ,when ,i met you and saw and
 heard     of the great blessing ,god   
had bestowed upon you and your dear     
family1 ,i set about obtaining the like 
blessing for myself2 and     ,i feel in 
my heart that ,i have received it4 ,god 
has been very     merciful to me and    
blesses all my undertakings and ,i am so
     thankful for all of ,his kind      
mercies4 ,brother ,barclay told me he   
wrote you a few days ago1 and ,i suppose
 he gave you all the     news4 ,i have  
not been to the mission ,sunday-school  
for some time     on account of the bad 
weather1 and you know ,i live a long way
     off4 ,but1 ,god willing1 ,i shall  
go next ,sunday4 ,my wife and           
daughter join in much love to you and   
your family1 and wish you     a happy   
and successful year in the ,master's    
cause4      ,yours truly1 ---- ----4    

99       99       99       99       99  
,,from ,,an ,,offended ,,gentleman4     
,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,january #ac1      
#ahhg4      ,my ,dear ,sir3      ,your  
letter surprises me4 ,you came to me    
unintroduced2 ,i was     glad to see    
you1 and1 ,i hope1 treated you with the 
consideration     which ,i think your   
merit demands4 ,you again approached me 
to-day4 ,tonight ,i received a letter   
from you which is to me     offensive   
and impolite4 ,i am not coming to your  
place1 and ,i     will thank you to     
abate your interest in my behalf4 ,i    
believe in     your work1 and wish you  
success2 but ,i hope you will let me    
alone4 ,my self-constituted friends have
 done me more injury than     even my   
own indiscretions4 ,very truly1      ,to
 ,rev4 ,steve ,p4 ,holcombe4 -----      
-----4         99       99       99     
99       99      ,,from ,a ,,gambler4   
,,february #d1 #ahhd4      ,mr4 ,steve  
,holcombe1 ,esq41 ,lewisville1 ,ky43    
,,dear ,,friend3 ,i take my pen in hand 

to drop you a few lines1 as ,i          
haven't heard of you for a long time1 ,i
 learnt from a friend1 of     your      
whereabouts1 and that you had forever   
,retired from     ,gambling1 ,i want to 
accumulate a few hundred dollars and    
,retire     from the ,business in the   
future1 and as we have long ,been       
friends1 ,i hope you will not ,refuse   
giving me your sure system     of       
winning at the ,game of ,poker4 ,from   
your friend1      ,,david ,w4 ,,miller1 
,ridgeville1 ,randolph ,co41 ,ind4      
99       99       99       99       99  
#hdi ,,seventh ,,st41 ,,louisville1 ,may
 #bh1 #ahhh4      ,rev4 ,steve          
,holcombe3      ,,dear ,,sir3 ,i have a 
large family ,bible1 which has been in  
my     family a number of years4 ,you   
will do me a personal favor by          
accepting it as a souvenir of my late   
son1 ,charles ,a4 ,gill4 ,it     was    
through your ,christian instrumentality 
and kindness that my     dear son       
embraced his ,saviour and died a        

,christian4      ,hoping that ,god will 
add many stars to your crown1 ,i am your
     sincere friend1      ,,hannah      
,,gill4      ,two more ,bibles will be  
given you by the same hand for          
distribution4      ,h4 ,g4         99   
99       99       99       99           
,,from ,a ,,christian ,,brother4        
,,memphis1 ,,tenn41 ,may #f1 #ahhg4     
,my ,dear ,friend and ,brother          
,holcombe3      ,your card well         
received1 but ,i have been so busy that 
,i have     waited for a time to write  
to you4 ,i am in good health and have   
a good situation1 thank ,god4 ,am always
 alone4 ,my children in     ,switzerland
 are well4 ,when ,i passed through      
,louisville1 as ,i     wrote you from   
,new ,york1 ,i wished ,i had been able  
to stop for     twenty-four hours1 but  
had a through sleeper to ,memphis1 and  
could not stay over4 ,i heard of your   
great trial lately4 ,hope     ,god did  
sustain you1 and that good will come out
 of it for your     soul4 ,the more ,i  

live1 the more ,i am separated from this
 world4     ,my body is in it1 but my   
mind and spirit are longing for a       
better state1 where evil shall not be   
present1 within or     without4 ,the    
,bible becomes clearer to my soul every 
day1 and     with the grace of ,god ,i  
hope to come to the end a faithful and  
obedient child of the ,almighty ,father 
in heaven4 ,i suffer very     much      
mentally2 it is a constant agony4 ,i am 
absolutely1     completely broken down  
in my own will2 have given up entirely  
all worldly pleasures2 have no pleasure 
except in doing the will     of ,god the
 best ,i can4 ,my old enemy1 myself1    
with my passions     and                
self-indulgence1 ,i pay no more         
attention to4 ,may ,god use me          
according to ,his good will1 and make me
 so as to be worthy of     ,his service4
 ,everything of this world has been     
taken away from     me2 ,vanity of      
vanities1 all is vanity is my daily     
bread4 ,i     often wish to be in       

,louisville4 ,maybe ,i shall return     
there     later1 to have some ,christian
 friends around me4 ,i have here        
#aej4jj a month1 and the finest         
situation that can be wished in     my  
line of business4 ,what are you doing8  
,i suppose always the     same--taking  
care of the lost and neglected4 ,your   
reward shall     be great1 as you come  
nearer fulfilling the ,master's teaching
     than brilliant preachers who do not
 touch the burdens of poor     sinners4 
,how is your family1 especially your    
sweet little     daughter8 ,i hope you  
are all well4 ,this world is nothing but
 a     tremendous deception to all who  
are attached to it2 everything     is   
corrupt1 and has the sting of death and 
sin4 ,it is a constant     warfare with 
evil and evil forces around you4 ,it is 
only worth     living for the good we   
can do to others4 ,i can not understand 
at     all the joy that some find in it1
 except in doing entirely1 to     the   
best of your ability1 the will of ,god4 

,there is surely no     other source of 
life in the universe4 ,i am writing now 
to dear     ,brother ,a4 ,a few months  
ago he wrote to me4 ,he1 also1 has had  
great sorrows4 ,it is very strange that 
alone pain and suffering     can make us
 wise and pure in heart4 ,how           
antagonistic are the     ways of ,god   
and those of men8 ,absolutely opposed in
 all things4     ,oh1 let us be true to 
,god1 even unto death1 cutting          
mercilessly     all that is worldly and 
carnal1 so as to live for the spirit and
     not lose eternal life4 ,my dear    
brother1 please do pray for your        
lonely brother1 that ,god may bring ,his
 presence into my worried     soul and  
help me in the battle4 ,the enemy is    
very powerful1 and     shows no mercy4  
,his mission is to destroy and to lie1  
and he     knows how to do it4 ,may ,god
 bless you and keep you forever4        
,your true friend1     ---- ----4       
99       99       99       99       99  
,,from ,,sam ,p4 ,,jones4               

,,chicago1 ,,ill41 ,march #af1 #ahhf4   
,rev4 ,steve ,holcombe1 ,louisville1    
,ky43      ,,dear ,,brother ,,holcombe3 
,yours of ,march #ajth received4 ,i     
thought     you were wise enough to     
know1 when you wanted to plant yourself 
in permanent quarters1 that the devil   
would do his best to     prevent it4    
,the devil don't like you anyway2 but   
keep your     equilibrium--,god is with 
you2 and ,he is more than all that can  
be against you4 ,i have just passed     
through the most terrific     storm of  
criticism almost of my life2 and thank  
,god ,i have     witnessed in ,chicago1 
within the last twenty-four hours1 the  
grandest triumph of the ,gospel ,i ever 
saw4 ,i wish you could be     here a few
 days and see the power of ,god1 and    
rejoice with us in     the work4      ,i
 enclose an article1 which you can take 
to the     ,courier-,journal if you     
like4      ,kindest regards to your     
loved ones and all the brethren1 and may
     ,god's blessing be upon your work4 

,fraternally yours1      ,,sam ,p4      
,,jones4         99       99       99   
99       99      ,,from ,,the ,,same4   
,,gibson ,,house1     ,,cincinnati1     
,,ohio1 ,june #ac1 #ahhf4      ,my ,dear
 ,brother ,holcombe3      ,i received   
your message sent by ,brother           
,cleveland4 ,i would like     you to    
come over about the middle of next week4
 ,i think we will     have some of the  
slain of the ,lord for you to look after
 by that     time4 ,our meeting moves   
off gloriously4 ,i have never seen a    
better start anywhere4 ,thank ,god for  
the prospect of a glorious     victory  
in this wicked city4 ,the house is      
packed day and night1     and the       
preachers and people stand shoulder to  
shoulder with me4     ,love to your     
family4 ,affectionately1      ,,sam ,p4 
,,jones4         99       99       99   
99       99      ,,from ,,rev4 ,,dr4    
,,willits 7,warren ,memorial ,church74  
,mr4 ,steve ,holcombe3      ,,dear      
,,sir3 ,the bearer1 ,ch4 ,h41 is a      

stranger to me2 but he will     tell you
 his story4 ,it is the old story of     
fight with appetite1     and you will be
 better able to advise him than myself4 
,truly yours1      ,a4 ,a4 ,,willits4   
99       99       99       99       99  
,,from ,,dr4 ,,john ,a4 ,,broadus4      
,,march #bc1 #ahhe4      ,dear ,brother 
,holcombe3      ,the bearer is ,mr4 ,b41
 once a merchant in ,richmond1 ,va41    
fallen     by drinking habits1 separated
 from wife and children1 lost4 ,he      
spoke to me after sermon yesterday      
morning1 and came to my house     this  
morning4 ,he does not ask immediate     
relief1 having some     money2 but wants
 to find employment1 and thinks he can  
stop     drinking4 ,he is evidently an  
intelligent man1 and earnestly          
desirous of regaining himself4 ,he used 
to be an ,episcopal     communicant4    
,now1 if you can in any way help ,mr4   
,b41 ,i shall be     exceedingly glad4  
,your friend and brother1      ,,john   
,a4 ,,broadus4         99       99      

99       99       99       ,the         
following letter is from one of the     
converts whose      testimony is given  
elsewhere1 but it is interesting as an  
independent account given soon after his
 conversion4      ,,louisville1 ,,ky41  
,january #bh1 #ahhd4      ,rev4 ,g4     
,alexander3  ,,dear ,,sir ,,and         
,,brother3 ,the few brotherly words you 
spoke to me during our short            
acquaintance1 and your kindness toward  
me1 a poor drunken outcast at the time1 
will ever be remembered4 ,often ,i make 
inquiries of ,brother ,holcombe         
regarding you and your health4 ,at his  
suggestion1 ,i write you and give a     
brief history of my life1 in hope it may
 encourage some poor fellow whom you are
 seeking to save for a better life1 and 
give him renewed courage to battle      
against sin2 and for the glory of our   
,saviour ,jesus ,christ4  ,my father1 as
 a wealthy man1 determined to give his  
children the benefit of a good          
education4 ,with this end in view1 he   

left my younger brother and myself in   
,germany in #ahfd1 after a visit there  
with the family4 ,we stayed until #ahfg1
 when we returned to ,louisville1 ,i to 
enter the banking house of ,theodore    
,schwartz  ,co4 ,with them ,i stayed    
until #ahfi1 when my father became      
bondsman for the sheriff1 ,captain ,john
 ,a4 ,martin4 ,out of courtesy1 ,captain
 ,martin made me1 although only nineteen
 years of age1 one of his deputies4     
,from that time ,i date my downfall4    
,money flowed in freely2 and1 being     
young and inexperienced1 ,i spent it    
just as freely1 if not more so4 ,in two 
years1 at the age of twenty-one1 ,i was 
considered about as reckless a young man
 as there was in the city4 ,my father   
was always proud of his oldest son1 and 
indulged me in almost everything4 ,the  
habit of intemperance was gaining a sure
 hold2 and when he died1 in #ahgb1 ,i   
was considered by some a confirmed      
drunkard4  ,gradually ,i sank lower and 
lower1 until ,i became what ,i was when 

you first saw me eight months ago--a    
poor miserable outcast from society1 and
 a burden to myself and friends4 ,i was 
forsaken and despised by all4 ,i shudder
 to think that my life should ever flow 
in the same channel again4 ,during all  
these years of dissipation ,i wandered  
all over this country--from ,canada to  
the ,gulf of ,mexico1 and from the      
,atlantic almost to the ,pacific4 ,i    
drifted aimlessly with no other object  
in view but to gratify a terrible       
longing for strong drink4 ,i had been in
 the city but a short while when ,i     
heard of ,brother ,holcombe's efforts to
 redeem the fallen4 ,having known him   
before his conversion1 curiosity led me 
to listen to him4 ,during all this time 
,i knew and felt that a day of reckoning
 would come1 but whenever such thoughts 
entered my mind1 ,i dismissed them1 as  
they made me tremble at the very idea of
 having to give an account of the       
misdeeds of a wasted life4 ,on the #beth
 of last ,june ,i was passing up        

,jefferson street1 and heard singing in 
the basement at ,no4 #dcf4 ,my first    
impulse was to turn and go away1 as ,i  
was in no suitable dress to go into a   
place of worship4 ,then the thought came
 into my mind1 ,this is ,steve          
,holcombe's place2 ,i'll go in and see  
what it looks like4 ,thank ,god1 ,i did 
go in4 ,the songs of those              
,sunday-school children awakened chords 
in my heart which ,i thought had died   
long ago4 ,tears came into my eyes1 and 
then and there ,i vowed1 if by ,god's   
help salvation was possible for me1 ,i  
certainly would make the trial4         
,glorious have been the results4 ,that  
evening ,i heard ,brother ,holcombe once
 more2 introduced myself to him and     
promised him ,i would attend evening    
service1 which ,i did4  ,from that day  
to this ,i have been growing in grace4  
,the ,lord has blessed me wonderfully4  
,my worldly affairs have prospered2 and1
 what is worth more than all the world  
to me1 ,i am continually happy4 ,nothing

 disturbs my peace1 and ,i allow nothing
 to interfere with it4 ,my trust is in  
my ,saviour2 ,he has promised to care   
for those who trust ,him1 and ,i have   
implicit faith in that promise4 ,my old 
appetite and desires are all taken away 
and ,i find pleasure and joy in things  
that in former years ,i considered      
ridiculous4      ,very truly yours1     
,,fred ,,ropke4     ,,testimonials4     
,,captain ,,egbert ,j4 ,,martin4  ,i was
 born in ,louisville in #ahdb2 was      
educated in ,new ,york and ,virginia2   
served in ,general ,lee's army during   
the war on the staff of my uncle1       
,general ,edward ,johnson4 ,the only    
commission ,i received was received on  
the third day of ,july1 #ahfc1 at the   
battle of ,gettysburg4  ,my first       
drinking commenced in ,georgia1 where ,i
 was planting rice with ,general        
,gordon4 ,that was in #ahfg4 ,i did not 
drink during the war at all except that 
,i might have taken a drink occasionally
 when ,i met with friends4 ,my uncle    

would not permit liquor about his       
headquarters4 ,on leaving ,georgia1 ,i  
went to ,new ,york1 and went into       
business4 ,i acquired quite a reputation
 there1 and had a good income4 ,my      
periodical drinking continued1 however1 
and each year became greater and        
greater4 ,nothing was said about it for 
seven years and a half4 ,i would not    
drink around my place of business4 ,when
 ,i felt the spell coming on me1 ,i     
would quit and go off1 and be gone seven
 or eight days1 and be back to business 
again when ,i had straightened up1 and  
nothing was said about it2 but the thing
 will increase on a man1 and1 of course1
 with each succeeding year the habit    
became stronger1 and the intervals      
shorter4  ,i conceived the idea that a  
change of climate would do me good4     
,visits to the mountains seemed to      
benefit me1 and ,i thought ,i would go  
,west1 and the change would effect a    
cure4 ,i went to ,colorado1 made friends
 there1 went into business1 and was     

successful4 ,i was married to my wife in
 ,denver1 ,colorado4 ,i believed as my  
wife did1 that my drinking was a matter 
under my control4 ,i had been leading an
 aimless life1 with no family ties2 and 
after ,i was married1 ,i thought a      
strong effort on my part would stop it4 
,i wanted to get back to salt water     
again1 and have everything in my favor2 
and the next morning after we were      
married1 ,i started for ,california4 ,i 
was very successful there4 ,i was in a  
short time made special agent of the    
,california ,electric ,light ,company1  
at a salary of three thousand dollars a 
year4 ,they wanted to make a contract   
with me for five years1 giving me three 
thousand dollars a year1 if ,i would    
bind myself not to drink during the five
 years4 ,i found it was not such an easy
 thing to quit drinking4 ,i consulted   
physicians there4 ,there was a doctor in
 ,oakland who said he had a specific for
 drunkenness2 and he gave it to me4 ,the
 result was that when ,i wanted a drink1

 ,i threw the medicine away and got the 
drink4 ,what ,i always wanted1 and tried
 to get1 was something to take away the 
appetite for drink4 ,there were times   
when ,i had no more desire for drink    
than you or any other man2 but when it  
seized me1 it seized me in an           
uncontrollable way1 and ,i would drink  
for the deliberate purpose of making    
myself sick and getting over it as quick
 as possible4 ,i knew it had to be gone 
through with1 and ,i drank until ,i made
 myself sick4  ,i never attended to     
business when ,i drank liquor4 ,i never 
mixed up my business affairs with my    
drinking4 ,everybody ,i had anything to 
do with knew ,i was thoroughly reliable4
 ,i never lied about being drunk4 ,i    
never said ,i was sick or had the       
cholera infantum or anything of that    
sort4 ,everybody who employed me knew as
 much about it as ,i did4  ,when my     
little boy was born1 ,i felt a sacred   
duty was imposed upon me2 and ,i tried  
to encourage my ideas of morality4 ,i   

had always been a moral man1 and1       
although an infidel1 had never sought to
 break down the religious opinions of   
any one1 because ,i had nothing to give 
them instead4 ,my rationalism satisfied 
me4 ,it was a belief1 an opinion1 with  
which ,i was willing to face my ,maker1 
because ,i believed ,i was right4 ,i    
believed in the existence of a ,supreme 
,being1 but ,i did not believe that the 
great ,ruler of the universe thought    
enough of us insignificant human beings 
to interest ,himself in our affairs4 ,i 
did not believe in the ,christians'     
,god4 ,there in ,virginia ,i had been   
surrounded by members of the church4    
,everybody was either a ,baptist1 a     
,methodist1 or a member of some other   
denomination2 drunkards and             
saloon-keepers and all belonged to the  
church4 ,they could do wrong and        
afterward go straight to church4 ,that  
kind of religion disgusted me1 and that 
kind of religion confirmed my           
skepticism4 ,i wanted to get away and ,i

 even planned to go to ,australia4      
,after my little boy was born1 ,i stayed
 sober for six months1 and then ,i      
commenced drinking again4 ,i did not    
conceal the truth from myself4 ,i said1 
,you are false to everything that is    
manly2 you are a disgrace to yourself4  
,i decided to go back to ,virginia 7my  
wife had never been there7 and settle up
 a lawsuit ,i had pending in the courts4
  ,but after a short stay in ,virginia  
,i had an offer to return to ,new ,york 
and go to work1 and went to ,new ,york2 
and after ,i had been there a month1 ,i 
received a dispatch stating that a      
compromise had been agreed upon without 
consulting me at all4 ,i went back to   
,richmond and rejected the compromise4  
,a decision was made in my favor1 but   
the case was taken to the ,court of     
,appeals4 ,i had used up everything ,i  
had in litigation2 and when1 at last1 ,i
 got a telegram that the ,court of      
,appeals had reversed the case1 and we  
had lost everything1 it just broke me   

down4 ,it took me more than a month to  
realize that it was a fact--,i could not
 get it into my head2 and it broke me   
down completely4 ,i loved my wife and ,i
 loved my child1 and was troubled about 
them1 and for the two years ,i was      
fighting these ,virginia gentlemen ,i   
was in a state of high excitement4 ,i   
had nothing to do except to worry1 and  
,i drank more than ever in my life4 ,i  
said1 ,my ,god6 it is awful4 ,i have    
lost everything4 ,i know ,i am a        
drunkard2 it is no use denying it1      
because the appetite is on me all the   
time4 ,and many a time ,i threw myself  
down in the woods and sobbed aloud if   
,fate would have mercy on me4 ,i had    
given up all hope4 ,i thought the good  
fortune which had followed me all my    
life would never return4 ,i had sent my 
wife off2 so ,i had lost her1 too4 ,she 
went to her sister's1 in ,ohio2 and ,i  
arranged that my mother should remain at
 the old place4 ,i wrote to a cousin of 
mine whom ,i had not met since the war4 

,he used1 frequently1 to come to our    
home1 a delightful and healthful place1 
thirteen miles from ,richmond4 ,i       
thought ,i would write him that ,i      
desired to get out of ,virginia1 and had
 not the means1 and would make          
,louisville my objective point4 ,so ,i  
wrote him1 but received no reply4 ,i    
wrote to another man1 stating the       
circumstances--that ,i wanted to get out
 of ,virginia and go to work2 but ,i    
received no answer from him2 and ,i came
 to the conclusion if ,i wanted to get  
out of ,virginia ,i would have to walk4 
,i had secured my wife and child1 and as
 for myself it little mattered what     
befell me or how ,i fared4  ,i was      
walking through the woods one day and   
saw a man getting out railroad ties4 ,he
 told me of a place near by1 called the 
,lost ,land4 ,a year before that1 my    
uncle's executor gave me a deed that was
 taken from the old house at my oldest  
uncle's death4 ,it was for a little slip
 of land--an avenue--that my grandfather

 had bought in #ahae4 ,well1 ,i thought 
nothing of it4 ,i told the old negro    
woman that when everything was settled  
up1 ,i was going to give her that land2 
and ,i put the deed away with other     
papers and forgot all about it4 ,when ,i
 was worrying about the means1 and      
making efforts to get the means to get  
out of ,virginia1 this man1 who was     
hewing in the woods1 told me about the  
little piece of woodland that had so    
much sill timber on it1 and he spoke of 
it as the ,lost ,land1 and his speaking 
of the ,lost ,land reminded me of this  
deed1 and ,i hurried home1 found the    
deed1 and saw that it located the land  
at about where he mentioned4 ,i went to 
the ,county ,surveyor1 who had succeeded
 his father and grandfather in the      
office1 and we found that the property  
of which this formed a part had been    
sold in large lots1 and it was there    
between the lines of the other property1
 unclaimed by any one1 and for          
seventy-three years had escaped         

taxation1 because the deed conveying it 
had never been recorded in the county   
books1 and it was supposed by the county
 officials that all of the original     
tract had been divided off in the larger
 subdivisions4 ,we found it1 ran the    
lines around it1 and ,i sold ten acres  
for one hundred dollars--enough to pay a
 grocery bill1 buy me a suit of clothes 
and land me in ,louisville4  ,i had     
loved the old place--loved it all my    
life1 because ,i had spent many days    
there when a happy1 careless boy4 ,my   
mother was born there1 my grandmother   
and my great-grandfather lie buried     
there4 ,it was bought in #aghb by my    
great-grandfather1 who was not only a   
gentleman but a scholar4 ,he graduated  
at the ,college of ,physicians and      
,surgeons at ,edinburgh1 and afterward  
spent seven years in ,europe4 ,i was    
very much attached to the old place1 and
 on leaving it ,i drank to deaden the   
pain4  ,i came here to ,louisville1 and 
,i drank after ,i got here to keep from 

thinking4 ,i tell you things looked     
blue1 and ,i tell you the fact1 the     
liquor ,i drank every day made me feel  
worse and worse1 and my brain was       
affected from the excitement ,i had     
passed through4 ,i found myself in a    
second or third-class hotel which stood 
nearly on the spot where ,i was born4 ,i
 lay in my room for three days4 ,i came 
to the conclusion there was no use      
kicking2 the end was at hand4 ,fate had 
brought me back here1 where ,i was born1
 to die4 ,i even said it to myself1     
,destiny has brought you back here1 to  
the city where you were born1 to die2   
and to die by your own hands4 ,you have 
no respect for yourself1 nor have others
 respect for you4 ,you know by living   
you will bring further disgrace upon the
 wife and child you love so well4 ,if   
you will commit suicide people will say1
 ',he was an unfortunate man1 but a     
brave one2 his only fault was his       
drinking4' ,i tried to shut out all     
thoughts of my wife and child1 but ,i   

could not4 ,i said to myself1 ,i was    
born here2 ,i have not outraged the law2
 ,i have done nothing dishonorable2     
nothing why any man related to me should
 shun me4 ,but ,i have lost everything2 
,i am accursed2 ,i am alone here4 ,my   
wife's people know ,i am here1 but do   
not communicate with me4 ,and they tell 
me there is a ,god4 ,a man came to my   
room in the hotel and said they wanted  
the room4 ,you say you have no money and
 no friends1 so we can not keep you here
 any longer4 ,you must give us the room4
 ,under these circumstances ,i was      
coming nearer and nearer the final      
determination to commit suicide when a  
man1 a stranger1 came into my room who  
was himself a drunkard4 ,i told him my  
condition and my determination4 ,he     
said1 ,wait till ,i send that man       
,holcombe down to see you4 ,maybe he can
 help you4 ,mr4 ,holcombe dropped       
everything and came to me at once4 ,i   
did not know who he was4 ,he said1 ,my  
name is ,holcombe3 ,i am from the       

,mission4 ,well1 sir1 if he had         
commenced at me as most preachers would 
have done1 and told me in a sort of     
mechanical way that ,i had brought it   
all on myself1 ,i would have said1 ,i am
 much obliged to you for your politeness
 and your well-meant efforts1 but it    
does me no good1 and ,i am very much    
distressed and would much prefer to be  
alone4 ,he said1 ,there is no use       
trusting in yourself2 you can not save  
yourself4 ,that struck me at once as a  
correct diagnosis of my case1 and ,i    
said1 ,that is just the conclusion ,i   
have come to myself4 ,then he told me   
what had been done for him1 and he got  
down on his knees and prayed4 ,and when 
he prayed for me and my wife and child1 
that is what reached my heart4 ,i said  
,there is something in that man's       
religion at any rate4 ,i do not believe 
in this stuff ,i have seen in the       
churches2 but there is something in that
 sort of religion4 ,it is the last straw
 ,i have to catch at4 ,i will try it4 ,i

 got up out of bed where ,i had been for
 three wretched days1 and came up to the
 ,mission4 ,there ,i came in contact    
with some influence ,i had never felt   
before4 ,i came to the conclusion that  
there was truth in the ,christian       
religion1 and ,i said1 ,that is all     
right1 but that is not what ,i want4 ,i 
want that inward consciousness that ,i  
am not going to drink4 ,i might get up  
and say1 ,i am ready to confess ,i am   
wrong2 ,i believe religion is right2 ,i 
have seen evidences of it2 ,i believe   
you are right and ,i am wrong4 ,but ,i  
had no inward consciousness of any      
change in me1 and ,i did not feel secure
 or in any way protected against the    
habit of drinking4 ,i knew if there was 
anything in religion1 there must be     
something a man would be conscious of4  
,i said1 ,there is something in this    
religion1 but ,i have not got the hang  
of it4 ,it occurred to me that perhaps  
after all1 my chief motive and desire in
 all this was the welfare of my wife and

 child and the recovery of our domestic 
happiness4 ,and lying on that bed ,i    
said1 ,i am willing to do anything4     
,there is nothing that ,i am not willing
 to do1 if ,i can only get rid of this  
appetite4 ,i will get up and state that 
,i was a drunkard2 ,i will acknowledge  
every tramp as my brother2 and1 although
 ,i have no desire to do it1 ,i will go 
out and preach4 ,just let me know that  
,i am free from this thing and that ,i  
can go on in life2 and all at once--,i  
could not connect the thought and result
 together--there came upon me a perfect 
sense of relief4 ,i was just as         
conscious then of divine interposition  
as ,i ever was afterward2 and ,i said to
 myself1 ,this is what they call        
regeneration1 and turned over and went  
to sleep4 ,from that time ,i commenced a
 new sober life2 and ,i never have      
wanted liquor2 ,i never have had a      
desire for it since1 and it is now going
 on two years4  ,i think many men are   
called1 but few are chosen4 ,there are a

 great many men who get far enough in   
the surrender to feel good and change   
their opinions2 but they do not get down
 to the bed-rock of regeneration4 ,i do 
not believe in any change1 or in any    
doctrine that says there is regeneration
 through anything except a complete     
surrender4 ,men are ready to believe    
that ,christ was the son of ,god1 but go
 straight home and continue their old   
way of life4 ,they must say1 ,i will not
 only quit serving the devil1 but ,i    
will commence serving ,god4 ,thou shall 
love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy    
heart1 with all thy soul and with all   
thy strength4  ,i do not let theological
 opinions disturb me now4 ,my simple    
faith and theology is this3 ,that ,i    
have the peace of ,god and ,he keeps me4
 ,i have knowledge of ,god's power and  
mercy1 and feel that ,god keeps me4  ,my
 wife and child have come back and are  
now with me1 and are as happy as they   
can be2 and there is not a man in this  
country with less money and more        

happiness than ,i4 ,i am happier than ,i
 ever was in my life4                   
,,note4--,captain ,martin is now engaged
 in business in the house      of       
,bayless ,bros4  ,co41 ,louisville4     
,r4 ,n4 ,,denny4  ,i was born in #ahdf  
in the ,state of ,illinois4 ,at that    
time1 before there were many railroads1 
it was a comparatively backwoods country
 where ,i was raised4 ,our nearest      
market was ,st4 ,louis1 sixty miles from
 where we lived4 ,my father kept a      
country store there1 and hauled his     
produce to ,st4 ,louis4 ,my father was a
 professed ,christian1 so also was my   
grandfather1 yet each of them kept a    
demijohn of whisky in the house4 ,they  
would prepare roots and whisky1 and     
herbs and whisky1 which was used for all
 kinds of medical purposes and for all  
kinds of ills that flesh is heir to2 and
 ,i believe at that time ,i got the     
appetite for whisky1 if ,i did not      
inherit it4 ,i have drunk whisky as far 
back as ,i can remember4 ,i had a great 

many relatives who were ,christians2 but
 ,i gloried in my obstinacy and would   
have nothing to do with ,christianity4  
,in my seventeenth year ,i went into the
 army4 ,of course1 being among the      
,romans1 ,i had to be a ,roman1 too2 and
 consequently1 the drinking habit grew  
upon me2 and ,i acquired also a passion 
for gambling4 ,after the war ,i did not 
do much good4 ,i drifted about from     
place to place for something over a     
year1 and then joined the regular army4 
,i belonged to the ,seventh ,regular    
,cavalry1 ,custer's command1 which was  
massacred on the ,little ,big ,horn4 ,at
 that time ,i did not belong to the     
command1 as my time had expired some    
time before4  ,i came to ,louisville in 
#ahga1 and commenced working as a       
restaurant and hotel cook4 ,i was very  
apt at the business1 and was soon able  
to command the best situations to be    
had1 having been chef at the ,galt      
,house4 ,during all this time ,i had    
been a drunkard in different stages4 ,i 

was what is called a periodical         
drunkard4 ,i often braced up and went   
without a drink for six months or a     
year--something like that length of     
time--and always had work when ,i was   
not drinking2 but ,i became so          
unreliable1 that ,i could get no        
employment when another man could be    
had4 ,it was said of me everywhere1     
,denny is a good man1 but he drinks4    
,about #ahgc ,i got married1 and up to  
#ahhc ,i had four children4 ,of course1 
my drinking1 and everything of that     
kind1 brought my family to want--in     
fact1 to beggary4 ,for a long time ,i   
always took my wages home on pay-day1   
and my wife1 in her good-heartedness1   
always offered me money2 would often ask
 me of a morning if ,i did not feel bad1
 and would give me fifteen cents or a   
quarter1 not knowing that she was giving
 me money for my own damnation1 until   
the year of the first ,exposition       
here--#ahhb4 ,i had a position there at 
twelve dollars a week4 ,i stayed there  

ten weeks2 and ,i do not believe ,i got 
home with five dollars in the whole ten 
weeks4 ,the man with whom ,i worked had 
a bar attachment to his restaurant1 and 
,i could get what credit ,i wanted      
there2 and on ,saturday night when ,i   
found my wages were short1 ,i would get 
drunk1 and conclude to try and win      
something at gambling1 but ,i invariably
 lost4  ,at the close of the            
,exposition1 it was on the verge of     
winter1 and times were very dull4 ,i was
 behind with my rent and in debt to     
everybody ,i could get in debt to1 my   
family were without decent clothing1 had
 no fire1 and ,i was almost naked       
myself1 with no prospects of a          
situation4 ,a short time afterward ,i   
got a position on a steamboat1 which    
paid me fairly well1 and which ,i       
believe ,i kept two1 maybe three1 weeks1
 and got drunk as usual4 ,i failed to   
take my money home1 and1 of course1 told
 my wife some lie4 ,i had to say        
something4 ,sometimes my wife believed  

me1 and sometimes she did not4 ,at that 
time it was winter1 it must have been in
 ,december1 and very cold4 ,my children 
were barefooted1 and ,i was just about  
to be set out on the street because ,i  
had not paid my rent4 ,i woke up one    
very cold morning very early1 and we had
 not a morsel of food in the house or   
coal to make a fire with4 ,i walked down
 toward the river and met the same man  
,i had been working with a few weeks    
before4 ,he stopped and asked me if ,i  
did not want to go back on the boat4 ,i 
told him ,i would be glad to go back4   
,he asked me how long before ,i would   
get drunk2 and ,i said1 as ,i had said a
 thousand times before1 ,i will never   
drink again4 ,i made one trip1 which was
 three days1 and got drunk4 ,it was on  
the second day of ,january1 #ahhc1 that 
,i shipped1 and ,i came back on the     
fifth1 which was the coldest day ,i ever
 saw in ,louisville4 ,the thermometer   
was twenty-six degrees below zero       
between ,new ,albany and the mouth of   

,salt river4 ,there were during these   
dark days a few charitable people that  
used to give my family some of the      
necessaries of life--and but for that ,i
 can not see how they would have kept   
from starvation4 ,i appreciated my      
situation nearly all the time1 knew how 
wrong ,i was doing1 would admit it to   
myself but would not admit it to anybody
 else4 ,if a man had called me a        
drunkard1 ,i would have called him a    
liar4  ,in the providence of ,god the   
,fifth and ,walnut-street church        
established the ,holcombe ,mission near 
where ,i lived1 and among other waifs   
picked up on the street and taken to the
 ,sunday-school were my children4 ,while
 ,i had always been pretty bad myself1  
,i had always tried to teach my children
 better4 ,i shuddered at the thought of 
my boys going on in the way that ,i was 
going4 ,when they went to ,sunday-school
 and learned the songs there and came   
home and sang them1 it broke me all to  
pieces4 ,i had nothing left to do but to

 go and get drunk in self-defense4 ,the 
,sunday-school teacher 7,mrs4 ,j4 ,r4   
,clarke71 who taught my children1 had   
been trying to find me for a long time4 
,she must have thought from seeing my   
children at ,sunday-school that there   
was some good in me2 and after awhile   
she sent me a ,bible with a great many  
passages marked in it4 ,she was looking 
for me and had sent for me to come and  
see her1 and ,i had been trying to keep 
out of her way for a long time4 ,finally
 she found me at home one day1 and would
 take no excuse1 but insisted that ,i   
must come to ,holcombe's ,mission2 and1 
of course1 ,i promised to go1 because ,i
 could not help myself4 ,i could not get
 out of it2 and if ,i had a redeeming   
trait in the world1 it was that ,i would
 not break a positive promise4  ,i      
promised her to come1 and that day ,i   
did go4 ,they were holding noon-day     
meetings at the time4 ,i do not remember
 just now that ,i was very deeply       
impressed4 ,i was of a skeptical turn of

 mind and very critical4 ,i well        
remember ,i criticised all the          
testimonies given there2 but the thing  
was so strange to me1 so different from 
anything that ,i was used to1 that ,i   
was very considerably impressed in a    
strange kind of way1 which is           
unaccountable to me even now4 ,i had    
taken a seat near the door1 so that ,i  
might get out very quick2 but ,brother  
,holcombe headed me off1 and caught me  
before ,i got to the door4 ,i did not   
know him personally at that time1 but   
had known of him for a long time4 ,of   
course1 ,i could not get out of the     
,mission without promising to come      
again4 ,after having come two or three  
times1 ,i was asked to say something1   
but did not feel like saying anything4  
,finally ,i stood up one day1 perhaps   
the third or fourth day ,i was there4   
,it was not a time when they were asking
 people if they wanted an interest in   
their prayers4 ,i got up and said ,i    
wanted an interest in their prayers that

 ,i might be saved from myself4 ,i had  
known for a long time that ,i was       
helpless1 so far as delivering myself   
from drink was concerned4 ,i knew       
nothing about ,christianity1 in fact1 ,i
 did not care much about it1 because ,i 
had not studied on the subject1 and     
would not study on the subject4 ,for    
many years ,i had not dared to stop and 
think seriously about such a subject1   
but when ,i heard that the ,gospel of   
,christ was able to deliver such a man  
as ,i1 ,i heard it gladly1 because ,i   
had found there was no earthly power    
that could deliver such a man as ,i was4
 ,in the meantime1 ,i had been reading  
my ,bible1 and had committed some of it 
to memory2 and there was a good deal of 
mystery attached to the whole           
thing--things that ,i could not         
understand4 ,when they asked me to      
speak1 ,i quoted a passage from the     
,bible4 ,one day ,i quoted the passage  
about a man having put his hand to the  
plow and looking back1 not being worthy 

of the kingdom of ,god4 ,brother        
,messick1 pastor of the church which ,i 
afterward joined1 prayed directly       
afterward1 and in his prayer he quoted  
this passage of ,scripture1 and prayed  
in such an encouraging and helpful way1 
that ,i rose from my knees satisfied in 
my heart that ,i was changed4  ,well1   
from that time until now ,i have never  
drunk anything4 ,that was in ,january or
 ,february1 #ahhc4 ,i have never had a  
desire for liquor but once since4 ,last 
summer ,i went to ,crab ,orchard4 ,i was
 chef down there1 and ,i had to handle  
very choice wines and liquors in my     
business1 and ,i handled one brand of   
wine that ,i was particularly fond of in
 old times4 ,i was tempted that time to 
drink wine4 ,it seemed the tempter said 
to me3 ,you are way down here where     
nobody knows anything about you4 ,it is 
good1 and you know it won't hurt you4   
,it don't cost you anything and it is   
nothing but wine1 and you need not take 
too much4 ,at that time ,i could get all

 the liquor ,i wanted4 ,if ,i wanted it1
 ,i could order a hogshead of it just by
 a scratch of the pen4 ,with that single
 exception1 ,i have never had a         
temptation to drink4 ,i don't know that 
,i had an appetite to drink then4 ,it   
was a clear cut temptation from without1
 and not from within4  ,i have had no   
trouble about getting positions since my
 conversion and deliverance from the    
appetite for drink4 ,my family are well 
housed1 well clothed and well fed1 and  
have everything they need1 and have had 
since the time ,i became a ,christian   
man4 ,they themselves are the greatest  
evidences in the world of what          
,christianity can do for a man4 ,a short
 time ago--six months ago--,i           
established myself in business1 and have
 been doing a thriving1 prosperous      
business from that time until now4  ,i  
might say something about my going to   
the work-house3 ,two years ago1 or a    
little over1 ,i was asked to go to the  
work-house one ,sunday evening4 ,i was  

very much impressed with the necessity  
for working for the poor men there4 ,i  
was at that time identified with the    
,mission work1 and the services at the  
work-house were all under the auspices  
of the ,y4 ,m4 ,c4 ,a4 ,i continued     
going to the work-house for some length 
of time--three or four months4 ,the ,y4 
,m4 ,c4 ,a4 very kindly divided time    
with me and other ,mission workers4     
,after having gone to the work-house    
three or four months1 ,i stopped going4 
,the ,chairman of the ,devotional       
,committee of the ,y4 ,m4 ,c4 ,a4 sent  
for me and gave me charge of the        
work-house and jail1 which1 of course1  
,i accepted in the name of the ,mission2
 and from that time until now both of   
them have been under ,mission workers4  
,i was very anxious to return to the    
work-house1 but our head decided that ,i
 should take the jail1 where ,i have    
continued to go for a year and a        
half--,i suppose about that length of   
time--every ,sunday when ,i was in the  

city1 with possibly one or two          
exceptions4       ,,note4--,mr4 ,denny  
is at present the joint-proprietor1 with
 ,mr4      ,ropke1 of a thriving        
restaurant on ,third street1 between    
,jefferson and ,green1 ,louisville4     
,illustration3 ,b4 ,f4 ,,davidson4   ,b4
 ,f4 ,,davidson4  ,twenty years ago ,i  
resided in the city of ,cincinnati2 was 
,president of a ,boatman's ,insurance   
,company1 proprietor of a ship          
chandlery1 and interested largely in    
some twenty odd steamboats2 and also    
interested largely in other insurance   
companies1 and was rated as worth half a
 million of dollars4 ,through           
depreciation in property1 bad debts1 and
 indorsing for other parties largely1 in
 four years ,i had lost all my money4   
,to retrieve my fortune1 ,i then started
 ,west1 not being willing1 of course1 to
 accept a position where ,i had been a  
proprietor4 ,while there1 associating   
with the miners and ,western people     
generally1 ,i contracted the habit of   

drinking4 ,this grew upon me and was    
continued1 with short intermissions of  
soberness1 up to four years ago--about  
last ,january4 ,i was brought very low  
as a consequence of my dissipation1 and 
,i have traveled as a tramp from the    
,atlantic to the ,pacific1 and from the 
lakes to the ,gulf1 spending my time in 
alternately fighting and yielding to the
 demon of drink4 ,for five years        
previous to my coming to ,louisville1 ,i
 had given up all hope of ever being    
able to make anything of myself1 as ,i  
had tried1 in vain1 every known remedy  
to cure me of the appetite4 ,my pride   
was effectually humbled1 and ,i was in  
despair4  ,from the time that ,i went   
,west--which was in #ahgb--until my     
arrival in #ahhd1 my children1 a        
daughter and son1 knew not whether ,i   
was dead or alive--knew nothing of me   
whatever4 ,after ,i took to drink1 ,i   
lost all interest in them and everything
 else4  ,as soon as ,i got off the      
ferry-boat in ,louisville1 in as sad a  

plight as any wretched man was ever in1 
,i met an old friend1 who had known me  
in years previous1 and who handed me two
 dollars1 requesting me to call at his  
office the next morning1 when he would  
give me such assistance as ,i needed4   
,the two dollars ,i spent that day for  
whisky4 ,that night ,i begged a quarter 
to pay for my lodging4 ,the next day1 by
 begging1 ,i filled up pretty well on   
whisky again4 ,toward evening ,i went   
into a ,main-street house and asked a   
gentleman for a quarter to pay for a    
night's lodging1 ,i had lost all pride1 
all self-respect1 and could beg with a  
brazen face4 ,the gentleman handed me a 
card of ,holcombe's ,mission4 ,as ,i did
 not know or care anything about        
missions or churches1 ,i merely stuck   
the card in my pocket and went on my    
way4 ,after walking around for some time
 ,i heard the remark3 ,there goes that  
old man now4 ,upon looking up ,i        
recognized the gentleman whom ,i last   
asked for a quarter to pay for a night's

 lodging1 and another man1 engaged in   
conversation4 ,the other gentleman1 who 
proved to be the ,rev4 ,steve ,holcombe1
 of ,holcombe's ,mission1 took me by the
 hand and invited me up to the ,mission 
rooms1 where ,i told him my story4 ,he  
asked me if ,i ever had asked ,god      
through ,jesus ,christ to assist me in  
my endeavors to become a sober man4 ,i  
told him ,i had not1 as ,i had made up  
my mind years ago that ,god had no use  
for me4 ,i felt as though ,i had sinned 
beyond redemption4  ,i had left home    
very early in life4 ,my mother was the  
best ,christian woman ,i had ever seen4 
,she was a ,methodist1 but she never    
could preach ,christianity to me--,i    
fell back on my own righteousness4 ,i   
did not drink1 ,i did not smoke1 ,i did 
not chew1 ,i did not swear1 ,i did not  
run after women1 ,i did not loaf around 
saloons like other young men4 ,when my  
mother was after me to join the church1 
,i told her that would not make me any  
better3 ,look at your church members2 is

 that man any better than ,i am8 ,my    
sister1 along toward the last1 having   
joined the ,episcopal church1 ,i took   
two pews in that church2 was a lay      
member1 but ,i did not attend it4 ,that 
was in ,newport--,st4 ,paul's ,episcopal
 church1 ,newport4 ,when the minister   
insisted on my going to church1 ,i told 
him that while he would be preaching    
sermons ,i would be building steamboats1
 so his sermons would not do me any     
good4  ,after ,i got to drinking1 my    
poor daughter did not see me4 ,i did not
 go to my children at all4 ,i never got 
but one letter from them during that    
time1 from #ahgb to #ahhd1 and that was 
a letter that went to ,cincinnati1 and  
they held it there1 ,i believe1 for two 
years4 ,i was at ,cincinnati a good many
 times2 but they could never get me to  
stay there long enough to get my        
children down to see me4 ,as soon as ,i 
had an idea that they were manoeuvring  
for anything of that kind1 ,i would get 
out of town at once1 and they would not 

know where ,i had gone4  ,during my life
 as a tramp1 there is no kind of work   
that can be thought of that ,i did not  
work at more or less1 and the money ,i  
earned--sometimes ,i earned as much as  
eight dollars a day--eventually went to 
the barkeepers2 ,i could not even buy my
 clothes4  ,after a long talk with      
,brother ,holcombe1 ,i told him that1   
having tried everything else1 ,i was    
perfectly willing to try ,god4 ,that    
night ,i went to church1 and went up to 
be prayed for4 ,there was no regular    
meeting at the ,mission then1 from the  
fact that the church that was running   
the ,mission had a revival4 ,so1 with   
,brother ,holcombe1 ,i went around to   
the revival meeting at the ,fifth and   
,walnut-street church4 ,when the        
invitation was given for those who      
wanted to be prayed for to come forward1
 ,i was among the first to accept it1   
and went up clothed in all my rags4     
,after prayer ,i felt much better than  
,i had for many years4 ,that night ,i   

went back and lay on the floor in the   
,mission1 having refused an invitation  
from ,brother ,holcombe to go to a      
boarding-house1 telling him if ,god1 in 
,his mercy1 would take from me the      
appetite for strong drink1 ,i had still 
strength and will enough left to make my
 own living4 ,the next morning ,i asked 
,brother ,holcombe to go with me to the 
paper-mill of ,bremaker-,moore ,company1
 where they were building a dam to      
prevent an overflow from stopping the   
engines in the paper-mill4 ,i secured a 
position there1 at a dollar and a       
quarter a day1 to shovel mud4 ,as soon  
as the river commenced to fall that     
occupation was gone2 but the            
superintendent of the mill1 becoming in 
the meantime somewhat acquainted with my
 history1 offered me a situation inside1
 which ,i held for three weeks1 when ,i 
was sent for to see the business manager
 of the ,post4 ,i accepted a position on
 the ,post as advertising solicitor at  
fifteen dollars a week1 which was       

afterward increased to twenty-five4 ,i  
was then made business manager1 at      
thirty dollars1 which position ,i now   
hold4  ,i can say this3 ,that while ,i  
had an abundance of means to find       
happiness1 pleasure and contentment1 and
 had sought it in every possible way    
that a man could1 ,i failed to find it  
until ,i accepted ,christ as my         
,saviour1 and gave myself into ,his     
hands4 ,since then ,i have had a        
happiness ,i never knew before4 ,my life
 has been one of constant peace and     
uninterrupted prosperity4 ,my children  
are both happily married1 and ,i have   
married myself4  ,though ,i was before  
so proud that ,i could not accept my    
mother's teaching1 ,i was at a point    
where ,i would have accepted anything4  
,they would tell me that doctor         
so-and-so would cure me2 which was no   
kindness to me1 because it kept me from 
asking ,god's help4 ,but nothing would  
do me any good4 ,so ,i said1 ,god1 here 
,i am2 accept me4 ,if there is any good 

in me1 bring it out4 ,i am down1 down1  
down2 ,i can not help myself4  ,brother 
,holcombe had told me what ,god had done
 for him4 ,i had confidence in him from 
the start1 from the fact of his having  
told me he was a gambler so long2 and   
when he told me ,god had redeemed him   
from the desire for gambling1 ,i thought
 he might take away the appetite for    
drink from me2 and ,he has done so1 ,i  
am very thankful to say4 ,i expect ,i   
was the worst-looking sight you ever    
saw1 but ,i do not take a back seat now 
for any one--,i look as well as anybody4
 ,as ,i told a man last week3 ,with the 
,lord on my side1 ,i do not fear        
anything6 ,i had had charge of men1 and 
had succeeded in managing them4 ,i did  
not accept religion because ,i was a    
weak-minded man4 ,as evidence of that1  
,i have proved it since as ,i had proved
 it before4 ,i proved that when ,i was  
trying to be a good man in my own way4  
,i have proved since that ,i was not a  
weak-minded man from the responsible    

positions ,i have held and do hold4     
,but1 as ,i was going to say1 ,i had not
 shaved for two years1 and had not had  
my hair cut1 ,i am satisfied1 for one   
year4 ,my hair was hanging down on my   
shoulders2 my face1 of course1 not very 
clean2 my clothes were rags4 ,my shoes  
were simply tops1 and the gentleman who 
gave me these two dollars1 told me3     
,captain1 you are the hardest-looking   
man ,i ever saw in my life4 ,i do not   
know how ,i recognized you4 ,i said3    
,this is the condition ,i am in1 and    
drinking has brought me to it4  ,i have 
been asked by several prominent men how 
it is ,i get up night after night and   
tell people how bad ,i have been4 ,i    
told them it was like this2 if they had 
been sick nigh unto death and were going
 to die1 and a physician came and gave  
them some medicine and made whole men   
out of them1 would they not be going    
around the streets telling people about 
that physician8 ,i said that is the     
reason ,i get up every night and tell   

people about it4 ,christ was the        
physician that healed me4 ,that is the  
remedy ,i have for all evil now--the    
blood of ,jesus ,christ4 ,it was utterly
 impossible for a man to exist and be in
 a worse condition than ,i was4 ,i was  
physically and mentally a wreck2 and now
 by accepting ,christ--becoming a       
,christian--,i am physically1 morally1  
mentally and spiritually restored and   
well4 ,that is the reason why ,i do not 
hesitate to tell anybody--even people   
coming into my office4 ,an editor of a  
paper said to me3 ,is it possible you   
were a tramp8 ,i told him it was2 and he
 was talking something about attacking  
me through his paper1 about what ,i had 
been4 ,i said1 ,blaze away2 it won't    
hurt me4 ,i do not deny having been a   
tramp and a drunkard--everything that   
was mean4 ,but what am ,i now8 ,i do not
 care what they bring back of my past   
record2 they can not hurt me1 for ,i do 
not deny it4 ,it is what ,i am now4 ,i  
think now that ,i was as bad and mean as

 a man could possibly be4 ,but ,i am no 
longer what ,i was1 by the grace of ,him
 who called me out of the former        
darkness into ,his light4               
,illustration3 ,h4 ,c4 ,,price4   ,h4   
,,clay ,,price4  ,i used to know        
,brother ,holcombe in those days2 knew  
him to be a gambler4 ,he was considered 
one of the best of gamblers1 but ,i     
always looked upon him as being an      
honorable gambler1 so far as ,i have    
heard4 ,i knew him even before he was a 
gambler4  ,well1 my father and mother   
were very pious1 my mother especially4  
,she was a praying woman1 and everybody 
knew her by the name of ,aunt ,kittie1  
and my father as ,uncle ,billy4 ,my     
father did not think it was any harm to 
play cards in the parlor every night4   
,when ,i was young he loved to play     
whist4 ,i had a sister older than ,i1   
sixteen or seventeen years old1 and she 
used to invite young men1 and father    
used to invite them1 to come there and  
play cards2 and the moment they         

commenced to fix the table1 my father   
beckoned his head to me1 and ,i knew    
what that meant--to get out4 ,we had a  
young negro that used to wait on the    
ladies in the parlor1 and he told me one
 time1 ,you steal a deck of cards and ,i
 will show you how to play cards4 ,and  
,i stole a deck of cards from the house 
and we went back in the stable2 and that
 is the way ,i came to learn how to play
 cards4 ,i was twelve or fifteen years  
old at that time--not any older than    
that--and ,i commenced playing cards for
 money1 and ,i kept on playing cards for
 money with the boys2 for money or for  
anything4 ,i was sent off to school--to 
,st4 ,mary's ,college1 and we got to    
playing cards there for money1 and we   
were caught1 and the oldest one was     
expelled from school1 and ,i promised   
never to do it any more1 and the other  
boys promised not to do it any more1 and
 they did not4 ,but ,i kept on and ,i   
was caught playing cards1 and ,i was    
expelled from school4 ,after that my    

father sent me to ,st4 ,joseph's        
,college in ,ohio4 ,i ran off from that 
school and came home1 and ,i was        
appointed a ,deputy ,marshal by my      
brother-in-law1 ,w4 ,s4 ,d4 ,mc,gowen2  
and ,i got to gambling then sure enough 
and running after women2 and about that 
time the war came on1 and ,i went off   
with my brother-in-law into the army1   
and ,i gambled all through the          
army--everywhere ,i could get five cents
 to play with4 ,all ,i had ,i gambled   
away4 ,i came back home and ,i gambled  
here2 played in the faro banks all the  
time4 ,and a proprietor of a gambling   
house by the name of ,jo4 ,croxton came 
to me and said1 ,you are too good a man 
to be gambling around4 ,i will give you 
an interest1 and you can take charge of 
my house4 ,i did not know much about    
gambling1 but ,i knew how to take care  
of his house4 ,he gave me the bank roll2
 and ,i went on down and down4  ,i was  
married then and had a faithful1 gentle 
and devoted wife1 but ,i thought ,i was 

smarter than anybody about gambling1 and
 ,i thought ,i could make big money1 and
 so ,i would leave my wife1 devoted and 
dependent as she was1 and ,i kept       
traveling on around the country1 going  
to different towns4 ,i went to          
,nashville2 from there ,i went to ,new  
,orleans4 ,i came back to ,nashville4 ,i
 left ,nashville and went to            
,huntsville1 ,ala42 came back here and  
went to ,st4 ,louis2 then to ,chicago   
and ,lexington4 ,after that ,i went back
 to ,nashville again4 ,i made a good    
deal of money if ,i could have kept it2 
but the ,lord would not let me have it4 
,i averaged here for years and years    
#ejj a month4 ,sometimes ,i made        
more--made as much as #a1gjj a month1   
and once ,i went up as high as #b1ajj a 
month--made big winnings4 ,as fast as ,i
 got this money ,i could not keep       
it--threw it away on women all the time 
and gambling against the bank and poker2
 would spit at a mark for money4 ,i have
 lost hundreds and hundreds of dollars  

without getting off of my seat1 with men
 ,i knew were robbing me all the time4  
,it was a passion ,i had to gamble and  
,i'd not stop4 ,in one game of poker    
that ,i was in ,i bet and lost #ijj on  
one hand1 and ,i have never played at   
poker since that time4  ,when the       
gambling-houses were broken up here in  
,louisville1 ,i concluded ,i would go   
off to ,chicago4 ,i had some money and  
,i went to ,chicago2 and as soon as ,i  
got there1 ,i got broke1 lost all the   
money ,i had4 ,i was among strangers and
 ,i was dead broke4 ,finally ,i got     
another situation1 and worked there for 
some time4 ,i then got hold of some     
money again1 and ,i came home and       
remained some time4 ,my wife was begging
 me all the time not to go away--did not
 think ,i ought to go away2 she said    
that ,i could stay here and get some    
work to do1 and make an honest living4  
,but ,i thought ,i had better go back to
 ,chicago and make some money2 and ,i   
made some money as soon as ,i got there 

by playing faro bank2 and ,i did very   
well at that time1 made a good deal of  
money2 and you know how a man feels when
 he has five hundred dollars in his     
pocket2 and yet all that time ,i did not
 send my wife anything4 ,i thought ,i   
would get about one thousand dollars and
 open some kind of a bar-room or cigar  
shop1 or something of the kind4 ,but the
 day before ,christmas ,i got to playing
 against the faro bank1 and got broke2  
and ,i was the most miserable man in the
 world1 to think that ,i had lost the   
last chance ,i had4 ,the day before     
,christmas my wife wrote me1 ,why don't 
you come home8 ,i had rather see you    
home than there again making money1 ,i  
said1 ,yesterday ,i got broke--,i played
 to win4 ,i had nothing to eat all day4 
,but accidentally ,i found a twenty-five
 cent piece in my pocket2 and ,i got up 
and went and bought a ten-cent dinner1  
and paid fifteen cents for a cigar4 ,i  
have done that many times1 ,i suppose1  
bought a quarter dinner and given the   

other quarter for a cigar4 ,i just got  
to studying about it1 studying about    
what ,i was to do4 ,i said1 ,if ,i come 
back to ,louisville1 ,i will starve4 ,i 
am not competent to keep a set of books1
 or clerk anywhere2 but1 ,i said1 ,i    
will go back if ,i do starve4 ,so ,i    
wrote to my patient wife3 ,i have lost  
every cent ,i had in the world1 ,i have 
got to work one week longer to make     
enough money to come home on1 and ,i am 
coming4 ,you may look for me the first  
of next week4 ,as soon as they paid me  
off that evening ,i jumped on the cars  
and came home1 having just the money to 
pay my fare4  ,before this ,brother     
,holcombe had met me time and again     
after he had been converted4 ,he used to
 come after me2 and every time he would 
see me1 may be ,i would be looking at   
something in the street--he would hit me
 on the shoulder and say1 ,how do you   
do1 old boy8 and then he would talk to  
me about my salvation1 and about ,jesus 
,christ4 ,i used to hide from him2 but  

it looked like every time he came around
 he would nail me1 and talk to me about 
,jesus4 ,that was when ,i was gambling  
here and prosperous4 ,he told me about  
my mother and told me ,i ought to quit  
gambling4 ,i said1 ,brother ,holcombe1  
what shall ,i do if ,i quit gambling8 ,i
 have no way to make a living4 ,he said1
 ,look to ,god1 and ,he will help you4  
,i went away about that time2 and as    
soon as ,i came back1 every time he     
would see me he would nail me again4    
,after awhile ,i got interested in him4 
,i would look for him and when ,i would 
catch him1 ,i would say1 ,you can not   
get away from me now4 ,that was after ,i
 came from ,chicago4 ,i had nowhere to  
go except to visit bar-rooms4 ,so ,i    
began to go down around the old ,mission
 every night4 ,i heard the singing and  
praying down there4 ,one night ,i said1 
,i am going to see ,brother ,holcombe4  
,the clock struck eight1 and ,i said ,i 
am not going in to-night1 it is too     
late4 ,i will go to-morrow2 and         

to-morrow night came and ,i went down   
there and went in very early1 before    
they commenced singing2 and they sang   
and prayed and ,brother ,holcombe       
preached1 and the next night ,i went1   
and the next night ,i went1 and ,i went 
every night4 ,and then they moved up    
here on ,jefferson street and after they
 moved up here1 ,i stayed away a week1  
and then ,i commenced coming again2 and 
here ,i am now1 thank ,god4 ,i think    
,god has been my friend all the way     
through4 ,to think ,he has let me go as 
far as ,he could1 and at last brought me
 home4 ,i tell you it is a great thing  
for a man that has been living the life 
,i have1 to get up and say that he is   
now a child of ,god4  ,it came          
gradually1 a little bit of it at a time1
 but when ,i was down in the ,mission   
that night1 ,god came to me in full     
power1 ,i felt that ,i did not care what
 happened to me4 ,i was willing to go if
 ,god called on me4 ,whatever ,he said  
,i was willing to do4 ,after my         

conversion ,i got a place where ,i was  
making a dollar a day1 at ,robinson's1  
on ,ninth1 between ,broadway and ,york  
streets1 and ,i worked there until ,i   
went up on a new railroad4 ,they        
promised to give me forty-five dollars a
 month4 ,i thought at the time1 and so  
did ,brother ,holcombe1 ,i would get    
forty-five dollars a month4 ,he said1   
,you will get forty-five dollars a      
month1 and it is so much easier than the
 work you are doing4 ,i thought they    
would pay all my expenses and ,i worked 
up there at forty-five dollars and ,i   
had to pay all my own expenses2 and all 
,i received was not a cent more or less 
than thirteen dollars a month4 ,but ,i  
was happier a thousand times--,i will   
say a hundred thousand times--than ,i   
was with six or seven hundred dollars a 
month4  ,you may think gamblers are     
happy1 and it looks like it2 but they   
are not--they are miserable4 ,just to   
look back in our lives and think what we
 have done with all the money6 ,it is   

nothing to be compared with the life of 
a ,christian4 ,if ,i could go back      
to-morrow and make a million dollars    
gambling1 ,i would not do it4 ,i would  
say1 ,take your million of dollars4 ,i  
will stay where ,i am4 ,my wife is the  
best woman in the world4 ,i leave her at
 home and she is reading the ,bible4    
,you can not go in there any time1 when 
she is not at work1 that she is not     
either singing or reading the ,bible4   
,she was raised a ,catholic4 ,she is now
 trying to help me along4 ,she has      
joined the ,methodist church2 she is    
with me4 ,i do not think she was a      
,christian before we came in contact    
with ,brother ,holcombe4 ,it was just   
her interest in me1 and her patient1    
long-suffering love4 ,she never went to 
church nor prayed nor knelt down4 ,she  
prayed after she went to bed like ,i    
did1 for ,i said prayers every day even 
then4 ,i always said1 ,if ,i forget1    
,god will forget me4 ,every day of my   
life ,i prayed2 and if ,i forgot it1 ,i 

asked the ,lord to forgive me2 but ,i   
never would kneel down4 ,i prayed after 
,i went to bed2 but now ,i get down on  
my knees and pray4 ,do you know how we  
do at night8 ,we get down on our knees  
and say the ,lord's prayer2 and after we
 get through1 ,i pray2 and after ,i get 
through1 the old lady prays4 ,you see   
the old lady was raising our little girl
 up to be a ,catholic2 and ,i said to   
her1 after we were converted--maybe a   
month afterward--,i don't know whether  
,i am right or wrong--,i want you to    
say--do you not think it is right to    
teach ,kittie to do the way we do in our
 prayers8 ,i think it would be a sin to 
try to teach her any other way4 ,now1   
let us set her an example1 and she will 
come over gradually and gradually until 
she will be one of us4 ,she has asked   
her mother about ,jesus4 ,she said to   
her mother one day1 ,i can't pray like  
you all can4 ,the old lady said to her1 
,you will learn after awhile4 ,last     
night ,i was out late1 and when ,i came 

home she said1 ,we will all kneel down  
and pray4 ,we started off1 ,our ,father1
 who art in heaven1 and ,kittie went    
along with us1 repeating it4 ,she knows 
all that1 you know4 ,after we were done 
saying that1 ,i prayed2 and after ,i got
 through the old lady prayed2 and after 
we had prayed ,i said1 ,kittie1 you must
 say your prayer4 ,she said1 ,i can not 
pray like you do4 ,but she did the best 
she could4  ,if you ask me how ,i came  
to change my life1 it was this way3 ,i  
knew that ,brother ,holcombe was a good 
man1 and knew that he was reformed and  
,i had so much faith in him1 and ,i     
studied about that so much that ,i just 
thought if he could be such a good man1 
why could not ,i be a good man2 and that
 is the way it came4 ,i tell you1       
backwardness is a fault with a good many
 preachers4 ,if ,i was a preacher and ,i
 saw a man on the street that ,i saw was
 going wrong1 ,i would go right up to   
him and touch him on the shoulder4 ,i do
 it now--,i never let him get away2 ,i  

never let a friend of mine get away1 ,i 
do not care who he is4 ,i go to him and 
tell him what ,god has done for me4 ,i  
say1 ,why don't you come up to the      
,mission8 ,don't you know ,brother      
,holcombe8 ,if he says ,no2 ,i don't    
live here1 ,i say1 ,if you come up      
there1 we will be pleased to see you4   
,you don't know what good it might do   
your soul4  ,i do wish ,i had an        
education4 ,i reckon there has been more
 money spent on me than on all the rest 
of my family4 ,i went to three colleges2
 was expelled from one and ran away from
 the other two4 ,i was the worst boy on 
earth2 there is no use talking4 ,i would
 rather fight that eat2 but no more     
fighting for me2 ,i am done4 ,you know  
that ,i have been trying to get work to 
do1 and at last ,i have found a place4  
,i am earnestly praying every day more  
and more--,i can pray now4 ,a man asked 
me the other day--,i don't know whether 
,i answered him right or not--he asked  
me1 ,do you ever expect to go back to   

gambling8 ,i said1 ,i would starve to   
death before ,i would gamble any more4  
,he said1 ,what about your wife--if you 
knew your wife was going to starve1     
would you gamble8 ,i said1 ,before ,i   
would let my wife and child starve1 ,i  
would gamble--,i would gamble to get    
them something to eat2 but1 ,i said1    
there is no danger of their starving4   
,but you put that question to me so     
strong4 ,i said1 ,i know that ,god would
 not censure me for that1 but there is  
no danger of it4  ,i wish ,i could say  
more4 ,i know ,i mean what ,i have said1
 ,god knows ,i do1 and it is all true as
 near as ,i can remember4               
,,note4--,mr4 ,price is a brother of the
 late ,hon4 ,j4 ,hop ,price1      for   
many years a well-known lawyer and judge
 in ,louisville4 ,he      is now engaged
 as night watchman on ,main street4     
,,miles ,,turpin4  ,i had the example of
 ,christian parents1 and1 of course1 ,i 
had the benefit of a ,christian         
education2 but1 like all young men1 ,i  

was rather inclined to be wild2 and     
after ,i had served four years in the   
,confederate army1 my habits were formed
 rather for the worse4 ,after ,i had    
returned home1 being without avocation1 
,i naturally resorted to what all idle  
men do2 that was the beginning4 ,i      
contracted the habit of frolicing1      
gambling and drinking1 in that early    
period of my life1 which has followed me
 through all these years1 up to ,march  
#ad1 #ahhf1 when1 after considerable    
journeying through ,north ,america and  
portions of ,mexico1 ,i happened in     
,cincinnati1 and heard a great many     
times about ,steve ,holcombe's          
conversion4 ,having known ,steve in his 
gambling days1 it occurred to me1 like  
all persons in pursuit of happiness1    
going from place to place and not       
finding it1 that if there was such a    
change and improvement in ,steve as the 
newspapers described1 ,i would come to  
,louisville and see for myself          
concluding that if religion had done so 

much for him1 it might do something for 
me4 ,i was a dissipated man--dissipated 
in the extreme4 ,i had contracted this  
habit of drinking1 and was rarely ever  
sober4 ,i have some capacity1 as a      
business man1 and ,i have had a great   
many positions1 but ,i had to give them 
up from this habit of drinking4 ,while a
 man would express his deep friendship  
for me1 he would say his business would 
not tolerate my drinking2 consequently1 
,i have been frequently but politely    
dismissed4  ,i had lived in ,i don't    
know how many places in the ,united     
,states1 ,i had lived in ,new ,orleans1 
,savannah1 ,ga41 ,charleston1 ,s4 ,c41  
,birmingham1 ,montgomery1 ,selma1       
,vidalia1 ,la41 ,cincinnati1            
,louisville1 ,ky41 ,macon1 ,ga41        
,pensacola1 ,fla41 ,fernandina1 ,fla41  
throughout the length and breadth of    
,western ,mexico1 ,lower ,california and
 the ,pacific coast1 and through the    
,state of ,texas1 end to end4 ,in all   
these tortuous windings ,i was searching

 for happiness2 but a man who is more or
 less full of whisky and without the    
religion of ,jesus ,christ is of        
necessity unhappy1 in himself1 and1 in  
consequence1 shunned by his fellowmen4  
,no man can wander around the world in  
that condition without feeling a void   
which human wisdom can not fill2 and ,i 
was forced to this conclusion by a      
careful survey of my past career4 ,the  
desperation of the case was such1 that  
,i resolved if ,i could not find        
employment1 and if ,i could not find    
happiness1 which ,i then knew nothing   
about1 ,i would destroy myself4 ,i have 
contemplated suicide many times with the
 utmost seriousness2 and ,i certainly in
 my sinful life was not afraid of death4
 ,but then it was because ,i was in     
despair4  ,i was in ,cincinnati2 had    
previously held a political position    
there1 which paid me quite a handsome   
sum2 but in the change of politics my   
pecuniary condition changed1 and ,i     
found myself alone1 poor and full of rum

 and corruption2 as vile a sinner as    
ever lived4 ,it was at that time that ,i
 heard of ,steve4 ,i was in a deplorable
 condition2 ,i knew not where to turn   
for comfort1 and it occurred to me that 
if ,i could go to ,louisville and have  
these assertions verified about ,steve's
 regeneration and if ,i could see and   
satisfy myself4 ,i would do so1 as vile 
as ,i was1 and ask ,god to have mercy   
upon me4 ,of course1 ,i was an infidel  
7at least1 ,i imagined myself an        
infidel71 an atheist1 if you please1 and
 my chief delight was deriding all      
,christian work1 and ridiculing the     
,bible2 and to more thoroughly uphold my
 atheistical notions ,i went so far as  
to defame the ,saviour of mankind1 not  
in vulgar language or profane1 but by a 
mode of expression that was plain and   
unmistakable4 ,now1 ,i do not see how a 
man can be an infidel4 ,when a man says 
he is an atheist1 ,i believe he is a    
liar4 ,a man must be insane who does not
 recognize a ,supreme ,power and the    

,master-hand that made the world1 and   
who does not rely upon and give         
obedience to that ,higher ,power4 ,i do 
not believe that any atheist is honest  
in the announcement that he does not    
believe in ,god or a ,creator4 ,i       
believe now1 since my conversion1 that  
no man is in his right mind unless he   
has the habit of prayer4  ,all nature   
points to the existence of a            
,creator--every action of life1 every   
hair of the head shows an unseen hand4  
,if it is a mistake1 it is a mistake man
 can never fathom2 but if not and if1 as
 we are told by the word of faith1 you  
believe1 you shall be saved4 ,if you    
cast your burden upon ,him1 and there is
 a possibility of a hereafter1 you lose 
nothing in this world4 ,a man is wiser1 
purer1 more companionable1 more         
affectionate and more charitable4 ,there
 must be immortality of the soul2 there 
must be a future reward4 ,reflection    
upon these great facts induced me to    
become a ,christian man4 ,as ,i had     

served the devil so long as one of his  
allies1 and had been treated so badly by
 him4 ,i deserted him and put my faith  
in ,god1 where ,i intend to remain the  
remainder of my life4  ,i got to        
,louisville a little over a year ago1   
the #aeth of ,march1 and went           
immediately to find ,mr4 ,holcombe4 ,he 
was sitting by the fire4 ,he knew me at 
once4 ,i shook hands with him and sat   
down by the fire1 and had a conversation
 with him4 ,he immediately entered upon 
the subject of religion1 and ,i told him
 my condition4 ,i told him what ,i      
wanted to do--,i wanted to see for      
myself if it was possible for a man like
 him to become regenerated--if it was   
possible for such a great scoundrel as  
,i knew him to be to become a ,christian
 man4 ,i wanted to see for myself if it 
were possible to make1 out of so vile a 
creature1 such a good man as he was said
 to be4 ,as ,i said last night1 ,i came1
 like the conqueror of old1 and saw1    
but1 unlike the conqueror of old1 ,i was

 conquered4 ,i made up my mind that ,i  
was done with the old life4 ,steve's    
appearance convinced me that he was     
cured1 and ,i confessed then and there  
that ,i was convinced4 ,that was the    
starting point4 ,there was only one     
thing ,i have never been thoroughly     
satisfied about2 ,i find that the       
,christian influence grows gradually on 
me1 and becomes stronger and stronger   
the longer ,i live4 ,i confess myself1  
when ,i first became a ,christian man1  
with the exception of drinking whisky1  
,i was like ,i was before2 but1         
encouraged by my experiences in the     
beginning1 ,i gradually began to see    
that it was a better life4 ,a man was   
purer1 and there was some hope a man    
could be changed through and through1   
and take his place among men2 and from  
that time forward ,i was continually    
growing in grace4 ,from the very moment 
,i resolved to quit1 ,i did not drink   
any more4 ,after ,i saw ,steve1 ,i did  
not take a drop1 though ,i had tried    

before to quit it many a time4 ,i had   
oftentimes joined temperance societies1 
and made resolutions1 which were of no  
avail4 ,a man in that case was bound by 
no tie except his assertion--by his     
word3 and might break it just as a man  
allows a note to be protested in bank4  
,the moment ,i determined to change my  
life1 this appetite for whisky left me4 
,it was because my ideas were changed4  
,i used to think that no drunken man    
could become a ,christian2 but now ,i   
hope1 by the grace of ,god1 ,i am a     
,christian1 ,i could not explain it2 ,i 
do not believe any man can explain it4  
,he may attempt it1 but he can not do   
it4 ,a man who lives a ,christian life  
can hardly calculate the advantages2 it 
is a matter of impossibility4 ,in the   
first place1 his associates put an      
entirely different estimate on him4 ,his
 ambitions are entirely changed1 and    
certainly his hope is4 ,it makes him a  
more charitable man1 a more forbearing  
man with the faults of his neighbors1   

makes him a more tolerant man1 makes him
 a better citizen2 and if he were a     
politician--though it is scarcely within
 the bounds of possibility--it would    
make him an honest politician4  ,i have 
had no trouble to get along in business 
since my conversion4 ,just as soon as ,i
 tried to get business1 when ,i was once
 really in earnest about it1 ,i had a   
number of offers4 ,i have still a number
 of offers4 ,when ,i became a ,christian
 man ,i determined1 in my own mind1 ,i  
would live up to ,christianity so far as
 ,i could in every particular1 humbly   
and conscientiously4 ,the opinions of   
man have no weight with me now4 ,all ,i 
am ,i hold by the grace of ,god1 through
 ,jesus ,christ4   ,,fred ,,ropke4  ,i  
think it was on the #beth of ,june1     
#ahhc1 ,i was stopping at ,fifth and    
,jefferson4 ,previous to that time ,i   
had been tramping the country for about 
eight years1 from #ahgd until the middle
 of #ahhc4 ,my father was a ,louisville 
man4 ,he gave me all the advantages that

 wealth could command4 ,he sent me to   
,germany in #ahfd1 where ,i remained    
three years at school4 ,in #ahfi or     
#ahgj1 ,i went into the sheriff's office
 here in ,louisville4 ,previous to that 
time ,i had been with ,theodore         
,schwartz  ,co4 ,i went from ,theodore  
,schwartz  ,co4 into the sheriff's      
office4 ,i got that position from       
courtesy of the sheriff to my father1   
who was his bondsman4 ,i contracted the 
habit of drinking right there1 through  
the associations4 ,and1 being ashamed to
 remain among my friends as a drunkard1 
,i went then from pillar to post all    
over the country4  ,i left home just    
after my father's death1 in #ahgb1 not  
knowing whither ,i was going4 ,i dragged
 around the country from that time until
 the summer of #ahhc--;eleven years2 and
 if there ever was a man sick and tired1
 it was ,i4 ,i beat my way through      
,texas1 ,louisiana1 ,mississippi1       
,tennessee1 ,arkansas1 ,kansas1         
,colorado1 ,iowa1 ,michigan1 ,wisconsin1

 ,illinois1 ,indiana1 ,ohio1            
,pennsylvania and ,new ,york4  ,the box 
car was my home the greater part of the 
time4 ,of course1 during those years1 ,i
 came home off and on2 but nothing could
 stop me in my downward course4 ,as soon
 as ,i lost self-control ,i persuaded   
myself there was no hereafter1 no ,god  
and no devil4 ,i took to that idea to   
console myself for what ,i was doing    
more than for anything else2 and ,i had 
a perfect indifference as to what became
 of me1 except at times when ,i was     
alone and sober and thoughtful4 ,but ,i 
never had any aim2 no ambition at all2  
in fact1 ,i had given up all hope4 ,i do
 not know what ,i wandered for4 ,i would
 come home and stay for a month or so1  
and ,i would get drunk and get ashamed  
of myself and go away4 ,i would walk all
 night to get out of ,louisville4  ,i   
had been brought up by religious        
parents4 ,my father was a very religious
 man4 ,he was considered by people as a 
fanatic because he was making money in  

the whisky business1 and sold out rather
 than continue it4 ,he lost money by    
selling out during the war4 ,he saw what
 it was drifting to1 and sold out4      
,after that there was not a drop of     
whisky handled in his house on ,main    
street until after his death4 ,my mother
 also was a very religious woman1 so    
that ,i had a careful religious         
training4 ,but ,i had read a good deal  
of ,ingersoll and ,tom ,paine4 ,i heard 
,ingersoll lecture on one or two        
occasions2 ,i wanted to get all the     
proof ,i could to sustain me4 ,i wanted 
some consolation2 ,i knew where ,i was  
drifting2 there was a consciousness all 
this time that ,i was wrong2 and ,i     
trembled at the thought of one day      
giving an account for the misdeeds of a 
wasted life2 but ,i could not possibly  
help myself4 ,from the mental anxiety ,i
 went through it is a wonder my hair is 
not gray to-day4 ,it was terrible4 ,i   
had two attacks of delirium tremens4    
,what brought me to realize my condition

 more than anything else1 took place    
just before the time ,i first met       
,brother ,holcombe4 ,i was out on       
,second street mending umbrellas2 for   
that was the way ,i made my living4 ,i  
had become thoroughly hardened4 ,i would
 have cut my throat1 only cowardice kept
 me from it4 ,well1 ,i was mending      
umbrellas out on ,second street1 and    
,mrs4 ,werne heard me as ,i was calling 
out1 and knowing that ,henry1 her       
husband1 and ,i had been to school      
together--had been boys together1 she   
called me and said1 ,fred1 ,i want you  
to come in4 ,she insisted on my coming  
to their house to dinner the next day4  
,fix up1 she said1 and come to dinner   
with us2 but ,i do not believe ,i had a 
stitch of clothes except what was on my 
back4 ,she insisted however1 on my      
coming2 some of my friends would be     
there4 ,that brought me to realize to   
what depths ,i had fallen4  ,the next   
week ,i went to ,new ,albany2 and ,i was
 told to leave the town1 and ,i left the

 town under the escort of two policemen4
 ,to such abject wretchedness was ,i    
reduced1 ,i could not endure to stay    
among friends1 and ,i was in such a     
plight strangers could not endure me    
among them4 ,but once ,i was coming down
 the street1 and heard the singing in   
the ,holcombe ,mission2 and ,i was      
considerably touched to think that ,i   
had come through the religious training 
of a ,christian home and of church and  
,sunday-school2 and that is all it      
amounted to4 ,i went that evening to the
 courthouse steps1 and heard ,mr4       
,holcombe preach there2 and from that   
day to this ,i have not drank a single  
drop2 and it is only through ,god's     
grace that ,i realize that ,i am able to
 resist temptation4 ,i felt that ,i was 
not worth anything2 ,i felt that there  
was no power in myself4 ,my skepticism  
all melted away4 ,the view ,i took of it
 was that if ,god could help ,holcombe1 
he could and would help such a one as   
,i4 ,i knew ,mr4 ,holcombe very well4   

,when ,i was deputy sheriff1 ,i had a   
warrant for his arrest one time from    
,franklin county1 and went there armed1 
knowing his dangerous reputation4 ,i    
thought if ,holcombe could be saved1    
there certainly was some hope for me1   
and under the inspiration of that hope  
,i turned to ,god4 ,it was my last and  
only hope4 ,but it was not disappointed1
 for ,he has saved me4  ,i remember the 
first time ,i went up to be prayed for2 
,i felt that ,i would from that time    
have strength--,i had no doubt that ,i  
would have it from that time on4 ,it was
 in the back room of the old mission4 ,i
 felt--,i don't know why it was--,i felt
 then and there that1 by ,god's help1 ,i
 would make a man of myself2 and ,i went
 out with that feeling1 although ,i had 
been under the influence of liquor for  
months before4 ,i can not say that ,i   
had no appetite for it1 but ,i had      
strength to resist it4 ,that was the    
#beth of ,june1 #ahhc4  ,i would do     
anything for whisky when ,i wandered    

around4 ,i did not gamble1 but ,i was   
licentious4 ,i lived for nothing else2  
,i had no other aim in life but to      
gratify my passions1 and ,i would adopt 
any extreme to do it1 and did do it4 ,i 
left nothing untouched--,i would sell my
 coat to gratify my passions4 ,if ,i    
wanted a drink of whisky and my hat     
would pay for it1 ,i would let it go4   
,once1 on coming back from ,new         
,orleans1 my mother gave me a suit of   
clothes2 and ,i did not keep that suit  
of clothes three days4 ,all of the time 
,i was tramping around1 my mother was   
living in ,louisville1 worth            
seventy-five thousand dollars4 ,she was 
willing to do anything for me1 and      
suffered much because of my wicked ways4
 ,i remember on one occasion1 when ,i   
left her to go to ,denver1 ,colorado1   
she begged me to stay at home1 and      
reminded me how she would suffer from   
anxiety about me1 day and night1 till ,i
 should return4 ,but ,i had just been   
released from jail for drunkenness and  

,i did not want to stay in ,louisville4 
,so ,i left my mother in sorrow and     
despair4  ,one thing ,i am thankful for 
to-day2 that after my conversion ,i did 
not get into anything right away2 that  
,i made a bare living with my umbrellas2
 and that continued two years before ,i 
got into a permanent situation4 ,i      
believe those were the two happiest     
years of my life4 ,i had a tough time to
 get something to eat sometimes1 but    
that was good for me4 ,i pegged away at 
an old umbrella for twenty-five or      
thirty cents down in the old mission2   
and ,i was thankful to get them to fix4 
,it seemed to me it was sweeter2 ,i     
enjoyed it more4  ,there is no          
comparison between the new life and the 
old4 ,i thought at one time that ,i was 
enjoying myself2 but ,i have had to     
suffer in my new life for all the       
enjoyment that ,i had in the old--,i    
have to suffer physically--even yet4 ,i 
am an old man before my time4 ,even     
to-day on my coming in contact with it  

the influence of the old association    
will crop out4 ,sometimes my passions   
worry me considerably4 ,the only relief 
,i find is by keeping close to ,god4 ,i 
realize that from day to day if ,i do   
not do that--pay strict attention to my 
religious duties--,i will fall4 ,i know 
that if ,i neglect them for one week1 ,i
 get away off4 ,i am happy in being     
placed where ,i am4 ,my place is a kind 
of rendezvous for religious people2 and 
their society and conversation help to  
strengthen me4 ,since my conversion1 ,i 
was offered a position in a liquor      
house1 but ,i would not take it1 because
 ,i was afraid of it1 and the very next 
day ,i obtained a situation with the    
,finzer ,brothers4 ,i went to a minister
 and made it the subject of prayer as to
 whether ,i should accept the situation2
 and finally decided to decline it1 and 
the next day ,i got a situation that ,i 
had filled in years gone by1 with       
,finzer ,brothers in this city4 ,it is  
now the height of my ambition to have   

the opportunity to convince the people  
who were and are my friends in          
,louisville that there is something in  
me1 and by the grace of ,god ,i am no   
longer the failure ,i was4              
,illustration3 ,j4 ,t4 ,,hocker4        
,,james ,,thompson ,,hocker4  ,i was    
born in ,shelby county1 ,kentucky1 in   
#ahcg1 and no man had better advantages 
for being a ,christian or becoming one  
than ,i had4 ,i had a pious mother and  
father1 and all the influences of my    
home were of that character4 ,my father 
and mother were both members of the     
,baptist church1 and ,i recollect that  
they used to have me go to              
,sunday-school1 but ,i think now ,i went
 there because they asked me to go4     
,thinking over my condition1 ,i did not 
have any other incentive at that time   
than to obey my mother's request4 ,at   
about the age of fifteen ,i left my     
home1 and it seems to me now when ,i did
 do so ,i left behind me all good       
impulses and all good feeling1 and any  

religious inclination ,i might have had 
seemed to leave me when ,i stepped over 
the threshold2 and ,i think the devil   
joined me then and told me he would keep
 me company all the rest of my life1 and
 he did do it pretty closely for thirty 
years4 ,i do not suppose that he had a  
better servant1 or one who did his      
behests more faithfully than ,i4        
,whether ,i inherited the appetite for  
drink has been a question with me4 ,on  
both sides of my house--the ,old        
,virginia stock--,i had several         
relatives who drank to excess2 and it   
seems to me that the appetite must have 
passed through our family to me4 ,i     
remember the first drink ,i ever took in
 my life2 it was whisky1 and ,i liked   
it4 ,most people don't like the first   
drink4  ,when ,i came to this city ,i   
went into business as a clerk4 ,the     
devil and ,i dropped into company as    
hail fellows well met4 ,he persuaded me 
to think it was proper for young men to 
take a drink before calling on their    

lady friends4 ,he prompted me to go in  
with the boys4 ,this is the right way   
for you to do1 he would say1 ,i am your 
friend4 ,i had the usual compunctions of
 conscience that the young man feels    
when he goes into bar-rooms4 ,i took    
wine at first1 but the devil said3 ,that
 is not the thing2 whisky is better4 ,i 
obeyed him2 ,i took whisky1 until whisky
 pretty nearly took me forever4  ,along 
in #ahga--,march1 #ahga--;,i was working
 at a clothing house1 and ,i married a  
lady who was thoroughly conversant with 
all my habits2 who knew that the habit  
for drink had fastened itself on me2 but
 who1 with a woman's faithful1 trusting 
heart1 married me1 hoping1 as they      
generally do1 that her influence might  
reform me4 ,perhaps for a year or so the
 devil and ,i rather separated1 but he  
had me in sight all the while4 ,this    
continued for six or seven months1      
until1 on one occasion1 ,i went out to a
 fishing party4 ,we carried two or three
 gallons of whisky1 and two or three    

pounds of solid food4 ,i went fishing   
with two or three personal              
acquaintances1 who prevailed on me to   
indulge with them in drinking1 and from 
this time forward1 until about one year 
ago1 ,i was as fully devoted to my old  
ways as ever4  ,the appetite for drink  
was on me1 and dragged me down day by   
day1 deeper and deeper into the mire2   
and still1 through all this1 my wife's  
loyal heart never faltered1 unwavering  
as she was in her trust in me1 that ,i  
would yet reform4 ,she still1 when      
others failed me1 remained my faithful  
friend4 ,my wife was forced1 however1 by
 my conduct1 to return to her mother's  
home1 because1 instead of supporting    
her1 ,i was spending all my earnings for
 whisky and in debauchery of other      
kinds4  ,i shall have to go back a      
little in my story4 ,about eight years  
ago ,i was working in a clothing house  
at the corner of ,third and ,market     
streets4 ,i noticed across the street1  
one morning1 a man whom ,i knew setting 

out on the sidewalk a lot of vegetables1
 apples1 etc4 ,i looked at him1 and     
recognized him as ,steve ,holcombe1 a   
man who had recently reformed his way of
 living1 and abandoned his old life4 ,in
 the meantime1 ,i had become an infidel1
 ,i had begun to doubt the divinity of  
,christ1 and even doubted that there was
 a ,god4 ,i read all of ,ingersoll's    
books1 and went back and read ,paine's  
essay on ,reason and ,common ,sense4 ,i 
was thoroughly fortified with all the   
infidel batteries that ,i could bring to
 bear on ,christian people4 ,as soon as 
,i laid eyes on ,brother ,holcombe ,i   
started across the street and opened on 
him2 and ,i kept this up for months4 ,i 
fortified myself with a couple of       
drinks1 so as to be very brave1 and went
 over and tackled him regularly every   
morning4  ,at last1 ,i stood and watched
 him one morning4 ,i reasoned this way3 
,there is a man ,i have known for       
twenty-five years4 ,i know of no man who
 was more thoroughly steeped in         

wickedness1 who was a more persistent   
sinner1 and ,i have tried to batter him 
down with my infidel batteries for      
months1 and he is as solid as a stone   
wall2 and all this led me to think that 
there was something in the religion of  
,jesus ,christ2 and1 thinking this way1 
,i rather refrained from my attacks upon
 him and his position2 but ,i often     
thought of him afterward1 and the       
thought occurred to me1 there must be   
something in this thing1 for no power   
living1 or anything that ,i know of1    
could sustain that man in his position4 
,it must be something beyond human4     
,the #bjth day of last ,april ,i was on 
a protracted debauch2 had been for three
 weeks4 ,my brain was thoroughly stunned
 with the effects of the liquor ,i had  
drunk4 ,i was sitting in a bar-room at  
seven o'clock in the evening1 as far as 
my memory now serves me1 and ,i appeared
 to see the face of my wife and child2  
and then one of my boon companions said1
 ,join us in a drink4 ,just then ,i     

could no more have taken that drink than
 ,i could have transformed myself into  
an angel of light4 ,at that moment ,i   
thought some impending calamity that    
neither ,i nor any human power could    
avert was about to crush me4 ,the next  
thing that came into my mind was that ,i
 must see ,mr4 ,holcombe2 and ,i went   
out of that saloon into the night1      
scarcely knowing what ,i did1 feeling   
that some terrible accident was going to
 happen2 but still this impulse moved me
 to go to the man ,i had fought so long 
and so persistently4 ,i happened to find
 him before the old ,mission1 on        
,jefferson street1 near ,fifth4 ,he     
seemed to think that ,i had now some    
other object in view than to attack him 
as formerly1 because1 the first time in 
all my career1 he was the only man who  
did reach out his hand and said1 ,god   
bless you1 my brother4 ,i said3 ,i want 
to talk to you2 ,i want you to pray for 
me4 ,he said1 ,god bless you1 ,i am the 
happiest man to meet you that ,i know   

of4 ,he asked me to walk down to the    
,mission4 ,the services were about to   
commence4 ,i stayed with him that       
evening4 ,in the morning he made a      
special prayer for me2 and during all my
 wanderings1 ,i had felt that1 perhaps1 
the prayers of my mother and father     
would1 in the end1 reach the throne of  
grace2 and ,i had never lost my faith in
 the efficacy of prayer4 ,when he prayed
 for me1 ,i felt my mother's hand on my 
head and heard her saying1 ,god bless   
and keep my boy4 ,when ,i left him he   
said1 ,won't you go to your room        
to-night and pray8 ,i had no room4 ,he  
loaned me the money to get a room4 ,i   
went to the hotel and procured lodging4 
,he said to me1 ,say any prayer you     
think of4 ,the only prayer ,i could     
recall was one ,i had heard in my       
childhood1 ,lord1 have mercy upon me1 a 
sinner6 ,when ,i made that prayer before
 the ,christian's ,god1 ,i did it with  
fear and trembling1 for it seemed       
profanity for a wretch like me1 who had 

defied ,god's laws1 to prostrate himself
 at ,his feet and ask the ,christian's  
,god to have mercy on him2 but ,i kept  
up that prayer in my weak1 broken way4  
,and to-day1 having tried this life one 
year1 you don't know of a man happier   
than ,i am4 ,my wife1 no longer         
broken-hearted as in those years of     
darkness and sorrow1 now daily bids me  
welcome to our happy home4 ,and we      
recognize together that nothing but this
 religion of ,jesus ,christ could have  
brought this about4 ,i know1 from the   
experiences ,i have had1 that ,god has  
forgiven me1 the sinner4  ,i had from a 
child been the most inveterate swearer4 
,since my conversion ,i have not sworn  
an oath2 ,i never have taken a drop of  
beer or anything that might intoxicate  
me1 and ,i have never had a return of   
the appetite4 ,and ,i hope1 by ,god's   
mercy1 that when the last call shall    
come ,i shall be found fighting for     
,god2 and ,i feel ,i want to fall with  
my back to the field and my feet to the 

foe4 ,immediately after my conversion ,i
 attached myself to the ,fifth and      
,walnut-street church2 and if you       
inquire of those who know me1 they will 
tell you that1 since ,i stepped out of  
the old life into this1 ,i have walked  
consistently4  ,i have told you a true  
story4 ,i can think of no more to say4  
,i may add1 however1 that since ,i have 
come into this new life1 under ,god's   
mercy1 ,i have been the humble          
instrument of bringing into the light   
three of my acquaintances1 of whose     
conversion ,i know personally4 ,i was   
the only wandering1 wayward1 prodigal   
son in my father's family2 and there is 
probably not now a happier household in 
the ,state4       ,,note4--,mr4 ,hocker 
is at present engaged in business in one
 of      the large clothing houses of   
,louisville4  ,illustration3 ,s4 ,p4    
,,dalton4   ,,samuel ,p4 ,,dalton4  ,i  
was born in ,shelbyville1 ,tenn41       
,january #bj1 #ahdi1 and am1 therefore1 
thirty-nine years of age4 ,my father and

 mother were both members of the church2
 and they tried to bring me up as a     
,christian4 ,i went to ,sunday-school   
and church almost all my life4 ,my      
father has been dead twenty odd years4  
,my mother is still living4 ,as ,i say1 
,i was brought up a ,christian1 and ,i  
was converted when ,i was about         
seventeen years of age1 while a boy     
clerking in a brickyard alone4 ,i was   
licensed soon afterward to exhort in the
 ,methodist church4 ,after that ,i      
married2 ,i removed to ,paducah1 ,ky41  
and ,i was a member of the church there 
for several years4 ,after that ,i lost  
my wife1 broke up housekeeping and went 
to traveling4 ,i traveled awhile1 and   
then moved to ,louisville4 ,i lived here
 seven years4  ,in the meantime1 ,i     
became indifferent to ,christianity and 
formed the habit of moderate drinking2  
,i was a moderate drinker for a couple  
of years1 and gradually ,i drifted      
farther and farther away till at last ,i
 came to believe in ,ingersoll's        

teachings4 ,i formed this idea1 that the
 world was made to enjoy1 and that we   
had a right to enjoy it in any way we   
wished4 ,i never would go to church and 
,i would avoid meeting any of my church 
friends as much as possible4 ,i became  
very unhappy and miserable in my        
irreligious life1 and found that serving
 the devil was hard4  ,one day while in 
this unhappy condition my attention was 
called to a crowd of people on          
,jefferson street1 near the courthouse4 
,going over to satisfy my curiosity1 ,i 
found they were a ,christian band from  
the ,holcombe ,mission preaching the    
,gospel4 ,of course1 ,i would not go to 
church1 and when ,i went over there to  
see what they were doing1 ,i looked upon
 them as so many cranks2 but there was  
one prayer that touched my heart4 ,it   
was this3 ,oh ,lord1 if there are any   
persons in this audience who are        
miserable or unhappy on account of their
 sins1 ,i pray ,thee to give them no    
peace until they give their hearts to   

,god4 ,and ,god answered the prayer in  
my case4 ,i had no peace until ,i gave  
my heart to ,god and renewed my vows to 
the church4 ,after hearing this prayer  
,i went home very miserable and unhappy1
 and fought the feeling for six months  
afterward--tried to drive it away by    
drinking2 but could not do so4 ,finally 
one night about midnight1 in my room1 ,i
 gave my heart to ,god and made new     
vows4 ,i was again brought back to ,god 
on the #aeth of ,october1 #ahhb4  ,then 
,i went to see ,brother ,morris1 pastor 
of the ,fifth and ,walnut-street        
,methodist church1 and told him what ,i 
had done4 ,of course1 he met me with    
open arms1 and invited me to the church1
 and on the following ,sunday ,i joined 
the ,methodist church4 ,directly        
afterward ,mr4 ,morris introduced me to 
,brother ,holcombe4 ,he said3 ,brother  
,dalton1 here is a man you ought to know
 and be with4 ,his ,mission is the place
 for you to do ,christian work4 ,he saw1
 ,i suppose1 that ,i ought to be doing  

some good1 and he wanted me right there4
  ,i went1 then1 to ,brother ,holcombe's
 ,mission1 and remained with him for    
about two years1 working there almost   
every night for these two years1 keeping
 door1 and doing1 to the best of my     
ability1 all the good ,i could4 ,i can  
say that my connection with the         
,mission1 ,i have no doubt1 has had all 
to do with strengthening me in the      
,christian life and leading me into     
usefulness1 giving me strength and      
energy to engage in saving others1 and  
confirming myself in ,christian         
character4  ,i have witnessed some of   
the most remarkable conversions at      
,holcombe's ,mission that ,i think ever 
were known anywhere1 and ,i regard      
,holcombe as one of the most remarkable 
men on earth for mission work4 ,it seems
 that he can use more means to put men  
to thinking than any other man that ,i  
know of4  ,i was always fond of going to
 the theater4 ,after ,i had become a    
,christian1 ,i had an idea that ,i could

 still continue going to theaters1 and  
so stated to ,brother ,holcombe and     
,brother ,alexander4 ,they simply said  
this3 ,brother ,dalton1 if you get the  
love of ,god in your heart you will find
 a great deal more pleasure in ,god's   
service than you will in attending      
theaters2 and from my own experience ,i 
have found it true4 ,i have no desire to
 go to theaters2 my own pleasure is in  
,christian work2 and ,i do not think a  
man can make a practice of attending    
theaters regularly and exert the same   
influence for the salvation of others as
 if he did not attend4  ,i believe as   
firmly as ,i do anything1 that when ,i  
was a boy1 ,god called me to some kind  
of ,christian work2 and ,i was the most 
miserable man in the world when ,i lost 
my religion4 ,after meeting with        
,brother ,holcombe1 he seemed to be a   
great wall of protection to me--and he  
does yet4 ,he has infused into my life  
more ,christian zeal than ,i ever had   
before4 ,i am of a temperament that is  

easily led off--easily influenced2 and  
,i feel that ,god1 in ,his wisdom1 leads
 me into ,christian work in order to    
save my own soul as well as others4     
,since ,i have been away from           
,louisville1 in ,cleveland1 ,ohio1 in   
business1 ,i think there has not been a 
day or night but what ,i have thought of
 ,brother ,holcombe and the ,mission4   
,it seems to have such an everlasting   
effect on me1 that at all times ,i feel 
a restraining influence which comes out 
from that ,mission4 ,if at any time ,i  
am tempted to become discouraged1 the   
remembrance of him and the mission work 
that he is engaged in1 seems to be a    
protection1 something that upholds me in
 my ,christian faith2 and ,i have       
learned to love ,brother ,holcombe as ,i
 never loved any man on earth who was no
 kin to me4 ,he is a man whom ,i have   
watched very closely1 and understand    
thoroughly2 and believe he is one of the
 most honest1 earnest and upright       
,christian men that ,i ever met in all  

my life1 and one who will do more1 and  
endure more1 to lead a man to ,christ   
than any one ,i ever knew4  ,the result 
of that ,christian experience which ,i  
had while associated with ,brother      
,holcombe has been the means of my      
seeking an opportunity for ,christian   
work in the city of ,cleveland1 ,ohio1  
where ,i am now residing4 ,i joined the 
,franklin-avenue ,methodist church1 of  
,cleveland1 a grand body of ,christians1
 too1 about #fej members2 and it seemed 
that the ,lord had opened the way into  
this church to harness me into          
,christian work there4 ,being a man from
 the ,south1 ,i hardly expected them to 
receive me as cordially as they did2 but
 it seemed that1 after watching me1 and 
knowing me1 when ,i was not expecting   
it1 ,i was elected one of the stewards  
of that church a very short time after  
joining it2 and ,i have been put on     
different committees1 and have been     
treated as well as a ,christian         
gentleman could possibly desire to be   

treated1 and ,i have learned to love    
them4 ,my aim and object in life now is 
to do all the good ,i possibly can in   
this new field of labor4  ,the ,lord has
 been very good to me since ,i reentered
 ,his service1 and ,i have found        
complete happiness and contentment in   
this ,christian life1 and no man on     
earth is happier than ,i when ,i am     
doing ,christian work1 and ,i am quite  
unhappy when ,i am not1 being fully     
convinced that the ,lord has a          
,christian work of some kind for me to  
engage in1 and always being blest in the
 least effort ,i make for the salvation 
of others4  ,god has prospered me in    
business1 too4 ,i have been very        
successful in my business life1 not     
getting rich1 but making a good1 honest 
living1 having the confidence and       
respect of my employers1 and the full   
confidence of those who work for me4 ,i 
have endeavored1 to the best of my      
ability1 to use every means within my   
power to exert as good an influence over

 the men in my employ as ,i possibly can
 under the circumstances4 ,i correspond 
with ,brother ,holcombe regularly1 and  
have for the last three years1 and ,i   
very often use his letters in           
endeavoring to bring others to ,christ2 
and frequently in my talks and          
,christian work ,i take a great pride in
 referring to the ,mission in           
,louisville1 and believe there has been 
some good done in simply telling of     
these remarkable conversions that ,i    
have witnessed there1 convincing me that
 the ,mission is not only exerting a    
good influence in the city of           
,louisville1 but is being felt all over 
this country4  ,after being away a      
little over three years1 ,i returned to 
,kentucky on a visit to my mother and   
family in ,paducah1 and also to ,brother
 ,holcombe and my friends in            
,louisville1 and stopped with ,brother  
,holcombe4 ,of course1 he received me   
with open arms and a hearty welcome1 and
 ,i had the pleasure of meeting many of 

those men whom ,i had known when they   
were in their sinful lives1 bound by the
 power of strong drink1 and it did my   
heart good to look into their happy1    
shining faces1 sober as they are1 and   
active in business1 and engaged in      
,christian work1 thereby receiving new  
strength and stronger faith in the      
,blessed ,gospel of ,christ4 ,i am fully
 persuaded there is no other power under
 heaven that would save men from these  
terrible habits except the religion of  
the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4  ,coming into 
the presence of ,brother ,holcombe      
seemed to have a peculiar effect upon   
me4 ,it seemed that ,i received a new   
baptism of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,i do not  
know what it is2 ,i know that ,god's    
blessing is just as rich and precious in
 ,cleveland as it is in ,louisville1 but
 having been associated with ,brother   
,holcombe in this ,christian work1 and  
witnessing such wonderful conversions1  
and ,god's blessings having been        
bestowed upon us so richly1 it seems    

that the place is precious to my soul1  
and the remembrance of those things so  
cheers my heart that it gives me new    
strength and new zeal1 and ,i never     
could1 under any circumstances1 in my   
future life1 doubt the reality of the   
,christian religion4   ,,colonel ,,moses
 ,,gibson4  ,my birthplace was ,bowling 
,green1 ,rappahannock county1 ,virginia4
 ,i was born ,may #g1 #ahcg4 ,my        
ancestors were ,quakers1 and my         
grandfather a ,hicksite ,quaker4 ,he    
married a ,methodist1 and was1          
consequently1 turned out of the church4 
,the family originally came from the    
north of ,ireland1 opposite ,glasgow2   
non-conformists4 ,they came to this     
country about the time ,penn did1 and   
got over into ,loudon county1 ,virginia4
 ,on my mother's side ,i am descended   
from ,nathaniel ,pendleton1 who is a    
brother of ,edmund ,pendleton1 and      
aid-de-camp of ,general ,green during   
the ,revolutionary war4 ,on both sides a
 considerable number of the men were in 

both legal and literary pursuits4 ,my   
mother was raised in the ,presbyterian  
church--joined the ,presbyterian church4
 ,i was baptized by the ,rev4 ,dr4      
,foot1 one of the corner-stones of the  
old school church4 ,my father was never 
a member of any church until very late  
in life4 ,my mother had me baptized by  
the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,foot when ,i was six    
years old4  ,i was always1 as a boy1    
religiously inclined2 and never cared   
for those enjoyments and pleasures that 
boys indulge in so much1 like playing   
ball1 hunting and fishing1 tobogganing1 
coasting and all such kind of sport4 ,i 
was more of a house boy4 ,i liked to    
stay at home and read1 and was very     
affectionate in my disposition4 ,very   
early in life ,i started out in the     
world1 and when ,i was fourteen years   
old ,i was a store boy2 and even with   
all that1 my early training1 to a       
certain extent1 kept me out of bad      
company1 although ,i slept in the store1
 and was really under no restraint from 

the time ,i was about fourteen4 ,i      
generally1 when ,i found ,i was too far 
gone1 pulled up stakes and went         
somewhere else2 and in that way ,i grew 
up4 ,i very rarely failed to go to      
church twice every ,sunday2 and ,i      
looked upon religion more as a pleasure 
and a matter of pride for the           
respectability of it4 ,i liked the      
church1 even after ,i grew up to be a   
man4 ,but during the latter part of the 
war1 ,i became impressed4 ,i believe it 
was in ,october1 #ahfd1 ,i professed    
religion in a little church in ,new     
,market1 ,virginia2 and after the war1  
,i went to ,baltimore1 and united myself
 there with the ,episcopal church4 ,i   
never was confirmed1 however1 until some
 time in #ahfh1 here in ,calvary church 
in ,louisville4 ,but ,i always          
considered myself a member of the       
church1 went to ,sunday-school1 and     
attended to my duties very particularly4
 ,i never drank anything1 and never kept
 bad company4 ,my association was always

 the most refined1 principally that of  
ladies4 ,i was fond of society1 parties1
 theaters and things of that kind1 which
 our church never objected to very      
particularly1 but ,i kept myself in     
bounds4  ,it was only about #ahgd or    
#ahge that ,i became associated with    
some gentlemen here who were very       
learned1 and who were very earnest men2 
and we got into the study of the ,bible 
in search of truth4 ,we got all the     
books of modern thought on the subject  
that we could4 ,we conversed together   
and talked together a great deal4 ,we   
got all the modern authors1 and studied 
them very thoroughly2 and studied so    
much1 that we finally studied ourselves 
into infidelity4 ,we studied ,draper1   
,max ,muller1 ,ledyard1 ,bishop ,colenzo
 and ,judge ,strange4 ,judge ,strange's 
was the most powerful book1 to me1 of   
any4 ,it was a reference to the ,old    
,testament legends and the miracles of  
the ,new4 ,i gradually by the           
association1 and by reading these modern

 treatises on theology1 etc41 drifted   
into that thoughtful infidelity1 which  
is the worst sort in the world1 because 
,i had a great respect for religion1 but
 did not believe it4 ,i believed in a   
,god1 but could not consistently believe
 that he was the ,god of the ,bible1 or 
that the ,bible itself could be an      
inspired book1 because so much of it was
 inconsistent with demands of human     
reason4  ,following these convictions1  
,i gradually drifted into the most      
complete infidelity that a man ever did 
on earth4 ,i did not believe anything1  
still ,i did not attempt in any way to  
have my associates and friends believe  
that ,i was an infidel4 ,i never boasted
 of it1 ,i never made light of religion4
 ,i continued to go to church1 continued
 to keep in the church2 and when        
,ingersoll was here ,i would not go to  
hear him4 ,i was satisfied that         
,ingersoll's teachings were1 to a great 
extent1 what ,i believed2 but ,i did not
 like to hear a man get up and ridicule 

my mother's ,god2 and my answer to those
 who wanted me to go was that ,i would  
not listen to any man who tried to      
ridicule the religion of my mother4     
,about #ahgh ,i commenced drinking4 ,i  
was then about forty-one years old4 ,i  
got to taking a drink here and there1   
but do not suppose ,i took over a       
hundred drinks during the year4 ,in     
#ahgi ,i got to drinking a little more4 
,in #ahhj ,i got to drinking pretty     
hard4 ,during the year #ahgi ,i took    
rarely less than three1 and very often  
six to eight drinks1 a day1 and in #ahha
 ,i was a confirmed1 genteel tippler4 ,i
 rarely took less than three or more    
than ,i could stand1 but in a genteel   
way and in a genteel saloon4  ,i sold   
out my business and traveled seven or   
eight months for pleasure1 and kept up  
the same thing everywhere4 ,i seldom    
gambled4 ,i played poker for twenty-five
 cents ante1 and bet on horse races4 ,i 
never was a profane man except when ,i  
was intoxicated2 then ,i would be a     

little profane4 ,i always remembered    
more than anything else the early       
teachings of my mother2 they clung to   
me4 ,i had respect not only for the     
church but respect for the ministry and 
respect for ,christian people4  ,after  
,i commenced drinking ,i would have     
given anything in the world if ,i could 
have stopped4 ,i would get up in the    
morning and ,i would feel a             
lassitude--feel debilitated4 ,i would   
not care to eat anything--a biscuit and 
a cup of coffee--and by eleven o'clock  
that was all emptied1 and my stomach    
would crave something4 ,probably if ,i  
had sat down at a restaurant and made a 
good dinner it would have helped me2 but
 it was so much easier to get a toddy1  
and that toddy did away with the        
craving1 and probably in an hour and a  
half ,i would want the same thing1 and1 
instead of going to dinner1 ,i would    
take another drink1 and about three     
o'clock ,i would want this toning of the
 stomach again4  ,in the fall of #ahhc  

,i thought ,i would call a halt4 ,i quit
 drinking in ,october1 #ahhc1 of my own 
will1 and ,i did not drink a drop of    
anything until ,july1 #ahhd2 and then ,i
 got at it in the same old way4 ,i got  
to taking a toddy a day1 and then ,i got
 to taking two1 and for two months ,i   
was taking a toddy before every meal2   
and then my stomach got so ,i did not   
care to eat--,i took the toddy without  
the dinner2 and in the course of the    
year--probably by the first of          
,october--,i had got to drinking all the
 way from six drinks a day to about a   
dozen4 ,i kept that up until ,i got to  
being genteelly intoxicated--always     
genteel1 but always going to bed being  
pretty well intoxicated4 ,when ,i got to
 bed1 ,i would lie down and sleep2 and  
when ,i got up in the morning ,i would  
have a toddy4  ,about ,october we sold  
out our business here4 ,the winter was  
beginning1 and ,i had no money4 ,i began
 to be a little reckless2 and ,i        
commenced drinking the first of         

,october1 and ,i was full until the     
first of ,january4 ,i do not think from 
the first of ,october1 #ahhd1 until the 
first of ,january1 #ahhg1 there was a   
day that ,i did not take six drinks1 and
 generally ten or twelve--pretty stiff  
drinks1 too4 ,i generally drank about   
two ounces of whisky4 ,it never affected
 my health at all4 ,it stimulated my    
mind2 it made me bright--exceedingly    
so--so much so that if there was anybody
 about the bar-room ,i was the center of
 attraction4 ,i could discourse upon any
 subject2 but ,i was very bright and    
vivacious4 ,i never was afraid of       
anything on the face of the earth2 ,i   
guess there never was a man more        
fearless than ,i was when under the     
influence of whisky2 otherwise1 ,i was  
very timid4  ,i kept that thing up1 and 
on the first of ,january ,i was walking 
down the street4 ,i had gone to bed     
pretty sober on the night before2 and ,i
 got up on the morning of the first of  
,january and dressed myself up nicely1  

intending to go to church4 ,i met a     
friend of mine1 who said he was going   
around to the office1 and asked me to go
 with him4 ,i said ,i would4 ,on the way
 around there he suggested we should    
have a pint of whisky4 ,i said1 ,i      
believe ,i will quit2 ,i am getting     
tired of whisky4 ,well1 he said1 let us 
have a bottle anyway2 it is the first of
 ,january4 ,yes1 ,i said1 as it is the  
first of ,january4 ,we sat there and    
drank that1 and sent out and got another
 pint and drank that4 ,after that1 ,i   
went down to ,louis ,roderer's and sat  
there1 and some gentlemen came in and   
they got to throwing dice for the       
drinks1 and ,i was invited to join them1
 and ,i did2 and ,i took six drinks     
there with them4 ,the weather was cold2 
the pavement covered with ice4 ,as long 
as ,i stayed in the house1 the liquor   
did not affect me1 but as soon as ,i got
 out of the door1 the cold coming right 
into contact with it1 seemed to throw   
all the undigested alcohol into my      

brain4 ,i went back to this friend of   
mine4 ,he was not there4 ,i walked up   
,market street1 and went to my room and 
went to bed4 ,it was there1 ,i suppose1 
,i mashed my nose and cut my face badly4
 ,the servant girl came up stairs and   
found me lying on the floor4 ,she went  
down and got help1 and they bathed my   
face1 and they both together put me to  
bed4 ,i had been unconscious from the   
moment ,i left the bar-room and was so  
up to five o'clock the next morning4    
,they put me to bed1 and ,i was totally 
unconscious until ,i woke up the next   
morning at five o'clock4 ,it occurred to
 me that something was the matter2 ,i   
felt the wound on my face4 ,i got up and
 lighted the candle and looked into the 
glass1 and saw that my face was all     
bruised and bloody4 ,i said1 ,i suppose 
,i ran against something and mashed my  
face last night4 ,the next morning ,i   
heard this servant girl in the next     
room4 ,i heard her saying1 ,poor man1   
poor man4 ,pretty soon she came in and  

said1 ,what in the world is the matter  
with you8 ,how did you hurt your face8  
,she then told me the condition they had
 found me in2 and if they had not found 
me ,i would have frozen to death4 ,i    
said1 ,if this thing is going to work   
that way on me1 ,i must call a halt4 ,i 
could not eat anything but some milk4 ,i
 lay in bed all day4  ,i could not pray4
 ,i had got into that frame of mind ,i  
could not pray4 ,i did not believe in   
the efficacy of prayer4 ,i had lost     
sight of ,christ as ,god1 but ,i had    
great respect for ,christ as a teacher4 
,i lay there all that day1 ,monday4 ,i  
was then thoroughly sober2 and ,i said1 
,i will just see if there is any        
efficacy in religion1 anyhow4 ,i believe
 ,i will try it4 ,i had gotten up and   
dressed myself4 ,i had not eaten any    
breakfast4 ,i drank some coffee4 ,not   
having taken anything to eat1 ,i felt   
pretty weak1 and ,i said1 ,i believe ,i 
will take a drink4 ,i went around to a  
friend of mine on ,first street1 and he 

was not there4 ,then ,i walked around to
 a saloon on ,third street4 ,several    
gentlemen were there that ,i used to    
drink with4 ,i stood around there for   
awhile1 hoping that some one would ask  
me to take a drink1 but nobody asked me4
  ,finally ,i came up here to ,mr4      
,holcombe's and found him here1 and we  
got to talking the matter over4 ,i told 
him that ,i was tired of this kind of   
life4 ,i wanted to take a pledge4 ,i do 
not give pledges to anybody to stop     
drinking4 ,he said there was but one    
remedy--reliance upon ,christ2 that     
,christ was all--,christ and the love of
 ,god4 ,if ,i determined to live up to  
the teachings of the ,bible1 if ,i was  
willing about it1 that he believed ,i   
would be cured4 ,well1 ,i told him that 
,i thought that my mind was sufficiently
 prepared2 that ,i had made up my mind  
to quit if ,i possibly could2 that if   
the ,lord wanted to take me the way ,i  
was1 ,i had made up my mind to believe2 
that ,i had not believed anything for a 

long time1 and that if ,i did believe ,i
 would have to take it by faith1 and not
 by reason4  ,finally1 after talking it 
over1 ,mr4 ,holcombe prayed1 and after  
prayer ,i said ,i had better go down to 
my boarding-house4 ,no1 he said1 you    
stay with me awhile4 ,i said ,i could   
not do that2 ,i had to go down to my    
boarding-house4 ,he said1 ,no6 he       
thought ,i had better stay awhile2 that 
,i could stay with him just the same1 as
 ,i was around there2 that ,i might get 
out and get to drinking2 that ,i was not
 strong enough4 ,i concluded ,i would   
stay with him1 and ,i stayed with him   
for three weeks4  ,i went down stairs to
 the ,mission meeting that night1 and   
stood up for prayer4 ,after the prayer1 
,i felt a great deal better--in fact1 ,i
 felt as much converted as ,i am now4   
,since then1 ,i have had no trouble4  ,i
 never had made a prayer in public in my
 life2 ,i never had talked religion in  
my life1 and ,i got up a week afterward 
and preached a sermon an hour long4 ,the

 second or third night ,i made a prayer4
 ,before that night ,i had never prayed 
in public4 ,the only prayer ,i would say
 was1 ,our ,father ,who ,art ,in        
,heaven4  ,i have never taken a drink   
since then1 and ,i do not now chew      
tobacco4 ,i had either a cigar or a chew
 of tobacco in my mouth all the time    
during the last year4 ,from the time ,i 
was fifteen years old1 ,i used to smoke 
from three to a dozen cigars a day4 ,my 
general average of cigars was six a day4
 ,i have not chewed tobacco1 ,i have not
 smoked a cigar1 ,i have not taken a    
drink of liquor since ,january4 ,a man  
talking to me the other day said3 ,you  
have the strongest will power on earth4 
,if ,i had the will power you have1 ,i  
could do anything ,i wanted4 ,i said1 ,i
 do not think so4 ,i do not believe ,i  
ever would have stopped smoking and     
chewing without the change which has    
been produced in me through faith and   
prayer4  ,i will tell you what broke me 
of chewing tobacco4 ,it was ,monday that

 ,i came here to the ,mission1 the #c;d 
of ,january1 and on ,tuesday night ,i   
professed conversion4 ,wednesday morning
 ,i went out to see ,mr4 ,minnegerode1  
and had my name again placed on the     
church record as a member of ,calvary   
church4 ,the first ,sunday in the month 
was our communion1 and ,i was very      
anxious that ,i should perform all the  
obligations necessary to fill out the   
measure of my conversion1 and to do it  
as soon as possible2 and ,i happened to 
be down in ,cyrus ,young's office1 and  
he told me that they were going to have 
communion4 ,they had quarterly meeting  
at the ,broadway ,methodist church4 ,dr4
 ,brewer preached1 and there ,i took my 
first communion4 ,from there ,i went    
over to the house of a friend of mine1  
who has since died1 named ,lewis4 ,i    
took dinner with him1 and stayed there  
until half-past three o'clock4 ,well1 ,i
 took a chew of tobacco going down the  
street1 and when ,i had just commenced  
chewing it1 ,i said3 ,you are a pretty  

kind of a ,christian4 ,you have got your
 mouth full of that stuff that a hog    
would not eat1 and immediately after    
taking the bread and wine commemorative 
of the death of ,christ4 ,it is not     
right for a ,christian to take that     
after having partaken of these emblems4 
,and ,i spit it out of my mouth4 ,for   
two or three days it bothered me a great
 deal--much more than drinking4 ,i never
 had a desire to take a drink since that
 ,monday1 although ,i have been asked   
repeatedly4 ,i was down at a hotel with 
two or three gentlemen the other day1   
and somebody got up and suggested taking
 a drink4 ,i said1 ,no2 ,i have joined  
the church2 ,i am a ,christian1 and ,i  
do not believe in ,christians or church 
members drinking4 ,shortly after that   
they offered me a cigar1 which ,i       
refused4  ,i have now charge of a       
chapel1 and have preached two sermons up
 there this week1 one ,sunday night and 
one ,thursday night4 ,i preached on the 
,prodigal ,son the other night4 ,i have 

held seven or eight services up there4  
,i hold forth here at the ,mission one  
night in the week--that is ,tuesday     
night4 ,i never killed anybody2 have    
never won a thousand dollars at cards2  
and ,i never was in the gutter4 ,i was a
 refined tippler4 ,i was a leader of    
society all these years1 as everybody   
who knows me is aware4 ,i was prominent 
in social life and prominent in church  
life before ,i was an infidel1 previous 
to #ahgd1 and a member of the vestry of 
,advent church here4 ,i kept up my      
acquaintances4 ,all the drinking ,i did 
was with the tony men1 at the           
high-typed1 tony saloons4 ,i am now a   
communicant of ,calvary church4 ,i am a 
lay reader1 and1 for the present1 have  
charge of ,campbell-street chapel4 ,i go
 up there two nights a week4 ,i was     
going up to ,campbell street1 the other 
evening1 to hold service and ,i met     
,bishop ,dudley1 who was going up to    
,trinity to confirm a class1 and he     
asked me where ,i was going4 ,i told him

 ,i was going over to ,campbell street  
to hold service4 ,he asked me who did my
 singing4 ,i said ,i did all the        
preaching and singing myself4  ,the sum 
of it is1 ,i felt that mine was a bad   
case2 ,i had been struggling for two    
years and a half to rid myself of this  
appetite1 by making to myself all kinds 
of promises day after day1 but was      
unable to do it2 ,i said to myself1     
,mine is a bad case--an aggravated      
case--and it needs heroic treatment4 ,i 
can say ,i will quit drinking4 ,i can go
 and kneel down and feel very well about
 it2 but the question is1 whether ,i    
would not go back to the same old way of
 living2 and ,i reflected that ,i might 
be renewed or regenerated--if the ,lord 
created me1 ,he could re-create me--to  
the man ,he had made and created in ,his
 own image1 if he believed1 ,he could   
give back his manhood2 would re-create  
him and give him a new birth4 ,i felt   
that1 and felt that ,i must make a      
public confession4 ,mine was a bad case1

 and there was only one way to cure     
me--a public confession before ,god and 
the world1 and a prayer for strength to 
make me live up to that profession--and 
when ,i made that profession1 ,i felt   
relieved4  ,i have had more strength    
since then4 ,i have not had the least   
desire for liquor4 ,last night was the  
first time ,i ever dreamed about        
drinking since2 and then ,i dreamed that
 ,i wanted a lemonade very badly and    
went to the saloon to get it2 and my    
conscience pricked me even in my sleep  
for the desire for a lemonade and going 
into a saloon to get it4 ,before1 ,i    
used to dream about going into drinking 
saloons4 ,instead of having a desire for
 a drink of whisky1 ,i give you my word 
and honor1 it was nauseating to me4     
,that was not a qualm of conscience1 but
 a physical sensation4 ,it came when ,i 
picked up a glass that had had whisky in
 it4 ,i smelled it1 and set it down4    
,and1 by the grace of ,god1 ,i am       
determined that ,i have drunk my last   

drop of intoxicating liquor4            
,illustration3 ,,captain ,n4 ,b4 ,,peck4
   ,,captain ,,ben ,,peck4  ,i have had 
rather an eventful life2 but ,i don't   
know that it would be interesting to the
 public4  ,i certainly had less reason  
to be a bad boy1 and worse man1 than    
almost anybody ever had4 ,i was         
surrounded by the very best ,christian  
influences4 ,my father was a prominent  
minister of the ,baptist denomination in
 this ,state4 ,he died1 though1 when ,i 
was quite young4 ,my mother's people had
 been ,christian people very far back4  
,the male members on my father's side   
were ,baptist ministers as far as ,i    
could trace it4 ,i lost my father when  
,i was about eight years old4 ,my mother
 tried to raise me right--taught me     
right2 but we were living out here in a 
little town--,hodgensville--and ,i was  
wild from the start4 ,i was not worse   
than any other boys1 but ,i was in all  
sorts of mischief4 ,i was looked upon as
 a bad boy1 and regarded as no exception

 to the general rule1 that preacher's   
boys are worse than other boys4  ,when  
about twelve years old1 ,i joined the   
church at a revival4 ,i believe ,i was  
truly converted1 and for a short while  
,i lived up to the duties of my church2 
but ,i soon neglected going to          
church--first ,i neglected going to     
prayer-meeting--and ,i got back so far  
that ,i would not be picked out as a    
,christian by any means4  ,the war came 
up when ,i was fourteen years old1 and  
,i went into it2 and the first night out
 ,i got to drinking and playing cards2  
and ,i suppose ,i was known as the      
leader in all the mischief got up in the
 brigade4 ,i was notorious throughout   
the command as a reckless1 bad boy from 
the beginning4  ,my mother had been     
opposed to my going into the army at    
all2 but1 if ,i was going1 she would    
have preferred my serving on the other  
side4 ,i never shall forget one thing   
she said to me at starting4 ,when the   
time came to go1 ,i would not have      

hesitated to back out if she had given  
me any encouragement at all4 ,she said1 
,my son1 you have determined2 you have  
cast your lot with the ,south4 ,i had   
rather you would do your duty and be a  
brave soldier4 ,but she continued to    
pray for me4  ,after the war ,i came    
back home1 and found that our property  
was all gone4 ,my mother had sent me to 
,georgetown college before the war1 and 
my idea was to educate myself for a     
lawyer4 ,when ,i came home the property 
was dissipated1 and ,i did not have     
enough to finish my education2 and the  
question was1 what would be the best for
 me to do4 ,i came here to ,louisville  
and went to drumming2 met with          
phenomenal success from the start2 went 
up and up2 was hail fellow1 well met1   
with everybody2 situations offered me on
 every side4 ,but ,i continued to drink 
and play cards as ,i did in the army1   
and gambled all the time1 although not a
 professional gambler4 ,i played against
 ,holcombe's bank many a time4 ,i went  

from bad to worse4 ,i continued to      
dissipate and gamble2 and eleven years  
ago my health was very much shattered   
from my excesses1 and ,i became soured  
with myself and everybody4 ,i was as    
miserable as a man could be1 in that    
condition1 as a matter of course2 and a 
gentleman who had been a comrade in the 
army with me1 and had taken a great deal
 of interest in me1 ,captain ,cross1 in 
a conversation with me1 insisted that ,i
 should go with him to ,texas1 where he 
was doing a flourishing business4 ,i had
 tried1 time and again1 to reform1      
always in my own strength1 and got      
further away from ,god all the time4 ,i 
tried to believe that ,christ was not   
the ,son of ,god2 that he was not       
inspired2 ,i denied the divinity of     
,christ1 although ,i never denied that  
there was a ,supreme ,ruler4 ,captain   
,cross wanted me to go to ,texas1       
thinking that if ,i got away from the   
surroundings here1 it would help me4    
,accordingly1 ,i went to ,texas with    

him1 where ,i made plenty of money4     
,but ,i soon fell into the old ways1 and
 found gambling houses as numerous there
 as they are here2 ,i found dance-houses
 more accessible than the churches4 ,i  
led a reckless life2 and frequently did 
not hear from my family and friends for 
months at a time4 ,finally ,i drank     
until ,i drank myself into delirium     
tremens2 tried to kill myself2 went and 
bought morphine4 ,but fortunately for   
me1 they were watching me4 ,that was in 
,paris1 ,texas4 ,i was in bed for two or
 three weeks2 and when ,i got up from   
that1 ,i felt like ,i did not want to   
stay in ,texas any longer4  ,i went to  
,st4 ,louis and went into business      
there2 had success as a salesman2 had a 
big trade2 and ,i went there with a     
determination not to drink any more     
whisky2 but ,i was there only a few days
 before ,i was drinking and playing     
cards--my old life1 in fact4 ,finally ,i
 got into a difficulty with a man1 shot 
him and got shot myself4 ,i got into a  

great deal of trouble on account of it4 
,it cost me a great deal of money and my
 mother a great deal of sorrow4 ,one    
time ,i went to ,mexico to get out of   
the way1 where ,i led a reckless life2  
went into the army2 played cards and    
drank whisky4 ,i neglected business for 
whisky a great deal of the time4 ,then  
,i came here to ,louisville1 and kept up
 the same practice2 went to ,cincinnati 
and did the same thing there4 ,i let up 
for a little while when ,i went to new  
places4 ,when ,i got back from ,st4     
,louis1 ,i met ,steve ,holcombe and     
shook hands with him4 ,the first thing  
he said to me was1 ,i have changed my   
life4 ,i had not heard anything of it4  
,i asked him what he was doing4 ,he said
 he was serving the ,lord instead of the
 devil2 that he had a little mission    
somewhere4 ,i did not pay any attention 
to it4 ,but one ,sunday ,i was passing  
down ,jefferson street1 and there was a 
crowd on the courthouse steps1 and ,i   
saw ,steve talking to them4 ,i listened 

to him1 and after the crowd went away ,i
 asked him how he was getting along and 
he told me4  ,i kept on drinking1       
however4 ,sometimes ,i had a situation  
and sometimes ,i did not4 ,people did   
not want me2 they did not know when ,i  
would be sober4 ,if ,i got a situation1 
it was in the busy season4 ,after the   
busy season was over1 they would reduce 
my salary and give me to understand they
 wanted me to get a new place4  ,one    
time ,i was drunk for a week or ten     
days1 and as ,i passed ,i heard them    
singing in the ,mission down stairs and 
went in4 ,i thought that would be a good
 place to rest4 ,i went back a night or 
two2 and one night ,mr4 ,holcombe       
delivered a powerful testimony and      
mentioned some circumstances that had   
occurred in his life1 at some of which  
,i had been present--,i don't know that 
he had particular reference to me4 ,i   
went back the next night and went up for
 prayer4 ,i went again sober2 but ,i did
 not see my way clear4 ,i went back and 

took a nip1 as he said4 ,i sank lower   
and lower2 but ,i still went to that    
,mission4 ,something impelled me1 ,i    
know now what it was4 ,i got a          
situation1 and was traveling2 but       
whenever ,i got off a trip the spirit of
 the ,lord impelled me to go to that    
,mission4 ,i talked with ,steve         
frequently1 and promised him that ,i was
 going to try and reform2 but ,i did    
not1 and toward the last1 in fact1 ,i   
had almost quit going to the ,mission4  
,i said1 ,it is not for me1 it is for   
these other men4 ,i have gone too far4  
,i went in there in ,november4 ,i was   
going away on a trip1 and the next day  
,i started4 ,i met a friend on the      
street1 and he asked me for a quarter4  
,he wanted to get a drink and lunch4 ,i 
told him it was about my time to get a  
drink1 too1 and we would go and get one 
together before ,i left4 ,i was telling 
him about going to the ,mission1 and he 
hooted at the idea of a man of my sense 
going to the ,mission4 ,about two       

o'clock in the afternoon ,i was going   
down the street to take the boat1 and ,i
 met another friend1 and he certainly   
was the worst looking case ,i ever saw4 
,i did not think he would live two      
weeks4 ,he was a physical wreck1 and    
almost a total mental wreck4 ,after     
talking to him for a few minutes he     
asked me where ,i was going4 ,i told    
him4 ,and ,i told him1 too1 ,i did not  
care whether ,i ever got back or not4 ,i
 told him it would be a relief to me if 
,i never got back off of that trip4 ,i  
had a family1 saw them occasionally1 and
 sent them money when ,i could2 but ,i  
never lived with them4 ,after talking   
with him a little while1 ,i said my time
 was up1 and asked him if he would not  
go and take a parting drink with me4 ,we
 went into the ,opera ,house down there 
and took a drink4 ,i never expected to  
see my friend alive again1 even if ,i   
got back from that trip myself4 ,that   
was the #cjth day of ,november4 ,i got  
back here the #ahth day of ,december4   

,the most of the night of the #ahth ,i  
spent down here at the ,grand           
,central--made a night of it4 ,the next 
morning1 when ,i got up1 the very first 
man ,i saw asked me if ,i had seen a    
certain friend of mine4 ,i told him1    
,no4 ,he said3 ,you would not know him4 
,i said3 ,what is the matter with him8  
,he said3 ,he is reformed2 he is a      
,christian1 and he looks twenty years   
younger than you ever saw him4 ,i said3 
,you are a liar4 ,he said3 ,i am not a  
liar4 ,you won't know him4 ,he looks    
like a gentleman4 ,i said3 ,it is pretty
 funny if he can look like a gentleman  
in this short time4 ,i had not gone     
another square before some one asked me 
if ,i had seen another friend of mine4  
,i said3 ,no4 ,well1 he said1 you ought 
to see him4 ,he has quit drinking1 and  
looks like he used to look4 ,i said     
,what is the matter with him8 ,he said3 
,he has joined the church4 ,i took a    
drink1 and thought about this thing2    
went down to the store1 and knocked     

around there all day long1 thinking     
about those two men4 ,but here ,i was1  
drunk and wretched and trying to get    
sober1 but could not4  ,somebody met me 
about four o'clock in the evening1 and  
asked3 ,where are you going8 ,i said3 ,i
 am going around here to get a drink4   
,he said3 ,how are you going to drink   
when your partners have quit drinking8  
,i asked him where they could be found2 
that ,i wanted to take a look at them4  
,he told me that ,i could find them at  
the ,mission4 ,i concluded ,i would come
 up to the ,mission1 and did so1 pretty 
full2 and1 honestly1 ,i would not have  
known either of these men on the street4
 ,i never saw such a transformation as  
in them4 ,after the services were over  
they came up and shook hands with me1   
and treated me as kindly as they used to
 do when we were drinking together4 ,and
 ,i made up my mind if ,christ could    
save them1 ,i wanted some of it for     
myself4  ,i came to the ,mission1 and   
stood up for prayers all the time1 but  

came half drunk for four or five nights1
 but still with the determination to    
have salvation if it was to be found2   
but the more ,i came the darker the way 
grew4 ,i think 7on the #bith of         
,december7 ,mrs4 ,clark came and talked 
to me1 and ,mr4 ,atmore came and talked 
to me1 ,i was sober--comparatively so4  
,i told them that ,i had given up all   
hope2 that ,i had sinned away my day of 
grace1 and there was no hope for me4    
,they cheered me1 and ,i promised them  
,i would pray that night4 ,i went out of
 the ,mission and got blind1 staving    
drunk2 was hardly able to get up stairs 
to my bed at eleven o'clock1 at night4  
,i did it out of despair4 ,the doctors  
had told me before that unless ,i quit  
drinking whisky ,i would go dead4 ,i was
 tired of life1 but afraid to commit    
suicide4 ,i concluded that the sooner ,i
 died1 the better4 ,i got up at three   
o'clock in the morning to come down     
stairs and get a drink4 ,the barkeeper  
was absent from his bar1 and ,i         

concluded that ,i would wash myself     
before ,i took a drink4 ,i said to      
myself while ,i was washing3 ,you       
promised yourself you would not drink1  
and the very first night you get drunk1 
and get up in the morning to take       
another drink1 and if you take it you   
will be drunk before night4 ,i concluded
 ,i would stop4 ,i took a seat by the   
stove1 and very soon the barkeeper came 
back4 ,he looked at me and said3 ,are   
you broke this morning1 or too stingy to
 drink1 or what is the matter8 ,he      
added3 ,come on4 ,if you are too stingy 
to take a drink yourself1 take one with 
me4 ,i was just dying for a drink4 ,i   
was shaking--suffering physically and   
mentally4 ,i got up two or three times  
to go to that bar to take a drink1 but  
,i argued to myself3 ,if you can not    
keep from taking a drink1 you had better
 go up stairs and kill yourself4 ,after 
awhile the boys commenced dropping in1  
and1 as was the custom1 said3 ,come on1 
,peck1 and take a drink4 ,i told them1  

,no2 ,i have quit4  ,i went around to   
the ,mission that night1 and went up to 
the front4 ,i had a talk with some      
,christian people there about the       
matter1 and talked with one of my       
converted friends4 ,he said there was   
only one way to do--to give myself to   
,god4 ,i went to bed immediately after  
,i left4 ,i could not sleep4 ,i         
continued to pray until somewhere along 
about three o'clock in the morning of   
the #b;d of ,january2 and the way was   
made clear for me4 ,i don't know that   
there was any particular vision4 ,i made
 up my mind that ,i would go and make my
 arrangements to join the church1 and   
ask ,god's direction from that time on1 
and to lead another life--lead a        
,christian life as much as it is        
possible for a sinful mortal like me to 
do4  ,i came up to the ,mission that    
night1 and told ,sister ,clark and      
,brother ,holcombe that ,i was as happy 
as ,i could be2 ,i had found what ,i was
 seeking for1 and ,i felt that ,i could 

trust ,god4 ,the next ,wednesday night  
,i went down to the ,fourth and         
,walnut-street ,baptist church1 and put 
myself under the care of the church4    
,since that time ,i have been leading a 
different life4 ,i am in perfect peace  
and rest4 ,everything1 of course1 has   
not gone to suit me exactly2 but ,i     
always have been able to say3 ,i know it
 is for the best4 ,my faith grows       
stronger and my future brighter day by  
day4 ,i think these people who have been
 moral and religious all of their lives 
can not enjoy religion like a hard      
customer1 as ,i was--if they do1 they do
 not show it4  ,friends and relatives   
who had forsaken and avoided me came to 
me at once and upheld and encouraged me4
 ,business came to me without seeking   
it4 ,i was encouraged on every hand4    
,people that ,i thought despised me1 ,i 
found did not4 ,i had every             
encouragement1 so far as this life is   
concerned1 and ,i am1 to-day1 in a      
better fix1 a long ways1 than ,i have   

been for years4  ,my appetite for whisky
 has troubled me three or four times    
since ,i came to ,christ1 but all ,i    
have to do is to get down on my knees1  
and ask for strength to resist it4 ,and 
before ,i get through praying ,i forget 
about it4 ,i have confidence that ,god  
will keep me to the end1 and my         
confidence grows stronger every day4    
,things that were a great trial to me at
 first are no longer so4  ,a very       
remarkable thing in my case is1 that the
 thing that ,i expected to give me the  
most trouble has given me the least4 ,i 
was certainly one of the most profane   
men that ever lived1 and ,i was always  
afraid that the sin that ,i would have  
to guard against most would be          
profanity4 ,but1 if ,i have ever sworn  
an oath1 it has been unconsciously1 and 
,i do not have to think about it--,i do 
not have to guard against it2 it        
horrifies me to hear a man swear now4 ,i
 thought ,i could fight whisky easier   
than ,i could that4 ,strange to say1 it 

has not bothered me in the least1 but   
whisky has1 on three or four occasions4 
,a craving came on me yesterday4 ,it was
 a terrible1 miserable1 bleak1 rainy    
day4 ,i was sitting in my room1 writing1
 and all at once ,i concluded that ,i   
must have a stimulant4 ,i have not      
recovered1 and will not for months1 from
 the effects of whisky4 ,i said3 ,it is 
a cold1 damp1 miserable day4 ,go up     
there to the drug-store and get some    
port wine as a medicine4 ,do not go into
 a bar-room4 ,there will be no harm in  
going there to get a little port wine4  
,bring it into your room4 ,it will be   
the best thing you can do4 ,i got up and
 put on my overcoat and my overshoes1   
and it struck me that it would not be   
the best thing for me2 and ,i got down  
on my knees and prayed to ,god1 and     
before ,i got through praying ,i forgot 
all about it4 ,the devil had tempted me 
previously1 but he put it that day in   
the shape of the port wine4  ,just about
 ten days after ,i joined the church1 ,i

 was in the ,phoenix hotel4 ,a friend of
 mine1 a man that ,i had gambled and    
drunk with all my life1 or at least1 for
 a number of years1 said to me1 ,you are
 not drinking much from the way you     
look4 ,i said1 ,no1 ,i am not4 ,he said 
he thought he would beckon me out1      
because he did not like to make that    
statement before the crowd1 and had ,i  
been drinking as ,i did the last time he
 saw me1 he would not have asked me4 ,he
 wanted me to come in and take a drink  
with him4 ,i said whisky had once got   
the upper hand of me1 and he must excuse
 me4 ,he said he knew ,i was a man1 and 
could take a drink without getting      
drunk1 and he wanted me to take it      
socially4 ,i told him that might all be 
true4 ,i might take the drink without   
getting drunk1 and ,i might take it     
without its being a sin in his sight1 or
 in the sight of other people2 but that 
,i had promised ,god that ,i would      
follow ,him all my life1 and walk in the
 way ,he wanted me to go2 that ,i had   

joined the church1 and our church rules 
forbade drinking4 ,he then begged my    
pardon1 with tears in his eyes1 for     
having asked me1 and bade me ,god speed4
  ,illustration3 ,j4 ,c4 ,,wilson4      
,,james ,c4 ,,wilson4  ,i started out in
 gambling during the war--about #ahfb4  
,that was in ,new ,york ,state4 ,i was  
born and raised there4 ,i will be       
forty-five years of age the next eighth 
of ,july4 ,i started out in ,new ,york  
in #ahfb4 ,my father kept a shoe store  
there then4 ,he was pretty well to do4  
,having money1 ,i cared nothing about   
getting any kind of business4 ,i got in 
with a man by the name of ,captain      
,brown1 who was one of the principal    
gamblers there2 and ,i began to be      
expert in short cards at first4  ,from  
there ,i went into the army during the  
war1 and stayed there until #ahfe1 and  
then went to ,texas4 ,at ,austin1       
,texas1 ,i got into trouble in #ahff1 on
 account of my gambling4 ,i believe it  
was about the #bjth of ,january4 ,myself

 and a man by the name of ,ryan had been
 playing together1 and ,i had beaten    
him1 which made him mad4 ,he called me  
very insulting names4 ,he slapped me and
 hit me1 and ,i drew my pistol on him4  
,i first struck him once and then shot  
him1 and killed him instantly4 ,i was   
put in jail4 ,i had not been there long 
and was a stranger4 ,the thing occurred 
down near the ,colorado river4 ,a mob   
assembled1 and came down with ropes to  
hang me4 ,but the sheriff and his posse1
 in order to save me1 carried me out of 
the city1 and ran me up to ,san         
,antonio4 ,i stayed in jail six months  
and was tried2 but there was nothing    
done with me--the witnesses testified   
that ,i was justified in doing what ,i  
did4  ,after that ,i went to ,rochester1
 ,new ,york1 and from there to ,toronto1
 ,canada4 ,i made my living by gambling2
 and1 of course1 gambled in all these   
places4 ,i got broke very often1 but    
always managed to get hold of a stake4  
,i went from ,canada back to ,new ,york 

,city2 and used to play on the falls    
steamers--,fisk's boats4 ,i stayed there
 until ,i came to ,louisville in #ahgj1 
when ,i went into the army again4 ,i was
 here in the ,taylor barracks with      
,general ,custer4 ,i went out ,west with
 him1 and was there discharged from the 
army1 and went to gambling at ,bismarck1
 ,dakota4 ,when ,i had got out of the   
army1 ,i had made about six thousand    
dollars1 and went to ,st4 ,paul1 and    
from there to ,chicago4 ,i gambled there
 for awhile1 and was unsuccessful2 and  
from there ,i came to ,louisville again4
  ,i have been here since #ahgc1 ,i     
believe4 ,shortly after ,i commenced    
gambling here1 the gambling houses were 
closed1 but were re-opened in #ahgd     
again1 and ,i commenced gambling again1 
opening at the ,richmond1 the house on  
the ,south-west corner of ,fifth and    
,market streets4 ,brother ,holcombe     
before that1 ,i think1 was interested in
 the ,richmond4 ,that was the last house
 ,i dealt in1 or worked in1 until ,i    

opened for myself1 which was at #hd     
,fifth street1 between ,main and        
,market4 ,i was very unsuccessful there2
 had men working for me who did not     
attend to their business4  ,during all  
this time ,i had a wife and family1 whom
 ,i really loved but whom ,i neglected  
and allowed to suffer greatly through my
 passion for gambling1 the uncertainty  
of making a living and my wanderings    
from place to place4 ,about this time ,i
 used to think of ,holcombe2 and we     
gamblers used to remark among ourselves 
how it was that he had become religious4
 ,i used to get to studying to myself   
how he got along1 and ask myself how a  
man could be a ,christian who had been a
 gambler so long as he had4  ,about this
 time ,i met ,dr4 ,jno4 ,b4 ,richardson 
and ,mr4 ,samuel ,b4 ,richardson4 ,they 
talked with me in regard to swearing and
 gambling and the life ,i was leading4  
,they influenced me as best they could  
and advised me to see ,brother          
,holcombe1 and together with ,brother   

,holcombe they watched over my spiritual
 condition for a couple of years4 ,i had
 become disgusted with the life ,i was  
leading2 and came to ,brother ,holcombe 
for advice4 ,i had quit #hd and was     
broke4 ,i had some money when ,i quit1  
and bought the house which ,i am living 
in yet4 ,i said to ,brother ,holcombe3  
,i am getting tired of this infernal    
gambling4 ,how can ,i quit it8 ,show me 
something to do4 ,how can ,i get out of 
this life8 ,he said1 ,brother ,wilson1  
come up stairs4 ,he talked with me and  
prayed with me4 ,he said1 ,do not be    
discouraged4 ,take my advice4 ,the first
 thing you do1 commit yourself2 take a  
stand and after that every night1 and   
during the day1 ask ,god for strength   
and help1 and come to this mission and1 
he said1 ,i will help you to get        
something to do in every way ,i can4 ,i 
never will forget the first night ,i got
 down on my knees and prayed4 ,i laughed
 at myself1 which showed how the devil  
was after me to lead me back to my old  

life4 ,i actually laughed to think ,i   
was trying to pray in earnest4 ,i came  
to the mission and told ,steve4 ,brother
 ,holcombe said1 ,keep on in that way1  
anyhow4 ,pray to ,god and ask for       
strength all the time4 ,keep away from  
gamblers and bad company1 and do not mix
 with them1 and ,i did so--,i took his  
advice1 and ,i began to get strength    
from ,almighty ,god2 ,he was helping me2
 ,he opened a way for me1 though        
everything was new to me for awhile4    
,when ,i least expected it1 ,i got a    
situation with the ,louisville ,city    
,railway ,company1 which ,i still hold4 
,i am happy and my family are happy1 and
 all my surroundings are good2 and ,i   
know1 with the help of ,god1 ,i will    
never touch a card again4 ,if we trust  
in ,god1 ,i know we are kept from all   
temptation4 ,when any temptation comes  
to me1 ,i always look to ,god for help2 
and the help comes as naturally as my   
pay does when pay-day comes4 ,i feel    
that the number of friends ,i have made1

 and everything ,i have1 ,i owe to our  
,saviour1 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and 
,brother ,holcombe2 and ,i trust ,i may 
be kept and continue in the life ,i am  
leading4 ,i am happy and contented and  
all my surroundings are happy2 and ,i   
hope all good people will pray for me   
that ,i may continue the life ,i am now 
leading4  ,i belong to the ,first       
,presbyterian ,church1 ,dr4             
,witherspoon's church1 and ,i am sorry  
,i can not attend more regularly4 ,my   
business occupies me so constantly that 
,i can not get away4  ,i get only a     
dollar and a half a day4 ,when ,i was a 
gambler1 some months ,i would make three
 or four thousand dollars1 and sometimes
 five thousand dollars2 and some months 
,i believe ,i have made more than that1 
so far as that is concerned2 but a      
gambler1 you know1 has his ups and      
downs1 ,i have been so hard up that ,i  
have been tempted to commit murder for  
money4 ,in ,texas ,i looked for a man to
 kill him for his money1 but when ,i    

found him ,i did not have the heart to  
do it4 ,it seemed as if ,i could not use
 my hands4  ,it would take me from now  
until to-morrow morning to tell all of  
my experiences4 ,i have been in ,europe1
 ,california1 ,old and ,new ,mexico1 and
 ,i believe that ,god was with me even  
when ,i was wicked4 ,i have a bad temper
 to this day1 but1 by ,god's grace1 ,i  
can control it4  ,my parents were church
 members--,presbyterians1 and ,i was    
raised in the church4 ,my father died   
when ,i was fifteen years old1 and my   
mother died when ,i was eight years old4
 ,if ,i had been put to hard work1 and  
had had something to do1 it might have  
been different with me2 but my father   
was well-to-do1 and ,i had too much     
money to spend4 ,my parents tried to    
give me a good education1 and ,i went to
 school2 but when ,i got to gambling ,i 
could not get anything in my head but   
cards4 ,i did not care for anything     
else4 ,but1 thank ,god1 it is now just  
the reverse2 it just gives me the chills

 to think of playing cards4  ,three     
years ago1 if a man had told me that ,i 
would quit gambling1 ,i would have told 
him that he was crazy4 ,i thank ,god and
 ,brother ,holcombe for what has been   
done for me4 ,i am truly thankful there 
was such a man4 ,i know if it had not   
been for him ,i would have been right in
 hell to-day4 ,if ,i had not been helped
 and lifted up1 just like a little child
 in the new life1 ,i think ,i would     
to-day be in hell4 ,i never will forget 
,brother ,holcombe4  ,i drank liquor1   
but was not a regular drunkard1 because 
it made me too sick4 ,i used to drink   
and get drunk1 but ,i would get so sick 
,i could not stand it4 ,the habit was   
there1 but the constitution could not   
endure it4  ,i have no trouble now2 ,i  
am perfectly happy2 ,i do not know what 
trouble is any more4 ,of course1 we all 
have ups and downs2 we can not have     
everything our own way2 but ,i praise   
,god and ,brother ,holcombe that ,i am  
able to bear them4  ,you must show that 

you are willing for the ,lord to help   
you before ,he will do so4 ,it is like a
 man teaching his children2 if the child
 keeps shoving him off1 the parent can  
not help the child1 and so it is with   
,god4 ,but when a man has seen and felt 
the effects of sin1 and his pride is    
broken down so that he is willing1 then 
,god will help him and save him1 no     
matter how far he has gone in           
wickedness4       ,,note4--,mr4 ,wilson 
is employed by the ,louisville ,city    
,railway      ,company1 at the corner of
 ,eighteenth and ,chestnut streets1     
where1 day after day1 for years1 he has 
faithfully discharged      his duties1  
and he has the respect and esteem of his
 employers      and of all who know him4
  ,illustration3 ,,wm4 ,,bierly4        
,,william ,,bierly4  ,i am thirty-two   
years of age4 ,i was born at ,louisville
 in #ahef4 ,my father was a ,catholic   
then1 but he is not now4 ,my mother died
 when ,i was so small that ,i don't know
 what she was4 ,i will tell you how it  

was3 ,my mother died when ,i was quite  
young1 my father went into the war1 and 
,i was kicked and cuffed about from one 
place to another1 here and there1 till  
,i had no respect for myself1 and felt  
that ,i was nobody4  ,i was with my     
father in the soldiers' hospital for a  
long time4 ,he was nurse in the         
soldiers' hospital4 ,at this time ,i    
would drink whisky whenever ,i could get
 it1 which appetite did not leave me    
until ,i was about eighteen years old4  
,when ,i was about eleven years old ,i  
got to being bad--got to stealing4 ,my  
father was a strictly honest man        
himself1 and my pilfering was abhorrent 
to him2 so he had me put in the house of
 refuge when ,i was eleven years old4 ,i
 was to remain in the house of refuge   
until ,i was twenty-one years old1 but  
,i got out before ,i was twenty-one4    
,when ,i was nineteen ,i got to be a    
guard there4 ,but ,i got to misbehaving1
 and got discharged from there before ,i
 was twenty-one4  ,when ,i came out of  

the house of refuge ,i boarded around at
 different places1 first at one place   
and then another2 and sometimes ,i had  
no place to board at all1 and sometimes 
,i could almost lie down on the ground  
and eat grass4 ,i did not go to my      
father's1 but knocked about from one    
place to another4 ,i got to stealing    
again1 and ,i kept that up all the time4
 ,i never had a desire to do anything   
else wrong1 but ,i always had the desire
 to steal2 and while a boy ,i would     
steal anything ,i came across4 ,i would 
go down to the river and steal a bag of 
peanuts1 or burst in the head of a      
barrel of apples and take apples        
out--many a time have ,i done that4 ,i  
worked in a tobacco shop for awhile1 and
 would steal tobacco--,i would steal    
anything4  ,i never was arrested when ,i
 was a boy4 ,the first time ,i ever was 
arrested ,i was sent to the work-house1 
and ,mr4 ,steve ,holcombe got me out4   
,after ,i got out of the work-house ,i  
attended the ,mission1 and there was a  

good religious impression made on me4   
,that was the first time ,i ever had any
 religious impression4  ,i lived pretty 
straight for awhile1 and after awhile my
 old desire to steal came back on me4   
,thank the ,lord it does not bother me  
any more now1 ,i was watching at the    
,louisville ,exposition during the first
 year of the exposition1 #ahhc1 and ,i  
was boarding where there were some      
street car drivers boarding1 and they   
had all their money boxes there at the  
boarding house4 ,i was tempted to take a
 few of their boxes1 and ,i did take two
 of them4 ,i was arrested for it1 tried1
 convicted and sentenced to six years in
 the penitentiary4  ,while ,i was in the
 penitentiary it seemed that everything 
turned around the other way with me2 it 
seemed like ,i had got enough of it4 ,i 
saw so many bad men there1 ,i got       
disgusted4 ,it seemed to me if ever ,i  
got out and got my liberty any more1 ,i 
would try to do right if it took my head
 off4  ,during the time--two years--that

 ,i was in the penitentiary1 ,i kept up 
a correspondence all the time with ,mr4 
,holcombe2 and ,mr4 ,holcombe's         
,christian letters touched my heart1 and
 ,i made up my mind by the grace of ,god
 ,i would lead a ,christian life in the 
future4 ,at the expiration of about two 
years1 ,mr4 ,holcombe1 to my great      
surprise and delight1 brought me a      
pardon from ,governor ,knott4  ,since ,i
 have been out of the penitentiary ,i   
have been leading a ,christian life1 and
 have had no inclination to steal4 ,i   
have been at work for ,hegan ,brothers1 
as engineer and fireman1 for some time1 
have got married to a sweet girl1 and am
 now living happily in the ,lord2 and ,i
 shall never cease to be grateful to    
,god and ,mr4 ,holcombe4 ,i never go to 
sleep at night without thanking the     
,lord--and my wife joins me in it4      
,illustration3 ,,mac4 ,,pittman4        
,,captain ,,mac ,,pittman4  ,i was born 
in ,baltimore in #ahcd4 ,my ancestors   
were driven away from ,arcadia by the   

,english1 on account of their ,roman    
,catholic proclivities4  ,i was educated
 at two ,catholic colleges1 ,st4        
,mary's1 at ,baltimore2 and ,st4 ,mary's
 at ,wilmington1 ,delaware4 ,at eighteen
 years of age1 on account of the tyranny
 of my father1 ,i ran away from home1   
and shipped in the ,united ,states ,navy
 as a common sailor4 ,i went around to  
,san ,francisco1 and there joined the   
gray-eyed man of destiny1 ,general      
,walker4  ,i joined his expedition in   
,september1 #ahhe1 and arrived in       
,nicaragua in ,october1 the following   
month--the third day of ,october4 ,there
 was a civil war then in progress in    
,nicaragua2 and the pretense of this    
expedition was that we were hired by one
 of the parties to take part in it4     
,walker was to furnish three hundred    
,americans1 who were to get one hundred 
dollars a month and five hundred acres  
of land1 and their clothes and rations1 
of course4 ,when ,i first arrived there1
 we were to escort specie trains across 

the isthmus--there are but twelve miles 
of land from water to water--from ,san  
,juan del ,sur to ,virgin ,bay4 ,i was  
one of the guard over the celebrated    
,state prisoners1 ,general ,coral and   
the ,secretary of ,war1 whose name ,i   
forget1 who were both executed4 ,i was  
inside of the seventieth man who joined 
this expedition2 when ,i joined him1    
,walker had but sixty men4 ,the         
re-enforcements that came over made just
 one hundred men4 ,he had sixty men1 ,i 
think1 and we numbered forty4 ,with this
 one hundred men we took the city of    
,grenada1 which had a population of     
twelve thousand1 on the morning of      
,october #ac1 #ahee4 ,a small division  
of men was sent to the town of ,leon on 
the ,pacific coast4 ,the natives of that
 section of the country were all in     
favor of ,walker2 that part--the western
 part--is the ,democratic part of the   
country4 ,on our return to ,grenada1 on 
the #aath day of ,april1 #ahef1 we went 
into the ,battle of ,rivas1 after       

marching sixty-five miles4 ,we fought   
from eight o'clock in the morning until 
two the next morning1 by the flash of   
guns4 ,i lost my arm that morning2 and  
was promoted from the rank of sergeant  
to that of first lieutenant for taking a
 cannon in advance of the army4 ,i      
returned to ,grenada1 and lay there for 
several months1 and then returned to    
,america4 ,i went back with the         
re-enforcements from ,new ,york in the  
following ,august4 ,in ,october1 #ahef1 
,i resigned1 and came back to ,america4 
,at the breaking out of the civil war1  
on the first call for troops1 ,i refused
 a commission in the ,federal army1 and 
joined the ,confederate forces4  ,in    
#ahfa we formed the ,first ,maryland    
regiment4 ,the last six months of the   
war ,i spent as a prisoner in ,fort     
,delaware1 charged with the murder of   
the eleven men who were killed in       
,baltimore during the riot1 on the #aith
 of ,april1 #ahfa4 ,i was               
court-martialed in ,washington ,city1 in

 the latter part of #ahfd1 and was sent 
in irons to ,fort ,delaware1 and        
remained there until ,may1 #ahfe1 when  
,i was released4  ,from ,fort ,delaware 
,i went to ,new ,york1 and from there   
went to ,virginia1 where ,i married the 
great granddaughter of the illustrious  
patriot1 ,patrick ,henry1 at ,danville4 
,in ,january1 #ahff1 ,i migrated to     
,texas1 where ,i spent the little       
patrimony my grandfather had given me4  
,when ,i left there1 ,i took the        
position of commercial and marine editor
 of the ,savannah ,news4  ,i never had  
given a thought to religion or my       
hereafter before this time4 ,to         
illustrate this3 ,when they amputated my
 arm1 they asked me distinctly if ,i had
 any religion4 ,they told me afterward  
they expected me to die4 ,i said3 ,yes1 
,i have been raised a ,catholic4 ,they  
wanted to send for a priest4 ,i said3   
,no1 ,i do not want you to send for a   
priest4 ,they asked me why8 ,well1 ,i   
said1 as ,i have lived1 thus will ,i    

die2 ,i don't have much faith in the    
hereafter business4 ,i did not have much
 faith in hell1 ,i meant4  ,i was       
interested1 directly and indirectly1 in 
several gambling establishments1 and my 
proclivities were in that direction4    
,the passion of gambling controlled me  
to such an extent that ,i was capable of
 all sins and crimes to indulge in it4  
,it was one day up1 one day down2 one   
day with plenty1 another day without a  
cent4  ,i continued in this wild1       
reckless career1 until fate turned my   
footsteps toward the city of            
,louisville4 ,for it was fate1 sure     
enough1 or ,i don't know what it was4 ,i
 was sitting one ,sunday in front of the
 old ,willard ,hotel1 ,steve ,holcombe  
was preaching that ,sunday on the       
courthouse steps4 ,his remarks were such
 as to elicit my closest attention2 so  
impressive were they that he seemed to  
picture before me a panorama of my whole
 life1 in referring to his own career4  
,when he got through with his sermon1 ,i

 walked up to him1 and said3 ,mr4       
,holcombe1 you are the first man that ,i
 ever heard in my life who impressed me 
with the importance of preparing for    
death and meeting ,god4 ,i then         
commenced attending the ,mission1 on    
,jefferson street1 near ,fifth1 daily4  
,i was there nearly every day4  ,i then 
went ,south1 to ,new ,orleans1 and fell 
from grace again--commenced going       
through the same old routine--gambling1 
drinking1 spreeing4 ,in fact1 ,i was a  
fearful periodical spreer2 if ,i took   
one drink1 ,i had to keep drinking for a
 month4 ,as long as ,i kept away from it
 ,i was all right4 ,i was very abusive  
when ,i was drinking2 ,i would knock a  
man down with a club4 ,i have been      
arrested1 ,i guess1 fifty times for     
fighting and drunken brawls4  ,from ,new
 ,orleans ,i again came back to         
,louisville1 the #fth of ,august a year 
ago1 still going on in the same reckless
 manner1 getting drunk1 and being drunk1
 as usual1 a week at a time--sometimes a

 month2 in fact1 ,i lived in bar-rooms  
here4 ,one night1 while ,mr4 ,murphy was
 here--,i do not recollect the night1   
but at one of ,mr4 ,murphy's            
meetings--he appealed to us all to try  
and reform and be sober men4 ,i met ,mr4
 ,werne and ,miles ,turpin there1 and   
while there1 ,mr4 ,werne asked me if ,i 
did not intend to reform1 or something  
like that--that was the substance of the
 conversation of himself and his wife   
with me--and he told me that ,miles     
,turpin had reformed4 ,i said3 ,if      
,miles ,turpin has reformed1 ,i can1    
too4 ,from this day henceforth ,i will  
be a sober man4 ,and ,i signed the      
,murphy pledge a short time afterward1  
and ,i have not taken anything          
intoxicating from that day to this4     
,mr4 ,werne then asked me to come up to 
the ,mission1 and ,i have not missed    
attending this ,mission but three nights
 since1 and the benefits that ,i have   
derived--the satisfaction1 the happiness
 of mind1 the contentment of spirit--,i 

would not exchange for my old life for  
anything in the world4 ,i mean ,i would 
not exchange my present life for the old
 one for any earthly consideration4 ,i  
attribute this reformation to the strong
 personal interest that ,mr4 ,holcombe  
has taken in my welfare1 and if he does 
not save but one soul1 as he says1 it   
would pay him for all the trouble he has
 gone through within the last ten years 
or more4       ,the two following       
letters1 though in the nature of        
testimonies1      are from men of high  
standing in the community1 who          
preferred1      on account of others1   
not to give their testimonies in the    
form      in which the foregoing are    
given3      ,,louisville1 ,,ky41 ,july  
#bd1 #ahhh4      ,rev4 ,gross           
,alexander3      ,,my ,,dear            
,,brother--,yours of #bast is just      
received4 ,i can not see     how a      
sketch of my life can do ,the ,life of  
,brother ,holcombe     any good4 ,as ,i 
understand it1 you are writing the life 

and     conversion of ,steve ,holcombe  
and not of others4 ,my past history     
is sufficiently sad and regretful       
without having it paraded     before the
 public in book form4 ,i am far from    
being proud of it4     ,i am exceedingly
 anxious it should sink into the shades 
of     forgetfulness4 ,having marked out
 a new and brighter life1 ,i am     only
 too glad to let the dead past bury its 
dead4      ,most sincerely1      ----   
----4         99       99       99      
99       99      ,,louisville1 ,,ky41   
,august #b1 #ahhh4      ,dear ,brother  
,alexander3      ,your kind letter was  
received several days ago1 but ,i have  
delayed answering1 in the expectation of
 seeing you here in     person4      ,i 
am now anxious for the successful issue 
of the book1 on     account of the great
 moral influence it will have upon all  
classes of the community4 ,but ,i can   
not consent to what you     propose4 ,i 
am endeavoring every day to blot out and
 forget the     dark and cloudy past of 

my life1 keeping always a bright future 
in view4 ,there are dark and painful    
episodes in the life of     every man   
and though he may be willing to expose  
them to the     eyes of the public1     
there are those who are bound to him by 
the     ties of blood and relationship1 
who would blush at the recital4         
,this is the position ,i occupy4 ,i hope
 to see you here soon4      ,yours      
truly1      ---- ----4  ,illustration3  
,a ,,night ,,meeting--,,mr4 ,,holcombe  
,,preaching4     ,,sermons4  ,,mark #a3 
#ae4       ,the kingdom of ,god is at   
hand4 ,repent and believe the ,gospel4  
,verse #ad says1 the ,lord ,jesus came  
into ,galilee preaching2 and this was   
the announcement which ,he made1 namely1
 that the kingdom of ,god was at hand   
and they were to enter it by repentance 
and faith4 ,the kingdom was brought to  
them2 they did not have to go and search
 for it4 ,it was brought to them1 opened
 for them and they were urged to go in  
and become members of it4 ,and so it is 

now4 ,god's messengers are sent         
everywhere to find sinners1 and when    
they are found1 to say to them3 ,ho6    
everyone that thirsteth1 come ye to the 
waters and drink1 come buy and eat      
without money and without price 7,isaiah
 #ee71 and to cry1 ,all things are now  
ready2 come ye1 therefore1 to the feast4
  ,and so it is to-day1 ,god sends the  
same message of good news1 of glad      
tidings to you--even to you4 ,the       
kingdom of ,god is here--here to-day and
 now2 and if you will1 you may enter it 
and be saved4  ,but what are men told to
 do in order that they may enter8  ,how 
are they to enter8  #a4 ,they are to    
repent4  ,and what is it to repent8     
,some think that great sorrow of heart  
is a necessary part of repentance2 and  
that tears and groans of agony must be a
 part of every repentance that is       
genuine1 and they think that unless we  
feel deeply and keenly the baseness of  
our ingratitude to ,god we are not truly
 penitent4 ,now1 it is true that some   

people have all these marks of          
repentance1 and it is very well to have 
them1 but some men can not have them and
 never can get them4 ,so that if all men
 are commanded to repent and can repent1
 these things are not an essential part 
of true repentance4 ,to repent1 then1 is
 to turn unto ,god with the feeling that
 sin is wrong1 and that1 if we do not   
get rid of it1 it will ruin us2 and with
 the resolution and hope1 by the help of
 ,god1 to keep from sin and to live for 
,him during the rest of our lives4 ,and 
if our repentance is genuine1 we will   
leave off sin and practice              
righteousness4 ,it will show itself by  
its fruits4 ,pretending or professing to
 repent without turning away from our   
sins and abandoning them is1 as some one
 has said1 like trying to pump the water
 out of a boat without stopping the     
leaks4 ,if you have sorrow and regrets  
and tears1 they are all right2 but the  
main thing is to have such a feeling    
concerning sin as to turn forever away  

from it to ,god and to a life of        
righteousness4 ,and if your repentance  
is genuine1 you will not wait until you 
are converted before you begin to leave 
off all sin and to do all the good of   
every kind in your power4 ,no2 you will 
begin at once and keep it up1 and the   
longer you keep at it the more you will 
feel that you must go on with it4  #b4  
,but there is another thing to be done4 
,the ,lord says3  ,repent and believe   
the ,gospel4  ,so you are to believe4   
,you are to believe that ,god does      
accept you now through ,jesus ,christ   
just because ,he says ,he accepts and   
saves those who believe in ,his ,son4   
,you may not receive the evidence of    
acceptance at once and so you are to    
hold on by faith till ,he does give you 
the evidence of your acceptance1 even   
the witness of ,his spirit that your    
sins are forgiven and you made a child  
of ,god4  ,you must not let the         
difficulty of believing without feeling 
keep you back from believing and you    

must not let the remembrance of your    
great sins keep you from believing4     
,poor1 unhappy men1 you who are bruised 
and sore on account of your sins1 ,i beg
 you cease from your evil ways4 ,why    
will you die8 ,what fearful thing is    
there in ,heaven which makes you flee   
from that world8 ,what fascinating      
object in hell1 that excites such       
frenzied exertion to break every band1  
and overleap every bound1 and force your
 way downward to the chambers of death8 
,stop1 ,i beseech you1 and repent1 and  
,jesus ,christ shall blot out your sins1
 and remember your transgressions no    
more4 ,stop1 and the host who follow    
your steps shall turn1 and take hold on 
the path of life4 ,stop1 and the wide   
waste of sin shall cease1 and the song  
of the angels shall be heard again1     
glory to ,god in the highest2 on earth1 
peace1 good will to men4 ,stop1 and     
instead of wailing with the lost1 you   
shall join the multitude which no man   
can number1 in the ascription of        

blessing and honor1 and glory1 and      
power1 to ,him that sitteth on the      
throne1 and to the ,lamb forever and    
forever4  ,the kingdom of ,god is here  
to-night4 ,will you come in8       ,come
 humble sinner in whose breast1 etc4    
,come1 angels invite you1 we invite you1
 and1 best of all1 ,christ invites you4 
,o1 do not1 by your own actions1 bar    
this door forever against your immortal 
soul4 ,what a fearful thing it will be  
to wake up in eternity to find this     
door1 which to-day hangs wide open1     
barred against you and hung with crape4 
,o1 how fearful will be those words1 too
 late6 too late6 ,all is lost4          
,just as ,i am1 without one plea1       
,but that ,thy blood was shed for me1   
,and that ,thou bid'st me come to ,thee1
     ,o6 ,lamb of ,god ,i come4         
,just as ,i am1 tho' tossed about1      
,with many a conflict1 many a doubt1    
,fightings and fears within1 without1   
,o6 ,lamb of ,god ,i come4   ,,john     
,,iii3 #af       ,for ,god so loved the 

world that ,he gave ,his only begotten  
,son      that whosoever believeth in   
,him should not perish1 but have        
everlasting life4  ,many of the glorious
 truths of the ,gospel are both above   
the conception of man and altogether    
contrary to what his unrenewed nature   
would desire to publish4 ,heathen       
writers could tell of the cruelty and   
vengeful wrath of their imaginary gods4 
,they could tell of deeds of daring1 the
 exploits of ,hercules1 ,hector1        
,a,eneas and others2 but it was foreign 
to their nature to write3 ,god so loved 
the world as to give ,his only begotten 
,son1 that whosoever believeth in ,him  
should not perish1 but have everlasting 
life4  #a4 ,the ,gospel is glad tidings4
 ,it is the news that ,god is reconciled
 and wants to be at peace with man4 ,is 
this not good news8 ,have you never     
heard good news that made your heart    
leap for joy8 ,well1 this is better news
 than any you have ever heard4 ,god1 not
 angry with you1 but loving you1 so as1 

at a great sacrifice1 to make a way for 
the salvation of the world4  #b4 ,what  
was that sacrifice8 ,it was the gift of 
,his own ,son4 ,think of it1 oh sinner6 
,god consenteth to give up ,his ,son1 to
 leave ,his glory and come as a stranger
 into the world1 and to be born in great
 poverty1 and with all the conditions of
 us poor mortals4 ,think of ,god looking
 down on ,jesus1 ,his ,son1 living this 
poor earthly life1 here among strangers 
who did not recognize ,his              
divinity--nay1 who became jealous of    
,him1 and persecuted ,him trying to kill
 him2 and at last1 after unheard-of     
tortures inflicted upon ,him1 did kill  
,him4 ,now1 think of ,god giving up ,his
 ,son to endure all this1 and watching  
all this lonely and misunderstood and   
persecuted life of ,his only begotten   
,son1 watching it and enduring it for   
thirty-three years1 and then ask        
yourself how much ,god sacrificed to    
show ,his love for us sinners4 ,have you
 a son8 ,if you have1 don't you know how

 it stings you deeper for a man to      
mistreat or strike him than yourself8   
,if a man should beat my little ,pearl  
it would be harder for me to bear than  
anything1 and yet this is what ,god     
endured for long years to show ,his love
 for you and me4  ,think of the arrest  
of ,jesus1 ,his being tied1 handcuffed1 
beaten more than once with fearful      
lashes1 knocked in the face1 spit on1   
and then nailed with spikes to a cross  
with thieves1 and think of ,god looking 
at all this while it was going on1 and  
you have some idea of what it means when
 it says ,god gave ,his only begotten   
,son4  #c4 ,and the way to get this     
friendship of ,god and profit by this   
love is merely to believe with all your 
heart on ,jesus4 ,it is hard to believe 
that ,god loves1 really loves1 such     
sinners as you are1 and yet ,i am a     
living witness that ,he does2 for ,i was
 as bad as any of you1 and if ,god did  
not love me and take hold of me and save
 me1 then ,i don't know what has        

happened to me1 certain4 ,so you must   
believe it1 even if it is hard to       
believe it4  #d4 ,but this glad tidings 
is for you and you and you--for every   
one of you4 ,it is for whosoever1 and   
that means everybody--everybody4 ,a     
certain believing man in ,england said1 
,i rather it would be whosoever than to 
have my name there4 ,for if my name was 
there1 ,i could say there might be      
another man of my name in the world1 but
 when it says whosoever1 ,i know it     
includes me4  #e4 ,it is to save us from
 perishing4  ,oh1 what an awful word is 
that1 and what an awful thing it must be
 to perish4 ,you have a taste of it now 
in your sins1 and their saddening1      
darkening1 hardening effect on you4 ,you
 once had tender consciences4 ,you once 
loved things and people that were pure  
and good and true1 and you loved a      
,christian mother1 wife1 father or      
sister2 but sin has so hardened you1    
that you care for none of these things  
now4 ,is it not so8 ,well1 this is a    

little taste of what it is to finally   
and forever perish4  ,but ,christ was   
given that you might not perish4 ,what1 
can ,christ save me from my hardness of 
heart1 from my black sins1 from my      
uncleanness and debauchery1 and from my 
awful darkness of mind and conscience8  
,yes2 ,he can1 glory to ,his name4 ,i am
 a living witness4 ,he has saved me4 ,he
 can save others like me from all these 
awful effects of sin1 even after they   
have lived in it for scores of years1 as
 ,i did4 ,yes1 and ,he saves from that  
awful perishing which comes after this  
little1 short life is over1 whatever it 
is4 ,yes2 ,jesus can shut and bar the   
door of hell1 and no soul can enter     
there who believes in ,him and lives for
 ,him4  #f4 ,but ,he not only saves from
 perishing1 ,he gives them eternal life1
  ,what does that mean8 ,oh1 ,i know    
not--only ,i know it means life forever 
without death or decay or sickness or   
pain or sorrow or weakness or tiredness 
or parting or fear or anxiety4 ,but what

 else it means ,i know not4 ,this       
eternal life1 this life forever in      
heaven1 ,i expect--,i fully expect--to  
get1 though ,i was a poor gambler and   
swearer and adulterer1 and all that ,i  
could be that was sinful1 for forty     
years4 ,yes2 ,i expect to get it4 ,i    
know ,i am on my way thither1 though ,i 
am not perfect4 ,won't you come and go  
with us8 ,oh1 won't you come8   ,,titus 
,,ii3 #ad4       ,who gave ,himself for 
us that ,he might redeem us from all    
iniquity1 and purify unto ,himself a    
peculiar people1 zealous of      good   
works4  ,this verse contains a          
comprehensive statement of the ,gospel  
in few words4 ,let us ask ,god that ,his
 ,holy ,spirit may give us wisdom and   
insight to understand and profit by what
 we are here told4  ,in the first place1
 we are told that the ground of our     
salvation is through the self-surrender 
of ,himself by ,jesus1 the ,son of ,god4
  ,we saw1 in a passage of ,scripture a 
week or two ago1 how great the          

condescension of ,jesus ,christ was4    
,though ,he was equal with ,god1 yet ,he
 took upon himself the form of a        
servant2 and being found in fashion as a
 man1 ,he humbled ,himself and became   
obedient unto death--the death of the   
,cross4 ,our text now teaches us what   
this was for4 ,he gave ,himself for us4 
,now1 ,i will ask you1 could ,god show  
,his concern for us in a more striking  
and convincing way than in the giving of
 ,his ,son to ignominy and death8 ,could
 ,jesus1 the ,son of ,god1 show ,his    
love for men in any more convincing way 
than in giving ,himself for their       
recovery and salvation8 ,then1 surely we
 ought to lay aside our habitual way of 
thinking of ,god as our enemy1 and think
 of ,him as our best friend4 ,for no    
human friend ever did for us what ,god  
has done for us4 ,and if we judge of    
one's love for us by the sacrifices he  
makes for us1 then must we give the     
crown to ,jesus1 who was ,god manifest  
in the flesh4 ,he bore our sins2 ,he    

would bear our burdens1 if we would     
throw them on ,him2 ,he would fill us   
with ,his spirit1 and with power1 if we 
would trust ,him and believe ,his       
promise4  ,but did ,he give ,himself for
 us that we might remain in sin1 and yet
 not be punished8 ,this is what the     
,universalists say4 ,but no6 ,he gave   
,himself for us that ,he might redeem us
 from iniquity1 and from all iniquity at
 that4 ,he was manifested to deliver us 
from the guilt of our past sins2 and1   
second1 to deliver us from the dominion 
and power of sin1 that being free from  
sin1 we might live unto ,god4  ,and that
 man who thinks he has been pardoned for
 past sins is mistaken1 unless he also  
has been saved from the power of sin1 so
 as no longer to be led captive by the  
devil4  ,let not what ,i say discourage 
anybody4 ,if you have not been saved    
from the power of evil and of evil      
habits1 you may be saved1 and that here 
and now4 ,the fact is1 many of us are so
 selfish1 we just want to be delivered  

from the danger1 but not from the       
practice1 of sin4 ,some of us enjoy sin4
  ,if some who are here could have all  
desire for liquor utterly taken away by 
raising a hand1 they would1 perhaps1 not
 raise a hand1 because they love liquor 
too well4 ,if some could be utterly and 
forever freed from lust by bowing their 
heads1 they would not be willing to bow 
their heads1 because they find so much  
pleasure in lust and in lewd thoughts1  
feelings and acts1 that they do not     
desire to be freed from that which gives
 them this low1 animal pleasure4 ,and   
yet these same men will profess to have 
great desires to be cleansed from their 
sins4 ,but1 if you are willing1 ,christ 
is ready and able to deliver you from   
all these base and beastly passions and 
habits4 ,what do you say8 ,do you want  
to be redeemed from all iniquity        
to-night8  ,and when thus delivered from
 all iniquity1 your soul being pure will
 desire nothing but to do good1 and to  
bring other poor soiled and enslaved    

souls into the same liberty and purity4 
,since my conversion ,i have had no     
other desire and no other care but to do
 good and save others4 ,and that is what
 the text says3 ,zealous of good works4 
,now1 you who have been saved here1 ,i  
want to ask you3 ,what are you doing for
 others8 ,if you do not abound in good  
works1 and do not try to save others1 it
 will be difficult or impossible to keep
 yourself saved4 ,jesus said3 ,every    
branch that beareth not fruit ,he taketh
 away4--,john ,,xv3 #a4 ,and you will   
find your supply of grace running short 
and your faith growing weak and         
tottering1 if you do not make it a point
 and business to do good to others--to  
their bodies and their souls4 ,what do  
you say8 ,has anybody else heard from   
your lips of your great blessing and    
salvation8 ,do you tell your family and 
your friends about it8 ,do you tell     
others of their sins and their danger8  
,do you pray for others8 ,do you give   
your time 7part of it at least7 and your

 money in doing good to others8 ,if you 
do1 you will find your own cup gets     
fuller1 your own faith stronger1 your   
own heart more joyful4 ,it is ,god's law
 and ,god's plan that you should give   
out to others4 ,in so doing ,he will    
increase your own supply4 ,do you feel  
your weakness8 ,it is right you should  
do so4 ,but do the work1 speak the word1
 and leave it to ,god who giveth the    
increase1 and it shall abound to the    
salvation of others1 the joy of your    
heart1 and the glory of ,his blessed    
name4   ,,isaiah ,,lv3 #f-g4       ,seek
 ye the ,lord while ,he may be found1   
call ye upon ,him while      ,he is     
near4 ,let the wicked man forsake his   
way and let him      return unto the    
,lord and ,he will abundantly pardon4   
,if a father were to write a letter to a
 dissipated and rebellious son1 far away
 from home1 to persuade him to return1  
and to assure him of a cordial welcome1 
he could hardly fill it fuller of       
expressions of tenderness and love1     

expressions to inspire confidence1 than 
the ,bible is of such expressions from  
the great ,god4 ,this chapter contains  
an invitation to seek ,god1 and a       
precious promise of forgiveness to any  
who will do so4  #a4 ,seek ye the ,lord4
  ,now1 you know what it means when it  
says seek4 ,you know what it means when 
a man says he is seeking employment4 ,he
 goes from place to place1 from man to  
man1 and he does this from day to day1  
and from week to week if he does not    
succeed2 and the reason is1 there is a  
necessity upon him4 ,he must have       
employment1 or himself and family are   
without bread1 without clothing1 without
 shelter4 ,so when we talk about a man  
seeking the ,lord1 we mean that he      
searches diligently for ,him1 and from  
day to day1 and from week to week1      
because there is something worse than   
starvation to suffer if he does not find
 ,god4 ,i tell you when a man has       
soul-hunger1 it is worse than           
body-hunger if he does not find ,god4   

,when a man is sick of sin and feels his
 loneliness and orphanage1 and that he  
is without ,god and without hope in the 
world1 and that he dare not go into     
eternity in his condition of guilt and  
uncleanness1 it is more fearful than    
hunger of the body1 and it will make him
 seek for ,god with all his soul4  ,how 
am ,i to seek ,god8 you say4 ,well1 seek
 ,him by prayer4 ,call upon ,him1 as the
 text says4 ,ask and it shall be given  
you4 ,go off to yourself4 ,shut out     
everybody4 ,be entirely alone4 ,then get
 down upon your knees and call upon     
,god4 ,plead ,his promises4 ,tell ,him  
you have heard that ,he receives and    
saves sinners1 and that you are a       
sinner1 and that you do not mean to let 
,him go until ,he blesses you4  ,seek   
,him by reading good1 religious books   
and papers1 and especially the ,bible2  
and don't read any other sort of reading
 unless it is necessary till you find   
,him4 ,keep your mind on ,god all the   
time4  ,seek ,him by going with good1   

,christian people1 pious1 godly men and 
women who walk with ,god1 no matter what
 their name or denomination may be4 ,if 
you say you don't know where to find    
such1 come to our ,mission rooms1 to the
 ,walnut-street church1 to all our      
meetings1 preaching1 prayer-meeting1    
,sunday-school1 class-meetings1 ask us  
questions1 use us in any way we can help
 you to find ,god4  ,seeking ,him by    
putting out of the way those things     
which are hindrances4 ,the text refers  
to this4 ,it says1 ,let the wicked      
forsake his ways and the unrighteous man
 his thoughts and thus let him return   
unto ,god4  ,the forsaking of sin is the
 main feature of what we call           
repentance4  ,you can not come to ,god  
unless you come giving up your sins     
entirely or crying to ,god for help to  
give them up4  ,you can1 by ,god's      
grace1 give up all your sins and all    
your sinful and slavish habits4 ,a proof
 of this is my own deliverance from evil
 habits1 as whisky1 tobacco and evil    

passions1 as lewdness1 licentiousness4  
#a4 ,you must give up sin4 ,you can not 
expect to retain it and please ,god or  
serve ,god4 ,do not question this4 ,you 
must give up sin4 ,there is no escape4  
,turn away from it with all your heart  
and soul4  #b4 ,you must give up all    
sin1 your besetting sin1 the sin that   
has the most power over you4  #c4 ,give 
up all sin now4  ,do not wait4 ,god will
 help you4 ,you know not that you will  
be living to-morrow or next ,sunday2 and
 if you are1 it will not be any easier  
then than it is to-day4 ,now is the day 
of salvation4  #d4 ,give up all sin1    
give it up now1 and give it up forever4 
,you can not give it up for awhile and  
then turn to it again4 ,that will do you
 no good4 ,you might as well not give it
 up at all as to turn back to it again4 
,and look to ,god for help1 for present 
help1 for all-sufficient strength4      
,tell ,him by ,his help you mean to be  
,his1 no matter what it costs2 and      
believe on ,jesus ,christ1 ,his ,son1 as

 the bearer of your past sins and the   
giver of the ,holy ,spirit1 and very    
soon you will be happier than the men   
who own these hotels and business houses
 and ,broadway palaces and hundreds of  
thousands of dollars4 ,yes2 you will4 ,i
 know from my experience and that of    
others4  ,my text says1 ,god will have  
mercy on you and will abundantly pardon 
you4   ,,the ,,parable ,,of ,,the       
,,sower4  ,,luke ,,viii3 #e-ae4  ,jesus 
may have seen a farmer sowing seed1 and1
 directing the attention of the people  
to him1 uttered this parable4 ,he took  
the commonest and most familiar facts   
and occurrences and made them the means 
of expressing the great truths of ,his  
kingdom4 ,so ,his ministers should try  
to do now--teach the truth of ,god in   
language easily understood by the men   
addressed4  ,he divides the hearers of  
the word into four classes3 be ready    
then to decide in which class you are1  
for you are certainly in one4  #a4 ,the 
seed which fell on the hard beaten path 

is the word preached to men who do not  
receive any impression at all from      
hearing it4  ,they have forgotten it by 
the time the sound of the preacher's    
voice has died away4 ,it does not enter 
their minds and produce any thought2 nor
 their hearts1 and produce any feeling4 
,are there not thousands of people who  
go to church1 who hear preaching        
constantly1 and yet it produces no      
effect8 ,they are no better1 and they do
 not try to be4  ,but in the twelfth    
verse we find who is the cause of this  
astonishing indifference and            
hardness--it is the devil who causes    
them at once and forever to forget all  
that is said lest they should believe   
and be saved4  ,there is an unseen      
adversary1 then1 who keeps us from      
thinking about religion all he can4 ,if 
you do not think about it much1 that is 
a proof that you are under his          
influence4  #b4 ,the next class consists
 of those who from impulse become       
religious without counting the cost4    

,they do not stop to reflect that to be 
godly requires self-denial1 humility1   
patience1 crucifying the flesh with all 
its lusts4 ,and so1 when temptation     
comes or trial1 they give up in disgust4
 ,they are like ,pliable in ,bunyan's   
,pilgrims' ,progress--easily persuaded  
to start on the way to heaven1 but just 
as easily discouraged and disgusted4    
,there are lots of such people now4     
,they lack stability4  #c4 ,the next    
class are those who hear1 believe1      
receive and practice the word of        
,god--who run well for a season1 maybe  
for a long season1 but are little by    
little1 and in an unperceived way1 drawn
 away from their first love1 and then on
 to perdition4  ,three things are here  
mentioned as drawing them gradually away
 from their devotion to ,christ3  7a7   
,cares4  ,they have so much to attend   
to1 they do not have time or take time  
for their religious duties1 as prayer1  
going to meetings1 etc41 and missing    
these1 they soon grow cold1 and they are

 so occupied and worried with the       
multitude of things to be attended to1  
they have no disposition for religion4  
,all this care may be about things that 
are lawful1 as making a living1 for     
example4  7b7 ,riches4  ,oh1 how        
deceitful riches are4 ,we think we don't
 love them1 but let us be asked to part 
with them1 as ,christ asked the young   
man1 and we see4 ,john ,wesley said1 ,as
 wealth increases1 religion decreases1  
and he was right4  7c47 ,pleasure4  ,the
 pleasure of fine1 rich living1         
fashionable life1 fine dress1           
theater-going1 balls1 parties1          
flirtations1 the admiration and praise  
of others etc41 etc4  #d4 ,the last     
class are those who count the cost1 go  
in with their eyes open1 who won't let  
cares1 riches or pleasures draw them    
off1 but who work1 and serve1 and pray  
with patience even unto the end4   ,,ii4
 ,,corinthians1 ,,ii3 #aa4       ,lest  
,satan should get an advantage of us2   
for we are not      ignorant of his     

devices4  ,the ,new ,testament          
everywhere teaches that there is a      
personal evil spirit of wonderful       
cunning and deep malignity toward ,god  
and the human race4 ,hence1 our conflict
 is not with flesh and blood2 not       
against our own inclinations to evil1   
nor against sin in the abstract1 but it 
is against the god of this world1 the   
spirit that now worketh in the children 
of disobedience4  ,therefore1 yielding  
to sin is no small matter1 for it is    
yielding to an enemy of unfathomable    
hatred toward us1 and of the deepest    
cunning1 who1 in everything1 has for his
 purpose our ruin and ,god's            
disappointment1 and who1 however lightly
 he may let his chains lie upon us while
 we are led captive by him1 at his will1
 always draws them so tight1 when we    
attempt to escape from him1 that only   
,almighty ,god can break them off and   
set us free4  ,it makes a vast          
difference whether sin is only the      
indulgence of a passion which can have  

no intelligent design to damage and to  
ruin us1 and which passes away when it  
is gratified1 to trouble us no more1 or 
whether it is the means adopted by an   
invisible but awfully real and hellish  
foe to lure us to an unforeseen ruin4   
,yes1 sin is not a mere pleasure whose  
effects are ended when the enjoyment is 
over1 but it is the bait that hides the 
cruel hook thrown out for us by the     
artful fisherman of hell4 ,and he is all
 the more dangerous because we can not  
see him and realize always his ultimate 
purpose4  ,the skillful fisherman keeps 
himself out of sight and lets the fish  
see only the tempting bait1 and so the  
poor1 deceived creature is lured by a   
harmless looking pleasure on to agony   
and death4  ,and ,satan not only        
controls the world1 but he continually  
tempts ,christians2 those who have just 
recently escaped out of his snares and  
are on their way to heaven4  ,and now1  
what are some of his devices8  #a4 ,he  
makes a grand effort to persuade young  

,christians that they have never been   
converted4 ,he almost invariably attacks
 them with this temptation4 ,he         
sometimes pursues them for years with   
this fear1 that they have never really  
experienced a change of heart4 ,and1 if 
he succeeds in persuading them of this1 
he has gained a grand point toward their
 fall4 ,for to find that one is mistaken
 in the belief that he has passed from  
death unto life1 is the most            
discouraging1 disheartening thing he    
could experience4  ,i have known old    
ministers of the ,gospel say that the   
first thing ,satan ever tempted them    
with was this suggestion1 that they were
 mistaken in believing that they had    
passed through that wonderful change    
which makes a sinner an heir of ,god1   
and fits him for heaven4  ,so1 my       
brother1 you are in the line of ,god's  
true servants if the enemy has troubled 
you with this temptation4 ,don't1       
therefore1 let it discourage you4 ,and  
do not1 by any means1 give up to it4    

,say to your tempter that your ,lord    
says he is a liar from the beginning1   
and that you can not believe him1 but   
you prefer to believe ,god4  ,and the   
very fact that you are strongly tempted 
to believe you are not converted is one 
proof that you are4 ,for if you were    
really not converted1 but still in the  
flesh1 the devil would tempt you to     
believe you were converted1 in order to 
make you rest satisfied and deceived    
with your unsaved condition4 ,as he does
 tempt many worldly-minded church       
members to believe they are changed     
enough to be safe1 and so they rest     
satisfied in their unsaved condition1   
and perish4  ,so1 there are many church 
members who become irreconcilably       
offended if you dare to suggest to them 
that you don't believe they are really  
children of ,god4 ,their temptation then
 is to believe the falsehood1 that they 
are really converted and in a safe      
condition4  ,and if a man's temptation  
is to believe he is not converted1 it is

 one proof that he is converted4        
,besides1 if the devil tempts you to    
believe you are not converted1 you can  
cut the matter short by saying3 ,well1  
then1 ,i can be in a moment4 ,for       
whosoever believeth on the ,lord ,jesus 
,christ hath everlasting life1 and ,i do
 here and now believe on ,him1 and will 
hold on to ,him by faith in spite of    
earth and hell4 ,old ,brother ,bottomly1
 a preacher in the ,louisville          
,conference1 was tempted to doubt his   
conversion the night after it occurred1 
as he was lying on his bed4 ,he         
recognized ,satan at once as the author 
of his temptation1 and he said3 ,well1  
,satan1 if ,i have not been converted1  
as you say1 ,i will be4 ,and he got out 
of his bed1 and down on his knees1 and  
he gave himself to ,god1 and he believed
 on ,jesus1 and prayed1 and soon he was 
rejoicing in full assurance1 and the    
devil fled away out of hearing with his 
harassing temptation4  #b4 ,he tries to 
make them believe and feel1 after the   

glow of the first love has subsided a   
little1 that the service of ,god is hard
 and trying1 and that it has nothing in 
it to satisfy the heart and to          
compensate for the pleasure of sin1     
which they have given up4  ,and if you  
begin to yield and to slacken your      
earnestness or zeal1 he gets a great    
advantage and you lose the joy of       
religion by letting yourself lag away at
 a doubting distance from ,christ1 and  
then it does seem like the devil is     
telling the truth1 because you don't    
keep close enough to ,christ and put    
soul and will enough into ,his service  
to get the joy of it4 ,christ says3 ,my 
yoke is easy and my burden is light4    
,and if your heart or your enemy says   
the contrary1 tell them that they are   
false4  ,but don't allow yourself to be 
tempted to try if you can not find an   
easy way to heaven4 ,it will get sweet  
and easy by a patient and whole-souled  
perseverance in it1 but not by          
slackening your carefulness and         

experimenting with worldly pleasure to  
see how far you can go therein4  #c4    
,but his grand scheme for ruining young 
,christians1 and the one he generally   
succeeds with1 is the suggestion that   
there is no need of being so particular 
and so regular in everything and so     
rigid in the performance of duty and in 
the avoiding of all appearances of evil4
  ,in other words1 a sort of reaction   
comes1 and a dangerous thing it often   
proves to be4 ,now1 the temptation is to
 give up the regular and rigid          
performance of duty because you don't   
feel as much like doing it as you did at
 first1 or because some of your         
well-meaning1 but unrenewed1 friends say
 they can't see the need of being so    
particular and strict4 ,there's no use  
of going to prayer-meeting every time1  
no use going to church twice every      
,sunday1 no use having prayer at home   
every day1 etc4  ,but if you miss any   
duty once it will be much easier to miss
 it the second time and you will be much

 more likely to neglect it again4 ,and  
you can't afford to take such a         
dangerous risk in so important a matter4
  ,and then we begin to think that there
 is no use being so particular about    
abstaining from the very beginnings of  
evil1 or else we persuade ourselves that
 we have grown so strong and have been  
so changed we can be men now and enjoy  
things in moderation which formerly we  
could not use without going to excess4  
,ah1 brother1 you are walking right into
 one of ,satan's unseen traps4 ,o1      
beware6 ,for your happiness' sake1      
beware6 for your family's sake1 beware6 
,satan says1 ,it's no harm to take a    
dram if you don't get drunk2 no harm to 
go to the race track if you don't bet2  
no harm to go to the ball-room if you   
don't dance1 etc4  ,but we know that    
even in case of a youth who has never   
been in the habit of indulging in sins1 
they have a growing charm and power over
 him if he yields once or twice2 how    
much greater the danger for one who has 

been the slave of these sins and has    
only recently broken off from them6  ,i 
heard a recently converted man say to a 
friend who was starting away on a trip1 
,dunc1 don't let the devil say to you   
',now1 just take one drink and then     
stop4' ,for ,i tell you1 if you take one
 drink you are gone4 ,now1 this man     
understood the case and the danger4     
,there is no possibility of compromise4 
,no possible middle ground in these     
things1 especially for us who were once 
the slaves of our evil passions4  ,i    
have heard of a man who for years had   
abstained from drinking and his father1 
thinking he was safe1 invited him to    
drink toddies with him4 ,the son did so1
 and he went back to his old habit of   
drunkenness1 had delirium tremens1      
forced his wife to get a divorce and    
brought distress and disgrace and       
anguish on his family as well as        
himself4 ,that was a ,mr4 ,d41 who has  
several times been to our ,mission4     
,so1 my brother1 though you may think   

you would be safe to trifle with sin1   
and try to practice moderation1 it is   
such an awful1 awful risk you had better
 not make the experiment4 ,remember1 it 
is only the bait of ,satan to lure you  
to certain ruin4  ,for your sake1 for   
your father's sake1 for your mother's   
sake1 for your wife's sake1 for your    
children's sake1 for ,christ's sake1    
don't do it4   ,,comparison ,,of ,,the  
,,righteous ,,and ,,wicked4  ,,psalm ,i3
 #a-b4  ,all ,scripture is given by     
inspiration of ,god1 and hence it is    
profitable for instruction and          
assistance to those who will attentively
 consider it4 ,this ,psalm is a part of 
the ,scripture1 and we may expect to    
find it instructive and helpful4 ,it    
contains a description of the righteous 
man4  #a4 ,it tells what he does not do4
 ,he does not walk in the counsel of the
 ungodly4 ,this is the beginning of an  
evil life--to go among those who are    
ungodly and to listen to their opinions 
and views and counsels4 ,there is no    

sin1 our evil hearts suggest to us1 in  
merely going with worldly people1 if we 
do not pattern after their ways and do  
as they do4 ,we can go with them and yet
 not do as they do4 ,but the history1   
the sad history1 of many a struggling   
soul1 shows that this is a great        
mistake4 ,we can't go with bad          
associates and not be harmed by them4   
,the very fact that we want to go with  
wicked people shows that there is in us 
an inclination toward sin which is      
dangerous1 and which ought to be        
severely watched and kept down rather   
than encouraged4 ,more men have been    
ruined by their associations than by any
 other one cause4 ,and let me say by way
 of warning that if any of you1 my      
friends1 are purposing and trying to    
lead a new life1 you will have to give  
up the associations of your old life and
 choose new ones1 as ,i had to do1 and  
did do4  ,but did you observe the word  
walk here in this verse8 ,that word is  
intended to show that in the first part 

of a sinful life there is restlessness  
and uneasiness4 ,the man who is just    
beginning to sin against light and      
conscience and ,god is uneasy about it4 
,he can not be still4 ,it is something  
new and strange1 and his conscience     
rises up against his conduct2 and till  
he goes on to the deadening of his      
conscience1 it gives him distress and   
anxiety4  ,but it says1 the good man    
does not stand in the way of sinners4   
,this is the second stage4 ,when a man  
passes through the first stage and gets 
to this second one1 then he not only    
listens to the conversation and counsel 
of those who are ungodly--that is1 who  
make no professions of religion--but he 
goes now with open sinners1 in the way  
with evil doers1 violators of law1      
criminals against ,god and man4 ,and now
 observe he takes a stand4 ,it is no    
longer walk1 for the restlessness and   
uneasiness have about passed away1 and  
he takes a deliberate stand among wicked
 men1 who do not fear to commit any sort

 of crime4 ,and1 my young friend1 this  
is always the way with sin4 ,it grows   
upon a man2 and before he is aware of   
it1 he has grown fond of it1 sees no    
evil or danger in it1 and deliberately  
chooses it as his course of life4       
,beware1 then1 of beginning in the way  
of evil4  ,but it says1 in the third    
place1 that he does not sit in the seat 
of the scornful4 ,ah1 here we have the  
third stage of the downward course of   
sin4 ,first1 there was a restlessness in
 even associating with ungodly people2  
second1 a deliberate stand among        
sinners1 evil doers1 as one of their    
number2 and now it is sitting down in   
the seat of the scornful4 ,when men have
 silenced the voice of conscience1 and  
spent years in the practice of evil1    
they come at last to lose faith in      
everything--in ,god1 in man1 in virtue1 
in goodness2 and they become cold and   
sneering scorners of everything that is 
called good4 ,have you not known men who
 have gone through this downward road8  

,nay1 do you not know now some who are  
traveling this ruinous pathway8 ,i have 
known young men to go among gamblers    
just to look on4 ,they would have feared
 to touch the implements of sin1 but    
they became familiarized with the sight1
 and then took part2 and from bad to    
worse1 have gone on and on1 till it     
makes me shudder to know what they are  
to-day4 ,i tell you1 my friends1 the    
course of sin is down1 down1 down4 ,you 
may as soon expect to get in a boat on  
the current of ,niagara above the falls 
and stand still1 as to expect that you  
can launch yourself on the current of   
sin and not go down toward swift and    
certain ruin4 ,beware then6 ,hear the   
voice of warning before you have gone   
too far ever to return4  #b4 ,in the    
next place1 this ,psalm tells what a    
good man does4 ,his delight is in the   
law of the ,lord4 ,he is satisfied that 
in sin there is only ruin2 and turning  
with fear and dread away from sin1 he   
yearns to find ,god1 who alone can      

deliver him from sin and keep him from  
it and furnish him a satisfying portion 
instead of it4  ,but where can we find  
,god1 and how8 ,not in nature2 for there
 is nothing clear enough in nature to   
teach anything about ,god or how to come
 to ,his presence4 ,but he can expect to
 find ,god in that revelation which ,god
 has made of ,himself in ,his word4 ,so 
he goes to that1 and he finds there     
encouragement and instruction and tender
 invitations and promises of mercy and  
help2 and the more he seeks the more he 
finds to draw him on1 to satisfy his    
yearning heart and to charm his poor    
soul away from the love of sin4 ,as he  
practices what he finds in ,god's word1 
he realizes the blessedness of it4 ,it  
brings peace1 purity1 deliverance from  
darkness1 uncertainty and fear2 and so  
he longs to know more and more of it and
 he studies into it4 ,do you know that  
to one whose heart is changed the word  
of ,god is like a whole ,california of  
gold mines8 ,he is always finding       

treasures there4 ,every time he reads it
 there is something new and rich and    
blessed4 ,the deepest and most devout   
students of ,god's word say that there  
is no end to its wealth of instruction  
and consolation4 ,if you want to know   
,god and ,his salvation1 you ought to   
set apart a certain time every day to   
prayerfully read and study into ,his    
word1 always asking ,his guidance and   
help4  ,and it will soon come to pass   
that1 as the text says1 you will delight
 in the law of ,god4 ,do you ever       
deliberately1 carefully1 studiously1    
humbly and prayerfully read the ,bible8 
,you say1 ,no4 ,then how can you expect 
to know anything of ,god8 ,how can a    
physician know anything of the nature of
 the human body unless he studies into  
it8 ,and how can you know anything of   
,god and ,his wonderful mercy unless you
 go and search where ,god has revealed  
this for man8 ,there are some men who   
will not read the ,bible because they   
can't understand it4 ,of course they    

can't understand it all1 but1 if they   
can understand one verse in a chapter1  
let them take that and study on it and  
believe it1 and keep reading1 and soon  
more and more will open out to their    
understanding1 and it will be a constant
 surprise and delight to find the       
undreamed-of beauties and comforts of   
the word of ,god4 ,promise ,god now that
 you will patiently read some every day4
 ,you will then find your desire for sin
 and sinful associations leaving you4   
,,psalm ,i3 #c-f4  ,we propose to-day a 
continuance of the study of the first   
,psalm1 which we begun ,sunday last4    
,then we saw the downward course of sin 
and of the sinner1 and of the great     
transformation of the nature of men when
 they are converted or become righteous4
  ,and now the inspired writer goes on  
to speak of the fruitfulness of such    
men4 ,he shall be like a tree planted by
 the rivers of water that bringeth forth
 its fruit in its season4 ,you know a   
tree planted by a river draws moisture  

from below1 and does not depend on the  
uncertain rains that may or may not     
come4 ,and so in time of drought it     
shall bear its fruit at its proper      
season4  ,so the man who is born of     
,god1 whose nature is transformed and   
made holy1 is fruitful in good deeds1 in
 benevolent works4 ,having himself been 
translated from the kingdom of darkness 
into the light1 he has a desire1 a      
strong desire1 an unquenchable desire1  
that all others should know the same    
happiness1 and he works by all means to 
persuade them1 to get their good will   
and their confidence4 ,he will feed and 
clothe them1 take them up out of filth  
and rags and reclothe them and befriend 
them 7as we are trying to do at the     
,mission7 in order to get their good    
will and direct them to ,christ4  ,not  
only so1 but when a man has truly the   
,spirit of ,god1 he has an inexpressible
 pity for his poor brother mortals1 and 
a tender sympathy for their sufferings  
and sorrows4 ,his heart is a fountain of

 compassion for those who are in        
distress2 and this leads him to labor   
that he may in some way1 and in all     
possible ways1 bring them relief and    
comfort4  ,and1 as the tree on the river
 is supplied with moisture from an      
unseen source1 and without the showers1 
so the man whose heart is in communion  
with ,god never suffers a drought4 ,when
 the benevolence of worldly men fails1  
his goes on and never fails4 ,men wonder
 that he does not get tired or grow     
weary or disappointed and discouraged4  
,but no6 he never does4 ,his zeal not   
depending on changing influences from   
without1 but supplied from an unseen and
 never-failing source--that is1         
,god--never gives out4 ,so he is always 
bearing fruit4 ,other men may be cold   
and selfish1 and panics and famines may 
shut up their feelings of sympathy1 but 
the man of ,god goes on working and     
bearing fruit in panics and famines1 in 
cold and hot1 in wet and dry1 in plenty 
or in poverty1 always and ever4  ,the   

ungodly are not so4 ,no2 the ungodly    
greedily devour all they can get1 and   
crave all they can't get4 ,they want    
selfish pleasure no matter what         
sacrifice or pain it may cost others4   
,they want the property of other people1
 though it leave a widow in poverty and 
orphans in want4 ,they want honor and   
promotion and fame1 if it be built on   
the downfall of their neighbors and     
fellows4 ,they want the passing animal  
pleasure of licentiousness1 if it blight
 the life and ruin the soul of an       
innocent being and turn a happy home    
into a very hell of anguish4 ,self6     
,self6 ,self6 always and ever6 and if   
there be some semblance of benevolence1 
it is for the higher selfishness of     
getting the honor that men bestow on    
charity1 or to appease an angry and     
tormenting conscience1 that lashes them 
with fury for their misdeeds done in    
secret4  ,the ungodly are like the      
chaff4 ,they have no stability1 no      
steadfastness1 no fixed purpose or plan 

in life--nothing to tie to2 and so they 
are the victims of circumstances and    
changes and moods and tempers1 and are  
driven hither and thither by every      
passing breeze4  ,how ,i do pity the    
poor man who does not know or care what 
he is living for1 and just pursues every
 day what happens to take his mind for  
that day4  ,and because the ungodly are 
not steadfast and fixed in their        
devotion to ,god1 neither shall they be 
able to stand in the judgment4  ,then1  
there is a judgment coming1 is there8   
,oh1 yes6 ,all these things that men are
 doing are not done and then put away   
forever and forgotten4 ,no6 no6 no6 they
 are all to be brought into review again
 and exposed before ,god and all men    
assembled in judgment4 ,all the midnight
 meanness you have done will then be    
brought to light4 ,where were you last  
night8 ,what were you doing8  ,how would
 you like for me to tell right here     
before all this crowd all the mean and  
filthy things you have done in the last 

week and kept them hidden from father1  
mother1 wife1 children and every other  
mortal except the accomplices of your   
guilt and shame8 ,ah6 you could not     
stand2 no1 you could not stand4  ,then1 
how do you expect to stand when ,god is 
reciting to you all the misdoings of all
 the midnights of your whole lives      
before your father1 mother1 sisters1    
wife1 neighbors and all the world8      
,,god',s ,,love ,,for ,,sinners4        
,,romans ,v3 #h4       ,but ,god        
commendeth ,his love for us in that     
while we were yet      sinners1 ,christ 
died for us4  ,there are many of us who 
feel that we are sinners1 who know it1  
and who do not want any proof of it2 but
 we can't be persuaded to believe that  
,god has any love for us or interest in 
us4 ,we have gotten to be such wicked   
sinners that maybe our friends have     
forsaken us1 and we can not believe that
 ,god has any feeling of tenderness for 
us4 ,we are willing to admit that ,god  
loves good people1 those who are        

obedient1 and that if we were good1 ,he 
would then love us2 but as it is1 ,he   
can not love us1 and there is no reason 
why ,he should love us4 ,and then we go 
back and try to call up all our sins2   
all the times when we rejected ,christ  
and the truth1 and we find plenty of    
arguments to prove that ,god does not   
love us4  ,but stop6 ,you are judging   
the great ,god by yourself4 ,you know   
you would not love one who would have   
treated you as you have treated ,god1   
and so you conclude ,he does not love   
you4 ,you find it exceedingly hard to   
believe in the love of ,god4 ,this is   
one of the sad effects of sin4 ,it      
darkens our hearts and separates us far1
 far from ,god1 so that when we come to 
feel our need of ,him we have no        
confidence that ,he will accept us or   
help us4  ,besides1 by your long service
 of sin1 you have put yourself in the   
power of an enemy who makes it as       
difficult as possible for you to believe
 in ,god's love for you4  ,but ,i come  

to you to-day with a declaration and    
assurance from ,god's own word1 that    
though you have been a sinner all your  
life1 and still feel that you are the   
greatest of sinners1 the great ,god     
loves you with a true1 deep1 warm and   
yearning love4  ,the great proof of it  
is the life and death of ,jesus ,christ1
 ,his ,son4  ,have you read about it in 
the ,gospel8  ,ah1 if you had1 and had  
seen ,him delighting to be with the poor
 and the outcast1 eating with them1     
choosing them for ,his friends1 speaking
 words of heavenly cheer to them1       
pronouncing their sins forgiven and     
promising them heaven1 then you would be
 moved and attracted and convinced4 ,and
 then if you had read the pathetic story
 of ,his awful sufferings and death1 and
 had reflected that ,he was wounded for 
our transgressions2 ,he was bruised for 
our iniquities2 all we like sheep have  
gone astray1 and the ,lord hath laid on 
,him the iniquity of us all1 then hope  
would begin to dawn in your breast1 and 

faith in ,his love would not be so      
difficult4 ,but you have neglected to   
read and reflect about it1 and so ,i am 
come to bring the glad tidings to you   
where you are1 and to beg you to believe
 it for your own sake4  ,and now1 here  
are some of the ways ,god has taken to  
tell you of ,his love3 ,psalm ciii41    
#ac2 ,isaiah xlix41 #ae2 ,luke xi41 #ac2
 ,luke xviii41 #ac1 #ad2 ,luke xv41 #g1 
#aj2 ,prodigal ,son2 ,luke vii41 #cf to 
end4  ,i came not to call the righteous 
but sinners to repentance4  ,why does   
,god1 in so many ways1 express ,his love
 for sinners8  ,because ,he wants to    
touch their hearts and melt them by     
tenderness4  ,a father whose son had    
gone away to ,california1 and was a     
gambler in ,san ,francisco1 sent him    
word by a friend3 ,your father loves you
 still4 ,and it made him ashamed2 it    
broke his heart2 he repented1 returned  
home and was saved4  ,so ,god sends me  
to-day to say to you3 ,your ,father     
loves you still4 ,will you not believe  

it and come to ,him for safety8 ,he will
 not abuse you for your sins2 ,he will  
save you from your sins1 and make you as
 happy as you were when you were little 
children at your mother's knee4  ,you   
know it is true that parents are more   
troubled about a wandering boy1 and take
 more pains with him than with the good 
boys1 and think more about him and pray 
more for him1 because he is in danger   
and must be rescued or perish4 ,so it is
 with ,god4 ,because you are lost1 away 
from ,him1 on the road to ruin1 ,he     
sends after you and ,he begs you to be  
reconciled4   ,,godliness ,,profitable  
,,for ,,this ,,life4  ,i4 ,,timothy     
,,iv3 #h4       ,but godliness is       
profitable unto all things having the   
promise      of the life that now is and
 of that which is to come4  ,there are  
not many who think this4 ,nearly        
everybody admits that religion is a good
 thing to have when he is about to die  
and to enter upon the future life2 and  
all men1 however hardened in vice1      

wickedness and crime1 have a sure       
expectation and firm intention of making
 some preparation for death and what may
 follow death4 ,they fully intend to    
make amends to conscience for the       
violations of it1 of which they have    
been guilty4  ,there are men here to-day
 who know that this is true of          
themselves1 who feel that the coffin and
 the grave and the unknown future beyond
 are the most fearful of realities1 and 
who are firmly persuaded that a day of  
reckoning is coming1 maybe slowly1 but  
surely1 and they do mean to make peace  
in some way with conscience before that 
time draws near4 ,and so ,i say all men 
agree that religion is good for death   
and what is to follow2 but how it can be
 an advantage to one in this life1 they 
can not see4  #a4 ,but godliness is a   
help to a man in making a living4  ,if a
 man is honest1 industrious1 faithful   
and conscientious1 he will be in demand4
 ,such men are always in demand2 and1   
when they are known1 can get employment 

and can keep employment2 but a man who  
is a true ,christian1 is honest1        
industrious1 careful1 temperate1        
trustworthy and conscientious1 because  
he works and lives not to please men but
 ,god4 ,hence1 such a one is always     
wanted4 ,employers1 rather than give up 
such men1 will increase their salaries  
and offer them extra inducements4 ,a    
,main-street merchant found he could not
 do without ,willie ,holcombe           
conveniently1 so he raised his salary   
twenty dollars a month rather than lose 
him4  ,and1 even if they are among      
strangers1 and not known1 yet ,god will 
turn the hearts of strangers toward     
them1 as he turned the heart of the     
prison-keeper in ,egypt toward ,joseph4 
,and when they have a chance to try and 
to show their value1 their employers    
will not give them up4  ,but then if a  
man is in business for himself1 he will 
get a large custom if people find out   
that he does business as a              
,christian--that is1 he does not charge 

an unjust and exorbitant price1 his     
goods are only what he says they are1 he
 gives full and honest measure1 his word
 can be trusted1 he will correct        
mistakes and take back an article if it 
is found not to be good4 ,show people   
such a man and they will all want to    
patronize him4 ,william ,kendrick was   
such a man here in ,louisville4  ,the   
,christian man has the promise of ,god  
that he shall be provided for--,matthew 
vi43 #cb1 #cc--while the godless man has
 no such assurances at all4  #b4 ,but   
religion keeps a man from those vices   
which destroy the health--as            
dissipation1 debauchery1 intemperance1  
etc4--and health is one of the chief    
elements in human happiness4  #c4       
,religion keeps men also from those     
crimes which bring men into ruin and    
disgrace and bitter remorse4  ,many a   
man has come to the jail or penitentiary
 or gallows who would have escaped it   
all if he had had religion to protect   
and shield and restrain and assist him4 

,and many a good and happy man there is 
who might have been a guilty criminal   
and a wretched convict but for the grace
 of ,god and the lessons and blessings  
of true religion4 ,he might gradually   
have been led off and on and on till he 
would have become capable of committing 
any crime4  ,i might have been a        
drunkard or a murderer still1 if ,god   
had not changed my heart and helped me  
mightily and constantly by ,his grace4  
#d4 ,but religion takes away the fear of
 death and the dread of the future and  
gives inward and constant peace--a heart
 happiness which poverty and            
disappointment and trials can not       
destroy4 ,and nothing else can do this  
but true religion4  #e4 ,religion can   
release a man from the power of those   
evil habits which make a man's life     
miserable--from acquired appetites1 as  
drinking1 opium eating1 debauchery1     
licentiousness1 swearing1 gambling and  
even from tobacco4  #f4 ,religion makes 
a good father1 a good mother1 a good    

husband1 a good wife1 good children1 it 
makes the family happy1 and the home    
bright1 cheerful1 joyous4  #g4 ,it makes
 a man a good citizen4 ,so he can get   
along in peace with his neighbors and   
even become a peace-maker among them    
when they quarrel4  ,thus have ,i tried 
to show you that1 regardless of the     
future1 godliness is profitable for this
 life4 ,but if this were not so1 if the 
life of a ,christian were an            
uninterrupted experience of pains and   
disappointments and sorrows1 yet1 in    
view of the interests of the soul1 and  
the possibilities of the future1 and the
 length of eternity1 it would be the    
highest wisdom to cheerfully accept all 
these and endure them to the bitter end1
 in order to depart out of this world   
with a peaceful and unaccusing          
conscience and a sure preparation for   
heaven4  ,o man1 what will you do with  
eternity1 eternity1 if you go thither   
unprepared8 ,did you ever try to think  
of eternity8 ,as ,john ,wesley says1 ,if

 a bird were to come once in a million  
of years and take away one grain of the 
earth1 when it had taken the whole earth
 away1 that would not be eternity1 nor  
the beginning of eternity4 ,and it is   
certain that eternity is the period of  
the desolation and confusion and remorse
 and suffering of the lost4  #h4 ,but   
even if we had to live in misery all    
this life1 it would be better to do it  
and have religion2 for it alone fits us 
for happiness in the life to come4      
,take away property1 comforts1 friends1 
family1 reputation1 health1 but give me 
religion1 and ,i shall have a passport  
into the kingdom of heaven and an       
eternity of rest and blessedness4  ,o   
then1 come to ,jesus ,christ and have   
all these things and heaven beside4     
,,proverbs ,,xii3 #ae4       ,the way of
 transgressors is hard4  ,our friend's  
career affords a striking example of the
 truth of the text4 ,most people do not 
think the text is true4 ,but the ,bible 
reverses nearly all of our notions about

 things1 and when1 in the light of      
experience and honest thought1 we come  
to examine the ,bible1 we find it       
contains the truth on all subjects4 ,the
 natural effects of a life of sin are   
injurious and destructive in every      
particular4  #a4 ,in the first place1   
vice destroys health4 ,if a man indulges
 in gluttony1 he brings on dyspepsia    
with its accompanying pains and distress
 and torture4 ,all this is increased by 
a life of idleness1 laziness and        
inactivity4 ,if he indulges in          
intemperance1 he soon becomes a wretched
 slave1 and is consumed by inward fires 
till delirium tremens ends the miserable
 career4 ,if he indulges in sensuality1 
he is likely to contract loathsome and  
painful diseases--diseases which make   
life a burden that can hardly be borne2 
diseases which poison the blood and can 
not1 by any art or remedy1 be expelled  
from the system1 but which are          
transmitted to the innocent offspring1  
if there be any4  #b4 ,it brings        

disgrace and drives away friends who    
would otherwise rally around and help4  
,this poor man spent two terms in the   
penitentiary1 lost all his friends1 and 
had to go to a hospital to die6  #c4 ,in
 destroying one's good name and         
alienating one's friends1 it becomes the
 cause of poverty and want4  #d4 ,it    
destroys the happiness of families1 and 
in this way adds to the wretchedness of 
the one who does all this mischief and  
damage4  #e4 ,it often produces         
insanity4  #f4 ,it produces remorse1    
uneasiness of mind1 shame1 hatred of    
self4  #g4 ,it is what makes men shudder
 and shiver like convicts under the     
gallows1 when they think of death and   
come near death4 ,my own fear of death  
was something terrible4       ,the sting
 of death is sin4  #h4 ,but this fear of
 death1 this awful lashing of conscience
 on the verge of the grave1 is but the  
intimation and the beginning of those   
awful experiences in the future world   
which the ,bible describes in words of  

such dark and fearful import4  ,but     
there is a remedy for sin1 there is a   
fountain opened in the house of ,king   
,david for sin and uncleanness4 ,yes    
,there is a fountain filled with blood  
,drawn from ,immanuel's veins1     ,and 
sinners plunged beneath that flood      
,lose all their guilty stains4      ,the
 dying thief rejoiced to see     ,that  
fountain in his day1     ,and there may 
you1 though vile as he1     ,wash all   
your sins away4  ,and beside that1 when 
,he gives salvation from the guilt of   
sin1 ,he sends1 also1 the power to keep 
you from sin in the future4 ,it is a    
full salvation and a free salvation4    
,how much better to accept ,christ while
 you are in health and let your life of 
holiness and purity and devotion prove  
that the work is a genuine work and that
 you really have been saved4 ,i have    
almost no faith in death-bed repentances
 and conversions4 ,hardly one in a      
hundred is genuine4 ,and then there is  
no way of testing the genuineness of it2

 but if you turn to ,christ now you can 
have time and opportunity to exemplify  
and manifest the fruits of regeneration 
in your life4 ,christ has power to      
forgive sins1 to give peace and to keep 
from sin and sinful habits4 ,an         
experience of five years on my part     
enables me to speak boldly and          
confidently on this point4 ,god grant   
some of you may turn to ,him to-day4    
,,note4--,this was delivered at the     
funeral of some man who died            
unsaved in a hospital4 ,mr4 ,holcombe is
 frequently called on to      officiate 
at the funeral of such men1 and of      
gamblers1 and of      strangers and     
unknown persons4--,,ed4   ,,romans      
,,xiv3 #ag4       ,the kingdom of heaven
 is not meat and drink1 but             
righteousness      and peace and joy in 
the ,holy ,ghost4  ,we heard some time  
ago of the coming of the kingdom of     
heaven4 ,christ1 at ,his coming1 brought
 it near and proclaimed it to the       
people4 ,at the time when our text was  

written1 the kingdom had been set up1   
established among men1 and many1 very   
many1 had entered into it4 ,and now1    
,st4 ,paul1 finding that some of these  
had fallen into wrong notions as to what
 constituted citizenship in that        
kingdom1 corrects these wrong notions1  
and sets before them the right and      
proper notions about the matter4  #a4   
,in the first place1 he tells them that 
religion does not consist in certain    
things4 ,they had gotten into the notion
 that they must1 as a matter of great   
importance1 attend to certain outward   
things4 ,but it is not so4 ,they        
thought1 as the ,jews1 from whose nation
 ,jesus1 the founder of the kingdom1    
arose1 observed certain customs as to   
eating and drinking and keeping certain 
seasons and days1 they also had to do   
the same2 and gradually they allowed    
these outward things to become more     
important to them than the inward       
spiritual life4  ,so now we 7or some of 
us7 have fallen into the notion that    

religion consists in certain outward    
things4  ,there are those who believe   
that it consists in connecting one's    
self with some certain church1 and that 
the sanctity and virtue of that church  
will be imparted to them as members1 and
 they will be saved4 ,but this is not   
true4  ,again1 there are some who       
believe that some outward ceremony1 and 
especially that of baptism by the proper
 authorities and in the proper mode1    
will procure salvation1 and that it     
constitutes a man a member of the       
kingdom of heaven4  ,again1 some think  
their own morality and effort to do and 
live justly will give them a place among
 those who are in the pale of the       
kingdom1 forgetting that ,god1 ,himself1
 says that the righteousness of us      
miserable sinners is but as filthy rags 
in ,his sight4  ,and there are many1    
very many1 who think that if they are   
decent in their outward lives and attend
 the services of the house of ,god and  
contribute to the support of ,his       

church1 they do all any man can require 
of them1 and that1 therefore1 they may  
claim that they are also fellow-citizens
 of the saints and of the household of  
faith4  ,but no1 none of these outward  
things can make a man a new creature4   
,he may comply with any one or all of   
these1 and yet be really a bad man at   
heart1 a rebel against ,god and ,his    
government4 ,and the fact that there are
 many such in the church calling        
themselves ,christians and performing   
the outward duties of religion1 while   
those who see them every day and know   
their private walk see that they are not
 really better than many outsiders1 is a
 great stumbling-block to serious and   
honest inquirers outside of the church4 
,we admit it1 and we are sorry for it1  
though1 of course1 it is no valid excuse
 for them1 and will not stand in the    
trying hour of death or the ordeal of   
the judgment4 ,but ,i want to say to you
 to-day1 no matter who it is1 if they   
have no more than a performance of      

outward duties1 ceremonies and services1
 they are not members of the kingdom of 
,god4  #b4 ,but1 in the second place1   
the ,apostle does tell us what true     
religion consists in1 in the latter part
 of the text4 ,it is righteousness and  
joy and peace in the ,holy ,ghost4      
,and1 first1 it is righteousness4  ,in  
another place it is said that1 ,the     
wisdom that cometh from above is first  
pure4  ,the object and aim of the       
,christian religion is to make men holy4
 ,that is first4 ,the righteousness     
mentioned in the text is put            
first--before the joy and peace4 ,and   
this is what the world demands of people
 who profess to be ,christians1 no less 
than ,god's law demands it4 ,the world  
has no use or respect for ,christians   
who are not righteous or for a          
,christianity that does not make men    
righteous4  ,when ,god comes into a     
human heart1 ,he comes with power1 with 
the power of ,god1 and that is greater  
than all other power1 and before it all 

opposing forces fall4 ,the sins of men1 
such as avarice1 or love of money2 the  
lust of the flesh1 such as gluttony1    
licentiousness1 the hatred of fellowmen 
and the hatred of ,god1 all these are   
broken and driven out when the spirit   
and power of ,god come in4 ,there is not
 only this demand of ,god1 then1 for    
righteousness1 but also ample supply of 
strength to meet it1 and to meet it     
fully4 ,come1 then1 to ,god1 you who are
 in bondage to evil habits1 and who have
 striven in vain to deliver yourselves4 
,you can not retain your evil practices 
and be a child of ,god4 ,his first      
demand1 ,his imperative demand1 is      
righteousness1 and if you have the will 
,he gives the grace to attain it4  ,but 
this is not all4 ,when you believe with 
your heart in ,christ1 the ,holy ,ghost 
is given you1 and ,he brings1 with the  
righteousness and holiness which ,god   
requires1 also joy and peace4 ,yes1 when
 you surrender to ,christ1 ,he makes you
 happy4   ,,matthew ,,xi3 #bh4          

,come unto me all ye that labor and are 
heavy laden and ,i will      give you   
rest4  #a4 ,the cry of all hearts is for
 rest1 for contentment4 ,not only does  
the heart of humanity cry out for rest1 
rest1 rest2 their busy and tired hands  
and feet toil for it day and night1 year
 in and year out4  ,it is for this that 
men labor through the days and weeks of 
summer's heat and expose themselves to  
the severities of winter's cold4  ,it is
 for this that they plow and sow and    
reap and gather into barns4  ,it is for 
this that they blow the bellows and     
swing the heavy hammers from morn until 
night4  ,it is for this they buy and    
sell and buy again to sell again4  ,it  
is for this that men will spend years of
 toil in schools and colleges1 burning  
the midnight lamp till the eye is heavy 
and the brain is tired4  ,it is for this
 that they will leave wife and children 
to try their fortunes in some distant   
,california or ,australia4  ,it is for  
this they will abandon their homes in   

time of war to brave the dangers of the 
battle-field4  ,it is for this that they
 will worry away the hours of night in  
games to get each other's money4  ,it is
 for this they will devise schemes and  
lay plans to entrap their fellows1 some 
times going to the length of committing 
murder4  ,it is for this that women will
 toil with the needle and bend over the 
sewing machine4  ,it is for this they   
will stand for weary hours behind       
counters measuring off goods or waiting 
for customers to buy4  ,it is for this  
that they work over the hot stove or    
wear out their hands in the wash-tub4   
,yes1 it is for this that some of them1 
weary of work-life1 will venture on the 
slippery paths of pleasure1 turn their  
thoughts toward the gilded chambers of  
licentiousness1 sell virtue and abandon 
home and family to go in the ways that  
in the end take hold on death and hell4 
,we are a race of toilers4 ,all over the
 world it is the same4 ,we see it here  
in ,louisville1 ,it is work1 work1 work1

 go1 go1 go4  ,and are we happy8 ,have  
we rest8  ,but not only are we toiling1 
some in one way1 some in another2 some  
by innocent means1 some by wicked means2
 some by what does no harm to ourselves 
or our neighbor1 and some by what does  
harm to both1 in order to obtain rest   
and happiness2 it is also true that most
 of us are heavy laden1 oppressed and   
saddened beneath burdens that we can not
 shake off1 can not get rid of4  ,some  
of us are bowed down under our poverty4 
,no good house to live in1 no           
comfortable home to turn into after the 
battles and toils of outside life1 no   
comfortable shelter for our families4   
,no assurance as to where we are to get 
to-morrow's bread4 ,no comfortable and  
respectable clothes to wear1 and1 of    
course1 no friends4 ,for when a poor    
fellow gets poor and shabby1 his friends
 drop off and pass by on the other side4
 ,no friends1 none of that sympathy and 
communion of friendship which all human 
hearts so crave and which they find to  

be the best part of what this life can  
give4  ,yes2 some of us have this burden
 to bear4 ,and then some of us are bowed
 down beneath some great sorrow1 which  
may be one thing in one case and another
 in another4 ,in some cases it is       
domestic trouble1 continual jars and    
broils in the family1 no peace1 no      
quiet1 no love4 ,ah1 if we could see    
into all the homes in this city1 ,i fear
 we should find in many of them family  
trouble of some sort4 ,or it may be some
 dear one of yours is given to drink or 
to gambling and is wearing out his life 
as fast as vice can eat it away1 with no
 hope beyond the grave4  ,ah1 yes2 no   
doubt some of you are yourselves the    
slaves of evil habits which you hate and
 would do anything to break off4 ,you   
have tried by resolving and promising   
and all to no purpose2 you have felt    
ashamed and degraded because you had no 
power to do what you felt you ought to  
do and what you knew would be infinitely
 better for you4  ,do you not know men  

who would willingly give a right arm for
 deliverance from some degrading and    
ruinous habit8 ,but giving a right arm  
avails nothing1 nor any human effort or 
means4  ,then1 again1 some of you are   
bowed down by the recollection of your  
past life and its dissipation and       
crimes4  ,you may have mistreated       
father1 mother1 sister1 and may have    
broken hearts by your cruelty that would
 gladly have bled for you4 ,you may have
 crushed a loving and faithful wife by  
your selfishness and your brutality and 
heartlessness4 ,you may have driven your
 children to desperation and crime by   
your coldness and hardness to them4     
,and may be some life1 innocent until   
you came upon it with your hellish art1 
has been corrupted and embittered and   
darkened by your base passions and      
lusts4  ,may be your hands have gone to 
that last extreme of human crime and    
have deprived a fellowman of life4 ,and1
 oh1 if any of these things be true1    
what must be the burden of remorse1     

remorse1 remorse1 that weighs upon your 
heart4  ,but you are the very ones whom 
,jesus addresses and invites in this    
tender appeal4 ,do you believe it8  #b4 
,in the second place1 consider who it is
 that offers you rest4 ,it is one who   
knows you and who knows what you need   
and one who has all power in heaven and 
in earth to give what you need4  #c4    
,lastly1 consider what this rest means  
which ,jesus offers to you burdened and 
toiling ones4  #a4 ,it is rest from sin1
 both its guilt and power4  #b4 ,it is  
rest from all care4 ,for ,he has said1  
we should cast all our care upon ,him   
because ,he cares for us4   ,,matthew   
,v3 #c4       ,blessed are the poor in  
spirit1 for theirs is the kingdom of    
heaven4  ,these words1 as you know1 are 
the beginning of the ,sermon on the     
,mount as it is called4 ,this ,sermon on
 the ,mount is the full exposition of   
the character of those who are members  
of ,christ's kingdom4 ,it is one of the 
most important parts of the ,bible4 ,at 

the time of ,christ there were in the   
world many teachers and many schools of 
philosophy all trying to find what was  
best for men2 or1 thinking they had     
found it1 were teaching their views to  
others4 ,but1 of course1 none of them   
knew the truth and nearly every one     
taught a different thing from the       
others4 ,there was no certainty4 ,it all
 seemed like guess-work1 and while the  
philosophers were guessing at what was  
best for men or trying to prove the     
views of each other to be false1 the    
poor people were perishing in           
uncertainty and ignorance4 ,but into    
this age of uncertainty and darkness and
 hunger1 there came a ,teacher from ,god
 ,himself1 who knew all things and who  
could without arguing or guessing tell  
with authority the simple and certain   
truth4 ,what then does the ,teacher say8
 ,he does not say that blessedness      
consists in any certain kind or degree  
of knowledge but in the disposition of  
the mind and heart4  ,listen then and   

hear and be prepared to believe and     
accept with all your heart what this    
,instructor from ,god says4 ,remember   
,he makes no mistakes4 ,he knows the end
 from the beginning4 ,he knows eternity 
as well as time4 ,he knows the future as
 well as the past and present4 ,he knows
 ,god as well as ,he knows man4 ,he has 
been all through eternity and knows the 
nature and purposes of ,god4 ,he then is
 competent to say what is good for man1 
what is best for man4 ,will you hear it8
 ,and1 having heard it1 will you believe
 it8 ,blessed--ah1 what a sweet word to 
begin with6 ,blessed4 ,but who are      
blessed8 ,it may be blessed are the     
great or the powerful or the good and   
some of us are sadly conscious that we  
are not great or good4 ,but no1 troubled
 heart1 poor fearing heart1 it is for   
you4 ,blessed are the poor in spirit4   
,that is what the ,divine ,teacher says4
 ,he brings it right down and home to   
your poor heart and leaves blessedness  
at your very door4  ,and what is it to  

be poor in spirit8 ,no doubt some of you
 poor sinners are ready to say ,i know  
what it is1 for ,i am so wretchedly poor
 that ,i feel unworthy to set my        
polluted foot down anywhere in ,god's   
universe4 ,yes1 that is it--you are     
dissatisfied with yourself1 disgusted   
with yourself1 weary of yourself2 and   
you know you can not make your condition
 any better1 for you have tried it and  
failed till you are heart-sick and      
hopeless4 ,you are satisfied that       
neither your education1 nor your wisdom1
 nor your shrewdness1 nor your money1 if
 you have any1 nor your family1 nor your
 friends1 nor your strength1 nor your   
will1 nor all these put together and    
multiplied a thousand times can deliver 
you from soul-bondage and soul-darkness 
and satisfy your aching and breaking    
heart4 ,is that your feeling1 my        
brother8 ,then you are the one ,i am    
talking to2 nay1 you are the one my     
,divine ,master is talking to4 ,but ,god
 said the same thing in other words away

 back yonder one thousand years before  
,jesus came to earth4 ,read it in ,psalm
 xxxiv3 #ah3 ,the ,lord is nigh unto    
them that are of a broken heart and     
saveth such as be of a contrite spirit4 
,have your sins broken your heart8 ,does
 the recollection of them cast down your
 spirit8 ,you are not far from the      
kingdom of ,god then4 ,only believe on  
,jesus ,christ who was not only ,divine 
,teacher but also sin-bearer1 and see   
,god's willingness to save sinners1 in  
the scene enacted on ,calvary's         
trembling summit4 ,what did ,jesus      
suffer for if not for you and your sins8
 ,say1 what for1 if not for you and all 
sinners8 ,answer that question4 ,do not 
turn it away or put it off but answer   
it4  ,did ,i say you were not far from  
the kingdom of heaven8 ,my text says1 if
 you have the spirit ,i have described  
that yours is1 is now1 the kingdom of   
heaven4 ,read it again4 ,will you       
believe it8  ,oh1 are you afraid to     
venture8 ,is it too good to be true8    

,well1 ,i tell you ,i ventured and that 
with forty-two years of sin and crime on
 my heart to press me down and keep me  
back4 ,yes2 ,i ventured and ,i found    
such a welcome that ,i was constrained  
in the joy of my heart to give up all   
other employment and spend my whole time
 and energy in telling of it to others  
who are in the condition ,i was in4     
,but if there are any here who are      
satisfied with themselves1 who do not   
feel their need of help and cleansing   
and deliverance1 then this message of   
comfort is not for you4 ,if you think   
you know enough about eternity to risk  
going into it as you are1 if you think  
you know enough about ,god to meet him  
as you are1 then we have no message of  
consolation for you4 ,it is not because 
we do not want you to have a message of 
consolation and salvation1 but because  
you do not want it4  ,it is said in one 
place that the ,word of ,god is a       
discerner of the thoughts and intents of
 the heart4 ,and now ,i am sure this    

text of ours has to-night found you out 
and shown you to yourself4 ,where do you
 stand8 ,and even if you are persuaded1 
the suggestion to put it off till       
to-morrow or next week will knock it all
 in the head4   ,,matthew ,v3 #d-e4     
#d4 ,blessed are they that mourn2 for   
they shall be      comforted4       #e4 
,blessed are the meek2 for they shall   
inherit the earth4  ,our talk to-night  
follows right along in the line of the  
one preceding4 ,we shall continue to    
speak of that wonderful address of      
,jesus which is called the ,sermon on   
the ,mount and which we began to speak  
of before4 ,we were speaking of those   
who are poor in spirit and tried to     
describe such4 ,now we go on and we find
 the next words of ,jesus1 the ,divine  
,teacher1 just suited to those who are  
poor in spirit1 who are dissatisfied    
with themselves and their condition1 and
 who are wretched because they have not 
the grace and favor of ,god1 and who1 as
 the ,psalm says1 have a broken heart   

and a contrite spirit4 7,psalm xxxiv41  
#ah47 ,and what are these comforting    
words of ,jesus8 ,blessed are they that 
mourn1 for they shall be comforted4 ,of 
course1 those who are poor in spirit and
 broken in heart will mourn4 ,they are  
comfortless and they will mourn for     
comfort4 ,they are in darkness and they 
will mourn for light4 ,they are in sin  
and under condemnation and they will    
mourn till the power of sin is destroyed
 and they are set free and until the    
voice of forgiving love assures them    
that there is henceforth nothing against
 them4 ,ah1 yes1 when a man is under    
conviction for sin he is1 above all men1
 a mourner4 ,there is hardly any sorrow 
that strikes deeper or any suspense that
 is more intense or awful4  ,but is     
there no one here who knows all about   
this1 not because they have heard me    
describe it1 but because they have felt 
it and groaned under it or1 may be1 are 
doing so now8  ,well1 let me assure you1
 on the authority of ,jesus1 there is   

comfort for you as surely as ,jesus will
 not lie4 ,does ,he say ,cursed are they
 who mourn8 ,or ,to be pitied are they  
that mourn8 ,no1 ,he says1 ,blessed are 
they4  ,there1 now1 you are already     
comforted a little bit1 are you not8    
,but what is the rest of this sentence  
of ,jesus8 ,for they shall be comforted4
 ,and1 indeed1 the fact that you mourn  
for a better condition and a better life
 and for ,god1 is itself a ground for   
you to surely expect comfort4 ,for only 
,god's spirit could make you            
dissatisfied with yourself1 tired of    
your sins and eager to find ,god4  ,and 
if ,he began the work ,he will carry it 
on to completion1 assuredly1 if you do  
not hinder him by your turning back to  
sin or going with the vicious or        
refusing to have faith in ,jesus as     
,saviour4  ,and the next verse comes    
right along to fill out the one we are  
considering4 ,blessed are the meek4  ,if
 a man is truly poor in spirit1 mourning
 because of his sins and his ignorance  

of ,god and his insecurity in view of   
death1 then he will not be egotistic and
 ambitious and greedy of praise and     
pompous and self-sufficient and disposed
 to stand on his honor and his rights4  
,but he will have the opposite feelings 
exactly4  ,he feels his unworthiness so 
deeply and keenly that he is willing to 
give up his own rights and to prefer    
others before himself4 ,and ,jesus adds1
 the meek shall inherit the earth4  ,a  
man who has this spirit of humility1    
deep consciousness of his unworthiness  
and a disposition to bear all things    
rather than be contentious1 will win    
everybody and they will want to give up 
to him4  ,you have perhaps read of the  
man who went to his neighbor to claim a 
piece of ground in his possession1 and1 
contrary to his expectation1 that       
neighbor said1 ,well1 then1 if it is    
yours1 ,i will not have a strife about  
it4 ,i will move in my fence and let you
 have it4 ,this gentle answer and this  
meek spirit made the other man so       

ashamed and so completely melted and won
 him that he said he would not take the 
land1 and he went back home leaving it  
as it was4  ,and so if you have this    
meek and yielding spirit1 and this      
patient and forgiving spirit1 you will  
make even your enemies to be at peace   
with you4 ,but this meekness of spirit  
includes1 also1 cheerful submission to  
all the hard and disappointing and      
trying experiences of life1 and perfect 
contentment with one's lot4  ,a man who 
is always sour and bitter because things
 don't go to suit him is the opposite of
 a meek man4 ,and one of the loveliest  
and most attractive and winning         
qualities of human character is this    
unfailing resignation1 this cheerful    
acceptance of all that comes upon us4   
,if the church were full of people of   
this description1 they would soon win   
the world1 and1 as ,jesus said1 they    
would inherit the earth4  ,now1 let me  
ask1 have we all who profess to be      
,christians this meek spirit and        

character8 ,are we gentle and cheerful  
at home and abroad1 when we are         
disappointed as well as when we are     
gratified1 when we are treated with     
ingratitude and injury as well as when  
we are treated with kindness1           
consideration and honor8 ,or are we     
crabbed and cross and discontented and  
complaining against those who cross our 
wills and against the lot that ,god has 
given to us in life8 ,if we are of this 
last sort we shall not draw many to     
,jesus and to the acceptance of our     
religion4 ,you can't catch flies with   
vinegar4  ,how disposed are we to lay   
our crossness and roughness to the      
charge of our health1 our dyspepsia or  
neuralgia or nervousness4 ,but it would 
be all the more convincing to men if1 in
 the midst of bad health and            
nervousness1 we should have a meek1     
quiet1 patient1 bright and cheerful     
spirit4  ,and if you haven't it1 the way
 to get it is to be filled with ,god's  
spirit1 and the way to do that is to    

pray1 to commune with ,god in secret1 to
 patiently wait for ,him1 as ,david did 
7,psalms xl1 #a71 and to be with ,him so
 much that ,he shall become more real to
 you than the objects of sight and sound
 and feeling that surround you4         
,,matthew ,v3 #ac4       ,ye are the    
salt of the earth1 but if the salt hath 
lost its      savor wherewith shall it  
be salted8 ,it is thenceforth good for  
nothing but to be cast out and to be    
trodden under foot of      men4  ,jesus 
takes the most familiar facts and       
objects to convey the truths and        
doctrines which ,he wished to           
communicate4 ,here he uses for          
illustration an object1 with the        
properties and uses of which everybody  
is familiar--namely1 salt4 ,it is good  
to prevent corruption and to preserve   
life4 ,without it life could not        
continue4 ,i have heard of a party of   
travelers whose supply of salt almost   
gave out2 and not having enough for     
themselves and their horses1 the horses 

grew weak1 would stagger1 and finally   
fall and die1 though they had food for  
them4 ,yet the lack of salt could not be
 supplied by any amount of food4  ,so it
 is with ,christianity4 ,it prevents    
corruption1 moral corruption1 in the    
individual1 and so prevents social      
corruption1 political corruption1       
national corruption1 and is the means of
 purification in all these respects4    
,but it not only prevents corruption1 it
 imparts spiritual life and vigor and   
sends its possessors on their way filled
 with an energy that goes out after     
others4  ,christianity is suited to be  
the salt of the earth4 ,it demands a    
perfect morality1 a perfect             
righteousness1 and offers the highest   
motives to men to attain this4 ,it      
teaches1 with assurance1 that there is a
 righteous ,god who demands holiness on 
our part1 and1 at the same time1 it     
encourages men and inspires them with   
hope because it declares that this ,god 
loves men1 as sinners1 and so it gets   

hold of men by the heart4  ,if man will 
only compare those nations that are     
,christian with those that are not1 he  
will find out what a difference there   
is4  ,but the text refers to the holy   
lives of ,christians as being the salt  
of the earth4  ,the savor of ,christians
 is an unction from the spirit of ,god  
that produces purity1 humility1         
patience1 long-suffering1 self-denial1  
tenderness1 sympathy and unselfish love4
  ,and when men see a person whose daily
 life presents all these beauties1 they 
are forced to pause and regard it4 ,it  
is such an unnatural and such an        
unearthly thing that they can not help  
it4 ,and it is far more convincing and  
eloquent than all logic and rhetoric put
 together4 ,there is no way of getting  
around it4 ,men know that a gifted      
orator can dress things up so as to make
 any cause seem a fair and plausible    
one1 but men know also that neither a   
gifted orator nor any one less than ,god
 can make men humble1 pure1 patient1    

gentle1 long-suffering1 unselfish and   
glad to spend and be spent for others   
than themselves4  ,when men see such a  
life1 they seek to know how it is       
realized1 and finding that ,christianity
 has done it1 that faith in ,jesus has  
done it1 they are constrained to say3   
,we know that ,christianity is from     
,god4 ,for nothing could do such        
wonderful miracles except ,god be in it1
 as ,nicodemus said to ,jesus4  ,there  
are so many men who are anxiously       
inquiring about spiritual things and    
about ,god and a future life4 ,and they 
say3 ,show us something that            
,christianity can do4 ,and if we are    
living such lives1 they find what they  
are seeking for and are satisfied4 ,but 
there are many men who won't search the 
,bible to find out if it is true--and   
many who don't do so for want of time   
and of opportunity--and some who can't  
do so because they can't read or reason1
 and we force ,christianity upon their  
attention by the beauty and             

unearthliness of holy ,christian lives4 
,instead of waiting for them to come    
inquire and into ,christianity1 which   
they might never do1 we carry it before 
their eyes in its loveliest and most    
attractive and powerful form when we    
live holy lives before them4 ,and when  
men see many people living thus1 it     
turns the tide of their feelings1       
reverses the current of their thoughts1 
and makes it easy instead of difficult  
to believe4 ,oh1 that we had more of    
these entirely consecrated lives6 ,they 
would do far more good than the         
preaching4 ,when people see these       
consecrated women doing the work they do
 for the poor neglected children1 they  
say3 ,ah1 now1 that looks like          
something1 sure enough1 and we believe  
in that sort of religion4 ,john ,wesley 
said3 ,give me one hundred men who love 
nothing but ,god1 and who fear nothing  
but sin1 and we will soon lay ,england  
at ,jesus' feet4  ,how can we get and   
keep this savour1 this divine unction   

which produces such a life8 ,only by    
much communion with ,god4  ,david knew  
no fear when he went to meet ,goliath   
because he had communed so much with    
,god in the sheep pastures that ,god was
 more of a reality to him than ,goliath 
was4 ,so it must be with us1 my dear    
brothers1 or we lose this savour4  ,and 
that is what the text says4 ,let us read
 it again4  ,you may retain outward     
forms of religion and perform outward   
duties1 but the unction and zeal and    
power will be gone and men will find it 
out and see it and say that you are no  
better than they are4  ,so the text     
says1 ,good for nothing but to be cast  
out and trodden under foot of men4 ,and 
sad it is that more harm is done to the 
cause of ,christianity by hypocritical  
or wicked or inconsistent professors of 
it than by all the ,ingersolls in the   
world4 ,men look at the church to see   
what ,christianity can do2 and seeing it
 does nothing extraordinary in the way  
of making men better1 they say it must  

be false4 ,so it is the wicked and      
worldly professors of religion that make
 more infidels than anything else4 ,oh1 
let us be sure that we are not the      
darkness of the world4 ,for if we are   
not its light1 we become darkness4  ,the
 light in the lighthouse may be burning1
 but if the lights along the shore are  
not burning1 too1 the poor sailors may  
be lost4      ,brightly beams our       
,father's mercy       ,from ,his        
lighthouse evermore1     ,but to us ,he 
gives the keeping       ,of the lights  
along the shore4   ,,the ,,prodigal     
,,son1  ,,his ,,sin1 ,,his              
,,wretchedness ,,and ,,his ,,recovery4  
,,luke ,,xv3 #aa-bd4  #a4 ,this younger 
son thought he was wiser than his father
 and wanted to manage his own affairs4  
,so it is with men who think they can   
manage their own affairs without ,god4  
,and as this young man wanted to get as 
far from his father's presence as       
possible 7see verse #ac1 into a far     
country7 so the sinner1 when he         

determines to give himself up to        
pleasure and sin1 wants to get as far   
from ,god as possible4 ,he does not want
 to hear about ,him or even think about 
,him4 ,was not this so with you8  #b4   
,the father did not compel the son to   
stay at home4 ,he allowed him to choose 
what he preferred4 ,so it is with ,god4 
,he does not compel us to obedience4    
,for my part ,i wish ,he did4 ,but he   
lets us go and pursue sin with all our  
hearts1 if we choose that above the     
innocence and joy of dwelling with ,him4
  #c4 ,he wasted his substance with     
riotous living1 verse #ac1 and so it is 
with the sinner--in the service of sin  
and ,satan he wastes and destroys his   
property1 his health1 his reputation1   
his intellect1 his conscience--all4     
,and he began to be in want4  ,that is  
what sin brings a man to--want1 want1   
want and wretchedness1 wretchedness1    
wretchedness4 ,has not sin done this for
 you8  #d4 ,and it was this very        
wretchedness which brought him to his   

senses--he came to himself 7verse #ag74 
,and when he does come to himself he can
 think of only one place where he can   
hope to find relief and he bravely      
determines to go straight to the very   
father he had so shamefully abandoned   
and to make a full confession of his sin
 and throw himself on that father's     
mercy with the hope of being taken back 
as a hired servant4 ,he is willing to   
take the humblest and meanest place1 if 
he can only get back to that home he    
was1 a short time before1 so eager to   
leave4 ,nor does he offer any excuse1 he
 calls his sin by the right name and    
confesses it without trying to excuse it
 or justify it4  #e4 ,and how did his   
father receive him8  ,why1 he did not   
wait till his poor1 ragged1 worn and    
wasted boy got in and made his          
confession but he saw him a great way   
off 7verse #bj7 and he knew what had    
passed in the poor boy's heart and life1
 and1 moved with compassion toward him1 
he ran and fell on his neck and kissed  

him a glad welcome back to his heart and
 his home4 ,but the son goes on to make 
his confession and his offer to be a    
hired servant anyhow1 and yet the father
 says1 ,no6 no6 bring forth the best    
robe and put it on him4 ,so1 though we  
may go to ,god expecting to work as     
servants for ,him and for ,his favor1   
,he gives us far more than we ask and   
,he makes us ,his own sons4 ,and1 poor  
wretched sinners1 ,i come now with this 
message for you1 bruised and sore and   
despairing and wretched as you are on   
account of your sins4 ,may ,god help you
 believe it4   ,,ii4 ,,peter ,i3 #e-f4  
#e4 ,and besides this1 giving all       
diligence1 add to your faith            
virtue2 and to virtue1 knowledge2       
#f4 ,and to knowledge1 temperance2 and  
to temperance1 patience2      and to    
patience1 godliness4  ,i want to say    
something to you to-night about how to  
grow in the ,christian life1 and how to 
secure yourself from falling4 ,and now1 
let me begin by saying what you1 no     

doubt1 have heard before1 that there is 
no such thing as standing still in the  
,christian life4 ,if you are not going  
forward1 you are losing ground4 ,see the
 ,apostle here speaks of giving all     
diligence1 to be adding something all   
the time4 ,and why not exercise         
diligence in making sure of the         
salvation of your souls8 ,men use       
astonishing diligence in the affairs and
 pursuits of this life4 ,the men of all 
professions and occupations use         
diligence and industry and toil and     
self-denial in order to make a little   
money or to gain a little honor4 ,why1  
you know there are thousands of men in  
this city who get up early in wet       
weather or dry1 in summer's heat or     
winter's cold1 and go hurrying up and   
down these streets to be at their places
 at the prescribed hour for beginning   
their day's toil2 and they work1 work1  
work1 sometimes with tired hands and    
feet and weary hearts1 till the sun goes
 down1 because they know they must do it

 in order to get bread and meat and     
clothing for themselves and their       
families4 ,they do not stop to think how
 they feel4 ,no1 no2 feelings and       
preferences and all must be overlooked  
and forgotten2 for they know that work  
must be done that bread may be won4 ,and
 we do not hear many complaining of     
this4 ,they accept it as a matter of    
course4 ,why1 ,i know how the gamblers  
will sit up late and do without sleep1  
and rack their brains1 in order to      
devise some means of finding a poor     
victim and getting his money4 ,then why 
should not ,christians1 who are striving
 to avoid the danger and sorrow of sin  
and to gain eternal rest and reward--why
 should not they exercise diligence and 
self-denial and watchfulness also8 ,and 
we are told in the text how to succeed  
in this4 ,we are to make up our minds by
 ,god's grace to live a life of         
consecration and activity4  ,you have   
begun with faith1 have you not8 ,if any 
man here has been truly converted1 he   

knows what faith is4 ,he came to ,christ
 as a hell-deserving sinner1 and        
believed in ,christ's mercy for         
forgiveness and salvation4 ,so faith is 
the first step2 faith is the foundation4
 ,and let me stop to say to any one here
 who is not yet saved1 that1 if he wants
 to be1 he must throw himself as a      
sinner on the mercy of ,god in ,christ2 
and ,god will save him at once1 if he   
will do so4 ,but1 having exercised faith
 and received forgiveness and strength1 
you must add virtue1 which means courage
 or boldness4 ,it is sometimes very hard
 for a man who has lived a sinner and   
taken pride in it1 to come out before   
the world1 and especially before his old
 companions1 and let them know that     
henceforth and forever he is a humble   
follower of ,jesus ,christ4 ,but it is  
necessary4 ,no middle ground is safe at 
all4 ,if you try to meet the world as a 
reformed man1 concealing the fact that  
you are a ,christian1 you will weaken1  
and give the devil a great advantage1   

and probably fall4 ,i told gamblers in  
,denver ,i was a ,christian1 and they   
let me alone4 ,but1 not only that1 you  
must be bold enough to try to persuade  
others to become ,christians4 ,there are
 some poor cowards who are not ashamed  
to let their friends and the world know 
that they have reformed2 but they are   
too chicken-hearted to say that they    
have humbled themselves1 surrendered    
their pride and become ,christians4 ,i  
know more than one of that sort4 ,and1  
again1 there are some men who are       
content to be saved themselves1 but are 
afraid of being called fanatics if they 
are bold enough to go to talking and    
trying to persuade others to be so4     
,boldness in going out after others     
strengthened me and kept me from many a 
temptation4  ,but1 having this godly    
boldness1 you must go on striving to get
 knowledge--knowledge of your own       
deceitful heart1 knowledge of human     
nature1 knowledge of the fullness of the
 gospel way of salvation4 ,when a man is

 first converted1 he is almost like a   
baby4 ,everything is new1 and he hardly 
knows anything4 ,so it was with me1 but 
,i trust ,i have grown in knowledge of  
myself and others and of the word of    
,god and of the plan of salvation4 ,your
 knowledge will increase of itself if   
you are in earnest and if you will use  
all the means of growing better and     
stronger4 ,conversation with older      
,christians1 when you get into a tight  
place1 will help you4 ,earnest prayer to
 ,god will result in increase of        
knowledge4 ,reading ,his precious word1 
and studying short portions of it at a  
time1 with prayer for guidance1 will    
wonderfully enlighten you and increase  
your knowledge4 ,you will gain knowledge
 also by reading good books--the lives  
of very pious people1 and the sermons of
 such men as ,wesley1 ,spurgeon1 etc4   
,why not have some good books to read8  
,could you invest your money to better  
advantage8 ,in this way1 having your    
mind always occupied with the subject of

 religion1 you will have neither time   
nor temptation for sin or thoughts of   
sin4  ,there are some selfish men who1  
when they find themselves delivered from
 their evil appetites and raised up     
again to respectability and their right 
mind1 begin to think of reading all     
sorts of worldly and profane literature1
 and want to cultivate their literary   
taste and prepare to shine in society4  
,such men forget the pit from which they
 were taken1 and in their selfishness   
and worldliness and pride become blind  
to the awful peril to which they expose 
themselves in neglecting to keep their  
minds occupied with religious thoughts  
and subjects as far as is practicable4  
,some of our converts have fallen in    
this way4  ,but what is the next thing1 
to be added8 ,it is temperance4 ,this   
means entire self-control in things that
 are1 in themselves1 innocent and       
lawful4 ,of course1 men understand that 
in things that are wrong and dangerous  
nothing is right or safe but an utter   

abstinence from them and abhorrence of  
them1 7,read ,romans xii41 #i1 second   
clause3 ,abhor that which is evil47     
,temperance means here what we spoke    
about when we considered ,paul's saying 
that he kept his body under1 and brought
 it into subjection1 lest he should be a
 castaway 7#a ,corinthians1 ix3 #bg74   
,and as you grow in experience and in   
knowledge of yourself you will find it  
absolutely necessary to keep down your  
body by denying it1 and by asserting    
your entire mastery of it1 through      
,god's grace4 ,oh1 be careful and be    
prayerful1 and be self-denying1 or some 
day1 when you think all is secure1 some 
sudden temptation will come and find you
 self-indulgent and careless1 and1 like 
,david1 you will fall before you are    
aware of it1 and then1 maybe1 have not  
the heart and hope to ever try to be a  
,christian again4 ,men who have been    
addicted to bad habits before are       
especially in danger if they do not     
practice the strictest self-control in  

all things4 ,but1 with all this1 you    
will often be provoked1 and find your   
temper very troublesome4 ,it troubled me
 long after conversion and troubles me  
now more than anything else4 ,so it is  
necessary to bear all things1 however   
unreasonable and provoking they may be2 
and this is exactly the next thing the  
,apostle puts down--namely1 patience4   
,oh1 how ,i tremble for some of these   
men who are converted here4 ,they do not
 know how necessary it is to keep right 
down in the dust1 and not only to give  
diligence1 but to make it their chief   
business for some time to watch and     
guard their thoughts and ways1 and to   
pray always1 and by all the means we    
have spoken of try to keep away--far1   
far away from temptation4 ,i beg you to 
make up your minds to bear anything and 
everything4 ,always be ready for a      
disappointment1 and determine not to let
 your contentment and happiness depend  
upon anything or anybody in this world4 
,then it won't make any difference what 

happens to you2 it will come like water 
on a duck's back1 and won't hurt you4   
,remember how humble you had to get     
before you could get forgiveness and    
strength to resist your appetites4 ,and 
did it kill you or did it damage you in 
any way8 ,no6 ,it killed your wretched  
sins1 but not you4 ,it robbed you of    
your bondage and darkness and despair   
and wretchedness4 ,but it did not rob   
you of any good1 did it8 ,then it won't 
hurt you to keep humble and in that same
 state of mind till you die4 ,and you   
can afford to do so4 ,how would you like
 to get back into bondage and darkness  
where you were8 ,you say3 ,not for the  
world6 ,but1 if you knew you could1 by  
diligence and watchfulness1 gain the    
world1 you would be diligent and        
watchful4 ,and yet1 by this diligence1  
you not only keep yourself secure from  
falling back1 you make your family      
happy1 you bless many others--and1 best 
of all1 you make sure of everlasting    
life1 and escape the hell which we all  

fear more than all things else combined4
      ,since ,i must fight if ,i would  
reign1       ,increase my courage1      
,lord2     ,i'll bear the toil1 endure  
the pain1       ,supported by ,thy word4
   ,,ecclesiastes ,,xii3 #ac4       ,let
 us bear the conclusion of the whole    
matter3 ,fear ,god and      keep ,his   
commandments2 for this is the whole duty
 of man4  ,the book of ,ecclesiastes    
contains the experience of a man who had
 tried every phase of life1 who had     
tasted every kind of pleasure1 and who1 
also1 had experience in the service of  
,god1 with its consolations and its     
sacrifices2 and he had also made a study
 of the great questions that come up in 
considering the affairs of the world    
about him4 ,and after his long and      
thorough experience1 and his deep and   
life-long study of the facts of human   
life and history1 he at last reaches a  
conclusion concerning it all1 and this  
conclusion he has recorded in the text  
,i have read1 ,fear ,god and keep ,his  

commandments1 etc4  #a4 ,fear ,god4     
,the fear of ,god is natural to man     
until1 by false teaching and evil       
association1 it is destroyed4 ,the      
severe things we see in nature about us 
lead us to have a dread of ,him who is  
the author of all these things4 ,and1   
then1 death is an awful and a           
fear-inspiring thing1 and the thought of
 what is to come after death1 in that   
unknown country from which no traveler  
has ever returned to tell us of it1     
fills us with awe and sobers us whenever
 it comes to us4 ,and most men even that
 are in their lives wicked1 and         
seemingly have no thought of ,god or    
fear of ,him1 are often troubled with   
the fear of death and what is to come   
after death4 ,this was my own           
experience4  #b4 ,but merely to have    
this fear of ,god is not sufficient1 and
 will do no good if it does not lead a  
man to obey ,god and keep ,his          
commandments1 as the text says4 ,for    
example1 ,i knew a fireman in an        

engine-house here who had this fear of  
,god2 but he lived a swearing1 drinking 
man1 and1 of course1 he was not at all  
benefited by his fear of ,god4 ,no doubt
 this fear of ,god was created in the   
human mind in order to lead men to keep 
,god's commandments4 ,but how are we to 
know ,his commandments8 ,why1 my        
brothers1 they are given with great     
plainness in ,his ,holy ,word--so plain 
that the wayfaring man1 though he be a  
fool1 need not miss them if only he is  
willing to know them and to do them4    
,and1 as ,st4 ,john says1 ,his          
commandments are not grievous4 ,they    
only require of us what is most just and
 reasonably due to ,him who is the      
giver1 the free and bountiful giver1 of 
all the good things of this life1 and   
the gracious promiser of perfect        
blessedness in the life to come4 ,and1  
on the human side1 ,his commandments    
require of us only that we keep from    
doing to others what they ought not do  
to us1 and that we do for others that   

which they ought to do for us4 ,in other
 words1 the commandments of ,god are all
 embraced in two sentences1 ,love ,god  
with all your heart1 because ,he first  
loved you1 and ,love your fellowmen1    
because they are commanded to love you1 
and when you submit to ,god's ,spirit1  
and become renewed in mind and heart1   
born again1 made a new creature1 you    
will see the reasonableness of keeping  
,god's commandments1 and the            
desirableness of it1 in such a light    
that you will go on in ,his ways with   
delight1 desiring to know more and more 
of ,him4  #c4 ,and we are told that to  
do this is the whole purpose of man's   
existence1 and when he does this he has 
fully answered the end of his existence1
 met all that is required of him and is 
secure amid the problems of life and the
 possibilities of the unknown future4   
,this1 also1 brings rest to the human   
heart1 a rest to be found nowhere else4 
,i am in a position to speak with some  
confidence and positiveness on this     

point2 for1 like the man who uttered the
 text1 ,i have tried life in all its    
phases4 ,i have had all the kinds of    
pleasure1 and ,i have tested them to the
 bottom4 ,i have found out all there is 
in them4 ,for forty years ,i gave myself
 to seeking and enjoying worldly        
pleasure1 and ,i ought to know what it  
can do for a human soul4 ,but ,i have   
another advantage1 too2 ,i have tried   
the doctrine of my text4 ,i have        
surrendered myself1 my life1 my         
prospects1 my all1 to ,god1 and live    
only to keep ,his commandments and to   
please ,him4 ,my mind has been renewed1 
transformed1 my life entirely turned    
around4 ,i have passed through the      
struggle and the sacrifice that were    
involved in becoming a ,christian1 and  
,i have been passing through those that 
belong to the life of a ,christian4 ,but
 you may say ,i speak thus because it is
 a novelty to me4 ,no1 sir2 it is no    
longer a novelty4 ,i have been trying it
 now for ten years--surely a long enough

 time to know pretty well how it        
compares with the old life2 and my      
testimony1 from forty years' experience 
of the old life and ten years of the new
 life1 is that of the writer of my text1
 ,fear ,god and keep ,his commandments3 
for this is the whole duty of man4      
,,hebrews ,,xii3 #a1 #b4       #a4      
,wherefore1 seeing we also are compassed
 about with so great      a cloud of    
witnesses1 let us lay aside every       
weight1 and the      sin which doth so  
easily beset us1 and let us run with    
patience      the race that is set      
before us4       #b4 ,looking unto      
,jesus1 the ,author and ,finisher of our
 faith2      who for the joy that was   
set before ,him endured the cross1      
despising the shame1 and is set down at 
the right hand of the      throne of    
,god4  ,the ,apostle here speaks of a   
great number of witnesses1 who1 having  
tried ,god and ,his ways1 are competent 
to testify as to what ,god can do for   
those who trust ,him and serve ,him4 ,in

 the chapter just preceding he has      
spoken of ,abraham and ,joseph and      
,moses1 and many others1 and they1      
having lived the life of faith1 were    
prepared to say whether it was a        
disappointment or not to trust ,god and 
to walk in ,his ways4 ,and they were not
 disappointed4 ,they obtained a good    
report1 held fast to their faith in     
,god1 and were content to endure all    
sorts of trials and sufferings for the  
comfort and compensation of their       
religion4 ,and so now there are         
witnesses1 not a few1 who have tested   
this matter1 and tested it under        
circumstances the most adverse and      
trying1 and they give no uncertain      
testimony as to the desirableness of    
religion4 ,there are people who have    
none of the good things of this world2  
none of its honors2 none of its         
pleasures2 none of its wealth1 and not  
many of its comforts1 and yet they are  
contented1 and even happy4 ,yes1 far    
happier than many who have the best that

 this world can give4 ,i am one of this 
class myself4 ,then the ,apostle goes on
 to exhort them to hold fast1 and to go 
on1 because others having tried it were 
conquerors4  ,he exhorts to three       
things3  #a4 ,to lay aside every weight1
 and especially every besetting sin that
 might have especial attraction and     
special power4 ,and it is impossible to 
serve ,god and have peace of conscience 
and to overcome sin while the mind is   
divided and undecided4 ,a man can not   
expect to win a race if he ties heavy   
weights upon his person2 be must be     
unencumbered and free4 ,so1 in running  
the ,christian race1 we must free       
ourselves from everything we find to be 
a hindrance1 no matter how desirable or 
how dear it may be to the flesh4 ,so    
,jesus ,himself says3 ,if anything so   
dear as a right arm or a right eye      
becomes a hindrance to to us1 it must be
 given up4 ,there are men who say they  
want to serve ,god1 and expect to do so1
 but then they enjoy certain things they

 know to be wrong and hurtful1 and they 
will indulge in them just a little1 not 
enough to cause them to get clear away  
from ,god4 ,i know and you know men who 
think they can enjoy sin just a little1 
or once in awhile4 ,in the first place1 
this is ungrateful and mean4 ,it is the 
same as to say3 ,i want to be just      
religious enough to escape hell1 and yet
 ,i want to enjoy all the pleasure ,i   
can from sin1 too4 ,such a feeling      
dishonors ,god4 ,and1 in the second     
place1 it is exceedingly dangerous4 ,it 
shows that the heart is not right4      
,while you are trifling thus with sin1  
you may become so fascinated by it and  
led away as to be enslaved before you   
know it1 and lose all your taste for    
heavenly things4 ,besides1 ,god will not
 long bear with a man who has no better 
heart and no more self-sacrificing      
spirit than that4 ,for myself1 ,i should
 tremble and shudder if ,i were so far  
gone as to feel that ,i could go and    
deliberately indulge in some pleasant   

sin for awhile and then come back to    
resume the service of ,god when ,i had  
satiated my evil desires4 ,be assured1  
you can not serve ,god and sin4 ,they   
are as opposite as light and darkness2  
you must give up one or the other4 ,but1
 you say1 how can ,i give up sin8 ,if   
you are willing to do so1 ,god will see 
that you have the power to do it4 ,give 
it up if it gives you pain--yes1 if it  
breaks your heart6 ,god ,himself will   
pour in the oil of comfort and joy1 and 
heal all your wounds4  #b4 ,the ,apostle
 exhorts to run with patience the race  
set before us4 ,it is easy to do well   
for awhile2 to abstain from sin while   
the excitement of novelty in the        
religious life is upon us2 and how many 
there are who began well and did well   
for awhile1 but when the novelty wore   
away1 and the excitement of the change  
was gone1 they grew weary and sought the
 old pleasures of sin again4 ,some have 
thus done in connection with our work   
here in this mission4 ,make up your mind

 before hand that when the time of      
temptation and loneliness comes1 you    
will endure it and go through with it   
patiently1 waiting for the removal of   
the temptation and the return of joy4   
,and when temptation does come1 pray1 oh
 pray4 ,go alone and ask ,god to restore
 to you the joy of ,his salvation and   
trust ,him until he does it4 ,go work   
for others2 go mingle with ,christian   
people1 whether you feel like it or not1
 and you will soon find how to meet the 
enemy1 and how to defeat his plans and  
purposes4  #c4 ,but his last exhortation
 is to look to ,jesus4 ,he bore our sins
 on the cross1 and therefore we are     
released from them1 if we trust ,him and
 accept ,him as our sin-bearer4 ,he is  
alive forevermore2 and when earnestly   
asked1 ,he gives spiritual life and joy 
and strength by sending the ,holy       
,spirit into our hearts4 ,then again1   
,his life is the pattern of patience in 
loneliness and trials1 which you and ,i 
are to follow2 and can we desire or     

aspire to be or to do any better than   
did ,he8      ,would you lose your load 
of sin8       ,fix your eyes upon       
,jesus4     ,would you have ,god's peace
 within8       ,fix your eyes upon      
,jesus4   ,,acts ,,ii3 #ch4       ,then 
,peter said unto them1 ,repent and be   
baptized every one of      you in the   
name of ,jesus ,christ for the remission
 of sins1 and      ye shall receive the 
gift of the ,holy ,ghost4  ,we may not  
be able to understand how it is1 but    
these inspired ,scriptures represent the
 work of salvation as applied to human  
hearts by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,we do not 
hear enough of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,we do
 not know ,him and speak of ,him and    
pray for ,his help and guidance and     
power1 as the ,scriptures teach us to   
do4 ,these ,scriptures are our guide2   
what they say we do not question1 nor   
can we subtract from them or add to     
them4 ,let us see1 then1 what they teach
 us as to the ,holy ,spirit4 ,in the    
#adth1 #aeth and #afth chapters of ,st4 

,john's ,gospel ,jesus distinctly       
promises ,his disciples that upon ,his  
departure ,he would send to them and to 
the world a divine agent whom ,he calls 
the ,spirit of ,truth1 the ,comforter1  
etc41 and ,he tells them what that      
divine agent would do4 ,let us1 then1   
fix our minds now intently on what ,he  
says1 and be prepared to believe it4    
,he said that this ,spirit of ,truth    
should convince men of sin4 ,well1 the  
fact is1 we do see men convinced of sin 
as sin1 and not merely because it is    
damaging and ruinous4 ,but we see this  
only in connection with the ,christian  
religion4 ,so it must be by means of    
some power that belongs to the          
,christian religion4 ,and if any of you 
here to-night see your sins and feel    
them to be1 not only damaging and       
destructive1 but mean and hateful and   
crimes against the good ,father who has 
borne with you and blessed you through  
all these years of sin1 then you may    
know that it is ,god's ,holy ,spirit    

that has produced that feeling in you2  
and especially so if you feel that your 
ingratitude to ,god1 who has provided   
for you a way of salvation at such great
 cost1 and your cold and heartless      
neglect of ,jesus ,christ through all   
these years of sin are the most         
aggravated part of your guilt4 ,and you 
may be sure if ,god is willing to begin 
a good work in you ,he is willing to    
carry it on to completion1 and will do  
so if you do not hinder ,him4 ,work out 
your salvation with fear and trembling1 
for it is ,god that worketh in you4 ,and
 since it is ,he who has begun this     
work1 beware that you do not hinder it  
or stop it by your coldness1            
carelessness or sin4  ,but1 in the      
second place1 ,jesus says the ,holy     
,spirit should reveal ,him to sinners as
 their sin-bearer and life-giver4 ,so   
the promise is to you4 ,hold on in      
prayer and patient expectation4 ,you can
 not be disappointed1 for ,god can not  
lie4 ,i was ignorant of ,christ to an   

astonishing and shameful degree2 but ,i 
was told to pray and ,i did so4 ,i shut 
myself up in my back room one evening   
and told ,god ,i was going to stay there
 until ,he blessed me1 and ,i was       
blessed1 and the only three words ,i    
uttered were ,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,by   
some power ,i was so illuminated and    
changed that ,i saw ,jesus as the       
dearest and loveliest being ,i ever     
thought of4 ,was not this a fulfillment 
to me of the promise made in ,john xvi43
 #ad8 ,and having received grace from my
 ,god1 ,i continue to this day          
witnessing to small and to great the    
things ,i have experienced since        
becoming a ,christian4 ,now1 let us     
inquire what else this gracious divine  
agent working in man is to do4  ,he it  
is who produces that change in men which
 we call conversion or regeneration or  
new birth4 ,you remember in ,john 7#c;d 
chapter7 the expression1 ,born of the   
,spirit1 and again in ,titus iii43 #e1  
it is said we are saved by the renewing 

of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,when we know1     
then1 that these changes are the        
immediate effect of the inworking of    
this divine agent1 we need not be       
surprised that they are so sudden and so
 thorough as we see them to be in some  
cases that we know of4 ,let me say to   
those who have not yet experienced this 
wonderful deliverance from the power and
 love of sin and this inner revolution1 
that many of us have tested this matter 
who were in the deepest depths of sin   
and darkness1 and ,god will do to depend
 on4 ,go ahead1 go ahead2 keep on       
praying and keep on hoping and trust    
yourself to ,jesus1 and you shall       
receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4   
,but1 after we have experienced this    
change which we call conversion1 ,god's 
spirit abides with us and keeps on doing
 great things for us when we are        
converted4 ,we are not made angels or   
gods1 but are still human1 and1 though  
delivered from the guilt and power of   
sin1 we are hampered by ignorance and   

depressed by sorrow and encompassed with
 temptations4 ,but just anticipating    
these needs of ours1 the ,holy ,spirit  
is to be our teacher and to guide us    
into the truth4 ,so we need not fear if 
we are only humble and honest and       
teachable2 we shall not go dangerously  
astray1 for ,god ,himself will thus open
 to our minds the wonderful things of   
,scripture1 and cause us to understand  
as much of it as we need4  ,but ,he1 the
 ,holy ,spirit1 is to be the comforter  
of ,god's people in their loneliness and
 trials and conflicts in this world of  
exile4 ,i have been sustained by unseen 
power in my trials as a ,christian4 ,but
 ,he enables them to overcome1 and be   
more than conquerors1 when they are     
assailed by temptation to sin4 ,he      
strengthens with might in the inner man 
7,ephesians iii43 #af71 and gives joy   
and peace2 so that the soul1 being      
content with these1 does not need or    
desire the poor pleasures of sin4 ,this 
has been my experience4  ,he sanctifies 

,god's people2 ,he makes them holier and
 holier2 ,he produces the fruit of love1
 joy1 peace1 long-suffering1 gentleness1
 goodness1 meekness1 temperance1 faith2 
and ,he gives power to reach1 by our    
poor words1 the hearts and consciences  
of others1 though they be dead in sin4  
,jesus says1 ,ye shall receive power    
after the ,holy ,ghost is come upon you4
 7,acts #a43 #h47 ,there are some men   
who have this power to reach and awaken 
and interest sinners in the salvation of
 their souls4 ,and they do have power to
 bring sinners into this new life of    
peace and purity and joy4 ,and you and  
,i might have this power1 and far more  
of it than we do1 if1 like the ,apostle1
 we would wait before ,god in patient1  
believing prayer till the ,holy ,spirit 
should come in fullness and power4      
,pentecost was a display of this power1 
and we may have another ,pentecost when 
we are willing to wait for it and pray  
for it as did the little company in the 
upper room at ,jerusalem4   ,,luke ,v3  

#cb4       ,i came not to call the      
righteous1 but sinners1 to repentance4  
,these words of ,jesus were spoken to   
the ,scribes and ,pharisees1 and combine
 in themselves a defense of ,his own    
course in mingling with sinners1 and a  
keen rebuke of the spirit of those who  
brought against him an accusation of    
associating with sinners1 as well as the
 declaration of the object of ,his      
mission into this poor darkened world4  
,and does it not seem strange that a man
 should be required to defend himself   
for going to spend and be spent for the 
good of those who are most sorely in    
need of help and relief8 ,but it has    
always been so4 ,men are so selfish1 so 
utterly without concern for the         
interests of others that they want to   
monopolize and swallow up everything    
that is good4 ,so when ,jesus of        
,nazareth was revealed to the ,jewish   
people1 and made ,himself conspicuous   
and famous by the daily performance of  
astonishing miracles1 the ,scribes and  

,pharisees1 who thought that everything 
ought to be subservient to their own    
personal interests and aggrandizement1  
fell out with ,jesus because ,he did not
 fall in with notions of what ,he ought 
to be and do4 ,they did not care a      
baubee for the people1 the rabble1 the  
mob1 the human cattle4 ,indeed they     
utterly despised them1 and would have   
nothing to do with them4 ,they might    
perish and rot so far as the ,scribes   
and ,pharisees were concerned1 provided 
these latter could hold the places of   
honor and gain4 ,and so utterly         
possessed were they by this feeling of  
all-consuming selfishness1 that when    
they saw this ,jesus of ,nazareth going 
with sinners1 talking with sinners and  
eating with sinners1 they set it down as
 a conclusion they would never give up  
that ,he was not1 and could not be1 and 
should not be1 their ,messiah4 ,so that 
,jesus was thus forced to reason with   
them1 and to make ,his defense before   
these self-constituted judges of ,his1  

and tell them why it was that ,he       
pursued the course ,he did4 ,so it was  
in the time of ,john ,wesley in         
,england4 ,he went among sinners1 talked
 with them1 taught them1 and drew them  
by the magic force of his great love to 
follow him wherever he went to preach2  
and they so crowded the churches to hear
 the words of grace and tenderness that 
fell from his lips1 that the doors were 
shut upon him1 and he had to go out on  
the commons and into the fields beneath 
the sky of that ,god and ,father whose  
words he was preaching1 and whose lost  
children he was trying to save4 ,this   
has been the experience of other zealous
 and earnest ministers of ,christ4 ,and 
they1 too1 have had to defend themselves
 for such a course4 ,our dear ,brother  
,morris felt himself pressed to say why 
he went to the courthouse steps to try  
to lift up the fallen and save the      
wretched and the lost4 ,but the words of
 ,jesus contain also a scathing rebuke  
of the self-righteous spirit of those   

hard-headed1 hard-hearted ,scribes and  
,pharisees4 ,it was the same as saying1 
you claim that you are the righteous of 
the world4 ,you are not willing to be   
classed with sinners1 or to be called   
sinners1 or to believe yourselves       
sinners4 ,therefore you have no need of 
me1 and ,i have nothing for you2 for ,i 
came not to call the righteous1 but     
sinners1 to repentance4 ,let us beware  
then1 my dear friends and brethren1 of  
thinking or feeling that we are better  
than others1 or that we are not sinners4
 ,now1 need ,i stop here to prove that  
any of you are sinners8 ,does any one   
here need to have arguments worked out  
and laid before him to prove to him that
 he is a poor1 miserable1 blind sinner8 
,if there is any one here who thinks and
 feels that he is not1 then he has no   
business here1 he has no business with  
,christ1 and we have nothing to tell him
 or give him here4 ,we bid him farewell1
 and turn away from him1 to work for and
 to talk to others4 ,if ,i were to go to

 see a sick man concerned about his     
soul1 and he were to begin to tell about
 his good deeds and his freedom from    
sins and vices1 ,i would get my hat and 
tell him good-bye2 that ,i knew nothing 
about salvation for anybody but sinners4
 ,but for sinners ,i have and hold up a 
,saviour1 a divine ,saviour1 who1       
blessed be ,god1 is able to save to the 
uttermost all who come to him1 and to   
save them here and now4 ,if you want to 
see a specimen of ,christ's interest in 
sinners and feeling for sinners1 look at
 ,his life4 ,in the beginning of ,his   
ministry ,he chooses ,matthew1 one of   
the despised class of publicans1 to be  
one of ,his disciples--nay1 one of ,his 
,apostles4 ,then ,he went to ,matthew's 
house to dinner4 ,it was as if some     
leading minister of the ,gospel here    
to-day would be seen walking down the   
street with some leading gambler1 on his
 way to take dinner and spend the       
afternoon with him4 ,it was as if ,mr4  
,moody should come to ,louisville to    

conduct one of his great meetings1 and1 
instead of stopping with ,mr4 ,carley or
 ,mr4 ,carter or ,judge ,bullock1 should
 stop with ,john ,young or ,harry       
,johnson1 and be his willing guest4 ,so 
,jesus went to the house of another big 
gambler1 so to speak1 in his day4 ,it   
was the publican ,zaccheus 7,luke xix41 
#a-aj71 and ,jesus not only went there  
to dinner1 but took salvation with ,him 
to ,zaccheus' house4 ,so by ,his        
tenderness and grace1 ,jesus drew to    
,him the poor outcast women of ,his day4
 ,one wretched sinner of this class was 
so won by ,his concern for sinners1 that
 she pressed her way into a rich man's  
house where ,jesus was dining1 and going
 to ,him washed ,his feet with her      
tears1 and anointed them with costly    
perfume1 ,jesus not only not forbidding 
her1 but defending her for it 7,luke    
#g74 ,and ,jesus spoke the parables of  
the ,lost ,sheep1 the ,lost ,piece of   
,silver1 the ,lost ,prodigal ,son1 and  
said--oh1 hear it--,there is joy in     

heaven over one sinner that repenteth4  
,,james ,i3 #be1 #bf4       #be4 ,but   
whoso looketh into the perfect law of   
liberty1 and      continueth therein1 he
 being not a forgetful hearer1 but a    
doer      of the work1 this man shall be
 blessed in his deed4       #bf4 ,if any
 man among you seem to be religious1 and
 bridleth      not his tongue1 but      
deceiveth his own heart1 this man's     
religion is vain4  ,james1 the writer of
 this language1 is that inspired servant
 of ,god1 who gets impatient with mere  
professions of piety1 and who wants to  
see action1 action6 not mere words1 not 
dead faith1 but also action4 ,he speaks1
 in the text1 of forgetful hearers of   
the ,word4 ,now1 do you not know all    
about what that means8 ,have you not1   
many a time1 read the ,bible1 or heard a
 sermon from it that1 like a mirror1    
held up to your heart1 showed you       
yourself even better than you knew      
yourself8 ,and have you not said3 ,well1
 ,i will change2 that picture is true1  

and it is too dark to be endured any    
longer8 ,but1 instead of carrying out   
your purpose and doing what you say1 you
 went away and forgot all about it1 and 
soon you were as dead as ever4 ,and1    
instead of continuing to read the ,bible
 and see yourself there2 and instead of 
continuing to go where faithful         
ministers would uncover your poor1      
wicked heart and life to your eyes1 you 
went on your accustomed ways of business
 or pleasure1 and became a forgetful    
hearer of the ,word1 and it did you no  
good4 ,how1 then1 in the name of ,god1  
can a man keep himself from forgetting  
the things he reads or hears from the   
,bible8 ,why1 it is very simple--to go  
to doing at once1 without waiting even  
till to-morrow4 ,do what8 you say4 ,why1
 go to praying4 ,cut yourself off from  
retreat by coming out on the side of    
,christ and taking your place among     
those who are seeking ,his mercy and    
salvation1 till you can take your place 
among those who have that salvation4    

,but ,i want to say a very solemn word  
to those who profess to have already    
obtained salvation4 ,are you doing1 as  
well as hearing the ,word of ,god8 ,does
 your life exemplify holiness to the    
,lord1 and does it abound in good works 
and good words8 ,do you abstain from    
evil and keep yourself from evil        
associations8 ,do you turn away from    
dangerous and suspicious places and     
people8 ,do you obey readily and        
heartily what you find to be commanded  
in ,god's ,word8 ,if you do not do the  
things you hear1 then you1 too1 will    
soon become forgetful hearers1 and      
little by little the world will         
re-assert its power over you1 and the   
flesh will get the upper hand1 and at   
the last you may wind up as our poor    
friend ,eicheler did4 ,doing is as      
important a part of the ,gospel as      
hearing4 ,read the last part of the     
,sermon on the ,mount 7,matthew vii41   
#bd-bg74 ,notice that ,jesus says the   
man who does ,his sayings is like one   

who buildeth on a solid and enduring    
foundation that can stand storms and    
temptations4 ,now1 do you not find that 
if you do what you find in the ,bible1  
then the ,bible becomes sweeter and     
sweeter to you8 ,you do not shut it up  
then and shove it aside for fear of     
finding yourself condemned1 for when you
 do its biddings it will not condemn    
you1 but commend you1 and that makes you
 love it and keeps you from forgetting  
it4 ,and thus you grow stronger and     
stronger1 and sin will grow weaker and  
weaker1 and you will surely find that   
you have built on a strong foundation4  
,but1 in the last part of the text is a 
subject ,i want to talk about4 ,read    
verse #bf4 ,it is the tongue4 ,if any   
man seems to be religious1 and fails to 
control his tongue1 then he is mistaken4
 ,oh1 have you not found your tongue to 
be one of the most troublesome things   
you have to contend with8 ,if you want  
to see ,james' idea of the tongue1 read 
chapter iii41 #a-aj4 ,do you watch your 

conversation8 ,do you guard the door of 
your lips8 ,do you8 ,i am in earnest4   
,do you ever indulge in the least       
obscenity8 ,some so-called ,christians  
do1 and it is sickening and disgusting  
to others2 and while it shows what their
 thoughts dwell on1 it does themselves  
great harm1 for it keeps temptation     
before their minds1 and makes it a great
 deal more difficult to resist          
temptations when they come in their     
lives4 ,do you mean it only as innocent 
fun8 ,it is not innocent4 ,for if you   
are so hardened as to unclean thoughts1 
that they don't hurt you1 they1 will    
hurt others4  ,what about swearing8 ,if 
the devil can get you to swear a few    
times1 then he will say3 ,oh1 you might 
as well confess that you are no         
,christian1 and give up this            
hypocritical business4 ,there is one of 
the ,ten ,commandments forbidding to    
take ,god's name in vain2 the ,sermon on
 the ,mount forbids it still more       
strongly1 and ,james1 in chapter v41    

#ab1 condemns it in the strongest       
language4 ,and yet there are some church
 members who practice it1 especially    
when they get mad4 ,that man's heart is 
not right1 and he is treading on very   
dangerous ground who is not changed     
enough to avoid swearing4 ,and if a man1
 by ,god's grace1 will turn away from it
 and from the thought of it1 he will    
soon become so that it will make him    
shudder to hear others swear4 ,i know   
this from my own experience4  ,if you do
 not watch yourself in conversation1 you
 will tell things that are not true2 and
 so1 in trying to be polite1 you will   
have to watch or your tongue will tell a
 falsehood1 and you will recollect it   
with shame and lose strength of faith in
 ,god4  ,and then that tongue often     
indulges in gossip about your           
acquaintances that does them great harm4
 ,and have you not1 in moments of temper
 and passion1 said cruel and1 perhaps1  
false things to your dear ones2 to those
 who have worked for you1 and maybe     

would die for you8 ,it cut them to the  
heart1 and you have not made            
acknowledgment of your sin to them4     
,,james ,i3 #h4       ,a double-minded  
man is unstable in all his ways4  ,one  
of the commonest and greatest faults and
 weaknesses of men is this that ,i am   
going to speak about to you to-night1   
and that is indecision4 ,it is not only 
a weakness and a fault and a great      
hindrance in regard to religion1 but in 
any and all the affairs of life4 ,do you
 not know men of competent ability and  
of good advantages and education who    
amount to very little in the world8 ,and
 when you ask yourself why it is1 is it 
not because they have not enough        
decision of character to keep at any one
 thing long enough to master the        
difficulties with which it is beset and 
to win success in spite of obstacles8   
,some of them are confused by the great 
number of ways that seem to open before 
them and are not decided as to which one
 they will pursue4 ,and after embarking 

in one pursuit and continuing in it for 
awhile1 they conclude they could do     
better at something else2 and before    
they have studied and labored long      
enough to obtain success in this second 
enterprise1 they conclude they could do 
better by changing for a third or going 
back to the first4 ,and so1 because     
study and time and labor are necessary  
to success in any occupation or         
profession and they do not bestow these1
 they do not succeed1 and1 in the nature
 of the case1 can not succeed4 ,or1 if  
they are not embarrassed by the number  
of openings before them1 they are       
divided in their minds between a life of
 ease1 indulgence and pleasure and a    
life of labor and self-denial1 and1     
though they would be something and are  
not without ambition1 yet a life of     
indolence and rest offers so many       
inducements that they prefer it to a    
life of hard work and of discouragements
 and battles and anxieties1 or1 at      
least1 if they do not positively prefer 

such a life1 yet they hanker after it2  
and in their effort to have ease and    
pleasure and1 at the same time1 to      
pursue some honorable and profitable    
calling1 they miss both1 and have no    
satisfaction1 but only a consciousness  
of their own weakness and uselessness   
and a contempt for themselves4 ,but     
maybe ,i need not ask you if you know   
persons of this sort4 ,you who listen to
 me to-night may be of just that kind4  
,possibly--nay1 probably--there are men 
here to-night whose lives have been     
failures just because of the miserable  
weakness ,i have been trying to         
describe4 ,but if this weakness of      
character is the cause of many failures 
and the utter disappointment that many  
lives have ended in1 in worldly matters1
 how much more so is it in religious    
concerns and interests4 ,if             
concentration of thought and fixedness  
of purpose and firmness of will are     
necessary to overcome obstacles and to  
master success in business or in the    

learned professions1 they are more so in
 the matter of religion4 ,if indecision 
and dividedness of mind and wavering of 
purpose cause men to fail in worldly    
matters1 much more so will they cause   
men to fail in religion4 ,some men are  
forever wavering between accepting and  
rejecting ,christianity4 ,to-day they   
are satisfied that ,christianity is     
true1 and to-morrow they say they have  
found proof that ,christianity is false4
 ,then1 again1 they get into trouble and
 find that nothing can help them but    
,christianity1 and they believe it until
 some man comes along and argues against
 it1 and away they go off after him4 ,so
 they never believe in ,christianity    
long enough at any time to get any good 
from it1 and they will not utterly and  
finally reject it so as to be no longer 
troubled by it4 ,but the trouble with   
most of the people who are in this      
wretched state of indecision is that    
they believe in ,christianity1 and are  
persuaded that it is far better to be a 

,christian and safer1 but they love the 
world and the ways of the world and the 
honors of the world and the pleasures of
 the world2 and it is impossible to love
 the world and partake of the pleasures 
of the world and at the same time to    
serve ,god with your whole heart4 ,ye   
can not serve two masters1 and yet you  
see people who are trying to do it4 ,so 
they do not make good ,christians1 for  
their hearts are in the world1 and their
 lives and influence are not for        
,christianity1 but for the world4 ,nor  
do they get the good and pleasure of a  
worldly life1 for they are restrained   
and harassed by their fear of           
conscience1 ,god and hell4 ,and ,jesus1 
in the ,sermon on the ,mount1 says1 ,ye 
can not serve two masters4 ,many have   
tried it4 ,some whose histories are     
given in the ,bible tried it4 ,saul1 the
 first king of ,israel1 tried it4 ,when 
,god sent him to destroy the            
,amalekites1 he obeyed the command in   
part1 but not altogether4 7,i4 ,samuel  

xv41 #ac-be47 ,but ,god is not mocked1  
and because ,saul trifled with ,him ,he 
rejected ,saul1 and ,saul went from bad 
to worse1 until at last1 in his         
abandonment to the power of evil1 he    
committed murder after murder and       
finally died a suicide4 ,the rich young 
man in the ,new ,testament was another  
case of divided mind4 ,he saw the       
desirableness of being good1 and the    
safety of being at peace with ,god1 and 
showed a zeal in trying to be good2 but 
when ,jesus told him to sell all he had 
and give it to the poor1 he refused4 ,he
 wanted to do both1 obey ,god and       
inherit the kingdom of heaven and have a
 fortune for selfish enjoyment or for   
miserable greed at the same time4 ,but  
he could not do both4 ,king ,agrippa    
said he was almost persuaded to be a    
,christian4 ,his mind was divided2 he   
could not do both4 ,he chose to keep his
 worldly possessions1 and1 of course1   
could not be a ,christian 7,acts xxvi41 
#bh74 ,but1 on the other hand1 those men

 who were decided and positive in their 
rejection of the pleasures of the world 
found no great trouble in serving ,god4 
,moses was a man of this sort 7,hebrews 
xi41 #be-bg74 ,he deliberately chose to 
suffer afflictions with the people of   
,god rather than to enjoy the pleasures 
of sin for a season4 ,paul was another  
man of this positive character4 ,when   
,jesus revealed ,himself to ,paul his   
surrender was immediate and complete4   
,he said1 ,what wilt thou have me do8   
,and to the end of a long and laborious 
life1 amid persecutions and sufferings  
and disgraces and loneliness and bonds1 
he continually cried1 ,none of these    
things move me4 ,and his ,christian life
 was victorious and glorious4   ,,ii4   
,,timothy ,,iii3 #e4       ,having a    
form of godliness1 but denying the power
 thereof2      from such turn away4     
,this text is a description of certain  
false teachers who had arisen in the    
midst of the church1 or who would arise 
and assume the name of disciples of     

,christ1 as well as authority to teach4 
,they would assume the outward form of  
,christianity and adopt its expressions 
and conform to its usage in outward     
respects1 but would deny that there was 
any supernatural power or divine unction
 in it4 ,and there are such men to-day4 
,but if ,christianity be not attended by
 any supernatural agency and energy     
present in it and with it1 then it is no
 better than any other of the so-called 
religions of the world4 ,if it has only 
form and body1 without a living and     
life-giving soul and divinity in it1 it 
is on a level with the heathen          
religions1 for they all have these4     
,and1 indeed1 all men have a form of    
religion1 and many of them are so       
devoted to it that they will suffer and 
some of them die before they will give  
it up4 ,the ancient ,jews held to the   
forms of their religion1 and fought for 
it in bloody and bitter wars4 ,and the  
,pharisees at the time of ,christ were  
the most careful and scrupulous         

observers of all the forms of their     
religion1 and yet ,jesus denounced them 
as the wickedest sinners of ,his time4  
,there are men of this kind in the      
,christian churches of to-day1 men who  
go through the forms of religion1 who   
perform the outward duties of religion1 
and who would not give these up for any 
consideration2 and yet they not only do 
not experience anything of the power of 
inward religion1 but they go so far as  
to deny that there is any such inward   
power1 and call those who claim to have 
it fanatical4  ,but read the following  
passages1 and see if we have not        
,scripture warrant for this power of    
religion3 ,i4 ,corinthians ii41 #d2 ,i4 
,thessalonians i41 #e2 ,,ii4 ,timothy   
i41 #g2 ,ephesians iii41 #af2 and our   
text1 ,,ii4 ,timothy iii41 #e4  #a4 ,the
 power of ,christianity is shown in the 
conviction for sin4  ,it is impossible  
to get men to see and realize the       
sinfulness and hatefulness of sin4 ,it  
is impossible for any power of men's    

eloquence to pierce through the deep    
native depravity of the heart--through  
the selfish motives1 desires1 ambitions 
and interests1 and get men to see and   
feel the nature and danger of sin4 ,oh1 
the impossibility of making men feel    
guilt and danger by any human means     
while they are dead in sin6 ,but under  
the power of this force1 or1 rather1    
this agent1 who works in and through    
,christianity1 the poor sinner sees and 
feels all this4 ,he sees that1 of all   
bitter and perilous things1 sin is the  
most bitter and perilous and dreadful4  
,he feels smitten with remorse4 ,he     
feels that there is no beauty in the    
world1 or in anything1 because of the   
blackness and ugliness and foulness of  
his own evil heart and life4 ,and he    
feels that1 above all things1 he must   
get rid of sin1 and at whatever cost1   
and speedily at that1 for the agony is  
unendurable4 ,everything seems as       
nothing compared with salvation from    
sin4 ,he will go and sell all he has to 

buy it1 as ,jesus says4 ,this sense of  
sin and danger produces an earthquake in
 the spiritual nature that upheaves the 
hidden depths of the soul4 ,like the    
pilgrim in ,bunyan's ,pilgrims          
,progress1 he puts his fingers in his   
ears and flees from the ,city of        
,destruction4 ,like the murderers of    
,jesus when convicted by this power1 he 
cries out1 ,what must ,i do to be saved8
  #b4 ,it is shown in what we call      
conversion4  ,but this power which      
belongs to ,christianity1 not only      
produces this awful sense of the guilt  
and danger of sin1 it also delivers from
 the guilt and power of sin1 and makes  
the man a new creature4 ,the awful sense
 of condemnation and the fear of a just 
and endless retribution are taken away4 
,he may not know how or just why1 but he
 knows it is so1 and he rejoices with   
joy unspeakable and full of glory4 ,but1
 not only so1 he finds to his amazement 
and joy that his whole inner nature is  
reversed1 re-created1 and he no longer  

is a slave of sinful habits and         
passions1 but he is delivered from      
these1 and now loves holiness and holy  
people and holy things and holy         
thoughts4 ,the whole current of his     
nature is changed4 ,old things are      
passed away1 and behold all things are  
become new1 and1 instead of the old     
defilement and darkness and             
devilishness1 there flows out and on a  
life of purity1 consecration1           
self-forgetfulness and holiness4 ,now1  
do you not call that a power which can  
bring to pass such effects as this8 ,do 
you know of any other power that can do 
anything like it8  ,and now1 my brother1
 you who profess to be a follower of    
,jesus1 have you experienced this power1
 or have you only the form of godliness 
without the power8 ,that is what is the 
matter with most of the church members  
of this day4 ,they have a form of       
godliness1 but in too many cases only a 
form4 ,they do not know anything of the 
power of which ,i have been speaking4   

,but let no one be discouraged who has  
not experienced this blessed deliverance
 from the power of the enemy1 provided  
you are seeking for it4 ,you shall not  
seek long in vain1 if you seek it in    
earnest4 ,may ,god reveal ,himself to us
 all now and here4   ,i4 ,,corinthians  
,,ix3 #bf1 #bg4       ,i therefore so   
run not as uncertainly2 so fight ,i1 not
 as one      that beateth the air3      
,but ,i keep under my body1 and bring it
 into subjection3 lest      that by any 
means1 when ,i have preached to others1 
,i myself      should be a castaway4    
,this ,is the language of ,st4 ,paul1   
the ,apostle4 ,as we have already       
remarked of ,jesus1 that ,he took the   
most familiar facts and experiences of  
every-day life by which to teach ,his   
doctrines1 so we may say of ,his great  
,apostle1 ,paul4 ,the ,grecian games1   
consisting of running matches and boxing
 matches1 were well known among the     
people of ,st4 ,paul's day1 and         
especially so at ,corinth1 and these    

furnished him the illustrations which he
 frequently used in his letters4 ,in    
another place he speaks of laying aside 
all weights and running with patience   
the race set before us4 ,in this place  
he speaks both of running and boxing4   
,his object is to show that1 as in these
 games the utmost attention and energy  
and self-denial were necessary to       
success1 and that these would insure    
success1 so it is in the ,christian race
 and the ,christian fight4 ,he says3 ,i1
 for my part1 run not as uncertainly1   
that is1 ,i run no risk1 ,i indulge in  
nothing that would make it in the least 
degree uncertain as to my gaining the   
desired object2 ,i know what is required
 of me1 and ,i know that if ,i do not   
fully observe all that is commanded me  
and required of me1 ,i1 to that extent1 
render my success uncertain1 and this ,i
 am determined1 by the grace of ,god1   
not to do4 ,then he says3 ,i fight not  
as one that beateth the air4 ,the boxers
 would frequently take exercise by      

striking into the air1 as we see men    
practicing gymnastics now2 but ,paul    
meant to say that he was not taking     
exercise--he was facing an earnest and  
dangerous foe1 and it was a life and    
death matter to him to know just what   
that foe was1 and to know just how to   
attack it so as to conquer it4 ,and what
 was that foe8 ,hear it1 you who think  
you are safe and can just go smoothly to
 heaven as if you were sliding down     
hill4 ,hear what ,paul's greatest foe   
was3 ,it was his body--yes1 his body1   
with its appetites and passions1 its    
constant craving for gratification and  
pleasure4 ,what6 do you mean to say that
 ,paul1 the great ,apostle1 was in      
danger of being led away by the         
appetites of the body8 ,well1 that is   
what he himself says4 ,he was not in    
danger of falling because of doubt1 for 
he had had such a wonderful conversion1 
and such an actual vision of ,christ1   
that he could never1 never doubt that1  
nor does he any where1 in any of his    

epistles1 show the slightest wavering in
 this respect1 but he does show that he 
knew and felt there was danger of being1
 in some unguarded moment1 misled and   
brought into sin by the appetites of an 
unmastered body4 ,so1 he says in the    
next verse3 ,i keep under my body and   
bring it into subjection1 lest that when
 ,i have preached to others1 ,i myself  
should be lost4 ,he still keeps up the  
figure of the boxing matches in the     
games1 and says3 ,the foe ,i have to    
contend with is my body1 and as the     
winner in the fist fight of the games   
beats his foe black1 till he cries      
enough6 so do ,i deny my body till it   
ceases to have any desire or disposition
 toward the objects of unholy passions1 
till it meekly gives up1 and ,i feel    
that ,i am perfect master1 and it is    
under my feet as it were4 ,when the body
 is fed and gratified and pampered1 its 
animal appetites and passions are nursed
 and become strong4 ,so men who live    
high and eat to gluttony and drink wines

 and liquors are usually in a perfect   
strut of sensual passion4 ,i guess that 
is why the ,lord keeps me so poor1 and  
why ,i have so little to live on and so 
little to feed on4 ,it is that1 by this 
necessary self-denial1 ,i may keep my   
poor body down1 out of danger of        
betraying me into sin4  ,david was as   
great a man in some respects as ,paul1  
he communed with ,god in the solitudes  
of ,bethlehem's sheep pastures1 till he 
became strong enough to overcome a giant
 and to put a whole army to flight4 ,he 
composed most of the ,psalms1 the most  
spiritual songs in the world4 ,he       
withstood all the temptations of honor1 
and endured1 with matchless meekness1   
the hatred and persecution of ,saul1 the
 king 7,i4 ,samuel xxiv74 ,but his poor 
body1 with its sensual passions1 got the
 better of him1 and he committed the    
awful sin of adultery4 ,doubtless1 when 
he had become king1 he forgot the       
self-denial which he practiced when he  
was a shepherd1 and when he was a       

persecuted and hunted fugitive1 and     
instead of that he lived high1 fed high1
 drank high1 and so he fell1 and fell   
very low4  ,solomon was a wise man4 ,he 
knew all the secrets of the human heart4
 ,he wrote ,proverbs and ,ecclesiastes1 
books full of profound knowledge1 as    
well as of deepest piety4 ,yet ,solomon 
was led away from ,god by indulging in  
sensuality4 ,and if ,david and ,solomon1
 with all their faith and wisdom and    
power and piety1 found that their       
bodies1 because not kept down1 led them 
into sin1 we need not wonder that ,paul 
saw and shunned this danger4 ,but how is
 a man to keep his body under8 ,by      
totally abstaining from everything that 
heats the blood and inflames passion1 as
 drinking1 etc41 and high living2 by    
fleeing from evil conversation1 evil    
books1 evil thoughts2 by fasting and    
abstinence1 frequently practiced4 ,moses
 fasted2 ,elijah1 ,david1 ,nehemiah1    
,jeremiah1 ,daniel1 ,jesus1 ,paul1 the  
early church and ,wesley and the early  

,methodists--all these eminent servants 
of ,god fasted1 and there must be       
something good and profitable in it4 ,i 
am satisfied it is one of the ways of   
keeping the body under1 and bringing it 
into subjection4 ,and may ,god help us  
to use all the means in our power for   
securing ourselves from our greatest    
enemy4   ,,acts ,,xx3 #ba4              
,testifying both to the ,jews1 and also 
the ,greeks1 repentance      toward     
,god1 and faith toward our ,lord ,jesus 
,christ4  ,this verse is a part of ,st4 
,paul's account of his own ministry at  
the city of ,ephesus in ,asia4 ,he      
revisits them after having spent three  
years of labor among them1 and in his   
address to them he reminds them of his  
manner of life among them1 and recounts 
the substance of his preaching among    
them2 and the burden of his preaching   
was as is stated in the text3           
,repentance toward ,god1 and faith      
toward our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4  ,and  
the first point to be noticed is that   

,st4 ,paul made no difference among men2
 he was no respecter of persons or      
classes4 ,you all know the ,jews were   
the church people of that day4 ,they not
 only claimed to be the pious of that   
day1 but they claimed to be the only    
pious people1 and the only ones         
qualified to teach others4 ,but ,paul1  
finding their religion was altogether   
outward and formal1 as is the religion  
of many of the church people to-day1    
preached to them just as he did to the  
vilest of the heathens around them1 the 
necessity of repentance1 of turning from
 their sins and passions to ,god1 with  
self-abhorrence and hope of mercy and   
pardon4 ,and in this he has only        
followed the example of his ,divine     
,master2 for ,christ said to ,nicodemus1
 a ruler of the ,jews1 a sort of        
reverend doctor of divinity1 ,except ye 
be born again1 ye can not enter into the
 kingdom of ,god4 7,john iii41 #c47 ,and
 so now it makes no difference if you   
belong to the ,catholic church or the   

,episcopal church or the ,methodist     
church1 or any or all others1 it will do
 you absolutely no good at all if you   
have not repented of your sins and evil 
doings and turned to ,god in prayer and 
hope for grace to enable you to live    
above the power of sin4 ,but1 in the    
next place1 ,paul said he preached      
repentance toward ,god4 ,it is ,god1    
then1 whom you have offended by your    
sins4 ,as ,david says in the fifty-first
 ,psalm1 ,against ,thee1 ,thee only1    
have ,i sinned1 and done this evil in   
,thy sight4 ,and because you have sinned
 against ,god1 you must repent toward   
,god1 and as in the sight of ,him who   
sees and knows all1 even the secret     
thoughts and passions and purposes of   
the heart4 ,god is judge1 and ,god is a 
consuming fire4 ,but what is it to      
repent8 ,ordinarily1 when we hear       
persons speak of repentance1 we think at
 once about being sorry and of feeling a
 deep grief because we have done wrong2 
and some of us think it means to weep   

and moan and to be afflicted with an    
awful bitterness of soul because of our 
sins1 when we hear any one speak of     
repentance in a religious sense4 ,and1  
indeed1 this may be the kind of         
repentance which many people have1 and  
doubtless do have4 ,but there may be    
true repentance without this extreme    
sorrow for sin1 provided there is enough
 sorrow for sin and hatred of sin and   
dread of sin to turn away from it1 and  
to at once and forever forsake it4 ,nor 
must you wait for this extreme sorrow1  
which you may have heard others speak   
of1 but if you are convinced of the evil
 of sin and the baseness of sin and the 
ruinousness of sin1 then cease to follow
 it1 cease to practice it1 and cease at 
once1 however much it may cost you to do
 so4 ,the old prophet1 speaking to the  
,jews who came with sighs and groans and
 tears to ,god's altar1 but without     
mending their ways1 says1 ,cease to do  
evil1 learn to do right1 put away the   
evil from you4 ,and ,john the ,baptist  

says1 ,bring forth fruits worthy of     
repentance1 that is1 such fruit as will 
show that you have indeed and in heart  
turned away from evil and from sin4     
,meanwhile1 ask ,god to help you repent1
 tell ,him you are nothing but sin and  
that you look to ,him for grace to      
repent right and to turn away from all  
sin4 ,and as long as you cleave to one  
sin1 you need not expect to get any     
relief4 ,many give up one thing and     
another1 but think they can hold on to  
one sin--one darling sin1 one idolized  
sin--and that ,god will excuse this one1
 if they give up all others4 ,but be not
 deceived2 ,god is not mocked1 nor can  
you trifle with ,him4 ,having thus let  
go your hold of sin1 of your secret     
darling sins1 and turned away from them 
with hope of mercy from ,god1 you can   
trust in ,jesus ,christ1 ,his ,son      
crucified for your sins1 and in your    
stead1 and you will surely have peace1  
and that quickly4  ,observe1 ,paul says 
he preached faith1 not in ,god the      

,father1 but faith in the ,lord ,jesus  
,christ4 ,it is in ,jesus that ,god     
reconciles the world unto ,himself1 ,and
 if you do not accept ,jesus and trust  
in ,god's mercy1 as shown in ,jesus1 you
 will get no relief and no peace4 ,god  
has promised nothing outside of ,jesus4 
,but ,he has promised everything to him 
who accepts ,jesus ,christ's suffering  
and sacrifice as the sufficient and     
satisfactory penalty due to his own     
sins1 and believes that ,jesus bore his 
sins in ,his body on the cross4 ,if     
,jesus satisfied ,paul1 ,he ought to    
satisfy you1 and be worthy of your      
confidence and trust and worship4 ,turn 
from sin1 then1 with humility and shame 
that you have so long grieved ,god1 and 
trust in ,jesus1 and ,jesus alone1 and  
keep doing so for days if necessary1 and
 you can not1 and shall not1 fail to    
obtain salvation4   ,,on                
,,self-,,denial4  ,,luke ,,ix3 #bc4     
,and ,he said unto them all1 if any man 
will come after ,me1 let      him deny  

himself and take up his cross daily and 
follow ,me4  ,religion depends on this  
more than on any other one thing4 ,if we
 are willing to give up all our own     
preferences and to deny all our desires 
and inclinations1 we shall not have much
 trouble at any other point4 ,the       
greatest hindrance to getting religion  
or keeping religion is our own desire   
for ease1 comfort and                   
self-gratification1 and our aversion to 
enduring any hardship or privation or   
suffering4 ,the reason why self-denial  
is necessary is that our very nature is 
corrupted and diseased and we are       
blinded by sin4 ,once the will of man   
was the same as the will of ,god2 but1  
since the fall1 the will of man and that
 of ,god are directly opposed2 and if we
 live according to ,god's will1 we must 
go directly against our own4            
,self-denial is necessary in avoiding   
sin to which we are inclined and which  
we find give us pleasure4  ,but it is   
necessary also1 when no sin or          

temptation is present1 to preserve that 
frame of mind which keeps us in         
readiness for temptation and enables us 
to resist it when it does come4  ,a     
constant habit of self-denial is        
necessary to make us proof against the  
gradual and unperceived approach of sin 
either in the form of coldness and      
distaste for religion1 or sloth1 or a   
desire to gratify the flesh4 ,so ,paul  
7,i4 ,cor4 ix41 #bg7 said he kept his   
body under and brought it into          
subjection1 lest even he1 through the   
deceitfulness of sin1 should become a   
castaway4  ,it follows that self-denial 
is absolutely necessary to growing in   
grace4 ,we are mistaken if we imagine we
 are growing in grace1 when we are      
practicing no self-denial4 ,jesus said  
7,luke ix41 #bc73 ,if any man will come 
after ,me let him deny himself and take 
up his cross daily4 ,now what does that 
word daily mean in this connection8     
,indeed growth in piety is a growing out
 of self so that self is crucified1 as  

,paul says he was4  ,self-denial must be
 practiced then4  #a4 ,in abstaining    
from sins of all kinds4  #b4 ,in        
performing all our duties of religion1  
however hard and unpleasant they may be1
 as attending all church services1      
ordinances1 etc41 and giving according  
to your ability4  #c4 ,in practicing    
private prayer however hard and         
distasteful it may be at first4 ,some   
men have prayed three hours a day in    
secret1 as1 for example1 ,luther4  #d4  
,in abstinence from food1 i4e41 fasting2
 and sometimes from sleep when it is    
necessary to have time to pray1 etc4    
,get the upper hand of your animal      
nature and keep it by daily self-denial 
and you will mount up with wings as     
eagles1 you will run and not be weary1  
you will walk and not faint4   ,i4      
,,john ,,iii3 #e4       ,and ye know    
that ,he was manifested to take away our
 sins2 and      in ,him is no sin4      
,these are ,christmas days4 ,this is the
 period of the year that is celebrated  

as the anniversary of the birth of      
,jesus4 ,i fear that if some stranger   
from a foreign land1 who knew nothing of
 the character of ,jesus and ,his       
history and nothing of ,christianity1   
were to happen in our midst during this 
,christmas time1 he would think1 from   
the character of our festivities and the
 kind of our demonstrations1 that we    
were either1 by our bonfires and guns   
and rockets and fireworks1 celebrating  
some warlike hero who1 in the midst of  
belching cannon and blazing musketry1   
had delivered his country from peril1 or
 else that we were1 by our revelry and  
dissipation and debauchery and riot1    
celebrating some heathen god of pleasure
 like ,bacchus1 the ,roman god of the   
wine cup4 ,and it is                    
strange--unaccountably strange--that men
 should so pervert the sacred ,christmas
 time into a season of unusual and      
disgraceful indulgence in sin4 ,what    
does our text say8 ,he was manifested to
 take away our sins4 ,he was manifested2

 what does that mean8 ,oh1 it means more
 than you and ,i will give ourselves    
time to fully take in4 ,it is said that 
the angels desire to look into the      
wonderful fact of the condescension of  
,jesus ,christ1 the prince of princes1  
in becoming man in order to save        
sinners4 ,but though angels thus desire1
 very few of us1 for whom this wonderful
 humiliation was suffered1 give enough  
time or attention to it to either       
understand it or care much about it4 ,we
 are too much occupied with these lower 
things to take any special interest in  
things infinitely higher4  ,paul1 in the
 second chapter of the ,philippians1    
tells us how ,jesus humbled himself4    
,let us see verse #e3 ,who being in the 
form of ,god1 thought it not robbery to 
be equal with ,god1 but made ,himself of
 no reputation and took on ,him the form
 of a servant1 and humbled ,himself and 
became obedient unto death1 yea even    
unto the death of the cross4  ,christ1  
then1 was the equal of ,god1 the        

,father1 worshipped by angels2 and yet  
,he consented to become man1 and so be  
made a little lower than the angels4    
,but ,he not only became man1 ,he became
 a servant among men4 ,so ,his life was 
one of lowly service and unremitting    
toil for others4 ,he once girded        
,himself with a towel and washed the    
feet of ,his disciples4 ,but ,he not    
only became man and servant to man1 ,he 
went to a deeper depth of humiliation   
than any other ever descended to3 ,he   
suffered as an evil-doer1 though in fact
 ,he was the only good and pure man that
 ever lived4 ,he was numbered among the 
transgressors1 though ,he was guilty of 
no transgression1 and ,he descended down
 to the bottom floor of disgrace--,he   
was nailed on a cross and left there to 
die as you hang the worst criminals by  
the neck till they are dead4  ,yes1 ,he 
was born poor2 ,he lived in toil and    
sorrow and died in shame3 the ,prince of
 ,glory did all this4 ,but1 stop and    
ask1 ,why did ,he endure all this when  

,he might and could have avoided it8    
,let ,god answer3 ,surely ,he hath borne
 our griefs and carried our sorrows4 ,he
 was wounded for our transgressions4 ,he
 was bruised for our iniquities2 all we 
like sheep had gone astray1 and the     
,lord laid on ,him the iniquity of us   
all4 7,isaiah lviii41 #d1 #f47 ,yes1 ,he
 was manifested to take away our        
transgressions in the sense that ,he    
suffered in our stead for those         
transgressions that are past4 ,but what 
good would it do to forgive sinners if  
they were not changed and renewed1 so   
that they could have the power in the   
future to abstain from sin8 ,what good  
would it do for ,god to say to a        
drunkard1 ,your sins are forgiven if ,he
 did not at the same time so change that
 drunkard as to make him able to keep   
from drinking in the future8 ,what good 
to forgive the past sins of a debauchee 
or a liar or a gambler or a thief or a  
murderer if1 at the same time1 their    
hearts were not so changed that they    

would and could keep from sinning again8
 ,it would do no good1 for they would go
 straight into the sins they had been   
practicing4 ,well1 does ,jesus make     
provision for this8 ,yes1 ,he does4 ,he 
was manifested not only to take away the
 guilt of our transgressions1 but also  
their power over us4 ,do we not read in 
the ,scripture that if the ,son shall   
make us free we shall be free indeed8   
,jesus promised a mighty agent which    
should work in the hearts of men and    
renew their natures4 ,i1 myself1 am as  
different a man as if ,i had been       
blotted out of existence and born again 
a new creature4 ,and these are the very 
expressions the ,scripture uses for     
describing the wonderful change4 ,this1 
then1 is what ,jesus was born in        
poverty1 lived in sorrow and died in    
shame for1 and at this time of          
remembrance and rejoicing ,he makes     
appeal to you3      ,i gave my life for 
thee1 my precious blood ,i shed         
,that thou mightest ransomed be1 and    

quickened from the dead4     ,my        
,father's house of light1 my            
glory-circled throne1     ,i left1 for  
earthly night1 far wanderings1 sad and  
lone4     ,i've borne it all for thee2  
what hast thou borne for me8   ,,new    
,,year',s ,,sermon4  ,,deuteronomy      
,,viii3 #b-aa4  ,the people of ,israel  
had journeyed long and wearily since    
leaving ,egypt4 ,for forty years they   
had wandered and now at last had come to
 the borders of the ,promised ,land4    
,only the narrow ,jordan was between    
them and the ,canaan of their hopes4    
,they were encamped upon the eastern    
bank of this river and were only        
awaiting orders to pass over and possess
 the goodly land which lay before them4 
,and ,moses1 who was not to cross over  
with them1 but to be buried in the land 
of ,moab1 gives this parting address to 
them4 ,they were just passing from one  
stage of their journey to another and   
they need to be reminded of the past and
 instructed and warned as to the future4

  ,so he says3  ,thou shalt remember all
 the way which the ,lord hath led thee  
these forty years4  #a4 ,they were to   
remember the trials and temptations they
 had4 ,the object of these1 he says     
7verse #b71 was to humble them and to   
prove them that they might know what was
 in their hearts4 ,and so1 my brother1  
if during the past year1 or during your 
past life1 you have had trials and      
temptations1 it was that you might learn
 your own weakness1 a hard lesson for   
proud mortals to learn1 and so be       
humbled to distrust yourself and seek   
help from ,god4 ,and if you have had    
sorrow or bereavement it was for the    
same purpose1 that you might learn to   
give up seeking perfect happiness in    
anything or any creature on earth and   
seek it in ,god4 ,and have not some of  
you learned this lesson or are you not  
beginning to learn it at last8 ,have not
 the sins and the sorrows of your past  
life humbled you and at last brought you
 to feel your need of ,god8 ,but another

 object of these past experiences of    
trial was to prove what was in your     
heart4 ,a man does not know what there  
is in his heart till temptation brings  
it out4 ,he does not know how bad it is4
 ,i thought ,i was patient2 but when    
temptation came1 ,i found my heart had  
much impatience in it4 ,i thought ,i was
 humble and did not think highly of     
myself till people began to praise me   
and ,i found ,i enjoyed it and loved it 
and ,i was not humble4  #b4 ,but they   
were to remember ,god's goodness to them
 also 7see verses #c and #d74 ,he had   
fed them ,himself with manna and kept   
their clothes from wearing out and their
 feet from swelling4 ,and so you are to 
remember the goodness of ,god to you    
during the past year and during your    
past life4 ,remember how ,he has spared 
you in the midst of your wickedness as  
,he spared me in my neglect of ,him for 
forty years1 and how ,he has furnished  
you many blessings and would have given 
you more1 but you would not4 ,and if ,he

 has allowed your wickedness to bring   
you into trouble and distress1 it is to 
cause you to stop and reflect upon your 
ways and turn from them unto ,him for   
deliverance and true happiness4 ,thus   
you are to recall1 from the past year   
and from your past life1 your sins and  
sorrows1 and ,god's manifold mercies to 
you4  ,,ii4 ,but1 just entering upon    
this new year1 you are to look ahead    
also1 even as the ,israelites were to   
look ahead to the goodly land into which
 the ,lord was going to bring them 7see 
verses #g1 #h and #i74  #a4 ,god        
promises you much1 my brother1 on       
condition that you follow ,him and obey 
,him4 ,he promises to bless you         
temporally and spiritually1 and to give 
you happiness--a goodly possession--if  
you1 for your part1 give yourself up1   
unreservedly to ,his directions4 ,he has
 done much for me1 since ,i began to    
follow and obey ,him years ago4  #b4    
,moses ends his discourse with a solemn 
warning 7verse #aa74 ,beware that you   

forget not the ,lord your ,god1 and go  
at any time to trusting to yourself or  
any earthly help4   ,,on ,,affliction   
,,and ,,suffering4  ,,lamentations1     
,,iii3 #cb-cc4       #cb4 ,but though   
,he cause grief1 yet will ,he have      
compassion      according to the        
multitude of ,his mercies4       #cc4   
,for ,he doth not afflict willingly1 nor
 grieve the children      of men4       
,there is a vast deal of suffering and  
of sorrow in the world1 and the most of 
it1 if not all1 is due directly or      
indirectly to sin as the cause4 ,sin is 
followed by suffering1 as for example1  
intemperance ruins the health and brings
 on a slavery worse in some cases than  
death2 and sensuality is often followed 
by loathsome and painful diseases4 ,thus
 ,god declares ,his feeling towards sin 
in these sufferings that result from it4
 ,he has set up a barrier to keep men   
from the practice of it4 ,but we will   
consider how afflictions and sufferings 
may all be overruled to the good of the 

sufferer and his deliverance from the   
evil of sin4  #a4 ,sufferings which are 
the direct effect of sin have a tendency
 to make us turn away from sin4 ,for    
example1 the poverty and distress of the
 ,prodigal son were the cause of his    
returning to his ,father4 ,so it was    
with ,jack ,harrington and others whom  
we know4  #b4 ,but sufferings and       
misfortunes which are not the direct    
effect of sin stir up the memory to a   
recollection of past sins1 and excite a 
remorse for them4 ,for example1 a lady  
who is the wife of a whisky dealer told 
her husband she believed that their     
losses and misfortunes were judgments   
sent on them for being in that business4
  #c4 ,sometimes it takes the greatest  
and most prolonged suffering to conquer 
man's stubbornness and independence of  
,god4 ,but suffering humbles him1 and1  
his pride being out of the way1 he has  
no more trouble4  #d4 ,sorrow that is   
too great for any earthly consolation   
leads the sorrowing one to seek comfort 

in ,god4 ,one of the greatest and best  
preachers of ,germany was thus led to   
,god by the loss of his young wife4 ,so 
parents are brought to ,god by the death
 of children and children by the death  
of parents4  #e4 ,sometimes suffering is
 necessary to wean us from some idol    
which we would not otherwise be willing 
to give up4  #f4 ,sometimes when we     
forget ,god and become absorbed in the  
world1 nothing but some affliction will 
make us come to ourselves and turn again
 to ,god with repentance and            
consecration4 ,read ,psalm cxix41       
#fg-ge4  ,the case of ,sister ,p----1 at
 ,portland1 was one of this kind4 ,she  
was a backslider and put off her return 
to ,god and kept putting it off4 ,but   
she had a great sorrow4 ,her son left   
home under a cloud1 her son's wife lost 
her mind and then died1 and her son was 
put in prison4 ,to this was added her   
own bad health4 ,these things broke the 
spell of the world1 woke her up from her
 apathy and made her seek ,god with all 

her heart and she found ,him again1 and 
died in great peace and triumph4  #g4   
,then suffering purifies us and develops
 us and prepares us for work we could   
not otherwise do4 ,tribulation worketh  
patience4 ,what excellent training ,i   
got when ,i rubbed the engine for a     
dollar and a half a day4 ,it brought    
patience and resignation and a better   
preparation for the work ,i am doing    
than any other sort of experience1      
perhaps1 could have given me4           
,,revelations ,,xxi3 #c4       ,and ,i  
heard a great voice out of heaven       
saying1 ,behold1 the      tabernacle of 
,god is with men1 and ,he will dwell    
with them1 and      they shall be ,his  
people1 and ,god ,himself shall be with 
them1      and be their ,god4  ,the     
subject suggested by the text is1 the   
future and final conquest of the world  
by the ,church of ,christ1 and the rest 
and reward of that church in ,heaven4   
,and the ,scriptures do teach that1 in  
time1 all nations shall learn           

righteousness4 ,the time is coming when 
neighbor shall not say to neighbor1     
,know ye the ,lord1 but when all shall  
know ,him1 from the least to the        
greatest2 and the knowledge of ,god     
shall cover the earth1 as the waters    
cover the deep4 ,when this blessed time 
is to be1 and what are to be the signs  
of its approach1 are not questions for  
us to attempt to discuss here to-day1   
though we may be allowed to say that the
 ,gospel is being preached to more      
people to-day that at any former period 
in the history of the church4 ,there is 
a missionary zeal in the church to-day  
that has not been paralleled in all her 
history4 ,there is not only a readiness 
among heathen people to hear the        
,gospel1 but there seems to be a        
positive hunger for it1 and within the  
last few years the ,gospel has          
penetrated to the interior of nations   
and continents that were previously     
inaccessible4 ,certainly the church is  
more aggressive and bold in her plans   

and operations to-day than ever before4 
,and if it be a prophecy of the not     
distant conquest of the world to the    
reign of ,christ1 we take courage1 and  
say3 ,god speed the day6 ,it is well for
 us to pause now1 and to reflect upon   
the reward promised to us in the end of 
our course4 ,we do not give enough      
attention to this4 ,to study about it2  
to learn what we do not know concerning 
it2 to realize the unspeakable          
blessedness of that state would make us 
more patient in waiting1 more cheerful  
in suffering1 more earnest and active   
and untiring in our efforts to help     
others to the attainment and enjoyment  
of it4  ,heaven1 then1 is represented in
 the ,bible as a place of perfect       
beauty1 perfect security1 perfect rest  
and perfect joy4  ,it is so represented 
as to appeal to the desires and longings
 of all classes of people4 ,to the      
inhabitant of the city1 what could be   
more pleasing than the freedom and      
freshness and beauty of the country8 ,so

 heaven is described as having its      
landscapes1 with its fruit-bearing      
trees1 its crystal rivers and gurgling  
fountains4 ,but for the rustic peasant1 
it is said to be a resplendent city1    
with walls of sapphire and gates of     
pearl and streets of gold4  ,but in some
 respects we are all alike4  ,we want to
 be free from sin and danger4  ,to a    
,christian heart1 sin is the most       
abhorred and dreadful of all things4 ,it
 gives more pain and causes more        
darkness than any other cause2 and the  
fear of it causes more suspense than the
 fear of all bodily suffering4  ,but in 
heaven we shall be free from sin1 and   
free from all fear of sin and all       
liability to sin4 ,for nothing that     
defileth or maketh a lie can ever enter 
there2 and they who are so happy as to  
gain heaven shall go out no more        
forever4  ,we all dread sorrow and grief
 and pain4 ,and truly we all have our   
share of it in this life4 ,man is born  
to trouble as the sparks fly upward4    

,man is of few days and full of trouble1
 but we leave it all behind when we go  
in at the gate of the ,city of ,god4    
,and there shall be no more sorrow nor  
crying1 neither shall there be any more 
pain1 for the former things are passed  
away4 ,christians in this world feel    
that they are pilgrims and strangers in 
a foreign land1 away from their home and
 their ,father's house4 ,their hearts   
have been so changed1 and they have     
tasted of the powers of the world to    
come1 and have come into communion with 
,god1 so that neither the pleasures of  
the world nor the friendships of earth  
can content them--their hearts are not  
here1 but away in heaven4  ,i heard a   
,christian man say1 not long ago 7though
 he has a sweet family and many         
friends71 that he felt that day an      
unutterable loneliness1 as if he were an
 exile4 ,his heart had such a longing   
for his ,father and his kindred and his 
home beyond the skies4 ,oh1 the sympathy
 and love and tenderness we know we     

shall get at home6 ,it makes us all feel
 a thrill that responds to the poet's   
immortal lines3      ,be it ever so     
humble1 there's no place like home4     
,and all the sympathy and tenderness of 
father1 mother1 brother and sister are  
transcended by the sympathy and         
tenderness of ,god1 for marvelous to    
tell it is said that ,god ,himself shall
 wipe away all tears from our eyes4     
,and how we thirst for knowledge here4  
,we know nothing now4 ,we are surrounded
 on all sides by things we do not       
understand4 ,if we undertake to         
investigate1 we soon reach the limit of 
our capacity and have to stop before we 
have learned anything4 ,but then we     
shall know as also we are known4  ,what 
it means1 when it says we shall sit down
 at the marriage supper of the ,lamb we 
know not1 nor what it implies when it   
says we are to enter into the joy of our
 ,lord2 nor do we understand that       
wonderful saying1 ,thou hast been       
faithful over a few things1 ,i will make

 thee ruler over many things4 ,no1 no2  
now we see through a glass darkly1 but  
then face to face1 and it doth not yet  
appear what we shall be4 ,but we know   
that if we suffer with ,him1 we shall   
reign with ,him4 ,the suffering comes   
first1 the humiliation first1 the toil  
and weariness1 the cross first1 and then
 the crown4 ,peter the ,great1 of       
,russia1 during one of his wars1 was    
separated from his army and lost1 and1  
to escape detection1 took off his royal 
apparel and dressed in common garb4 ,in 
his wanderings he came to a humble      
cottage1 and was kindly received and    
ministered unto by the peasant woman1   
who knew not who he was4 ,she gave him a
 home until danger was passed1 and then 
helped him to get back to his capital4  
,when the war was ended1 ,peter sent for
 this poor peasant woman1 brought her to
 his splendid court1 and1 marrying her1 
made her the partner of his throne and  
his empire4 ,she who had ministered to  
him in his sufferings now reigned with  

him as ,queen ,catherine1 of ,russia4   
,so1 my brethren1 see that you serve    
,christ1 suffer for ,him2 spend and be  
spent for ,his cause1 and then1 oh1     
then1 how sweet to rest and reign       
forevermore4   ,,ecclesiastes ,,xii3    
#ac4       ,let us hear the conclusion  
of the whole matter2 ,fear ,god1 and    
keep ,his commandments3 for this is the 
whole duty of man4  ,now1 boys1 here is 
a piece of advice given by the wisest of
 men4 ,can any of you tell me who was   
the wisest man8 7,solomon47 ,well this  
,solomon was the son of a king4 ,can any
 of you tell me whose son ,solomon was8 
7,david's47 ,and1 of course1 ,solomon   
had all that money could buy from his   
childhood up2 and when his father died1 
he became king in his place4 ,he lived  
to be an old man and he had a wide      
experience of life4 ,in other words he  
tried everything that he thought he     
could get happiness from and his        
experience is given in the book of      
,ecclesiastes4 ,he tried all sorts of   

pleasures and he tried them fully1      
because there was nothing to hinder or  
to check him4 ,he denied himself nothing
 that his heart desired4 ,he knew fully 
the effects of all sorts of enjoyment   
and when he had passed through it all he
 wrote it down as the lesson of his     
experience for all boys and young men to
 read4 ,and what was it8 ,does he say   
,young man1 you have a long life before 
you4 ,now you must enjoy the pleasures  
of life while you are young8 ,does he   
say you must run off from your father's 
house and presence like the ,prodigal   
son did1 so you can have a good time in 
the enjoyment of the pleasures of the   
world and then in your after life1 when 
you get more settled1 you can think     
about your ,creator and death and heaven
 and hell and eternity8 ,was that the   
lesson which his long and extended      
experience taught him8 ,ah1 no4 ,it was 
a far different one4 ,he would say this3
 ,young men1 boys1 ,i have been all over
 the road you are traveling now4 ,i have

 had your feelings1 your hopes1 your    
ambitions1 your passions1 your          
temptations4 ,and in one part of my life
 ,i concluded ,i would give myself up to
 the enjoyment of pleasure of every kind
 and ,i did so4 ,and ,i know all about  
it and this is what ,i would say to you 
all just starting out4 ,remember now    
your ,creator in the days of your youth 
and give your hearts and lives to ,him1 
if you want to be happy4  #a4 ,in the   
first place by so doing you will avoid  
wretched poverty4 ,for a man whose heart
 and life are given to ,god can not be a
 spendthrift4 ,but just look at some    
young men how they spend their money or 
that of their fathers4 ,however large a 
fortune they may have1 they soon come to
 poverty4  ,and a man whose life is     
given to ,god is industrious and loves  
to work4 ,he can not bear to be idle1   
for he knows and feels it to be a great 
sin4 ,besides all this ,god promises to 
see that those who live for ,him shall  
not want what is best for them4 ,jesus  

in the ,sermon on the ,mount declares   
that if ,god provides for sparrows and  
clothes lilies1 ,he will be sure to see 
to the needs of ,his own children4 ,so  
the way to get the best assurance that  
you will be blessed with things needful 
in this life is to give yourself up to  
,god to be ,his1 through thick and thin4
  #b4 ,if you give your heart to ,god   
now1 you will be kept from the sins     
which bring men into disgrace4 ,a good  
name is rather to be chosen than riches4
 ,ah6 you know not into what awful sins 
your passions will plunge you1 if you do
 not get the control of yourself1 which 
only religion can give4 ,you may be led 
along little by little1 almost without  
knowing it1 till you may wake up to find
 that you can not1 can not1 break off   
from your sins--your hated and ruinous  
sins4 ,but if you give ,god your heart  
to be changed1 renewed1 purified now1   
you will avoid all these awful dangers4 
#c4 ,but this verse says the years will 
draw nigh in which thou shalt take no   

pleasure in these things that relate to 
,god4 ,my dear young friend1 that is    
terribly true4 ,the longer you live away
 from ,god the less and less will be    
your care for ,him and for your soul4   
,how few old men ever turn to ,god6     
,yes1 very few1 forty years of age and  
over1 ever do so4 ,i heard ,dr4 ,munhall
 ask once1 in a large congregation1 that
 all who were converted after seventy   
years of age would stand up4 ,not one   
stood up4 ,then he asked that all who   
had been converted after they were sixty
 years of age would stand up4 ,not one  
stood up4 ,then he asked all who were   
converted after fifty years to stand up4
 ,only one1 ,i believe1 did so4 ,when he
 asked all who were converted after     
forty years to stand up1 only three or  
four did so4 ,when he asked all         
converted after thirty years to stand   
up1 perhaps eight or ten did so4 ,a few 
more had been converted after twenty    
years of age2 but when he asked all who 
were converted under twenty years to    

stand1 most of the congregation arose4  
,true1 ,i was converted after ,i was    
forty years of age1 but it was a bare   
chance4 ,and oh1 how hard it was for me4
 ,and if ,i had not had the most patient
 of friends to sympathize with me1      
encourage me and guide me1 ,i should    
never have gotten along4 ,i beg you do  
not follow my example in putting off    
your return to ,god4  ,look at the men  
whom you know4 ,how little interest they
 take in religion and their interest    
grows less and less all the time4 ,the  
years have already come when they have  
no pleasure in the things of ,god4 ,they
 have encouraged all their feelings1    
desires and ambitions but this1 and this
 has almost died out4 ,they have devoted
 all their thought and affections to    
making money and enjoying it1 to seeking
 pleasure and enjoying it1 to acquiring 
fame and enjoying it1 and so their      
hearts are completely hardened and      
insensible to the religion which they   
cast aside ten1 twenty or thirty years  

ago4 ,and they will probably never feel 
the all-absorbing interest in religion  
which is necessary to obtain it4 ,hence1
 they will go on blinder and blinder1   
colder and colder1 more and more        
hardened down to old age and to the     
grave and to a hopeless eternity4 ,i beg
 you1 my young friends1 all who hear me 
to put off your return to ,god not one  
day longer4       ,,note4--,the address1
 of which this is the outline1 was      
delivered      on a ,sunday-school      
occasion and is a specimen of ,mr4      
,holcombe's      talks to young         
people4--,,ed4   ,,mark ,,ii3 #ae4      
,and it came to pass1 that1 as ,jesus   
sat at meat in his house1      many     
publicans and sinners sat also together 
with ,jesus and ,his      disciples2 for
 there were many1 and they followed     
,him4  #a4 ,this class of persons feel  
that they are outcast1 and not          
recognized by those who are esteemed the
 good4 ,hence1 they feel backward1 and  
will not make advances toward the good  

for fear of being slighted4  #b4 ,if    
those who are looked upon and honored as
 good and pious and pure1 will show that
 they want to be friendly and sociable1 
it will take these persons by surprise1 
and will win their feelings--and this is
 nearly half the battle4  #c4 ,besides1 
if the good1 instead of waiting for     
these sinners to make advances1 which   
they will not do1 will take pains to    
show their interest in the welfare of   
these1 their unfortunate brothers1 it   
will make them believe that the pious   
are sincere1 and not hypocritical1 and  
that religion is a reality and not a    
mere profession4 ,this is a great step  
toward gaining them4 ,most of this class
 believe in the ,gospel in some vague   
sense1 but it is too vague to amount to 
anything4 ,but when they see the grand  
principle of the                        
,gospel--,love--embodied in the         
,christian1 and coming after them in    
their lost condition1 it makes an       
impression1 and it moves them to action4

 ,you can not drive men1 nor can you    
convince them by abusing them and by    
shutting them out as too vile to be your
 associates4 ,this only drives them     
further away4 ,but all men have a chord 
in their natures that can be touched by 
love and kindness4 ,it was this         
gentleness and sympathy that drew the   
thousands around ,john ,wesley4 ,it was 
this wonderful tenderness that made the 
publicans and sinners and harlots1 the  
outcast and the low and the vile seek   
the company of the loving ,jesus and    
press into ,his presence1 even when ,he 
was the guest of the great and noble of 
,his day4 ,they knew ,jesus would never 
repulse them--they knew ,he would love  
them1 help them1 save them4      ,down  
in the human heart     ,crushed by the  
,tempter1     ,feelings lie buried that 
grace can restore2     ,touched by a    
loving hand1 wakened by kindness1       
,chords that were broken will vibrate   
once more4  #d4 ,there has to be such an
 interest felt for those of this class  

as will make you cease to care for what 
people will say about your going among  
them and working with them4 ,this was   
the sort of interest ,jesus had for     
them4  #e4 ,imagine your own dear son to
 be one of this number1 and see what    
feelings you would have1 what           
earnestness and what planning4 ,these   
are some of the ways and means of       
getting at this class of persons4 ,for  
we have to use means and reason in all  
things4  #f4 ,but the agent1 the only   
one who can accomplish anything is      
,god's ,holy ,spirit1 and the ,holy     
,spirit comes only in answer to prayer  
and trust4 ,prayer is to be first and   
second and third and everywhere and     
always1 and then we may hope that our   
plans will succeed4   ,,preparation     
,,for ,,winning ,,souls4  ,i am sure1 my
 dear brethren1 that in the discussion  
of this topic we are to be allowed some 
liberty and some latitude2 and1 if ,i   
shall speak in a general way1 ,i trust  
,i shall not be counted out of order4   

,and1 not to detain you with            
preliminaries1 ,i say that1 to be a     
winner of souls1 a man must have the    
anointing of the ,holy ,one1 reproducing
 the mind that was in ,christ1 who      
though he was rich1 yet for our sakes   
became poor1 that we through ,his       
poverty might become rich1 and who being
 in the form of ,god1 thought it not a  
usurpation to be equal with ,god1 but   
,he emptied ,himself and took upon ,him 
the form of a servant2 and being found  
in fashion as a man1 ,he humbled        
,himself and became obedient as far as  
unto death1 even death on a cross4  ,a  
sympathy that arises from any other     
motive1 or comes from any other source1 
than ,his divine and supernatural       
anointing1 will fall short of the mark1 
and will be found too shallow and weak  
to bear with the hardheartedness1 the   
perversity and the ingratitude of sinful
 men4  ,this anointing1 on the other    
hand1 brings with it a yearning love and
 a profound sympathy for those who are  

in the blindness and bondage of sin1    
which impels one to seek out the lost1  
to be at patient pains to save them1 and
 to bear with all their dullness1       
slothfulness1 selfishness1 perverseness 
and thanklessness1 while they are under 
training1 so to speak4  ,it makes a man 
as ready and anxious to save the soul of
 a solitary sinner1 however humble and  
degraded he may be1 as to preach with   
power to the great congregations4 ,it   
was this that made ,john ,wesley as     
willing and careful and patient in      
talking to a negro servant girl as to a 
multitude4 ,and it was this which lead a
 greater than ,john ,wesley to lead with
 patient love along1 the poor ,samaritan
 adulteress whom ,he met at the well of 
,jacob4  ,but what is more important and
 imperative for the immediate work of   
getting a dead soul to a living         
,saviour1 this divine anointing imparts 
that peculiar and energetic pungency    
which pierces to the heart and          
conscience of a sinner1 rouses his      

fears1 and prepares him for the         
reception of ,christ4  ,not only so1    
this unction from the ,holy ,one is     
accompanied with a practical wisdom and 
insight which discerns1 if not all      
things1 yet1 at least1 many practical   
things4 ,it enables a man to see that   
the first thing to be done in the way of
 saving a sinner is to convict him of   
sin4 ,to get him to admit theoretically 
that he is a sinner1 is equal to zero1  
amounts to nothing4 ,but1 in a way not  
to repel him1 he must be made to feel   
that he is sinful1 and so1 wretched4 ,it
 is wonderful what tact some men have in
 this respect4 ,here lies1 undoubtedly1 
the secret of ,sam ,jones' power4 ,he   
turns all classes of men1 ,pharisees in 
the church and sinners out of it1 inside
 out1 and makes them see1 in spite of   
all spiritual apathy and all            
self-deception1 what they are4 ,he shows
 them secrets which they thought nobody 
knew but themselves4  ,but a greater    
than he did the same thing--,jesus      

touched the sore spot in the conscience 
of the ,samaritan woman and compelled   
her to say3 ,he told me all things that 
,i have done4 ,this revealing the       
secrets of the heart is a thing that    
fascinates and attracts and wins a      
sinner2 and he feels1 if you know so    
well without being told1 all the        
particulars of his inner life and all   
the desperate trouble of his case1 you  
surely can not make a mistake in        
pointing out the way of escape4 ,just as
 a patient yields immediate and         
unquestioning confidence to the         
physician who can tell him all his      
symptoms and describe his feelings      
better than he himself can do it4  ,if  
preaching the love of ,christ without   
convicting of sin would have saved      
people1 then most people in the ,united 
,states would have been saved long ago1 
for the love of ,christ has been told   
and retold and preached and re-preached1
 and it does not bring sinners to       
repentance4 ,to be sure there are some  

sinners who have found1 by bitter       
experience1 the ripe fruits of sin1 and 
these may be already prepared to accept 
a deliverer and a deliverance as soon as
 offered to them4  ,the possession of   
this unction presupposes that a man is  
correct1 upright1 holy in his life2 for 
,god would not give it to one who was   
not so4 ,i believe ,mr4 ,moody was right
 when he said3 ,if a man's life is not  
above reproach1 the less he says the    
better4 ,a friend of mine says he knows 
a minister who1 though no doubt a good  
man and a fine talker1 will lie now and 
then4 ,of course1 he would not call it  
lying1 nor would his admirers call it   
lying1 but lying it is2 and so he has no
 power4 ,his preaching is like a        
sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal4   
,there are some men who have some little
 success in soul-saving1 but who would  
have much more success1 if their lives  
were thoroughly holy1 and ,christlike4  
,and indeed some men would not have the 
success they do have1 if the public knew

 their secret life4 ,for example1 there 
are some men who indulge evil thoughts  
7if they do not go further7 and who are 
not chaste in their associations with   
women2 and there are others who are     
ill-tempered1 cross1 fault-finding1 sour
 and bitter in their home life4 ,if     
these things were publicly and generally
 known1 they would lose what power they 
have with the people4 ,brethren1 we can 
hardly be too careful of these things4  
,but a full and constant anointing of   
the ,holy ,one would correct all these  
evils at the source1 namely1 in the     
heart4 ,it makes a sober ,christian man 
tremble to know how little some of the  
preachers and evangelists of the day    
pray4 ,it would be no wonder if under   
stress of some sudden and strong        
temptation1 they should fall into       
scandalous sin and disgrace themselves  
and the cause they represent4 ,there is 
an old and true saying that when a man's
 life is lightning1 his words will be   
thunderbolts4  ,we are advised to make  

ourselves familiar with the ,scriptures1
 to equip ourselves with weapons from   
the armory of ,god's word2 and excellent
 advice it is4  ,no man can maintain a  
spiritual life who does not habitually  
and diligently study ,god's holy word4  
,no man is prepared to understand the   
wants of souls or to deal with them who 
is not familiar with the ,scriptures4   
,it is a marked characteristic of our   
honored brother1 ,d4 ,l4 ,moody1 that he
 can1 not only discern the deeper1 inner
 spiritual sense of all the ,scriptures1
 both of the ,old ,testament and the    
,new1 but he can handle and apply them  
with a skill1 effectiveness and power   
that are truly wonderful4 ,and1 what is 
more1 he is peculiarly apt in selecting 
just the right passages for any         
particular case or occasion4 ,he is     
truly a masterly handler of the sword of
 the spirit1 and his success is largely 
due to this fact4  ,but there is a class
 of workers who seem to think that it is
 sufficient to know by heart some       

,scriptures1 or to have a certain       
facility in referring to different      
passages1 and they rely upon this1      
congratulating themselves that they are 
doing well4 ,but it is all perfunctory  
and lifeless and dead4 ,there is no     
charm1 no warmth1 no power in it4 ,a man
 must be more than a mechanical         
text-peddler in order to impress1       
arouse1 comfort and save the souls of   
men4 ,you may pitch cold lead at a man  
all day long and never break his skin2  
but let a full charge of ignited        
gunpowder drive it out of a well-aimed  
rifle1 and the effect is terrific4 ,so  
these text-mongers may throw ,scripture 
at people all day long1 and they laugh  
at it4 ,but let the same missile be     
hurled forth with the energy of a soul  
on fire of the ,holy ,ghost1 and the    
slain of the ,lord will be many4  ,so1  
my brother1 there is absolutely no      
substitute for this unction of the ,holy
 ,spirit4 ,and this unction is given in 
answer to self-denying and daily prayer4

  ,if we would know the secret of power 
with men1 we must spend much time in    
secret communion with ,god4             
,,note4--,this address is one of two    
delivered by ,mr4 ,holcombe      before 
the convention of ,christian workers of 
,united ,states and      ,canada in the 
,broadway ,tabernacle1 ,new ,york1      
,september #ba-bh1      #ahhg4--;,,ed4  
,,the ,,mission--,,past1 ,,present ,,and
 ,,future4  ,i4 ,,the ,,past4  ,two     
years ago ,i was working in the ,fire   
,department of the city1 because ,i     
could get nothing else to do4 ,the close
 and slavish confinement1 the necessity 
of being always at my place1 both of    
nights and ,sundays1 and the consequent 
lack of opportunity to do anything for  
the cause of my ,master1 made it almost 
intolerable for me1 and several times ,i
 made up my mind ,i would give up the   
place1 even though ,i had nothing else  
to fall back on for a living for myself 
and family4 ,but through the advice of  
friends and the help of ,god1 ,i was    

kept from that rash step4 ,however1 ,i  
determined ,i must do something for my  
,lord and for the men of my acquaintance
 and former occupation who would not1 ,i
 knew1 go inside of a church4 ,so1      
though ,i was getting under sixty       
dollars a month1 and had a large family 
to support1 ,i determined to rent a room
 at my own expense in the central part  
of the city for holding ,gospel         
meetings1 and to hire a substitute to   
take my place in the ,fire ,department  
when ,i was absent and engaged in the   
work of my ,lord4  ,i made known my     
plans to my former pastor1 and he became
 interested and promised to help me4 ,he
 was living in the country1 and hardly  
ever attended the preachers' meeting    
here on ,mondays2 but it happened on the
 next ,monday after ,i told him of my   
purpose that he was at the preachers'   
meeting1 and1 on my name being mentioned
 by some one present1 he took occasion  
to speak at length of my conversion1    
trials1 poverty2 my intense yearning to 

engage entirely in the work of ,god1 and
 my immediate purpose to commence       
,gospel meetings in entire dependence on
 ,god alone for help4 ,he went so far as
 to ask the preachers present to speak  
of the matter to their members and make 
an effort to get assistance from them   
for the expenses of my proposed work4   
,but one of the preachers present1      
though saying very little at the time1  
was moved to lay before his official    
board a proposition not to assist in    
paying the expenses of such a plan of   
work1 but to take me from the ,fire     
,department and pay me a regular salary 
and defray all the other necessary      
expenses of such a ,mission work as my  
heart was set on doing4 ,and his        
official members were also moved to     
agree to his proposition1 and when he   
came to me and told me of what had taken
 place1 ,i was constrained to say3 ,this
 is ,god's doing1 and it is marvelous in
 my eyes4 ,so the very thing ,i desired 
above all other things2 the very thing  

,i should have chosen if ,i could have  
had my wish1 was brought to pass4 ,and  
,i saw that by waiting ,god's time1 ,he 
rewarded me in granting me the desire of
 my heart1 and meanwhile ,i had learned 
lessons of patience and preparation that
 ,i could not have learned so well      
anywhere else4 7,mr4 ,holcombe went on  
to speak of the beginning of his work in
 the ,tyler ,block1 with the assistance 
and co-operation of ,rev4 ,mr4 ,morris2 
of the results accomplished during that 
first period2 of the removal of the     
,mission to ,jefferson street1 between  
,fourth and ,fifth streets1 and the     
results accomplished there1 and1 lastly1
 of the removal to the present building1
 etc4 ,see his life47   ,,ii4 ,,the     
,,present4  ,at present we have the     
house on ,jefferson street4 ,we have a  
,sunday-school of scholars who do not   
attend any other school1 and would not4 
,it is supplied with able and devoted   
teachers1 such as ,brother ,atmore and  
others4 ,the devotion of ,brother       

,atmore is shown by his refusing to     
leave his class one ,sunday to go to the
 ,masonic ,temple during ,sam ,jones'   
meetings4 ,the children show a wonderful
 improvement since they have been coming
 to the ,sunday-school4 ,brother        
,atmore's boys were almost unmanageable 
at first1 but they are now so changed   
that it is very noticeable4 ,this       
,sunday-school feature of the work is   
one of the most important and promising 
parts of it1 and we believe the results 
to be accomplished by it alone will     
amply repay all the outlay of labor1    
time and means that has been made in the
 enterprise4 ,we have also a            
reading-room in connection with the     
,mission-room1 where we have papers1    
magazines1 books1 etc4 ,the words of    
invitation and welcome painted on the   
door have drawn in some who1 but for the
 reception1 sympathy and help which they
 found there1 might have gone on in     
their wretchedness to suicide4  ,while  
we furnish lodging1 food1 etc41 to those

 who are destitute1 yet it is with a    
view to their spiritual welfare and     
ultimate salvation4 ,and so soon as we  
find a man is availing himself of our   
charity with no intention or effort to  
become a ,christian1 we let him go4     
,,iii4 ,,the ,,future4  ,in looking at  
the past1 we find there are several     
plain and striking results of the work4 
,the most apparent is the radical and   
astonishing change for the better that  
has taken place in the cases of many    
unhappy men and their families4 ,two    
years ago these men sat in darkness and 
in the shadow of death1 being bound in  
affliction and iron1 because they       
rebelled against the laws of ,god4      
,therefore ,he brought down their       
hearts4 ,they fell down and there was   
none to help4 ,and none but themselves  
and ,god knew the bitterness of their   
bondage and the depth of their dark and 
unrelieved despair4 ,but they were      
brought into contact with a new force   
and a new agency by means of the efforts

 and sympathy and instructions of those 
engaged in this work1 and to-day their  
old life with its bitterness and bondage
 and darkness is left behind from one to
 two years in a path that1 it is hoped1 
is not to be retraced forever1 and now  
these men are happy again1 and some of  
them prosperous in business4 ,and what  
shall be said of their families--their  
wives and children1 innocent sufferers  
from the vices of husbands and fathers8 
,husband is husband again1 father is    
father again1 and the long dark night of
 hopeless sorrow and bitter tears has   
ended--ended at last1 and ended1 let us 
hope and pray1 forever4  ,but if it be  
also true1 as ,he said1 who spake as    
never man spake1 that it profits nothing
 to gain the whole world and lose one's 
own soul2 if there is for the unsaved an
 undying worm and an unquenchable fire1 
and for the saved an inheritance of joy 
that is incorruptible and a glory that  
fadeth never more away1 then where or   
how shall we begin to compute the result

 of this mission work8 ,it is recorded  
in eternity1 and only the unfolding of  
eternity can unfold the good that has   
thus far been done4  ,but aside from    
these direct results1 there is another  
one which can not be estimated1 namely  
the demonstration of the power of the   
,gospel to do for helpless1 enslaved1   
lost men what nothing else in the       
universe can do4 ,there is naturally in 
the hearts of men a doubt as to the     
divinity of that religion which fails to
 do what it proposes to do1 and so in   
times of religious deadness1 men lose   
faith1 and unbelief grows stronger and  
more stubborn in proportion as they see 
no actual instances of the power of the 
,gospel to save bad men4 ,but when bad  
men have been reached and quickened and 
convicted and made holy by the ,gospel1 
then the tide turns and faith becomes   
natural and easy and contagious1 not to 
say necessary4 ,many of my old          
companions were brought to believe in   
the ,gospel when ,i was changed by it2  

and now when scores of the worst cases  
in ,louisville have been reached and    
saved1 and have stayed saved so long1   
men are brought back from unbelief to   
faith1 and naturally turn to the ,gospel
 with increasing hope4  ,but this return
 of faith has not only been noticeable  
in the case of the unsaved classes1 the 
churches have seen this work1 and have  
had their faith in the divine power of  
the ,gospel to save all men increased1  
and a corresponding activity is         
witnessed among many of the churches in 
the city4 ,they have learned also that  
to save lost men we must1 like ,jesus1  
not wait for them to come to us1 but we 
must go to them and after them1 just as 
has been done in this work4  ,there is a
 passage in ,malachi which says1 ,bring 
all the tithes into my storehouse and   
prove me herewith if ,i will not open   
the windows of heaven and pour you out  
such a blessing there shall not be room 
enough to receive it4  ,this            
,walnut-street church1 led by its       

devoted pastor1 was willing to accept   
,god's challenge1 and they brought the  
tithes1 they laid down their money1 they
 made the venture1 and ,god has given   
them a great blessing4  ,but this is    
only the pledge of far greater blessings
 yet to be given them1 if they will     
continue to honor ,god1 by the faith    
that lays upon ,his altar1 sacrifices   
that cost something and amount to       
something4  ,let us not stop to         
congratulate ourselves upon what has    
been done and rest satisfied with that1 
but accept it only as an indication of  
what ,he will do for us if we have faith
 to claim a deep wide-spread and        
continuous revival4       ,,note4--,the 
foregoing is the substance of an address
 delivered      by request of the       
,directors of the ,mission on the       
occasion of a      reunion of the       
converts and mass-meeting of the        
,christian      people of ,louisville1  
in the ,walnut-street ,methodist        
,church1 in      ,april1 #ahhf4--;,,ed4 

,,christian ,,workers4       ,from      
,september #bast to #bhth1 the second   
convention of ,christian      ,workers  
in the ,united ,states and ,canada was  
held in ,broadway      ,tabernacle1 ,new
 ,york ,city4 ,from the published report
 of the      proceedings1 this speech of
 the ,rev4 ,s4 ,p4 ,holcombe is taken3  
,it would be presumptuous in me to stand
 up here and say how you should conduct 
a ,gospel ,meeting4 ,i do not propose to
 do that2 but will simply tell you how1 
for six years1 ,i have conducted one at 
,louisville1 ,kentucky1 and with some   
success4 ,i say some success1 for we    
have succeeded in gaining the confidence
 and respect of all classes--preachers1 
,christians1 gamblers1 drunkards and    
infidels4 ,not only have we succeeded in
 reaching the hearts of the people1 but 
also their pocket-books4  ,beginning in 
a basement room1 at a rent of twenty    
dollars per month1 we now own a building
 of thirty rooms4 ,as an instance of the
 respect all classes have for our work1 

while we were negotiating for this      
property a ,german ,singing ,society    
also wanted it4 ,this kept the price up 
above our figures4  ,i called on the    
,president of the ,club1 who is an      
infidel1 told him ,i wanted that        
property for my ,mission work4 ,said he3
 ,mr4 ,holcombe1 ,i am not a ,christian1
 neither do ,i believe in the churches1 
but ,i do believe in the kind of work   
that you are doing4 ,i shall withdraw   
until the ,holcombe ,mission is done4   
,we soon had the property4  ,since my   
conversion ,i have tried to be a man1   
just as much as before4 ,as ,dr4        
,pentecost said the other day3 ,when ,i 
put off the old man1 ,i did not put on  
the old woman1 and by this ,i mean no   
disrespect to the dear old women1 for   
many of them have more manhood in them  
than some of us men1 and my wife is one 
of them4 ,what ,i mean is1 that since ,i
 have become a ,christian ,i have not   
lost any of my manhood4  ,when ,i was a 
gambler1 ,i had gambling houses all over

 the country4 ,the object was to get    
other people's money without giving them
 any equivalent1 in order to gratify my 
base passion4 ,i could not1 of course1  
call on the police for protection1 as my
 business was not legitimate4 ,hence1 ,i
 had to protect myself1 which ,i did at 
all hazards4  ,so1 when ,i opened a     
house for the ,lord1 to win souls for   
,him1 ,i determined ,i would take care  
of it at any cost4 ,i think some who are
 engaged in ,christian work are too     
stilted1 others are too lax4 ,i have    
tried to be both stiff and limber2 when 
it was a matter of no consequence1 to   
bend like the willow2 when it was       
something vital to my ,master's cause1  
to be as stiff as steel4 ,in other words
 ,i have tried to be all things to all  
men that ,i might win some4  ,i think   
all ,missions ought to have a leader4   
,ours has one4 ,i am the leader of the  
meetings4 ,not that ,i do all the       
talking1 but ,i look out for the        
details4  ,i have a time for opening and

 a time for closing the meeting1 and ,i 
always close at the time4 ,if my opening
 time is #g3cj1 ,i begin the meeting if 
there is no one there but myself1 which1
 however1 has never occurred2 and if my 
closing hour is at #i o'clock1 ,i close 
at #i--not #i3cj or #aj4 ,we have in    
,louisville a class of poor people who  
attend the ,mission and who work every  
day4 ,they must be at their places of   
labor at an early hour in the morning4  
,they love to be at the meeting1 and    
when they know that they will be        
dismissed promptly1 they will come4 ,i  
feel that if ,i were to keep these men  
and women up till #aj1 #aa or #ab       
o'clock1 and let them get up at #e and  
go to a hard day's work1 while ,i lie in
 bed until #h or #i1 that ,i would be a 
robber4  ,now1 ,i do not say that ,i go 
home at #i o'clock2 for if there is a   
single one anxious enough about his     
soul's eternal salvation to stay till   
the dawning of the morning1 ,i will     
remain with him4 ,i simply say that ,i  

have a time for opening and a time for  
closing1 and ,i keep promptly to it4  ,i
 have no set way of conducting the      
meetings4 ,i try to take advantage of   
the situation and do the best ,i can    
under the circumstances4  ,we always    
have a ,scripture lesson read and a few 
remarks by the leader4 ,if ,i ask him to
 speak twenty minutes1 ,i mean twenty   
minutes2 and1 if he is a bishop1 ,i will
 stop him when his time is up4 ,i don't 
ask you to agree that this is right--,i 
am only telling you how ,i conduct a    
,gospel meeting4 ,after this we have    
,christians to give their experience1   
never allowing more than three minutes1 
and ,i make it my business to know what 
kind of lives those who testify are     
living4 ,if one gets up and begins to   
talk about the love of ,jesus1 who ,i   
know has that day been drinking1 or in a
 house of prostitution1 ,i stop him     
right there4 ,i do not allow him to     
talk1 and injure the cause1 and then    
tell him afterward4 ,i say1 ,brother1 we

 don't want to hear from you to-night1  
and so ,i stop him at once4  ,i am very 
careful as to who testifies in my       
meetings and what they say4 ,if a man   
who is not a ,christian undertakes to   
exhort others to become ,christians1 ,i 
stop him1 because he is trying to talk  
about something of which he knows       
nothing1 and this is one of the hardest 
things in the world to do4  ,where      
everybody is invited to take part in a  
meeting1 we are apt to have cranks to   
deal with4 ,they must be checked and    
kept down rather than encouraged4 ,by   
cranks ,i mean those who have eccentric 
and unsound views1 and think that nobody
 else can know as well about these      
things as themselves4  ,i was holding a 
series of ,gospel meetings in ,atlanta1 
,ga41 on one occasion1 and had been     
talking from ,acts ii41 #ch1 ,and ye    
shall receive the gift of the ,holy     
,ghost4 ,in the address ,i undertook1 as
 best ,i could1 to show that ,he1 the   
,holy ,ghost1 convinces men of sin1 and 

that ,he reveals ,jesus to poor sinners 
as their sin bearer and life giver1 and 
that it is ,he that produces that change
 in men which we call conversion or     
regeneration or the new birth2 and that 
,he1 the ,holy ,ghost1 is the comforter 
of ,god's people1 in their loneliness   
and trials and conflicts here in this   
world of exile1 as well as our teacher  
to guide us into the truth4 ,when ,i had
 gotten through1 ,i said1 ,now we will  
have short talks from others1 and no one
 will talk more than three minutes4 ,up 
jumped a street preacher1 who began     
saying that ,i had been talking about   
the ,holy ,ghost1 but ,i did not know   
what ,i was talking about4 ,he knew all 
about ,him1 and would tell them about   
,him4 7,this was pretty trying1 but ,i  
kept mum1 however47 ,he then began a    
harangue4 ,when his time was up1 ,i     
stopped him4 ,you are going to limit the
 ,holy ,ghost1 are you8 ,you are going  
to take the responsibility of stopping  
,him1 are you8 ,no1 but ,i am going to  

stop you1 and that at once4 ,and at once
 he stopped4  ,i never allow those who  
testify to abuse others4 ,some will     
begin to talk about the gambling hells4 
,i stop them and say3 ,no man will go   
farther to stop these things than ,i1   
but this is not the place for that kind 
of talk4 ,others1 as soon as they are   
converted1 begin to find fault with the 
churches1 and abuse the ministers4 ,i do
 not approve of this1 and ,i discourage 
it4 ,i am sorry to know that many who   
are conducting ,gospel meetings are     
inclined to find fault with ,christians1
 magnifying themselves and their work   
and underrating the churches and the    
work of their faithful pastors4  ,some  
of these ,mission workers have spent the
 best part of their lives in sin1 never 
looking into the ,bible--have been      
converted only a short time2 have had a 
little success2 got the big-head1 and   
think they know better how to do ,god's 
work than those dear men who have been  
good all their lives and made a study of

 ,god's ,word4  ,my dear brethren1 in   
the ,mission work1 we must remember that
 all who have ever done any mighty work 
for ,god have been trained for it1 and  
trained slowly4 ,moses1 you remember1   
when he was going to his work down in   
,egypt1 commenced killing people4 ,he   
was the great chieftain1 and was going  
to deliver his brethren by killing his  
enemies4 ,this was not the way ,god     
wanted it done4 ,god saw that there was 
good material in ,moses1 and that ,he   
could use him1 but he must be trained4  
,so ,he sent him away to the solitudes  
of ,horeb and ,sinai1 and kept him there
 forty years4 ,then when ,god called him
 to go down and bring ,his people out1  
he had learned the lesson ,god wanted   
him to learn1 had gotten down in the    
dust1 was humbled1 and he said3 ,who am 
,i1 ,lord8 ,moses had gotten more of the
 ,holy ,ghost4 ,the more we get of the  
,holy ,ghost the closer we get to ,god4 
,the more we see of ,him1 and the more  
we see of ,god1 the less we think of    

ourselves2 the more insignificant we    
become in our own eyes4  ,the ,twelve   
had a grand work to do1 but they were   
slowly trained for it4 ,so1 then1 let us
 young converts1 whose work ,god has    
honored and blessed1 be very careful how
 we magnify ourselves1 and underrate the
 regular ministry4 ,these men are doing 
a noble work in their respective fields1
 and they are just as ready and willing 
to take hold of the poor outcast as we  
,mission workers are4  ,there are       
preachers who are occupying pulpits1    
where they are getting twenty-five      
hundred or three thousand dollars a     
year1 and they are doing just as much to
 save poor drunkards as we ignorant1    
humble ,mission workers are4  ,you who  
were at the ,chicago ,convention last   
year remember what ,dr4 ,lawrence told  
us about taking one of these poor1      
wretched drunkards to his beautiful     
home2 how1 notwithstanding he was full  
of vermin1 he had him take a bath1      
burned his clothes1 put clean ones on   

him1 gave him a bed and took care of him
 as a brother4 ,i tell you1 my friends1 
,i was touched by that story as well as 
taught a valuable lesson4 ,i know of    
many instances of the same kind that ,i 
might tell4  ,you remember ,dr4 ,john   
,a4 ,broadus1 a well-known ,baptist     
minister in ,louisville4 ,i know him    
well4 ,he has been one of my best       
friends4 ,not very long before ,i left  
home1 a drunkard came to the ,mission   
and showed me a note from ,dr4 ,broadus1
 saying3 ,this man has called on me for 
help4 ,i do not like to give him any    
money1 as he is under the influence of  
liquor4 ,give him whatever you think    
best1 and ,i will settle the bill4 ,i   
asked the man1 as ,i knew him well3 ,how
 did you happen to go to ,dr4 ,broadus8 
,because ,i had heard so many say that  
he had helped them4 ,i gave him nothing4
 ,my friends1 we must not underrate the 
willingness of the preachers to help the
 poor outcast1 for they are much        
interested in their very welfare4  ,i   

love the ,missions and the ,mission     
work4 ,just at this present time1 the   
,missions have got a boom over the      
country1 but if we are not very careful 
how we talk and act1 the ,missions will 
suffer4 ,and the only reason some of    
them have not quit already is because   
those who support them1 for want of time
 to hunt up real results1 have had to   
take printed reports4  ,it is easy for  
us to find fault with ,christians1 rich 
,christians1 and say they are cold and  
indifferent about the souls of men1 but 
the history of the church proves that   
this is a great mistake4 ,these         
,missions have to be supported by rich  
,christians1 and when you find a man    
that has got much money1 you will find  
that he is not a fool4 ,he is generally 
a man with a long head and              
farsightedness4 ,he wants to see where  
his money is going1 and what is being   
done with it4 ,if you use it properly1  
he will give it liberally4 ,if he finds 
that you are one of those fellows that  

want to give his money to every beggar  
that comes along1 he will stop his      
subscription at once4 ,these are simple 
facts4 ,if we want this ,mission work to
 succeed we have got to be very careful4
  ,i never allow any begging in my      
,mission1 ,i don't care how pitiable the
 object may be4 ,when tramps want food1 
,i send them to the wood yard to work   
for it4 ,if men will not work1 neither  
shall they eat of the money intrusted to
 me for spiritual work4  ,i have no     
indiscriminate praying4 ,when ,i want a 
prayer1 ,i want to know something about 
the man or woman who is to make it4 ,i  
ask some one who1 ,i have good reason to
 believe1 is a true ,christian1 that is1
 who walks and talks with ,god4 ,i do   
not care about their name or            
denomination4 ,i feel that there is a   
great responsibility in going to ,god   
for these poor sinners1 and ,i want the 
best man or woman that ,i can get to    
talk to ,god for them4 ,i say3 ,i am    
going to call on some one to pray4 ,i   

don't want you to pray for ,africans1   
,chinese or any other of the heathen    
nations here4 ,when you go home1 you can
 pray for them all night if you want to1
 but now we want you to pray for this   
special work4  ,i believe in good       
singing1 and try to have it4 ,i would   
like to have a hundred in the choir4 ,i 
seldom have over two persons4 ,i suppose
 the reason is that ,i will not allow   
any one to sit on my platform and sing  
these sweet hymns unless ,i have good   
reason to believe they are living pure1 
holy1 consistent ,christian lives4 ,i   
think the man or woman who sits in the  
choir ought to be as good as he who     
stands in the pulpit4  ,some will come  
to me and say3 ,so-and-so is a fine     
singer2 has such a fine voice4 ,what    
church does he or she belong to8 ,oh1   
they are not members4 ,well1 then1      
excuse me1 if you please4 ,but that     
might save them6 ,i shall not try the   
experiment4  ,i have polite ushers to   
welcome the people1 and to shake hands  

with them as they come in and also as   
they go out1 and invite them back4 ,they
 are also supplied with tracts for      
distribution1 tracts that have passed   
under my observation1 as ,i allow nobody
 to distribute tracts unless ,i know    
what they are4  ,i try to keep the run  
of the converts2 in fact1 ,i try to know
 all about them4 ,i try to get them into
 some church of their choice1 that one  
which they will feel the most at home in
 and where they will get the right sort 
of care4 ,it is a very easy thing to get
 one of these poor drunkards1 who hasn't
 got any place to sleep or anything to  
eat1 to say1 ,i am going to try and be a
 better man and follow ,christ6 ,it is a
 very easy thing1 ,i say1 and the poor  
fellows mean it4 ,but1 oh6 my friends1  
how hard it is to get them up to the    
sticking point4 ,they want to be watched
 over and given the very best nursing4  
,if ,i had not had the very best care   
and nursing of one of the most godly of 
ministers1 ,i do not think ,i should be 

standing before you to-day a ,christian 
man4  ,i try to follow them up and help 
the pastors to nurse them4 ,in order to 
keep track of them we use a book1       
something like a bank check-book4 ,when 
they want to unite with some church1 we 
give them a certificate of introduction4
 ,in it ,i ask the pastor to let me know
 when it is presented4 ,on the stub ,i  
take the man's name1 age1 residence1    
where from1 to whom introduced1 with    
space for remarks as to future career1  
etc4 ,if he has a home1 we visit him at 
his home1 and if he has not1 ,i invite  
him to visit me at my home at any time1 
day or night1 which is in the same      
building over the ,mission1 and we talk 
together and pray together4  ,,question4
 ,will you please state whether you ever
 recommend fasting as a means of keeping
 the body under8  ,,answer4 ,i think it 
is a good idea4 ,i think fasting a good 
thing to keep the body under4 ,owing to 
my poverty1 since ,i have become a      
,christian1 ,i have had little to feed  

on4 ,this necessary self-denial has     
enabled me to keep my poor body down1   
and from betraying me into sin4 ,no man 
was ever a greater slave to his passions
 than ,i4 ,my passion for gambling was  
so great ,i would have committed murder 
to gratify it4 ,i was very licentious4  
,i just gave loose reins to my passions2
 but to-day1 ,i thank ,god1 ,i can stand
 up before you and say that ,i am       
complete master of myself4 ,i know it is
 a help to live a plain life4  ,q4 ,how 
many meetings a week do you hold8  ,a4  
,we have them every night4  ,q4 ,do the 
men go to the churches when you send    
them8 ,do you prepare them8  ,a4 ,i do  
not hurry them into the churches4 ,and  
yet ,i don't say they must be converted 
before they go in4 ,when a man is sick  
of sin1 willing to give it up1 ,i think 
he is about as ready for the church as  
we can get him4  ,q4 ,do you have much  
or little ,bible reading in the         
services8  ,a4 ,we do not have much     
,bible reading4 ,i know that it is the  

power of ,god unto salvation2 but the   
class of men who attend ,missions1 as a 
rule1 are in no condition to be profited
 by a long ,bible reading4 ,the mission 
of the ,missions is to stop these men in
 their downward course1 put them to     
thinking1 get them into churches2 then  
have the ,bible read and explained to   
them by those who are more competent    
than ,i am4  ,q4 ,how long do you hold  
service8  ,a4 ,exactly one hour and a   
half2 never more1 sometimes a little    
less4 ,the first half hour is taken up  
in prayer and singing1 the other hour in
 exhortation and testimonies and prayers
 for the inquirers4 ,after dismissing1  
we remain with any anxious ones4  ,q4   
,when do you have your converts'        
meeting8  ,a4 ,every ,sunday morning1   
beginning at #i3cj o'clock and closing  
at #aj3cj1 in time for them to get to   
church4  ,q4 ,do the churches take good 
care of the converts8  ,a4 ,as a rule1  
yes4 ,some better than others4  ,q4 ,do 
the converts come to your ,mission after

 they have joined the church8  ,a4 ,oh1 
yes1 sir4 ,they feel more at home in the
 ,mission than they do in church1       
because it was there they entered upon  
the ,christian life4 ,many of our       
,christian workers make a great mistake4
 ,they find fault with the churches     
because they don't receive these        
tramps--,i must call them tramps--in    
their filthy condition and give them the
 best seats1 etc4 ,i want to say right  
here that a clean church1 where clean   
people go1 is no place for a body of    
tramps4 ,we must remember1 my friends1  
that people who are clean1 who have good
 clothes and clean homes1 also have some
 rights to be considered4 ,i say it is  
not right to take these people into a   
fine church1 and put them side by side  
with the clean ones until they          
themselves are thoroughly clean4 ,i took
 fifty or sixty of them into a church   
once1 but afterward ,i was aware that ,i
 had made a great mistake4 ,the ,mission
 is the place to clean them up1 and then

 send them to a clean church1 and they  
will feel better themselves1 and be     
warmly welcomed by the members4 ,i don't
 like dirt any better than other folks1 
but some one has to do this work1 and ,i
 am perfectly willing to do it4