,this e,book was produced by ,joel      
,erickson1 ,charles ,franks1 ,juliet    
,sutherland            ,,the ,,poorhouse
 ,,waif    and    ,,his ,,divine        
,,teacher    ,a ,true ,story    ,,by    
,,isabel ,c4 ,,byrum        ,,contents  
,preface    ,i ,the ,deserted ,child    
,,ii ,life in the ,almshouse    ,,iii   
,from ,bad to ,worse    ,,iv ,finding   
,friends    ,v ,suffering for the       
,faults of ,others    ,,vi ,the ,strange
 ,visitor    ,,vii ,mysteries ,unfolding
    ,,viii ,discovers the ,existence of 
,god    ,,ix ,in the ,home of a ,witch  
,x ,a ,contrast    ,,xi ,searching for  
,light    ,,xii ,a ,revelation on       
,eternity    ,,xiii ,puzzled about      
,prayer    ,,xiv ,a ,prayer-,meeting    
,,xv ,a ,star of ,hope    ,,xvi ,a      
,revelation on ,tobacco    ,,xvii ,the  
,camp-,meeting    ,,xviii ,discovers the
 ,existence of ,god's ,word    ,,xix    
,devotion and ,works    ,,xx ,called to 
,service    ,,xxi ,discovers ,god's     
,church    ,,xxii ,visits the ,poorhouse

        ,,chapter ,i    ,,the ,,deserted
 ,,child      ,in this wide world the   
fondest and the best    ,are the most   
tried1 most troubled1 and distressed4   
--,crabbe4    ,why1 woman1 you are not  
thinking of leaving that child in this  
place for  us to look after1 ,i hope6   
,our hands are more than full already4  
,you say  that the child is scarcely a  
month old4 ,how do you suppose that we  
could  give it a mother's care8 ,more   
than this1 the board that governs the   
affairs  of this institution has given  
us orders to accept no children under   
seven  months of age whose mothers are  
not with them4 ,so if we should take the
  child1 as you say we must1 you would  
be obliged to remain for that length  of
 time1 at least1 to help us care for it4
    ,it was ,august ,engler1 steward of 
the county poorhouse in one of the      
eastern  counties of ,pennsylvania      
during the sixties1 that spoke these    
words1 and  the circumstance that called
 forth the language was the appearance  

and  request of ,mrs4 ,fischer1 a       
well-dressed young widow4 ,the latter   
had come to  the poorhouse with the     
intention of leaving her infant child4  
,to this plan  ,mr4 ,engler had objected
 unless she was willing to comply with  
the rules of  the place4    ,mrs4       
,fischer1 the mother of three little    
children1 had recently heard that  her  
husband1 a soldier in the ,civil ,war1  
had been killed in battle1 and          
immediately she had gone into deep      
mourning as far as her dress was        
concerned4 ,the care of her family1     
however1 she felt was too great a       
responsibility to assume alone1 and she 
had decided that the best thing for  her
 to do was to give her three small      
children away and that the sooner it    
was done the better it would be4 ,it was
 not hard to find homes for the girl    
and the boy1 but with baby ,edwin it was
 different ,he was so young that  nobody
 cared to be bothered with him1 and     
although she had tried hard1 she  had   

not succeeded in finding him a home4    
,in her perplexity she rushed to the    
infirmary4 ,so confident had she been   
that it would be the duty of this       
institution to help her out that she had
  not thought of asking the privilege of
 leaving her baby as a favor4    ,as    
steward and matron of the poorhouse1    
,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,engler did what they    
could to keep things going smoothly and 
in order1 but the work was too  large   
for them to handle it properly4 ,at that
 early date no special place  except the
 poor farm had been provided for the    
simple and the insane2 so it  was       
necessary to have several buildings1    
both large and small1 to provide  for   
the needs of the people4    ,in the     
building that was known as the poorhouse
 proper was the main office4  ,it was   
here that ,mrs4 ,fischer appeared4      
,several other rooms of importance  were
 also in this building1 such as the     
dining-room and some  living-apartments1
 but the bakery and the kitchen were in 

a building just a  short distance away4 
,and there was still another building1 a
 large brick  structure close to the    
main building4 ,this was used for the   
confinement of  such persons as the     
insane and the unmanageable1 and the    
doors and windows1  as well as the      
transoms1 on both the inside and the    
outside were secured by  iron bars4     
,from these dark prison walls many      
strange and hideous sounds  could be    
heard at any hour of the night or day4  
,in the entire establishment the        
furnishings were scant and poor1 and in 
every way things were vastly different  
from what we find them in the  poorhouse
 of our modern times4 ,in the main      
office1 where ,mr4 ,engler  transacted  
his business affairs and entertained    
strangers1 there was simply  a rude     
desk1 a homemade couch without springs  
or mattress1 and a few  rush-bottomed   
chairs4 ,for years the walls had been   
growing darker because  of the constant 
use of tobacco by those who frequented  

the place4    ,had it not been that the 
steward and the matron of this home for 
the poor  were capable persons and able 
to get considerable help out of the     
inmates1  they could not have managed to
 keep up the place at all4 ,to conceal  
the  fact that the poorhouse was a      
miserable place to stay would have been 
an  impossibility4    ,to the selfish   
mother it mattered not that the office  
within which she was  standing was an   
index to the entire building4           
,regardless of consequences1  she cared 
only to be freed from her burdens and   
responsibilities as a  mother4 ,so the  
answer that ,mr4 ,engler gave her only  
stirred within her evil  heart the anger
 and cruelty already there1 and with a  
fiendish glare of  derision toward the  
one who was endeavoring to do his duty1 
she took a step  toward the hard couch  
and threw1 rather than laid1 the bundle 
she held in  her arms upon it4 ,an      
instant later she disappeared through   
the open  doorway4 ,when ,mr4 ,engler   

recovered from his surprize and went to 
look for  her1 he saw her running up the
 road as fast as her feet would carry   
her4    ,realizing in part the          
seriousness of the situation1 ,mr4      
,engler went at once  to notify his     
wife1 and1 leaving her in charge of the 
little one1 he1 with  others1 set out to
 find the runaway mother4 ,the task     
proved to be  difficult4 ,owing to the  
fact that the woman was a stranger in   
the community  and had gotten the       
advantage of her pursuers1 it took some 
time to find  her1 but at last she was  
returned to the infirmary and was given 
orders by  the authorities not to repeat
 the offense of deserting her baby4     
,as the feeble-minded people at the     
almshouse sometimes caused trouble by   
running off1 large balls of iron had    
been provided to be chained to the  feet
 of such persons4 ,thus their progress  
would be hindered and their  escape be  
less probable4 ,still they could take a 
part in the work that had  been assigned

 them about the place4 ,it was thought  
best to use this method  of securing    
,mrs4 ,fischer4 ,when the chains were   
fastened about her ankles1  one of the  
authorities who had helped in capturing 
her remarked1 ,i guess  now you'll not  
raise your feet for a while as nimbly as
 you have been doing  of late4    ,that 
evening ,mr4 ,engler said to his wife3  
,it's the strangest case ,i ever  heard 
tell of4 ,surely that woman has made the
 future of her infant son dark  and     
uncertain4 ,it doesn't seem possible    
that any mother could treat her  child  
in such a shameful manner4 ,i'm sure if 
that woman could get loose  this minute 
she'd run away again1 and we'll have to 
watch her closely while  she's here4    
,did you see the baby's large brown     
eyes8 ,mrs4 ,engler asked1 as her       
husband ceased speaking4 ,he's certainly
 a nice child1 and it's a shame to  see 
him grow up among all these paupers2 but
 if his mother doesn't care1 ,i  don't  
know who will4    ,well1 ,i don't know  

that it's any of our business1 either1  
except to see  that she takes care of   
him while she's here1 and after that ,i 
guess we can  manage some way as we     
always have1 ,mr4 ,engler replied4      
,you've got too  much to do to take any 
of her responsibilities on your         
shoulders1 and you  must not try4 ,if   
people will force their children on the 
charity of the  community1 they must    
take the consequences4    ,the constant 
work and worry incident to caring for so
 many poor1  disheartened people was    
indeed great1 and ,mr4 ,engler was right
 when he told  his wife that she already
 had too much work to do2 but it was    
very hard for  her to think of the      
neglect that the poor little child would
 undergo even  while its mother was     
there1 for such a heartless woman could 
not be  expected to do her duty4 ,as the
 days and weeks glided by1 it was as    
,mrs4  ,engler had feared1 and the cruel
 manner in which the babe was handled   
was  pitiful to behold4 ,but scolding   

and criticizing the mother did neither  
the  mother nor the child any good1 and 
,mrs4 ,engler endeavored to forget about
  the matter and to let the baby get    
along as well as it could4    ,when at  
last the seven months had expired and   
the day for the departure of  ,mrs4     
,fischer had arrived1 the woman who had 
so disgraced the name of  motherhood was
 glad4 ,the pretty costume of black was 
faded and worn1 and  the glossy hair was
 tangled and unkempt1 but within the eye
 the light of  evil was shining brighter
 than ever4 ,it was indeed a glad moment
 for her  when she heard the chains     
about her ankles clanking heavily upon  
the floor  and she knew that she was    
once more a free woman and could go and 
do as she  pleased4 ,and without a      
thought for the comfort or a plan for   
the future of  her helpless child1 she  
left him to the generosity of the       
people4    ,it truly might seem that the
 young life was blighted1 but there was 
,one far  better than mother1 brother1  

or sister who cared and was ready to    
lend a  helping hand4    ,the eyes of   
the ,lord are in every place1 beholding 
the evil and the good  7,prov4 #ae3c74  
,consider the ravens3 for they neither  
sow nor reap2 which neither have        
storehouse nor barn2 and ,god feedeth   
them3 how much more are ye better than  
the fowls8 7,luke #ab3bd74              
,,chapter ,,ii    ,,life ,,in ,,the     
,,almshouse      ,few save the poor feel
 for the poor3    ,the rich know not how
 hard    ,it is to be of needful rest   
,and needful food debarred2    ,they    
know not of the scanty meal1    ,with   
small1 pale faces round2    ,no fire    
upon the cold1 damp hearth    ,when snow
 is on the ground4      --,miss ,landon4
    ,mrs4 ,engler had long since given  
the care and feeding of the children    
over  into the hands of inexperienced   
women1 who might have utterly ruined the
  delicate digestive organs had it not  
been that the food allowed was          
wholesome and the quantities too small  

for them to overfeed4 ,the children1    
after being provided with pewter spoons1
 were seated in groups around large     
pans and were allowed to dip as they    
chose into the mixture that the pan     
contained4 ,for a time after his        
mother's departure baby ,edwin was fed  
from  a cup1 but as soon as he was able 
to handle the spoon and to toddle about 
the floor1 he had to take his place with
 the others4 ,thus1 table manners  and  
politeness were unknown1 and the        
earliest picture stamped upon the mind  
of little ,edwin that he could in       
after-years remember was a group of boys
  and girls1 of all ages and of whom he 
numbered one1 hovering about a large    
dishpan1 each eagerly watching for an   
opportunity to dip for his or her  share
 of the food4    ,with the picture came 
a desire to be good and kind to all4    
,perhaps some  ,christian friend of the 
family had offered just such a prayer   
for him1 and  ,god1 knowing the evil    
surroundings that would have a tendency 

to make him  selfish or unkind1         
protected and shielded him with this    
very wall of  kindness4 ,at least ,god  
saw and understood1 and he cared enough 
to help the  poor little innocent1      
untaught boy as he matured from babyhood
 not only to  be unselfish but to avoid 
doing many things that might have       
provoked others  to anger4 ,in short1   
,god became his teacher1 and many times 
while ,edwin was  still very young1 when
 he discovered his playmates doing that 
which was  evil1 there was something    
within his heart that said it was wrong 
and that  he ought not to do as they    
were doing4 ,his ideas in regard to the 
right and  wrong of different things he 
for a time expressed quite freely among 
the  children2 but1 finding that he was 
only ridiculed for his pious thoughts1  
he learned to keep his views to himself4
 ,although he was silent1 he  endeavored
 to keep as far away as possible from   
the scenes that troubled  his finer     
nature4    ,but not all the days were   

dark for ,edwin4 ,there were times when 
the  children were taken for long walks 
out in the fields or woods1 where the   
flowers grew and where the birds sang   
their sweet songs4 ,upon such  occasions
 ,edwin's heart would be so filled with 
gladness that he would be  almost beside
 himself4 ,not only the brown and yellow
 butterflies gliding  hither and        
thither1 lighting now and then upon some
 pretty blossom1 only to  soar away     
again high above his head as they       
discovered him approaching1  attracted  
his attention2 but their cousins1 the   
little black crickets and  the green and
 brown grasshoppers1 springing about him
 in the meadowlands1  made him shout    
aloud with delight4 ,not knowing the    
true names of the lively  little fellows
 in the grass1 he called them           
jumper-men4 ,sometimes he  would catch  
them in his hands1 but he never thought 
of hurting them just  for fun4 ,and the 
turnip-patch6 ,what a treat it was for  
all the children to  pull the pretty    

white balls from the earth and to eat   
them1 dirt and all1  for it must be     
remembered that none of the children had
 been taught by  their overseers to be  
clean and neat4 ,it was too great an    
undertaking for  ,mrs4 ,engler to attend
 to such minor points4 ,so the turnip   
just out of the  ground was more of a   
luxury to ,edwin in his half-starved    
condition than  candy could have been1  
and candy at the poorhouse was          
practically unknown4    ,once there was 
a kind old lady who came to stay for a  
short time in the  home4 ,from the first
 she seemed interested in ,edwin1 and1  
seeing his great  desire to do the      
right1 she endeavored to help and to    
encourage him4 ,she  had a son of her   
own1 who once had been small like       
,edwin1 and she could  understand how   
very hard some things were for ,edwin to
 bear4    ,among the things that the    
lady taught him to do was to kneel down 
and with  his little hands folded and in
 her lap1 repeat after her the little   

prayer1  ,now ,i lay me down to sleep4  
,but she failed to tell him that it was 
praying or what it meant to pray4       
,neither did she explain that there was 
a  great ,god over all1 to whom he could
 tell all his troubles4 ,but although   
,edwin did not know the meaning of      
prayer1 there was something about the   
words and the repeating of them that he 
enjoyed1 and long after the dear  old   
lady had gone away from the almshouse1  
the words seemed to bring a real        
comfort and satisfaction to his poor    
little hungry soul4    ,until the sixth 
year of ,edwin's life he never heard    
that he had ever had a  father1 a       
mother1 or a home other than the place  
in which he was then  living4 ,he knew  
only that he existed1 and that from day 
to day there were  many things happening
 about him1 some of which he enjoyed1   
but a great many  of which were         
distasteful to him4 ,but all that took  
place he quietly  endured1 thinking that
 it was the best that there was in life 

for him4 ,the  fact that some were more 
favored than he was caused him no       
jealous or  covetous feelings4 ,he      
reasoned that it was all right for them1
 but for  himself it could not be4      
,during the play-hours when the children
 were allowed to amuse themselves       
outside of the building1 ,edwin soon    
discovered that a soft answer turneth   
away wrath1 but grievous words stir up  
anger 7,prov4 #ae3a74 ,god must surely  
have taught ,edwin the meaning of this  
proverb2 for the old lady did not       
mention it in any of her talks1 and     
there was no one else in that wretched  
place to tell him4    ,many times the   
childish games were interrupted by the  
screaming and the  swearing of the      
people in the insane-apartment4 ,the    
timid children would  cry out and       
tremble1 but those who were older often 
tried to repeat the  profane language4  
,all these things1 like many others1    
made deep impressions  upon the         
sensitive nature of ,edwin1 and although

 he was not afraid1 he  often pondered  
them in his heart4 ,sometimes seated in 
a secluded corner he  would watch the   
poor demented creatures with a pitying  
gaze1 wondering why  they talked and    
acted so strangely1 but whether he could
 or could not  understand them1 he      
studied the sane and the mad alike1 and 
what he felt  was right in the conduct  
of either he made his pattern1 but the  
wrong he  rejected4    ,at times during 
the play-hours the children1 overcome by
 hunger1 would slip  around to the large
 window that opened into the bakery and 
there stand  gazing wistfully down upon 
the loaves of fresh bread as they were  
taken  from the large oven4 ,sometimes  
some crusts or stale biscuits were given
  them1 and with these they would       
scamper away to the pump to moisten the 
bread before dividing it4 ,it sometimes 
happened that there was not  sufficient 
bread for each child to have even a bit1
 and when it happened  thus1 ,edwin     
always gave his share to some one else4 

,and when asked if he  would like some  
certain thing1 his answer was always1   
,if no one else wants  it4    ,because  
of his thoughtfulness he was often      
obliged1 because of the  selfishness of 
others1 to eat foods that had been      
rejected as refuse1 but  in his heart he
 never complained nor felt that he had  
not acted wisely4  ,thus1 the ,golden   
,rule1 although in words unknown to him1
 became a governing  principle in his   
life4    ,when the days were pleasant   
and warm during the summer months1      
groups of  men and women often gathered 
about upon the large platform that      
surrounded  the pump1 or under the shade
 of an apple-tree1 to prepare the       
vegetables  for the table or the fruits 
for the coming winter's use4 ,as little 
was  known at that time about home      
canning1 the fruits were usually dried  
in the  sun or in the large ovens after 
the baking was done4 ,the children loved
 to  gather about the groups at work to 
keep close watch for stray bunches of   

berries or raw potatoes and turnips1    
that might be carelessly dropped4 ,in   
this they were now and then successful1 
but the rounds of ,mrs4 ,engler were    
frequent1 and for several reasons the   
workers were particular that nothing  be
 lost or wasted4    ,instead of horses1 
heavy teams of oxen were used for all   
farming purposes4  ,these animals1      
although faithful and trusty under      
ordinary circumstances1  did not like to
 have children playing about their feet2
 and as there was no  one to pay        
especial attention to the little ones1  
it sometimes happened  that a child was 
either crippled or killed by the hoofs  
or horns of the  powerful animals4 ,on  
one occasion ,edwin saw one of his      
playmates bruised  and trampled in this 
way4    ,these scenes1 as well as the   
regular rounds of the chore-boy ,jim    
with his  water-yoke upon his shoulders1
 carrying either water for the home or  
slop  for the pigs1 were sights that    
were common and in many cases           

interesting to  ,edwin4 ,but from them  
he could learn practically nothing of   
the things that  he would need before he
 could become a useful man in the world4
 ,aside from  a few instructions that   
were given them in hard labor1 the      
poorhouse  children were allowed to grow
 up as a flock of poorly fed chickens or
  animals4 ,they were given their       
rations1 a place to sleep1 and that was 
about all4    ,the daily routine of the 
almshouse from year to year was little  
changed4  ,some passed on to their      
reward in the beyond1 but the general   
order of  things remained the same4 ,the
 steward and his wife were busy from    
early  dawn until late at night looking 
after everything and everybody1 but many
  of the things of vital importance had 
to be neglected for a lack of           
sufficient time and strength4    ,better
 is the poor that walketh in his        
uprightness1 than he that is  perverse  
in his ways1 though he be rich 7,prov4  
#bh3f74        ,,chapter ,,iii    ,,from

 ,,bad ,,to ,,worse      ,what bliss is 
born of sorrow6    ',tis never sent in  
vain--    ,the heavenly ,surgeon maims  
to save1    ,he gives no useless pain4  
--,watt4    ,something more than six    
years had passed since the departure of 
,mrs4  ,fischer from the county         
poor-house1 but still the place was     
little changed4  ,mr4 ,engler was once  
more in the office of the institution4  
,this time he was  there to interview a 
stranger concerning the child ,edwin4   
,there was still  the same strong odor  
of nicotine in the room1 and the        
furniture and the  condition of the     
walls and the floor still told of much  
want and  wretchedness1 as well as of   
habits that were unclean2 but apparently
 as  little heed was given to the fact  
by the stranger as had been manifested  
by  the selfish mother4    ,it seems    
that the word that ,mrs4 ,fischer was   
receiving generous pensions  both for   
herself and for the support of her      
children had been carried to  the board 

that governed the affairs of the        
poorhouse4 ,finding that none of  the   
amount had been paid into that          
institution1 orders had been issued to  
the effect that ,mrs4 ,fischer must     
either pay for the support of her child 
or take him away from the almshouse4    
,having received a notice from ,mr4     
,engler of the board's decision1 she had
 decided to have him brought to her  own
 home1 and the stranger was no other    
than the boy's own uncle4 ,he had  come 
with horse and buggy1 at the mother's   
request1 he had told ,mr4 ,engler1  and 
he would appreciate having the child    
brought to him as quickly as  possible1 
as he had no time to lose4    ,and so   
the heartless woman's sent for her child
 at last1 has she8 ,mr4  ,engler said in
 a tone that might have inferred several
 things4    ,yes1 that was her order1   
was the reply1 and ,mr4 ,engler left the
 room at  once to bring the fatherless  
and worse than motherless boy4 ,the     
steward  smiled as he thought of the    

contrast between ,edwin and his uncle4  
,the  latter1 a large1 powerful man1 was
 well-dressed and was apparently of a   
strong will1 and the peculiar light     
within his eye and the hard lines about 
his mouth revealed the same             
characteristics that had been so        
prominent in  the mother4 ,edwin1 on the
 other hand1 was small for his age and  
hollow-eyed  from lack of sufficient    
food to satisfy his hunger1 and his     
clothes were  ragged and soiled4 ,the   
honest1 straightforward expression of   
the large  brown eyes and the marks of  
refinement around his mouth made up1    
however1  for what he otherwise lacked4 
,in a room where several other children 
were playing ,edwin was found1 but he   
was taking no part in the games4 ,in    
fact1 many things were done by the      
children in the poorhouse day after day 
that he did not enjoy and in which  he  
would take no part4 ,if questioned he   
could not have explained why he  felt as
 he did about their actions1 but he     

preferred turning to the window1  where 
he could look out upon ,god's creation4 
,the little birds that had  charmed him 
in his rambles had long been his        
friends1 and as he gazed  through an    
open window1 he could see a nest full of
 small fuzzy heads  waiting for the     
parent birds to bring them a meal of    
worms4 ,many times the  bills had been  
raised and the mouths opened wide       
because of the rustling of  the leaves  
above or below them1 and the boy was    
glad when they could  realize that their
 expected meal was there4    ,in answer 
to ,mr4 ,engler's order to come at once 
to the office1 ,edwin  followed1 but    
before he entered the room1 ,mrs4       
,engler saw to it that his  clothing was
 changed1 so that he would be a little  
more respectable to  appear in public4  
,it was evident that1 when ,edwin1 clad 
in a pair of faded blue overalls and    
shirt1 entered the presence of his      
uncle1 the latter was greatly surprized 
at the slight figure before him1 but he 

sought to conceal his thoughts and      
said1 ,edwin1 ,i'm your uncle and have  
come to take you home to your  mother4  
,very pleasantly these words fell upon  
,edwin's ears1 but he associated them   
with his rambles2 for he knew nothing at
 all about his father or mother1  not   
even that any such relation was         
necessary in life4 ,he therefore was    
glad1 but said nothing1 for he knew not 
what to say4 ,mistaking the meaning  of 
his silence for timidity1 the uncle     
spoke again4    ,come on now1 boy2 ,i am
 here with a horse and buggy to take you
 to your  mother's home4 ,will you be   
glad to see your mother8    ,but again  
,edwin was at a loss to know what to    
say1 but his thoughts were  that the man
 before him was very large4 ,it was not 
until his uncle said  impatiently1 ,come
 along6 that he understood1 and this    
command he  instantly obeyed4    ,a     
moment later the two were standing      
beside a large noble-looking brown      
horse that was hitched to an open buggy4

 ,next he felt a pair of strong  hands  
placed upon his shoulders1 and then he  
was lifted high in the air to  a seat   
that was so different from the bed of   
the old ox-wagon that he had  to examine
 and rub his hand over the soft cushion4
 ,when his uncle took the  seat beside  
him1 everything about him began to move1
 and he thought of the  few times when  
the children had been taken for rides   
behind the large team  of oxen4 ,but he 
had never been away from the poorhouse  
farm1 and when they  passed from the    
driveway on to the public highway1 he   
remembered that the  children had been  
forbidden to leave the place1 and he    
wondered what it all  meant4 ,he was not
 troubled1 however1 for ,mr4 ,engler    
knew of his going1 and  he reasoned that
 since he was not going of his own      
accord1 it must be all  right4    ,as   
there was nothing else for him to do as 
he and his uncle rode along1 he  began  
to look about at the many interesting   
things4 ,the herds in the large         

meadow-lands reminded him of the        
poorhouse cattle1 and as he saw the     
little  jumper-men skipping about in the
 tall grass1 so many pleasant           
recollections were brought to his mind  
that he laughed aloud4 ,they met  other 
horses and buggies similar to their own 
as well as covered carriages1  and      
passed some horses quite like his       
uncle's tied to hitching-racks in  front
 of houses or running about in the rich 
pasturelands4    ,the musical birds also
 added much to the boy's enjoyment when 
he heard them  now and then singing in  
some tree-top or bower1 but all that he 
thought  about any of the beautiful     
things around him was unexpressed and   
securely  fastened within his little    
mind for future meditation4 ,his small  
store of  knowledge had been gained in  
this way1 but it seemed to be ,god's    
method of  teaching him the lessons that
 in later years would be the most useful
 to  him4    ,occasionally he turned to 
look at the big man by his side1 and    

each time  beneath the poverty-branded  
garments there throbbed a heart full of 
the  deepest esteem1 and his desire to  
do his very best to win the confidence  
and friendship of his new companion was 
strong4 ,this was not a new impulse  in 
,edwin1 for he had always endeavored to 
please every one1 and in doing  this he 
had found real pleasure4    ,the        
afternoon was rapidly passing away1 and 
as the sun sank in the western  horizon1
 the blue sky above him became streaked 
with crimson and gold4 ,then  ,edwin    
noticed that the houses were closer     
together1 but he did not know  that it  
was because he was entering a village   
and was close to his mother's  home4    
,during the entire journey from the     
poorhouse the uncle had been silent1 but
  suddenly ,edwin saw the right line    
tightening1 and in answer to the uncle's
  command1 ,whoa there1 ,bill6 they     
stopped close beside a hitching-post4   
,without a word of explanation the uncle
 sprang lightly to the ground and  after

 tying the horse grasped ,edwin's       
shoulders and roughly placed him upon   
the ground4 ,again the boy's decision to
 endeavor to please was  strengthened1  
and when the uncle started toward the   
pretty brown house just  inside the     
picket fence and repeated the words he  
had used at the  poorhouse1 ,come along1
 ,edwin instantly obeyed4    ,as they   
passed in through the open gateway1     
,edwin noticed pretty  flower-bushes4   
,his uncle told him that it was his     
mother's home4 ,as they  stepped upon   
the porch1 ,edwin could not refrain from
 sniffing in some of  the delicious     
fragrance of the honey-suckle blossoms  
dangling so gracefully  here and there  
from the pillars of the porch1 but he   
was hurried on4    ,when they entered   
the house1 ,edwin looked about in       
amazement1 for  everything seemed so    
very beautiful4 ,then he saw a woman    
sitting near a  window with a piece of  
sewing in her hands and three           
children--a boy about  his own size1 a  

girl1 and a boy younger--playing on the 
floor4    ,this is your mother1 he heard
 his uncle say4    ,without rising or   
giving the child a word of welcome1 the 
unfeeling woman  said to the uncle3     
,what do you think of him8    ,i don't  
know what to think1 was the uncle's     
answer4 ,he hasn't said a  word since   
,engler turned him over into my care1   
and ,i certainly tried hard  to get     
something out of him4 ,all he did until 
,i told him to come along was  to stare 
at me with those large brown eyes of    
his4 ,while we were riding  along1      
though1 he seemed to see everything     
there was to see1 and by the way  he    
kept smiling to himself one would have  
supposed he was looking at a  circus4   
,ah1 could they have known the deep     
thoughts that had been passing through  
the childish mind even upon that trip1  
they would have understood better  how  
to encourage him4 ,with no consideration
 for the manner in which ,edwin  had    
been shut away from the better class of 

society and the proper helps  that are  
usually thrown about the young1 they at 
once gave him a low and  degraded place 
in their estimation and pronounced him  
dull1 stupid1 and  idiotic4 ,all        
commands were given in a harsh tone and 
in such a manner that  he could not     
comprehend them4    ,before going       
farther into the life of ,edwin1 it     
might be well to explain  that the uncle
 and his three small children were      
making their home with  ,edwin's mother4
 ,the house in which they were living1  
although rented1  contained many        
comforts and even luxuries2 for the     
mother1 aside from her  pension-money1  
was being liberally paid by the uncle   
for keeping him and  his family4 ,and   
,edwin's ignorance1 as has already been 
inferred1 was due to  his lack of       
training and to the fact that everything
 in his mother's house  was so new and  
different from what he had been used to 
in the poorhouse4    ,go and wash       
yourself and get ready for supper1 he   

heard his mother say2  but he had not   
been taught that this was necessary1 and
 because he did not  understand and so  
failed to obey1 he was scolded and      
abused4    ,you worthless thing6 his    
mother said4 ,i'm sorry ,i didn't leave 
you at  the poorhouse now and let you   
grow up with the cattle if you don't    
know  enough to wash before you eat4    
,when supper was ready1 she ordered     
,edwin to get around behind the table in
  a corner where he would be the        
farthest from her1 and added1 ,any place
 in  my home is too good for the like of
 you1 and you shall stand while you eat4
  ,do you hear8    ,evidently ,edwin    
understood this command1 for he had been
 used to eating his  meals under just   
such trying circumstances1 and he went  
at once to the  place assigned him4 ,the
 good food upon the table was very      
tempting1 and  when he had eaten all    
that was on his plate1 he watched the   
other children  to see what they would  
do when more was wanted1 and when he saw

 them  passing plates1 he did the same4 
,he did not repeat this1 however1 for he
 found that he was not expected to      
share with the rest or to eat until his 
hunger was satisfied4 ,without a  murmur
 he did without the dainties that were  
given freely to the other  children1 and
 with a dry crust he finished his meal  
in silence4    ,when bedtime came1      
,edwin was given a place to sleep in an 
unused part of  the house1 and there    
alone in the darkness he could repeat   
the words that  the kind old lady at the
 poorhouse had taught him4 ,then while  
the rats and  mice played hide-and-seek 
in the room about him1 his eyelids      
closed in  peaceful slumber4    ,we have
 heard that there is nothing so bad that
 it could not have been  worse4 ,for    
,edwin life seemed to be constantly     
growing more serious and  dark1 but man 
looketh on the outward appearance1 but  
the ,lord looketh upon  the heart 7,i   
,sam4 #af3g74        ,,chapter ,,iv     
,,finding ,,friends      ,oh6 ask not1  

hope thou not too much    ,of sympathy  
below2    ,few are the hearts whence one
 same touch    ,bids the sweet fountains
 flow4      --,mrs4 ,hemans4    ,the    
first morning for ,edwin in his mother's
 home dawned clear and bright1  and as  
the soft gleams of brilliant sunlight   
shone in upon the coverlet of  his bed1 
he1 who had been a poorhouse waif1      
opened his eyes and in  bewilderment    
gazed about the place4 ,suddenly he     
remembered some of the  events of the   
previous day1 and especially the form of
 the big man and  that of the woman1    
who1 he had been told1 was his mother4  
,he remembered1  too1 his decision to do
 all in his power to please both4       
,his heavenly ,father understood his    
heart if his earthly parent did not1 and
  this all-wise guardian1 knowing how   
very hard it was going to be for the    
child in this new home1 enabled him to  
find friendship that was really warm    
and true4    ,slipping noiselessly from 
beneath the covers--for the night had   

been  cold--,edwin went to the window   
through which the morning sun was       
streaming1  and there he saw a scene    
that thrilled him with delight4 ,lying  
asleep upon  the walk in the warmest    
spot that could be found was a large    
,newfoundland  dog4 ,clad in his heavy  
coat of shaggy fur and surrounded by a  
bed of green1  he was indeed a pleasing 
picture4 ,there had been several dogs at
 the  poorhouse of which ,edwin had been
 especially fond1 but there had been    
none  so beautiful as the one upon the  
walk below4 ,the bees1 too1 were busy   
gathering among the flowers the honey   
for their winter's supply1 and  hopping 
about here and there over the lawn were 
the little jumper-men4    ,as ,edwin    
from his elevation beheld the part of   
,god's creation that he had  already    
chosen for his friends1 his loneliness  
was quite forgotten4 ,he was  still     
gazing down upon the scene when his     
mother appeared in the doorway  and with
 cruel words ordered him to hasten below

 to the kitchen4 ,little did  she know  
that her child was finding in the animal
 kingdom the friendship  that she had   
denied him1 and she would not have cared
 had she known4    ,during the day and  
those that followed1 ,edwin endeavored  
in every possible  way to help his      
mother1 but his understanding so little 
about her ways and  the names and uses  
of the simplest articles about the house
 seemed only to  increase his troubles  
and hardships4 ,and as slaps and bruises
 such as the  dog had not known were his
 portion1 the unfortunate child         
endeavored1  whenever it was possible to
 do so1 to hide from sight1 but he      
always tried  to be ready to give heed  
to the slightest order4 ,but even this  
faithfulness1 as well as the fact that  
he had so much difficulty in            
comprehending her meaning1 made the     
mother still more unkind4    ,one duty  
that was assigned him as a daily task   
was sweeping the crumbs from  beneath   
the dining-table1 and when he had       

learned how1 so thoroughly did he  do   
this work that he never stopped brushing
 until he had found every  particle of  
dust or lint in sight that had settled  
under other articles of  furniture4     
,another duty was carrying food to the  
dog1 and he soon found that the         
well-filled plate of scraps contained   
far better food in many instances  than 
he was allowed to share at the table4   
,whenever this happened1 as it  often   
did1 and there was plenty of other food 
for the dog1 ,edwin ate a  portion1 but 
never without feeling confident that he 
was not robbing his  friend4 ,as the dog
 usually looked very wise1 ,edwin took  
it for granted that  his motive was     
understood as right and just1 and in    
this way the child was  able to get some
 of the food that he would otherwise    
have been denied1 and  the dog's        
allowance was still sufficient4 ,rather 
than rob the dog1 he would  always have 
gladly done without4    ,when ,edwin was
 given the care of his little baby      

cousin1 who was just  beginning to walk1
 he felt that this work was very hard   
indeed1 but he did  his best to         
understand just what was expected of    
him4 ,having been the  youngest child at
 the almshouse and having spent so much 
of his time apart  from the others1     
,edwin was unable to think of many ways 
in which he could  amuse the little     
fellow1 and sometimes it seemed that all
 of his efforts to  please had been in  
vain4    ,a few weeks after ,edwin's    
arrival in his mother's home the        
children--,edwin  and his three cousins1
 ,elmer1 ,jennie1 and the baby--were    
playing in the  yard with ,perry the    
dog4 ,elmer1 a lad scarcely a year      
younger than ,edwin1  was tossing a     
stick for the dog to return to him1 and 
,edwin was astonished  to find that his 
friend ,perry was so very wise4 ,the    
baby1 who was in  ,edwin's charge1 was  
barely able to keep upon his feet1 but  
,edwin was doing  his best to protect   
him from falling and to keep his eyes   

upon both the  child and the dog at     
once4    ,suddenly above his head in a  
large apple-tree ,edwin heard a rustling
 of the  leaves and a chattering of     
little birds1 and he realized that his  
feathered  friends had returned with a  
breakfast for the little ones4 ,as he   
gazed  upward endeavoring to locate the 
nest1 he was just pointing to the spot  
when whiz went the stick with which     
,elmer had been amusing the group4 ,so  
dangerously near to the nest did the    
missile go that ,edwin1 crying out with 
terror and anxiety1 for the moment      
forgot all about his baby cousin4       
,running toward the tree as though      
hoping to protect the nest1 he was just 
in time to see the stick miss the mark  
and then fall upon the ground           
alarmingly near the baby's foot4        
,although unhurt1 the baby screamed1 and
 a  moment later ,mrs4 ,fischer came    
rushing from the house and demanded a   
reason  for the little one's crying4    
,elmer1 ever willing to justify himself 

at any cost1 said hurriedly3 ,it was    
all ,ed's fault6 ,i just tried to throw 
that little stick up there in the  tree1
 and when it came down it struck the    
baby's foot4 ,if ,ed had been  minding  
his work1 the baby wouldn't have been   
there4 ,but ,elmer failed to  tell that 
he was throwing at the little nest with 
the intention of knocking  it out of the
 tree and that the stick had done no    
harm to the baby's foot4    ,accepting  
the explanation without any further     
details1 ,mrs4 ,fischer became  furious1
 and1 picking up the stick1 she struck  
,edwin time and again upon  the head and
 shoulders4 ,then1 after calling him    
many hard and cruel names1  she said1   
,i'll teach you how to attend to your   
business if there's any  sense in you at
 all6    ,after looking at the baby's   
foot and finding that there was nothing 
wrong  with it at all1 the woman1       
without a word of apology or sympathy   
for her  suffering child1 returned to   
the house4    ,once again when the poor 

boy was so much alone1 as far as a human
 friend  was concerned1 his heavenly    
,father understood and supplied his     
need4 ,perry  at once left his former   
master and1 going close to ,edwin1 did  
all within  his power to soothe the     
little sufferer1 and his sympathy was as
 balm to  the wounded1 troubled spirit  
of the child4 ,casting aside his grief  
and  reserve1 he caressed the noble     
animal1 and when comforted he arose and 
was  soon able to care for the little   
child that had been placed in his       
charge4  ,and thus the afternoon slipped
 slowly away4    ,so thoroughly seasoned
 with bitterness and grief had the day  
been that  ,edwin was glad when he saw  
the shadows lengthening1 for he knew    
that it  would soon be dark4 ,the sweet 
quiet and rest of the night were        
inviting4 ,he  thought of the pattering 
of tiny feet upon his coverlet and      
wondered if the  rats and mice would    
call again4 ,he hoped that they would1  
for they too were  his friends4 ,but    

after supper another surprize and       
disappointment was  awaiting him4 ,at   
bedtime he was told that he need not go 
to the attic to  sleep any more1 as     
there was room for him in ,elmer's bed1 
and that  thereafter the two would sleep
 in his mother's room4 ,edwin would have
  preferred the attic1 but he           
submissively did as he was told1 and as 
he  slept the ,lord kept vigil and      
watched tenderly over the sleeping      
child1 for  his eye seeth every precious
 thing 7,job #bh3aj74        ,,chapter  
,v    ,,suffering ,,for ,,the ,,faults  
,,of ,,others      ,in silence weep4    
,and thy convulsive sorrows inward keep4
      --,prior4    ,edwin's head was    
still aching when he awoke in the       
morning1 but he arose1  dressed         
hurriedly1 and hastened to the kitchen  
to see if his services were  needed by  
his mother4 ,there was little that he   
could do1 but with brush and  pan he    
gathered the dust and lint from under   
the various articles of  furniture4 ,it 

was such a comfort and satisfaction to  
,edwin to know the  names of those      
articles1 and their uses4    ,after the 
meal was over1 he carried the scraps to 
the dog2 but as the  supply was short1  
he did not help himself to a part as he 
did when there  was plenty1 for the     
golden rule was too much a part of his  
nature4 ,when his  morning duties were  
done1 his mother told him to go and take
 care of the  baby2 but when he went out
 into the yard1 he could find no one but
 ,perry  the dog4    ,for the moment    
,edwin forgot what his mother had told  
him to do4 ,the eyes of  his noble      
friend seemed beckoning him to the spot 
where he was lying1 and  ,edwin obeyed4 
,sitting down by ,perry's side1 he      
buried his little face in  the furry    
neck of the graceful animal1 and all    
about him seemed to say3  ,good morning1
 my boy4 ,cheer up1 cheer up6 ,our meals
 you shall share and  our songs you     
shall hear4 ,the fact that there was no 
regret within his  heart because of the 

lack of human friendship made it easy   
for him to  accept the comfort and      
encouragement that was sent him through 
other  channels by his loving1 tender   
heavenly ,father4    ,the small hand was
 stroking the sleek side of the huge    
animal1 and the  little bird-song in the
 tree close by added much to his        
enjoyment1 and1  sitting erect1 he      
chirped in reply a sweet little song    
that he had learned  at the poorhouse   
from the birds4 ,this peaceful          
condition1 however1 was too  good to    
last4 ,in a very short time he heard the
 voice of his mother asking  him where  
his cousins had gone4    ,i haven't seen
 them yet1 he said simply4    ,and      
didn't you know that ,i meant for you to
 hunt them up8 she exclaimed  in a tone 
that was much more harsh and severe than
 that in which her other  words had been
 spoken4 ,then adding1 ,i'll teach you  
to pay attention to  what ,i say6 she   
picked up a board that was lying near   
and began to beat  him as she had done  

the day before4 ,hoping to escape some  
of the blows1 the  child drew closer to 
his mother1 but the following instant he
 found himself  tumbling head foremost  
toward a stone wall and heard the woman 
say1 ,get  away from me1 you blockhead1 
or ,i'll dash out your brains on that   
stone  wall4 ,you are dumber than the   
dumb and not fit to live1 and ,i wish   
you had  never been born4    ,when the  
awful treatment was ended1 ,edwin was   
lying in the grass in almost  a helpless
 condition1 but he was left there       
piteously moaning while his  mother went
 to find the other children4 ,the baby  
was in the house in his  crib and was   
still asleep1 and the other two         
children1 who had been on the  opposite 
side of the house at play1 were standing
 in full view of the  scene4 ,without a 
word of comfort for her suffering child1
 she told ,elmer  and ,jennie to go     
quickly to her room1 as she intended to 
take them to the  country1 and the three
 disappeared to prepare for the trip4   

,it was some time before ,edwin could   
arise1 but at last1 bruised and         
bleeding1 he got upon his feet and      
hobbled to a place that was not quite so
  conspicuous4 ,there he was sitting    
when his mother came from the house4    
,the  baby1 then awake and dressed1 was 
sitting in its carriage1 and the other  
children were by her side4 ,before      
leaving the yard1 she called loudly for 
,edwin1 asking where he was hiding1 and 
as the child came limping toward  her1  
she threw him a package1 saying as she  
did so3 ,here's some dinner for  you and
 ,perry4 ,we'll not be back before      
night1 but you see to it that you  stay 
right here in the yard4 ,if it rains1   
you can crawl in with the dog4  ,without
 any other information as to what she   
intended to do or where she  was going1 
and without a word of sympathy1 the     
little group passed through  the gate   
and were soon out of sight4    ,to be   
thus left alone at so tender an age with
 no other companions than  nature and   

the dog1 to some might seem cruel1 but  
to ,edwin life was already  too full of 
varied experiences for this fact to make
 any material  difference in his        
feelings4 ,he did think1 however1 that  
it was very kind of  his mother to leave
 ,perry and the birds as his companions1
 and no better  company could he have   
desired4    ,the small package that     
,edwin had received from his mother was 
of great  interest to the half-fed      
child4 ,knowing that it was intended for
 the dog as  well as for him1 he called 
for ,perry to come1 and together they   
went to the  place beneath the little   
nest where the scene of cruelty had     
occurred the  day before4    ,opening   
the package1 he found that the dinner   
consisted of a small piece of  boiled   
pork1 all fat1 and a little dry bread1  
in all scarcely enough for  one1 and yet
 two1 one of which was a hungry dog1    
were to dine upon it4  ,after ,edwin had
 considered all this1 feelings arose in 
his heart1 but they  were not of        

ingratitude or displeasure4 ,he was     
anxious to know just how to  divide the 
food so that each would receive his just
 portion4 ,he concluded  that since     
,perry and he were the parties          
concerned1 ,perry must help him to      
decide4    ,perry1 he said1 you are the 
biggest1 and you eat much more than ,i  
do1  but1 ,perry1 you get all you want  
very often1 and ,i never do4 ,now1 this 
morning your plate wasn't quite as full 
as it is sometimes1 so ,i didn't  take  
any bites4 ,i gave it all to you1       
,perry1 and ,i was so hungry4 ,don't you
  think that it would be all right now  
if we divided this dinner in halves8    
,it would be all right with me if it    
would with you4    ,the dog had been an 
attentive listener1 and as his little   
master waited for  an answer4 ,perry1   
who had been taught to speak in his dog 
language1  answered1 ,you1 you1 and     
,edwin understood it as being his       
perfect consent4  ,still fearing that he
 might not have been perfectly          

understood1 ,edwin began  again1 ,now1  
,perry1 are you really willing to have  
it that way1 and can you  trust me to   
divide both the meat and the bread8     
,again the dog's ,you1 you  meant ,yes  
to ,edwin2 so1 taking the bread in his  
fingers1 he proceeded to  divide it as  
evenly as he could4 ,then he did the    
same with the meat1 and  their dinner   
was all ready4    ,the next thing that  
puzzled them was the time of day and    
when to eat4 ,this  was also decided by 
,perry1 and at last the two faithful    
friends began their  scanty meal4 ,there
 being no dishes1 table manners1 or     
napkins to bother  with1 the dinner was 
soon eaten1 and after a little romp 7for
 ,edwin had  quite forgotten his        
bruises7 the two lay down together      
beneath the  apple-tree4 ,here they were
 soon lulled to sleep by the murmuring  
of the  wind among the leaves1 the      
chirping of the birds in the branches1  
and the  singing of various insects in  
the grass2 and their dreams were sweet4 

,when ,edwin awoke the sun was high and 
its rays were streaming down directly   
into his eyes4 ,again he wondered where 
he could be1 but ,perry's cold nose     
against his cheek reminded him of what  
had happened before he fell asleep1     
and1 sitting up1 he looked around to see
 if he was right4 ,everything in the    
yard was just as he had seen it before  
his nap1 and the empty newspaper by  his
 side brought to his mind the humble    
lunch that had been given him by  his   
mother4    ,next he gazed around at the 
landscape before him4 ,his mother's home
 being  in the very edge of the village1
 ,edwin could look for a long distance  
in  one direction4 ,but it was not the  
gardens nor the corn-fields that        
attracted his attention2 he was         
considering the sky1 which was to him as
 a  high blue arch1 and he wished that  
he could know what was above it4        
,presently he began playing with ,perry1
 throwing a stick as he had watched  his
 cousin do the day before4 ,he found it 

great sport4 ,once when near the  picket
 fence that surrounded the garden1 he   
noticed some chickens near the  gate    
scratching in the soft earth4 ,after    
watching them for a little while1  he   
saw something smooth and round lying    
where he could easily reach it1 and  he 
found that it was a pretty white stone  
with pink stripes in it ,to ,edwin  it  
was a valuable treasure1 and by         
searching carefully he soon discovered  
two other stones that were equally      
pretty4 ,a number of playthings         
belonging  to his cousins were scattered
 about the yard1 but thinking that they 
might  be displeased if he touched them1
 he let them alone4    ,when he returned
 to the place beneath the apple-tree1 he
 carefully examined  each little stone  
in its turn1 and he considered them very
 pretty indeed4  ,the one with the pink 
stripes was so nearly round that it     
might have been  mistaken for a marble2 
the next was oval in shape and was of a 
pearly  whiteness2 the third1 although  

not quite so round as the first1 was    
brown  and was a very handsome little   
stone4    ,while he was still admiring  
his treasures1 he heard voices and1     
looking up1  saw his mother and the     
children returning from their visit4 ,a 
sudden fear  that ,elmer might want the 
stones made him thrust them out of      
sight1 but he  was not swift enough to  
escape the eyes of that young lad4      
,elmer saw the  act and1 thinking that  
,edwin might have discovered something  
valuable1 said  authoritatively3 ,ed1   
what was that that you put in your      
pocket just now8  ,let me see it4       
,edwin hesitated1 for he did not want to
 part with what seemed to him his  only 
earthly possessions2 bui when he saw his
 mother's threatening look and  heard   
her say1 ,out with whatever you've got1 
,ed1 or ,i'll see why6 ,you  needn't try
 to show any of your authority around   
here6 he said1 ,i haven't  anything     
except these little stones that ,i found
 in the yard over there4  ,then taking  

the stones from his pocket1 he handed   
them to his mother for  inspection4     
,finding that the stones were of no     
value1 ,mrs4 ,fischer returned them to  
her  son1 and with the two younger      
children she passed on into the house4  
,elmer1  however1 did not go with the   
rest1 but sat down on the grass near    
,edwin1  and watched him closely as he  
returned the little stones to his       
pocket4  ,edwin1 although so young and  
seemingly ignorant along some lines1    
knew what  it was to be robbed of       
similar treasures2 and1 noticing the    
same evil light  in his cousin's eye    
that he had noted many times before at  
the poorhouse  among the children there1
 young as he was1 he felt sure that1 if 
given an  opportunity1 ,elmer would     
steal4 ,he hoped that his cousin would  
forget about  the stones2 so he decided 
not to refer to them any more and to    
play with  them only when he was alone4 
,during the evening nothing unusual     
happened1 and when it was time to retire

  for the night1 ,edwin was told that   
the bed that he had occupied the night  
before was to be his permanent          
sleeping-quarters4 ,the moon was shining
  bright and clear1 and beneath its     
silver rays the two boys crept into bed4
  ,both were very still2 in fact1 they  
were so very quiet that in a short time 
each thought the other asleep4 ,it was  
therefore a surprize to ,edwin when he  
felt his cousin creeping stealthily from
 the bed and out upon the floor  where  
the rays of the moon were the brightest4
    ,as ,edwin had inherited from his   
mother a natural love for neatness1 he  
had  already formed the habit of hanging
 his clothing upon the bedpost1 and1    
turning softly in the bed1 he could see 
from where he was lying1 a sight  that  
made him tremble with excitement4       
,elmer's hand was already in the  pocket
 containing the treasured stones1 and   
,edwin could not help  exclaiming3      
,what are you doing there1 ,elmer8      
,don't take those stones6 ,they are     

mine6    ,elmer quickly withdrew his    
hand when he heard his cousin speak1 for
 he did  not expect to be caught2 but in
 an irritated tone a voice from the bed 
opposite the boys said3    ,ed1 what's  
the matter with you8 ,can't you let that
 boy alone8 ,shut your  mouth ,i say and
 let him have those stones if he wants  
them1 for what are  they worth1 anyway8 
,thus rebuked4 ,edwin said no more2 and 
,elmer1 glad to have his own way1       
yielded to his selfish desire and1 again
 thrusting his hand into the            
trousers-pocket1 became a thief indeed4 
,how sad6 ,edwin had early chosen the   
path of right because it was right1 but 
,elmer was already on the road that     
leads to destruction and death6 ,why8   
,because he had decided in his heart to 
do evil4 ,even the kind old lady at  the
 almshouse had not entered his life4    
,was it ,elmer's fault8 ,not            
altogether4 ,temptation comes to all1   
but with the temptation there is a way  
of escape 7#a ,cor4 #aj3 #ac74 ,elmer   

could have chosen to do right and leave 
the stones where they belonged2 but when
 he was caught in the act of  stealing1 
,mrs4 ,fischer1 who was responsible for 
his training1 should have  carefully    
taught him the dangers connected with   
stealing4 ,a little seed of  dishonesty 
sown in the heart needs only cultivation
 to help it to grow4    ,the following  
morning when ,edwin's tasks in the house
 were completed1 he  was told to go     
outside to look after the baby1 and here
 it was that he  recalled ,elmer's act4 
,after making sure that the stones were 
not in his  pocket1 ,edwin went over to 
that part of the yard in which his      
cousin was  playing1 and as their eyes  
met he said3    ,elmer1 why did you     
steal my stones last night8 ,i want them
 back4    ,i haven't got anything that  
belongs to you1 and ,i didn't steal your
  stones1 ,elmer almost shouted2 and1   
running to ,mrs4 ,fischer1 he said      
excitedly1 ,ed called me a thief and    
said ,i stole those stones out of his   

pocket last night4    ,i'll teach him to
 call you a thief6 the woman exclaimed  
in an exasperated  tone and ran toward  
her son with a club and began using it  
freely upon him1  saying as she did so3 
,ed1 you wretched child6 ,is that all   
you've learned  at the poorhouse8 ,what 
are those little old stones good for1   
anyway8 ,and to  think you'd dare to    
accuse ,elmer of stealing them6    ,the 
beating that ,edwin received was far    
worse than the one given him the  day   
before1 and in the evening when he laid 
his little tired and aching  body upon  
the bed beside his cousin1 he wondered  
why he was forced to  suffer and bear   
the punishment that rightfully belonged 
to some one else1  but he did not       
complain or feel unkindly toward those  
who justly deserved  the blame4    ,when
 at last he fell asleep1 ,god sent      
angels to minister to the needs of  the 
little forlorn child1 and they cared for
 him tenderly while he slept4    ,when  
my father and my mother forsake me1 then

 the ,lord will take me up  7,psa4 #bg3 
#aj74    ,but let none of you suffer as 
a murderer1 or as a thief1 or as an     
evil-doer 7#a ,pet4 #d3 #ae74           
,,chapter ,,vi    ,,the ,,strange       
,,visitor      ,how shall ,i ever go    
through this rough world6    ,how find  
me older every setting sun6    ,how     
merge my boyish heart in manliness6     
--,coxe4    ,the little seed that had   
been planted in ,elmer's heart was not  
long in  sending forth a sturdy sprout2 
for it was in fertile soil1 and there   
was  nothing to hinder rapid growth4    
,not only did he continue to watch      
,edwin's  pockets for coveted articles  
like the stones1 but from the match-safe
 in  the kitchen to the purse of ,mrs4  
,fischer in the bureau-drawer he stole  
frequently4 ,nor did it stop with this4 
,at the village grocery he often        
slipped behind the counter and took     
articles for which he did not pay1 and  
finally he visited the combination      
money-drawer4    ,of much of ,elmer's   

dishonesty ,edwin was aware2 but1       
feeling that his mother  would believe  
no report about his cousin that he might
 bring1 and dreading  her punishments   
for tattling1 he kept all such knowledge
 to himself4 ,even  when blamed and     
abused for the things that ,elmer had   
done1 he bore it  patiently1 unless     
questioned2 then he told the truth and  
took the  consequences1 usually a       
beating4    ,elmer1 on the other hand1  
while endeavoring to cover up his       
misdeeds1 told  lie after lie1 and when 
accused and blamed by the grocer and    
others1 he was  screened and helped out 
of his difficulties by ,mrs4 ,fischer4  
,when ,edwin was about ten years of age1
 his mother moved from the village in   
which she had been living to a farm     
among the foothills of the ,alleghany   
,mountains4 ,here it was that ,edwin for
 the first time saw an outline of the   
wonderful ,blue ,mountain of which he   
had at ,christmas time heard many weird 
and frightful legends4 ,blue ,mountain  

was one of the tall mountain-peaks  that
 stood out a little apart from the main 
ridge and was known among the  people as
 the home of ,st4 ,nicholas and his     
elves4 ,strange stories were  connected 
with the place1 and all who believed    
them were full of  superstition and awe4
    ,it was reported that during the    
year ,st4 ,nick1 as he was commonly     
called1  was busy manufacturing and     
preparing wonderful toys to be          
distributed  throughout the country     
among the children who were deserving4  
,in order to  know to whom the presents 
were to go1 he sent out his elves into  
the homes  to take an inventory of the  
lives of die children4 ,these reports   
were to be  returned just before        
,christmas eve so that he could use them
 as a guide in  distributing his gifts4 
,for all the children who were not      
entitled to  presents tortures of many  
kinds were invented4 ,these were to be  
inflicted  when the annual tours were   
made4    ,all this and much more ,edwin 

had heard in his former home at each    
,christmas-tide1 and as the tortures had
 always been his lot1 he did not  like  
to think about the great mountain any   
more than he could help4 ,it was  little
 wonder that he felt this dread1 for to 
him ,st4 ,nick was a fierce and         
terrible monster4 ,but it was a great   
mystery to him why ,st4 ,nick had never 
found out about ,elmer's misdeeds4      
,even at the age of ten ,edwin was very 
small1 and his ignorance concerning  the
 ordinary things of life was really     
painful4 ,a dread of not being          
understood seemed constantly to hover   
over him1 and as he had been taught  to 
feel himself inferior and in the way1   
there was no opportunity for him  to    
improve4 ,when company came to the      
house1 he was ordered to remain in the  
kitchen or in the yard1 but never in    
hearing-distance1 and he was always  too
 busy to visit had he been permitted to 
do so4 ,a few times he had been  sent to
 school to help the smaller children    

through the snow or mud1 but it  was    
only occasionally and with no           
explanation as to the meaning of school 
or the value of learning4    ,once the  
teacher sent word to ,mrs4 ,fischer that
 if she cared to have her  son learn to 
read she must supply him with a primer4 
,before doing as the  teacher had told  
her1 ,mrs4 ,fischer took up a primer    
belonging to one of the  other children1
 turned to a lesson well over in the    
book1 and commanded  ,edwin to read the 
paragraph to which she was pointing4    
,seeing that he was  unable to tell one 
letter from another1 she shouted at him3
 ,ed1 you  blockhead6 there is no use   
for you to try to learn anything1 and ,i
 will  never spend any money for books  
to help you to disgrace me any more4    
,then  so great was her cruelty that the
 child fell prostrate at her feet in a  
swoon4 ,but even this did not cause the 
heartless mother to be sorry for  what  
she was doing to her child4 ,almost     
before he had recovered from the        

effects of this severe punishment1 she  
ordered him1 if he knew anything at     
all1 to tell her the time of day4 ,when 
he could not do this1 he was again      
mistreated4    ,shut away as he had been
 from the society of every one who could
 have  helped him1 he was1 of course1   
unable to unravel the untruth that had  
been  related to him about ,blue        
,mountain2 and when told that the time  
for ,st4  ,nick to pay them another     
visit was drawing near1 he looked upon  
the event  with increasing dread4    ,no
 good thing1 ,ed1 can you expect this   
year on ,christmas eve1 he heard  ,elmer
 say a few days before that eventful    
night4 ,he never has remembered  you    
with any good1 and ,i don't think he    
ever will4    ,yes1 ,edwin knew all     
about the neglect4 ,he remembered1 too1 
that he had been  told that upon        
,christmas eve1 instead of going to bed1
 he must sit before  the fireplace upon 
a certain chair in the sitting-room to  
await the arrival  of ,st4 ,nick4       

,perfect obedience being so impressed   
upon his mind1 ,edwin  obeyed1 but      
imagined many things1 one of which was  
that instant death would  follow any    
refusal to do the bidding of ,st4 ,nick4
 ,therefore when the  appointed time    
arrived1 ,edwin was ready and seated in 
his chair even before  the remainder of 
the family had retired4 ,then1 while his
 cousins were  thinking of the happiness
 the morrow held in store for them1 and 
the  children in other homes were       
dreaming of the sweet stories to which  
they  had listened concerning the       
,christ-child and ,god's great love in  
sending  his only ,son as a ,christmas  
gift to all the world1 ,edwin heard a   
sound in  the yard as of heavy tramping4
 ,then the lashing of a whip upon the   
window-pane and house caused him to     
spring from his chair and seek for a    
corner in which to hide4 ,presently he  
again heard the lashing upon another    
window-pane1 followed by a fierce blow  
upon the kitchen-door1 which had  been  

purposely left ajar1 and he saw the door
 fly open and beheld an object  so      
completely hideous that he was more     
frightened than he had been upon any    
previous occasion4    ,there1 clad in a 
pair of old trousers that were partly   
covered by a short  petticoat1 and      
wearing a bright red blouse elaborately 
trimmed with white  cotton batting in   
imitation of white fur1 a sunbonnet of  
faded blue1 and a  false face in the    
form of a mule's head1 stood the object 
posing himself as  ,st4 ,nicholas4      
,one glance at the frightful creature   
with the long whip in his hand would    
have been sufficient to strike terror   
through the heart of a more  enlightened
 mind1 and ,edwin1 with the remembrance 
of the suffering of  previous years     
still fresh in his mind1 was under a    
mental strain that was  fearful indeed4 
,the strange form1 pretending not to    
notice ,edwin1 laid down his whip and   
began loosening the large pack of toys  
that were upon his shoulders4 ,as the   

sack was laid down in front of the old  
fireplace1 a rubber ball rolled out     
upon the rug1 whereupon ,edwin heard him
 say in a gruff tone3    ,now1 if that  
hain't a mess6 ,guess ,i've come off    
without that there list1  after all4    
,thought those little imps wasn't going 
to get it in1 and when  they did--here  
he pulled out a long strip of paper that
 appeared to have  writing upon it and  
from which he began reading the names of
 the children  and the presents that    
each one was to receive4    ,as ,edwin  
saw the costly gifts that were one by   
one taken from the sack1  there seemed  
to be nothing lacking and plenty for him
 to have at least one  toy1 but his name
 was not called4 ,there was a           
hobby-horse1 a top1 a horn1 a  ball1 a  
wagon1 a doll1 dishes1 a rocker1 candy1 
and nuts4 ,a sudden longing  came into  
his heart to be remembered4    ,as if   
divining ,edwin's thoughts1 the monster1
 who was the child's own uncle          
disguised1 turned suddenly and1 facing  

,edwin1 said3    ,now1 sir1 ,i'll become
 acquainted with you6 ,i'm the person   
that some folks  call ,santa ,claus1 but
 by others ,i'm known as ,st4 ,nick4 ,to
 you1 ,edwin1 ,i  shall be ,st4 ,nick1  
and ,i want to say that if you touch any
 of these things  that ,i have placed   
here for your cousins1 you'll find out  
what ,old ,nick can  do4 ,then with a   
wave of his hand he said1 ,come on out  
here now before ,i  leave to go to      
another home4 ,i want you to look at    
each of these things1 so  that you will 
know just what they are like1 and then  
you see to it that you  keep your stupid
 hands forever off6    ,in obedience to 
the commanding voice of the frightful   
being1 ,edwin went  breathlessly forward
 and listened to the words3    ,do you  
see that horse8 ,well1 that's ,elmer's1 
and because he has been such  a good boy
 he shall have the ball and the top4    
,the other things are for his  sister   
and brother4 ,now that you have seen    
these nice things that are for  good    

children1 ,i want to show you the part  
that is to be yours1 but you  will have 
to go out in the kitchen to see it4     
,on the way to the kitchen ,old ,nick1  
who had taken up his whip1 flourished   
it to hurry the child along1 saying as  
he did so1 ,now1 you little gump1       
here's your treat4 ,then he threw a few 
nuts upon the kitchen-floor and  ordered
 ,edwin to hurry and pick them up4 ,as  
the child obeyed1 down came the  lash of
 the whip upon his fingers1 and the     
blood began at once to ooze from  the   
deep gashes4 ,when the hand was         
withdrawn1 the lash fell upon his body4 
,next he was told to dance and then to  
sing and at last to pray4 ,as he each   
time tried to obey1 the whip was used   
upon him4 ,the dance and the song were  
both very crude1 but the prayer was the 
words that he had learned from the  old 
lady at the alms-house4 ,those words    
,edwin felt were appropriate because    
,old ,nick had knelt beside a chair when
 explaining what he wanted him to do1   

and he remembered that he had knelt thus
 at the old lady's knee4 ,but before    
the list of terrible tortures was       
exhausted1 ,edwin could stand no more4  
,weakened by the loss of blood from his 
wounds and by the extreme fear1 he  fell
 as though dead4    ,how long he was    
there or what happened after he had     
fainted ,edwin could  never tell1 but   
when he became conscious1 he was alone  
and the room was  cold4 ,painfully he   
arose and by the aid of the lamp that   
was still burning  low1 he crept away to
 his bed1 which was fortunately very    
close to the  kitchen4    ,as the sun   
arose in the eastern sky1 it cast its   
bright rays upon the  snow-covered      
ground around the home of ,mrs4 ,fischer
 and caused a dazzling  brightness1 but 
it did not erase the many footprints    
that had been made the  evening before  
by the supposed ,st4 ,nicholas1 nor was 
it sufficient to  soothe the poor little
 aching head of the unfortunate ,edwin4 
,edwin had been in bed but a few hours  

when he heard the children's voices4    
,he listened to their remarks as they   
examined in turn the beautiful gifts1   
and then--was it possible8 ,he thought  
he heard the youngest child in a tone   
of disappointment saying1 ,why1 where   
are ,ed's stocking and things8 ,didn't  
he get anything at all8    ,the answer  
from ,elmer was spoken differently4 ,no1
 hush6 he said4 ,ed  hasn't anything    
here4 ,santa ,claus1 you know1 doesn't  
bring gifts to every  one4 ,there are   
only certain people who are allowed     
presents4    ,then ,edwin heard his     
cousin explaining the story of ,blue    
,mountain and ,st  ,nicholas as he had  
often heard it before2 but when his     
cousin said1 ,the  reason that ,ed      
wasn't remembered is because he does so 
many bad things1  ,edwin wondered again 
what kind of report the elves had       
carried concerning  the pebbles and the 
other things that ,elmer had taken      
dishonestly and what  explanation they  
had given regarding the lies4 ,but there

 was seemingly no  way for ,edwin to    
know these things4 ,his storehouse of   
knowledge was  apparently closed1 but   
still he was not discouraged in         
well-doing nor was  he tempted to do    
evil4 ,like ,job1 he could have said3   
,thou knowest that ,i  am not wicked 444
 ,i am full of confusion 444 ,even when 
,i remember ,i am  afraid1 and trembling
 taketh hold on my flesh 7,job #aj3g1   
#ae2 #ba3f74        ,,chapter ,,vii     
,,mysteries ,,unfolding      ,the brave 
are ever tender4    ,and feel the       
miseries of suffering virtue4           
--,martyn4    ,hedged about by such     
walls of difficulty1 ,edwin seemed to be
 shut entirely  away in a little world  
that was all his own4 ,as he had no one 
to help him  to understand the every-day
 happenings about him1 it was not       
strange that  the mysteries of nature   
were hidden as well4 ,shunned and abused
 as he was1  even curiosity was almost  
of no avail4 ,but although he knew it   
not1 the  all-seeing ,eye was watching  

over him and angels were rejoicing over 
the  manner in which he was laying a    
foundation for a strong and noble       
,christian  character4    ,edwin's      
holding no revenge in his heart toward  
those who had so repeatedly  wronged him
 made it easier1 in a way1 for him to   
endure his hardships4 ,and  by          
constantly being watchful and on his    
guard1 he was many times able to        
improve little opportunities to assist  
either his mother or his uncle1 and  in 
this way he sometimes evaded punishments
 that he would have otherwise  received4
 ,his always being on the alert made it 
easier for him to become  familiar with 
the names of various things that he     
could not have otherwise  known4 ,to    
gain any knowledge at all was indeed a  
pleasure1 and it enabled  him to escape 
so much unjust abuse4    ,as his love   
for doing good increased1 so also his   
admiration for and  interest in the     
things of nature and that which was     
strange and mysterious  were deepened4  

,he often wondered about the blue arch  
above his head1 and1  supposing it to be
 an upper story to the earth1 believed  
it to be inhabited  by a family similar 
to ,st4 ,nick and his elves4 ,he often  
tried to imagine  what kind of man this 
being could be and wondered whether in  
any way he  resembled ,st4 ,nick4    ,in
 electrical storms he supposed that the 
man must be very angry and that  the    
sounds and flashes were the result of   
throwing or rolling heavy or            
combustible articles of furniture as he 
had so repeatedly known his mother  and 
uncle to do4 ,as such a view of life was
 all that he knew1 it was not  strange  
that he could make no better comparison4
    ,occasionally he noticed his uncle  
and ,elmer throwing stones high up in   
the  air1 and sometimes when the stones 
went too high to be followed by the     
naked eye1 he supposed that they pierced
 the arch and lodged on the other  side4
    ,the fact that while he was at the  
poorhouse a few persons had died and    

been  buried in the ground was till     
fresh in his memory1 and from the oaths 
and  unkind language of his mother he   
had come to the conclusion that all must
  die and be buried in the same manner4 
,what became of them after death he     
could not fathom1 but he concluded that 
the frost in the winter-time was a  sort
 of cold vapor arising from the bodies  
of those who were dead and that  such   
things were all governed by the great   
man above the arch4    ,in the village  
where his mother had lived1 very little 
attention was given  to family quarrels 
or to the troubles of children1 but in  
this new  neighborhood it was different4
 ,a dear old couple by the name of      
,hahn1  living very close1 soon became  
greatly interested in the child ,edwin4 
,many  times they listened with deepest 
sympathy to his cries of agony and      
terror1  knowing that his cries were    
caused by cruel blows or kicks4 ,then   
when the  little fellow1 all bleeding   
and bruised1 would be discovered        

hobbling about  and endeavoring to      
comprehend what was expected of him that
 he might the  more perfectly perform   
the task ,t,hat had been assigned him1  
their hearts  were filled with          
indignation and pity4    ,i don't see   
how it is1 said ,mrs4 ,hahn one day to  
her husband at the close  of the midday 
meal4    ,now1 that ,mrs4 ,fischer seems
 in some ways to be a pretty good sort  
of  woman1 but when she speaks to her   
son1 she acts like ,satan himself4 ,only
  yesterday ,i saw her out cleaning up  
the yard1 and she seemed quite          
good-natured until she discovered ,ed   
coming out to help her4 ,then1 without  
telling him where to get it1 she told   
him to hustle around and find her a     
picket1 for she wanted to fix the fence4
 ,i saw right away that he didn't  know 
what a picket was1 but ,i wanted to see 
what he would do4 ,he didn't  ask4      
,instead he ran around the house looking
 in every direction and came  back to   
tell her that he couldn't find any4     

,then1 in a tone that she would  not    
have used for the dog she yelled at him 
that it was of no use to expect  an     
idiot like him to find anything4 ,next  
she went to a pile of pickets that  was 
near the barn and easily got herself    
what she was wanting4 ,still she  didn't
 explain anything to ,edwin1 but ,i     
could see that the boy knew then  what a
 'picket' looked like4    ,now1 ,pa1    
,i'll tell you what ,i'd like to do4    
,since his mother acts toward  him as   
she does1 ,i'd like to ask him over here
 whenever he can come1 just  as though  
he were coming to help us1 you know1 and
 then we could tell him  about many of  
these things that he doesn't know4      
,perhaps if he knew better  what they   
meant1 it would not be so hard for him1 
and he would escape some  of the abuse4 
,that's a bright idea1 my good little   
wife1 said ,mr4 ,hahn smiling his       
approval4 ,i believe that we ought to   
help the boy all that we can1 for  he's 
sure having a hard time of it4 ,do what 

you think is best1 but be  careful not  
to let ,mrs4 ,fischer think you want to 
help her son1 or all your  plans will be
 upset4 ,she doesn't care what becomes  
of the boy1 and ,i think  she would be  
glad to see him die1 but doesn't dare to
 be the one to end his  life4 ,but      
she'll do it if she keeps on as she is  
going4    ,well1 with your consent ,i'll
 do what ,i can1 replied ,mrs4 ,hahn1   
and with a  relieved expression she     
hastened to make some plans that were to
 amount  very much to ,edwin4    ,mrs4  
,fischer graciously consented to let her
 son go to help the old couple  now and 
then1 but1 she added1 you'll soon find  
that he's no good to  anybody4 ,i find  
him lots more bother than he's worth4   
,i'll risk that part of it1 ,mrs4 ,hahn 
answered1 and from that day a great     
change came into the poor boy's life4   
,in the home of ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,hahn1   
,edwin was still very timid1 but they   
were  so kind and considerate that his  
intense fear gradually gave way to      

confidence and trust4 ,it seemed that   
his new friends were never vexed        
because of his extreme ignorance4       
,instead of reproaching him for what he 
did not know or understand1 they took   
extra pains to explain their meaning  in
 the simplest language possible4 ,to    
,edwin the explanation of the most      
trifling every-day occurrences seemed   
wonderful1 and to the unenlightened     
child it opened up many avenues for     
thought that had hitherto been closed4  
,never once while he was with them did  
they seem to grow weary of trying to    
make things more simple and plain for   
the inquiring child4    ,the more ,edwin
 associated with these friends1 the more
 he began to  understand how he had been
 wronged2 for many questions concerning 
the  earth1 the sky1 and himself were   
corrected4 ,in explaining about ,st4    
,nick1  ,mr4 ,hahn said3    ,edwin1 that
 terrible creature that treated you so  
shamefully on ,christmas  eve was not   
,st4 ,nicholas at all4 ,it was your     

uncle1 who had1 with the  consent of    
your mother1 dressed himself in the     
hideous clothing in which he  appeared  
to you4 ,he must have wanted to see just
 how much he could deceive  and frighten
 you4    ,but how about his home in     
,blue ,mountain8 ,edwin asked in        
amazement4 ,if  ,santa ,claus doesn't   
make the toys up there1 where does he   
make them8    ,edwin1 don't you believe 
those stories any longer1 ,mr4 ,hahn    
answered4  ,your uncle bought from a    
store in the city of ,m----all those    
presents that  he gave to his children4 
,the stories that he told you about the 
elves  visiting the homes to discover   
who were bad are untrue4 ,i know it     
seems  very strange to you1 but what is 
the most difficult for me to understand 
is  how your mother and uncle could find
 pleasure in frightening and deceiving  
you in such a way4    ,well1 if ,blue   
,mountain isn't the home of ,st4 ,nick1 
what is it8 ,edwin  asked in a mystified
 tone4    ,then in very simple words    

,edwin heard for the first time the real
 facts  regarding the great mountain    
that had until then been as an awful    
nightmare  to the unenlightened boy4    
,pointing away toward the line of blue  
and white  domes and peaks that grew    
more and more faint as they faded away  
in the  distance1 ,mr4 ,hahn explained  
that they were only high parts of the   
earth4  ,blue ,mountain1 he said1 is    
only one part of the range1 and those   
dark  places that you see on its sides  
are just trees and bushes such as grow  
right here in our yard4 ,then there are 
large rocks1 some of them the size  of  
this house1 and springs of water where  
many animals and birds may drink4  ,and 
in some places there are large          
flower-gardens1 where the flowers grow  
without the use of the spade or the hoe4
 ,i would certainly like to take you  to
 see the mountain1 ,edwin1 if it were   
not so far away1 but it would take  us  
too long to go and come1 for it is very 
much farther away than it  seems4       

,reasons were given also for the strange
 noises that ,edwin had attributed to   
the rolling of heavy articles of        
furniture1 and the names sky1 thunder1  
and  lightning were rightly applied4    
,but with all their information1 ,mr4   
and  ,mrs4 ,hahn gave no hint that there
 was a great and supreme ,being over    
all1  one who had created all the       
wonders that they had been describing1  
for they  were not ,christian people and
 were not acquainted with the love of   
,god4  ,they were greatly interested in 
the things that pertain to this life1   
but  seemed unconcerned about heaven1   
eternity1 and the ,bible4 ,so ,edwin    
continued to believe that some great man
 who had died and left the earth  was   
living above the blue arch and that the 
electrical storms were in some  way the 
result of fireside quarrels and         
confusion4    ,to ,edwin it seemed that 
every moment that he from time to time  
spent with  these kind friends was      
precious indeed1 but the effect upon the

 mother was  not what ,mrs4 ,hahn had   
desired4 ,finding that her son could    
understand more  about the work1 she    
became more particular and increased his
 tasks  accordingly until it seemed that
 he could do nothing to suit her4 ,poor 
nervous child6 if only he could have    
known the words of the ,psalmist1 what  
a comfort they would have been--,he     
shall deliver the needy 444 and         
precious shall their blood be in his    
sight4 7,psa4 #gb3ab1 #ad74             
,,chapter ,,viii    ,,discovers ,,the   
,,existence ,,of ,,god      ,where'er   
thou art1 ,he is2 the eternal mind      
,acts through all places2 is to none    
confined2    ,fills ocean1 earth and air
 and all above1    ,and through the     
universal mass does move4               
--,dryden4    ,mrs4 ,fischer may have   
felt that her neighbors were learning   
too much about  her family matters and  
business affairs1 and it may have been  
for other  reasons best known to        
herself1 but she soon became            

dissatisfied with the  farm and thought 
best to move away to another part of the
 country4 ,the  place decided upon was  
near a public highway where there was an
 extra  building that could be used by  
the uncle as a blacksmith-shop1 and     
there  was also a good barn1 where the  
horse1 cow1 and chickens could be kept4 
,when ,mrs4 ,hahn heard of her          
neighbor's plans1 she was sorry1 for she
 had  become very much attached to      
,edwin and did not like to see him go so
 far  away from her home4 ,she therefore
 decided to ask ,mrs4 ,fischer to allow 
the  boy to stay through the summer     
months with them in their home4 ,he     
could do  lots of little light things   
that would be a great help to husband   
and me1  she said4    ,well1 ,i can't   
see why you are taking such an interest 
in that boy1 the  mother replied4 ,now1 
if he were bright like ,elmer1 ,i       
wouldn't be  surprized1 but ,ed is such 
a blockhead4 ,you can have him1 though1 
if you can  make any use of him1 but    

,i'm sure that you will very soon be    
sick of your  bargain4    ,mrs4 ,hahn   
assured the mother they were willing to 
run the risk1 and it was  decided that  
,edwin should stay with the ,hahns for a
 while4 ,so it happened  that ,edwin saw
 his people pack their goods and drive  
away from the farm  leaving him behind4 
,to be left in the care of the old      
couple whom he was  learning to love so 
dearly was indeed a happy change1 but   
how great it was  none but him and his  
heavenly ,father could understand4      
,surrounded as he was  in this home by  
kind friends1 provided good food1 and   
enabled to think  happy thoughts1 he    
soon grew well and strong and was able  
to do all the  work that could be       
expected of any eleven-year-old boy4    
,in the new home of ,mrs4 ,fischer      
things went along seemingly well enough 
for  a time1 but as ,elmer continued his
 underhanded work of taking things that 
did not belong to him1 he became more   
and more bold1 and ,mrs4 ,fischer1 not  

having ,edwin to blame1 was forced to   
see some of his faults4    ,one day     
shortly after the family were settled in
 their new home1 word that  the barn was
 on fire rang out loud and clear1 and a 
smell of burning wood  and hay and      
clouds of smoke filled the air4 ,rushing
 to the door1 ,mrs4  ,fischer saw that  
the barn was wrapped in flames4 ,with a 
scream for help she  ran out into the   
yard1 where she discovered the uncle and
 several others  endeavoring to deaden  
the flames1 but their efforts seemed all
 in vain4    ,it was too late to save   
the barn1 so the attention of all was   
turned to the  house and other          
buildings4 ,as the wind was in their    
favor1 no other  building besides the   
barn was lost1 and fortunately the      
disaster had  occurred in the daytime1  
when the animals and chickens were out  
in the lot1  so that the damage was not 
so great4    ,when the excitement had   
somewhat subsided1 and ,mrs4 ,fischer   
looked about  for some one to blame for 

carelessness1 she found that ,edwin was 
not there  and that ,elmer was the      
guilty person4 ,having repeatedly       
watched his father  smoking a pipe or a 
cigar1 ,elmer had decided that it was   
time for him to  learn to smoke if he   
ever expected to appear like a man4     
,accordingly1 with  a few stolen matches
 in his pocket and some corn-stalks cut 
into  cigar-lengths1 he had gone to a   
place back of the barn for his first    
lesson4 ,he had not intended to have his
 actions upon this particular  occasion 
known1 because both his father and ,mrs4
 ,fischer had seemed to be  against his 
learning to smoke so young4 ,but through
 the fire1 caused by the  dropping of   
burning matches among the litter at his 
feet1 and the testimony  of his little  
brother1 who had been present1 his guilt
 became known4    ,although ,mrs4       
,fischer knew that ,elmer deserved      
correction for this deed1  she simply   
smoothed the matter over and allowed it 
to pass by unnoticed4  ,but when the    

news of the burning of the barn reached 
the ears of ,mrs4 ,hahn1  she said3     
,edwin1 you should be very thankful that
 you were not there4 ,had  you been1    
,elmer would no doubt have laid the     
blame on you1 and in her fury  your     
mother might have thrown you into the   
flames4 ,edwin understood that  what    
,mrs4 ,hahn had said could very easily  
have been true1 and he was very  glad   
that he had not been present when the   
barn was burned4    ,his life in this   
new home was so different in every way  
from what it had  been in his mother's  
and he was so happy and content that he 
had no desire  to return4 ,he was       
therefore very sad when he was told in  
the fall that the  farm was sold and    
that as his old friends would go to the 
city to live with  their children1 it   
would be necessary for him to return to 
his mother4    ,i'm very sorry1 ,mrs4   
,hahn said1 that you must leave us2 but1
 ,edwin1 ,i  believe that your mother   
will be more kind to you1 because you   

have learned  how to do so many things  
and can do your work so well4 ,i will   
see that ,mr4  ,hahn goes with you and  
will have him explain to your mother    
what you can  do1 and when she sees that
 you can learn when you are taught and  
can do the  things that she expects of  
you1 we shall hope that she will have   
more  patience with you than she has had
 in the past4    ,thus it was that one  
day late in the fall as the sun was     
slowly sinking  down into a bed of      
crimson and gold1 ,mr4 ,hahn and ,edwin 
drove up to the  place of which they had
 both heard but only ,mr4 ,hahn had     
seen4 ,if ,edwin had  expected to find a
 pile of rubbish to be cleared away     
where the ruins of a  barn was resting1 
he was mistaken2 for the owner of the   
property had  attended to that1 and a   
new building had been erected upon the  
old  foundation1 and everything else was
 neat and clean4    ,well1 ,mr4 ,hahn1  
,mrs4 ,fischer began in answer to the   
announcement that her  son had arrived1 

,i suppose you are very glad to be rid  
of your charge4 ,i'm  afraid he has made
 you lots of trouble4    ,oh1 no1 ,mrs4 
,fischer1 ,mr4 ,hahn replied1 we got    
along just fine6 ,i have  no fault      
whatever to find with your son4 ,he is  
as good-hearted and faithful  a boy     
about his work as ,i have ever seen1 and
 if we were not going to leave  the     
farm1 ,i wouldn't think of bringing him 
back4 ,i think you have  misunderstood  
,edwin2 for he seems so very anxious to 
learn and asks so many  questions about 
everything that ,i have found it hard to
 find enough answers  for them all4     
,then1 when he has once learned a thing1
 he never forgets it1  and he seems to  
want to put every bit of his knowledge  
into use4 ,i'm sure  your fears about   
his being dull are groundless1 but he   
does need to be  taught1 and you will do
 well to give him a fair chance along   
with the other  children4    ,after     
making a few other remarks and giving   
,edwin the promise1 ,if ,i ever  return 

to the farm again1 ,i will let you know 
and will take you back  again1 ,mr4     
,hahn said1 ,good-by1 and ,edwin was    
left behind to begin again  the kind of 
life that had been so hard and bitter4  
,the kindnesses shown him  during the   
summer and the greater keenness of his  
judgment and  understanding made the    
renewal of past cruelties even harder to
 bear than  they had been before4       
,after ,edwin's home-coming ,elmer and  
the other children found more time to   
shirk1 and1 seeing his eagerness and    
ability to do so many things that he    
had not before understood1 the family   
forced the poor little tired form to    
work far beyond its strength4 ,but      
without complaint ,edwin strove to do   
all  the work assigned to him and to    
make every move count so that he would  
be  able to accomplish more than that if
 possible1 but on every hand only       
failure and unhappiness seemed to be    
awaiting him4    ,late in ,november1 one
 evening just before time to do the     

milking1 ,mrs4  ,fischer1 while in a    
terrible fit of anger because of some   
little mistake of  ,edwin's hardly worth
 the mentioning1 ordered him to go out  
in the yard and  bring her a good strong
 stick and to hurry4 ,and ,edwin1 though
 knowing that  the stick was to be used 
upon himself1 went to an apple-tree and 
cut from  it a good strong branch4 ,even
 under such extreme circumstances he was
  determined to do his best4 ,as he     
handed the stick to his mother1 she     
clutched it and with a fiendish         
expression she beat her son so cruelly  
that  he fell upon the floor4 ,then with
 her foot she kicked him about the room 
until the blood was flowing freely from 
various wounds and gashes made by  her  
shoe and the stick4    ,the condition of
 the room and the helpless state of the 
child seemed to  enable the wicked woman
 at last to realize what she was doing1 
and1 fearful  lest some one discover him
 thus1 she ceased her cruelties and     
commanded  ,edwin to get up and clean   

the room4 ,then1 without waiting to be  
sure that  he could do so1 she went out 
to the barn to milk the cow4    ,edwin1 
in almost an unconscious state1 realized
 at last that he was in the  kitchen    
alone1 and he endeavored to arise1 but  
there seemed to be a pain in  every part
 of his body1 and he was lying in a pool
 of blood4 ,after a great  effort he    
managed to reach the sink1 but it was   
some time before he could  stop the flow
 of blood from his mouth4 ,looking at   
himself in the glass1 he  saw that a    
portion of his lip was cut and loosely  
hanging so that the teeth  behind it    
were exposed1 and the blood was still   
running from his mouth4  ,until then1   
though he would not have known how to   
express the thought1 he  had never      
ceased to hope that in some way or other
 he would be able to win  his mother's  
love and confidence1 but with this      
terrible outbreak of  passion all desire
 to try to live seemed to vanish4       
,after doing what he could to cover up  

his mother's cruel conduct1 he          
staggered through the open door and down
 the walk that led to the barn4 ,he  was
 intending to do what he could to help  
with the evening work1 but he  could not
 suppress the sobs that were welling up 
from his poor troubled and  wounded     
heart4 ,only hardships and              
discouragements seemed to be his        
portion1  and without considering who   
was liable to hear him1 he cried out in 
his  anguish3    ,if such it the best   
that a person can have in life1 it would
 be better for  him not to live at all4 
,as the cry of distress floated in      
through the partly open stable-door1    
,mrs4  ,fischer was filled with wonder4 
,never before had she heard her son     
speak so  sensibly1 and1 hastening to   
see what it all meant1 she said3 ,ah1   
,ed6 ,i  heard you speak1 and this time 
your words were not those of an idiot1  
but  wise and full of reason4 ,but how  
dare you wish yourself dead8 ,don't you 
know that there is a ,god over us who   

hears every word we say8 ,then she      
added1 ,why is it on such things you can
 talk so well and on others you  seem so
 dull8    ,at the sight of his mother's 
face and the sound of her words1 two    
thoughts  flashed through his mind3     
,have ,i done anything to displease her8
 and ,is  there really some powerful    
being by the name of ,god above me in   
the sky8  ,instantly a feeling of awe   
and reverence filled his soul1 and      
something  within him told him that this
 great ,being who could hear all that he
 said  must be more than a common man4  
,the very thought that ,god could hear  
him  speak made ,him seem strangely     
near4    ,as he continued to think1 his 
troubles seemed to vanish and the       
suffering  from his wounds became less  
intense4 ,then he remembered that the   
name of  ,god had been used many times  
by his mother1 uncle1 and the children  
in ways  that he was sure were wrong4   
,if ,god could hear everything1 what    
must he  think of the people who would  

talk about him thus8 ,he wondered1 too1 
why  ,mr4 ,hahn had not mentioned the   
name of ,god when explaining the reasons
 for  the sounds above the sky1 or high 
blue arch1 as he had called it4 ,poor   
untaught child6 ,god alone could be his 
teacher4    ,who is like unto the ,lord 
our ,god1 who dwelleth on high1 who     
humbleth  himself to behold the things  
that are in heaven1 and in earth6 ,he   
raiseth  up the poor out of the dust1   
and lifteth the needy out of the        
dunghill2  that he may set him with     
princes1 even with the princes of his   
people  7,psa4 #aac3e-h74               
,,chapter ,,ix    ,,in ,,the ,,home ,,of
 ,a ,,witch      ,a mother's love--how  
sweet the name6    ,what is a mother's  
love8    ,a noble1 pure1 and tender     
flame4    ,enkindled from above4    ,to 
bless a heart of earthly mold2    ,the  
warmest love that can grow cold2        
,this is a mother's love4               
--,montgomery4    ,yes1 this is the     
nature of a true mother's love1 but such

 love poor ,edwin  had never known4 ,at 
the age of fourteen the unwelcome child 
felt that there  was nothing in life for
 him except that which was hard and     
unreasonable4  ,the things that he had  
learned from his kind friends1 ,mr4 and 
,mrs4 ,hahn  concerning nature often    
helped him to forget his sorrows1 and   
the fact  gained from his mother1 that  
,god's eyes were ever upon him1         
beholding his  actions all the time1 was
 a constant source of comfort and       
satisfaction1  for he was sure that he  
was always trying to do his best4    ,if
 ,i do as well as ,i can1 ,god will     
surely know and care1 he reasoned4      
,thus1 his ,creator filled a place in   
the lonely life that had never known a  
father's or mother's love4 ,and strange 
as it may seem1 the neglect and  abuse  
that ,edwin endured did not rob him of  
his strength and ability to  perform all
 the duties assigned him4 ,so if ,mrs4  
,fischer had hoped to bring  on the     
premature death of her son through her  

cruel treatment1 she was  disappointed1 
and within her evil heart she conceived 
another plan4    ,in a distant part of  
the country1 among the hills where two  
public highways  crossed was a home1    
large1 aristocratic1 and almost elegant 
in appearance4  ,the large              
two-story-and-a-half brick house nestled
 amidst the dense  evergreen and floral 
shrubbery1 the large luxuriant orchards 
widening  around it1 the immense barn on
 the corner opposite1 and the wheat- and
  corn-fields waving in the distance1   
caused many a passer-by to envy the     
possessors2 but a look at the interior  
of the house and only a brief           
acquaintance with the occupants were    
sufficient to disillusion any one       
regarding the family's culture and      
happiness4    ,mr4 ,fitch1 a thriving   
and ambitious young farmer1 had         
inherited the home  and1 having married 
a woman of an evil and superstitious    
family1 soon  discovered that he was    
bound to a person whom the community    

looked upon as  a witch4 ,the years had 
rolled by1 and ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,fitch    
were now old4 ,the  fame of the evil    
woman had been published1 and she was   
considered as one  who was able to      
relieve people of any sickness or to    
drive trouble away  from their doors4   
,the treatment1 called powwowing1       
consisted of repeating  long lists of   
words that she had learned from a book  
called ,the ,black  ,arts4 ,this book   
and an almanac made up the entire ,fitch
 library4    ,as this ,mr4 ,fitch passed
 the home of ,mrs4 ,fischer on his way  
to and from  the city1 it became his    
custom to stop at the uncle's blacksmith
 shop4 ,in  this way the two families   
became acquainted1 and ,mrs4 ,fischer   
learned  something of the nature of the 
witch4 ,just why and how it was         
suggested to  the mind of ,mrs4 ,fischer
 that the ,fitch home would be the      
proper place to  send her son is hard to
 tell4 ,it would seem that ,satan       
7understanding  ,edwin's desire to do   

right7 helped her strive to throw every 
wicked  influence possible about him and
 plan to discourage1 deceive1 and tempt 
him  to do evil and become like the rest
 of the family4 ,and she may have       
thought  that there was a possibility of
 a mysterious and unquestioned death4   
,at  least1 it happened that one day    
late in the summer she asked ,mr4 ,fitch
 the  question3    ,how would you like a
 fourteen-year-old boy who would work   
for you for his  board and clothes8     
,to be sure1 ,i need one very much6 was 
the old man's reply4 ,my wife has a     
little girl to help her1 and ,i need a  
boy to be with me4 ,he could help with  
the chores and herd the cows4 ,i've     
tried several lads1 but they always run 
off4    ,well1 my ,ed will be just the  
one for you then1 said ,mrs4 ,fischer   
confidently4 ,you needn't be afraid that
 he will run off1 for he knows too  well
 that he must stay where ,i put him4    
,how about his wages and schooling8 ,mr4
 ,fitch inquired with a suspicious      

glance at ,mrs4 ,fischer1 but he was    
instantly assured that such would not be
  necessary4 ,only his clothes and board
 will be required1 and ,i shall expect  
you to see that he earns them4    ,very 
well1 ma'am1 then we can count it a     
bargain1 and ,i will take your son      
right home with me today if you like1   
and the old farmer and ,mrs4 ,fischer   
hastened to the house to inform ,edwin  
of the plan4    ,edwin1 brush in hand   
and down upon his knees1 was diligently 
brushing away  the crumbs from under the
 table in the dining-room when he was   
told in a  few words to stop his work   
and prepare for the journey4    ,you are
 to go home with ,mr4 ,fitch1 his mother
 explained4 ,he wants you to  live with 
him and be his choreboy4    ,perhaps    
,mrs4 ,fischer did not understand the   
expression that came over  ,edwin's     
face1 but the news gave him intense     
satisfaction4 ,he could compare  the    
change only to his visit in the home of 
,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,hahn1 and he could      

desire nothing better4 ,any place1      
,edwin reasoned1 must be better than his
  mother's home1 and he was soon sitting
 beside ,mr4 ,fitch as he drove away in 
the direction of the mountains4    ,when
 they arrived at the place that ,mr4    
,fitch explained was his home1 ,edwin   
was more delighted than ever1 for he had
 never pictured anything more           
beautiful4 ,but when they drew near the 
house and he heard oaths and  language  
still more vile than he had ever heard  
from his mother's tongue1  he wondered  
if he heard aright4 ,even during her    
most terrible tantrums he  had never    
heard such words1 and when through the  
open kitchen-door he saw  ,mrs4 ,fitch  
with a rolling-pin in one hand and a    
pie-pan in the other and  with her face 
turned toward the sky1 blaspheming the  
great ,god of the  universe for         
permitting a certain crop to fail1 he   
felt faint and sick4    ,again and again
 the wicked woman blasphemed that holy  
name because of the  failure caused by  

drought1 and threatened1 on account of  
the failure1 to  enter other fields and 
with a burning torch to set fire to them
 all4 ,then  as curse after curse upon  
other things rang from her lips1 she    
continued  beating the air with         
rolling-pin and pan until it was        
dangerous to be  inside the room4 ,edwin
 remained very close to the door1 and   
the girl whom  ,mr4 ,fitch had mentioned
 as being his wife's helper1 he saw     
spring to one  side just in time to     
escape being struck by a huge piece of  
dough that was  thrown by the wicked    
woman at her head4    ,how long the     
unearthly scene had been going on or    
would have continued is  hard to say1   
but from exhaustion ,mrs4 ,fitch sank   
heavily upon the floor and  for some    
time was in an unconscious condition4   
,in answer to ,edwin's worried          
expression ,mr4 ,fitch remarked1 ,oh1   
that's nothing6 ,she'll be all right    
after a while1 and together they went   
out to the barn4 ,edwin asked no        

questions1 but he wondered if such      
things were right and had to be4    ,in 
this new place he soon discovered that  
he must bear1 in some ways1 even        
greater cruelties than had been forced  
upon him in his mother's home1 for  in  
rainy weather or during the hardest     
storms as much was expected of him  as  
when the sun was shining4 ,many times he
 was forced to work all day long        
without a dry thread of clothing upon   
his body and often without sufficient   
food4 ,for all this he never complained1
 but he wondered why it was  impossible 
to please some people1 when he was      
always satisfied with so  little4       
,the greater part of the ,fitch property
 that was used for pasturing purposes   
was low and swampy and had long been the
 haunt of many poisonous snakes4  ,one  
portion of the land that was higher than
 the rest1 ,mr4 ,fitch had  decided to  
have prepared for spring plowing1 and   
,edwin's work was to gather  the brush  
and the stones into piles that they     

might be burned or hauled  away4 ,he was
 also instructed to drive the cows from 
those parts of the  pasture in which the
 snakes were the most numerous4 ,with   
nothing to protect  his bare feet and   
with no understanding of the danger of  
snakebites1 he was  often tramping in   
places where the reptiles were gliding  
past him in many  directions1 but upon  
none of these occasions was he ever     
bitten4    ,it was said that ghosts and 
many strange objects were often         
discovered in  the house or grove of the
 ,fitch property1 and also that some    
unearthly  creatures had been frequently
 known to rise from an unused chimney   
and1  moving slowly toward the large    
field1 to disappear always at a certain 
place4 ,others said that ghosts and     
horrible-looking forms had been met in  
the grove1 and still others had heard   
strange noises1 as the slamming of      
doors and windows when no breeze was    
blowing1 the moving of heavy pieces of  
furniture1 and the rattling and dragging

 of heavy chains4    ,one man said that 
once while working for ,mr4 ,fitch he   
was sleeping in a  certain room when    
suddenly the covers from the bed began  
to move and that  although he resisted  
with all his strength1 they were torn   
away4 ,feeling  confident that he was   
the only occupant of the room1 he left  
the place in  the night vowing that he  
would never return4    ,these stories   
and many more were told by the visitors 
who congregated in  the evening about   
the home from time to time1 and they    
were usually  approved and strengthened 
by ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,fitch1 who could tell
 of many  worse and more absurd         
happenings4 ,edwin often listened to the
 weird tales  because those telling them
 were anxious to frighten him1 but      
sometimes it  was because of his own    
curiosity4 ,he was often seized with a  
strong desire  to investigate and to    
find out for himself whether the things 
that they  said were really true4 ,upon 
different occasions he was allowed to   

sleep in  the rooms that were supposed  
to be haunted1 but never did he see or  
find  out anything that was unusual4    
,lying and stealing and other evils were
 often freely discussed by the boys  and
 girls of the neighborhood when they    
gathered in the grove1 and it was  no   
uncommon thing to hear some one telling 
of a narrow escape from  detection4     
,occasionally ,eldwin was asked to tell 
a lie to help another  cover up some    
evil deed1 but this ,edwin always       
stoutly refused to do4 ,when  fun was   
made of him or he was mocked for his    
principles of right1 his  answer was    
always1 ,i never want any one to lie or 
steal for me1 and ,i will  not do such  
things for any one else4 ,his reason for
 speaking thus was not  that he looked  
upon either of these things as sins1 for
 he had no  conception of what sin was4 
,it was simply his sense of duty and his
  admiration of doing that which was    
right and just4 ,thus1 his mother's     
desire to have him educated in          

wrong-doing was in no wise gratified1   
and  his young life1 even in the home of
 one of ,satan's most efficient         
servants1  was protected and preserved  
pure and blameless4    ,blessed is the  
man that walketh not in the counsel of  
the ungodly1 nor  standeth in the way of
 sinners4 7,psa4 #a3a74        ,,chapter
 ,x    ,a ,,contrast      ,when people  
once are in the wrong1    ,each line    
they add is much too long2    ,who      
fastest walks1 but walks astray1    ,is 
only furthest from his way4             
--,prior4    ,at the age of nineteen    
,edwin was still untaught by man        
regarding the  hereafter and ,god4 ,the 
little that he had gleaned from the     
words and  actions of the sinful people 
with whom he was forced to associate had
  opened his understanding sufficiently 
for him to know that there is a  spirit 
life and some sort of reward for the    
evil and the good1 but that was  about  
all4    ,his life in the home of ,mr4   
,fitch had been hard indeed1 but through

 all his  hardships the desire to do    
right had never left him1 and the little
 prayer  learned in the poorhouse was   
still a comfort when he was lonely and  
sad4  ,many times in the silent hours of
 the night as he repeated the words     
softly  to himself and realized the     
waves of strength and courage sweeping  
over  him1 he was made to wonder1 but he
 never thought of connecting the prayer 
with ,god4 ,to ,edwin the words were    
simply a pleasant and sacred memory that
  was treasured and appreciated1 but his
 divine ,teacher was using them as a    
foundation for his spiritual education4 
,although ,elmer knew little more       
concerning the hereafter1 he was far    
better  informed in the ways of the     
world1 for his life had been paved with 
opportunities1 and he had made use of   
them4 ,however1 without a standard in   
his heart such as ,edwin had erected and
 with no home government to protect  and
 guide him1 as a petted and humored and 
spoiled child he had indulged in  many  

sins until some of the crimes traced to 
his door were of the blackest  hue4 ,he 
had already been tried for various      
crimes1 but the latest trial was  for   
his having promised to marry a young    
girl1 when he had already a living  wife
 and child in another part of the city4 
,why1 do you ask8 could this  difference
 be8 ,take a look into the heart and    
life of each1 and you will  discover the
 answer4 ,every thought and purpose of  
the one1 regardless of  consequences1   
had been to do the right for principle's
 sake and because it  was right1 and    
,god1 noting his good intentions1 had   
guided him onward4 ,the  other1 from the
 time that he had stolen the pebbles in 
the silent hours of  the night1 had     
sought for opportunities to do similar  
underhand deeds4    ,was it the fault of
 ,elmer that such things should be8 ,not
 altogether4 ,the  greater blame must be
 laid at the door of those whose duty it
 was to warn  and advise him of his     
danger and to see to it that he obeyed  

them while he  was young2 for it is very
 plainly stated in the ,bible that the  
child should  be trained in its youth   
7,prov4 #bb3f74 ,nevertheless1 the      
evil-doer must have  his just deserts2  
for whatsoever a man soweth1 that shall 
he also reap  7,gal4 #f3g74    ,elmer   
had continued his stealing until among  
the stolen articles were suits  of men's
 clothing1 sums of money1 and other     
things too numerous to mention4  ,he had
 also been guilty of forging notes4 ,but
 the crime of deceiving the  young girl 
seemed to his friends the most          
humiliating4    ,although ,edwin no     
longer lived in the community of his    
mother or ,mr4 ,fitch1  for he was      
supporting himself1 he had learned what 
a mother's place in his  life should be 
and the attitude that a son should hold 
toward her4 ,he  therefore1 regardless  
of her former shortcomings1 went        
occasionally to see  her4 ,in answer to 
those who questioned how he could       
respect or visit his  mother after all  

that she had caused him to suffer1 he   
would say3 ,she is  still my mother1    
just as though she had always been good 
to me1 and ,i shall  always regard her  
as a mother4 ,during my childhood ,i    
held nothing against  her for all the   
things ,i suffered1 and why should ,i   
now8 ,hearing of  ,elmer's trouble1     
,edwin hastened to his mother's home1   
and while listening  to her tale of woe 
he heard her say3    ,i just can't      
understand what ,elmer means by doing   
such outlandish things  now that he is  
grown up4 ,if he were a boy1 ,i wouldn't
 think so much about  it1 but here he is
 a man and bringing home to us nothing  
but sorrow and  disgrace4 ,he can       
scarcely get out of one trouble until he
 is in another1  and he even sets the   
other children up to do things that are 
bad4 ,now1 how  is it that you1 whom ,i 
never gave credit for knowing anything1 
have never  caused me any anxiety or    
trouble in any way8 ,no matter where you
 are or how  hard you have to work1 ,i  

can never find any one that has anything
 bad to  say about you4 ,i can't see why
 there should be such a difference4     
,why1 ,mother1 ,edwin answered1 it is   
very plain4 ,i can tell you all about   
it4 ,do you remember the time when      
,elmer took the pebbles from my pocket  
in  the night time8 ,that was his start4
 ,after that he often took things from  
your dress-pockets and money-drawer1 and
 it was easy for him to slip in  behind 
the counters at the stores to help      
himself1 for you always took his  part  
and shielded him2 and you never taught  
him that he must be true to his  wife4  
,you told me ,i must never speak to you 
of these things1 and ,i did not  before1
 for ,i knew that it would do no good2  
but the little seed that was  planted in
 his heart that night when he was       
allowed to keep the pebbles has  grown  
until it is what you see it now4 ,elmer 
is a thief and will have to  receive    
from the law the punishment that you    
ought to have given him long  ago4    ,i

 don't see how taking a few little      
stones out of your pocket could make    
him a thief or amount to this1 his      
mother said as the truth began to dawn  
upon her4    ,why1 ,mother1 ,edwin      
answered1 it is just as natural for that
 little deed  to grow and multiply as   
for a thistle-seed to grow and increase 
when it is  dropped in the ground4 ,one 
healthy stalk will bear a great many    
blossoms1  and every blossom will have  
an abundant crop of seeds4 ,the little  
thistle-seed is very small and perfectly
 harmless if watched and destroyed      
before it has time to grow1 but let it  
take root in fertile soil and get a     
start1 and it will surely yield many    
more thistles and continue to increase  
long after the plant itself is          
forgotten4    ,while ,edwin was         
speaking1 his mother seemed to realize  
something of the  meaning of his words4 
,the time to undo many of the wrongs    
that she had done  the growing boys when
 they were under her care had gone2 but 

had she known  it1 there was still a    
chance to help poor ,edwin1 who1 through
 observation1  had discovered some deep 
and mysterious truths4    ,he had found 
that there is nothing certain upon the  
earth except that  everything must have 
a beginning and an ending1 and that old 
age and death  are unavoidable4 ,the    
stories of ghosts and superstitious     
sayings had opened  up avenues for      
thought1 and he reasoned that if        
everything must die1 and if  there is a 
heaven and a hell1 and if ,god knows all
 we do and say1 there  must be some way 
for a person to know in which of these  
places he will live  after he is dead4  
,for a long time the thought had        
troubled him1 but although he had asked 
many people regarding the matter1 no one
 had explained it to his  satisfaction4 
,taking note of his mother's friendly   
attitude toward him1 he  ventured to ask
 if she could give him any information  
on the subject1 but  her answer was3 ,we
 can not know these things until after  

we are dead4 ,we  must wait and see4    
,as ,edwin left his mother's home to    
return to the place where he had been   
working1 he was more perplexed than     
ever2 but he had decided that since the 
good place and the bad had been made for
 a purpose and since the good and  the  
bad must inhabit their own proper       
places1 he would not cease trying to    
solve the problem until he proved that  
it was an impossibility to do so4       
,poor ,edwin6 ,could some one have read 
to him from the ,bible--but no6 ,had he 
listened1 he could not have understood2 
he had no way of knowing that it  was   
,god's word to man4    ,blessed are they
 that do his commandments1 that they may
 have right to the  tree of life1 and   
may enter in through the gates into the 
city 7,rev4  #bb3ad74        ,,chapter  
,,xi    ,,searching ,,for ,,light       
,the inquiring spirit will not be       
controlled2    ,he would make certain   
all1 and all behold4      --,sprague4   
,at the age of twenty-one ,edwin had    

formed one bad habit4 ,having had nobody
  to tell him that the use of tobacco   
was harmful to his body and seeing it   
used as commonly as a food by nearly    
all1 regardless of age or sex1 he had   
learned both to smoke and to chew4 ,by  
the permission of the farmers for  whom 
he had worked1 he had raised a few      
tobacco-plants for himself1 and the     
leaves of these plants1 when carefully  
dried1 were what he used as             
smoking-tobacco1 but the cigars and     
chewing-tobacco he purchased at the     
store4    ,but although ,edwin had never
 heard that tobacco was in any way unfit
 for  the use of man1 something within  
him seemed to suggest that there were   
some  things about its use that were    
filthy and unclean4 ,one thing that he  
abhorred was the chewing of tobacco in  
the house1 because he pitied the  women 
who were forced to look after and clean 
the spittoons4 ,when in the  house in   
the evening or on ,sunday he considered 
smoking his pipe or cigars  more        

appropriate1 and he had supplied himself
 with special mouth-pieces for  his     
cigars and convenient cases in which to 
carry them in his pockets4 ,he  did his 
chewing when at his work in the field4  
,he also felt that it was  placing his  
employer's property in too much danger  
to smoke when about his  work in the    
barn1 and this he always avoided4 ,thus1
 the same principle that  had governed  
his earlier years was still his ruling  
trait4    ,although for so many months  
,edwin had been seeking carefully and   
often with  tears for some clue to the  
mystery connected with the hereafter1 he
 had as  yet found no one who could     
inform him on the subject2 for those    
whom he  considered the best people     
living were as uncertain concerning the 
future  reward as the most vile4 ,but   
from information gleaned he felt that   
there  must be a place somewhere beyond 
the grave where the good and the bad    
would  live again4 ,when reasoning about
 the matter1 he would say1 ,now1 if ,i  

am on  the road to heaven1 how am ,i to 
know if ,i get off that road and take a 
branch that will land me in hell8       
,the thought of his own good behavior   
and abhorrence of all that he           
considered evil did not suggest to his  
mind that for this reason he might  be  
the more entitled to enter the better   
place1 for all his actions had  been    
prompted by a sense of justice and his  
duty toward his fellow men4    ,having  
become acquainted with a young married  
couple named ,frank and ,amanda         
,kauffman1 ,edwin went often to their   
home to pour out his troubles and       
perplexities4 ,but although these people
 tried hard to help him1 their  efforts 
often plunged him into greater doubts   
and confusion4 ,whenever he  went to    
them or to any one else with his        
question1 it seemed that the  answer was
 still the same3 ,no one can know about 
these things4 ,we must all  wait and    
see4 ,still he was not discouraged4     
,instead he was more than ever          

determined to keep on trying until he   
did find out4    ,had ,edwin been able  
to reason about the drunkard1 the thief1
 or the liar1  as not being fit for the 
good place1 it might have been          
different1 but to  him the evils with   
which they were bound were a matter of  
choice4 ,he had  never heard the story  
of ,adam and ,eve1 and so did not know  
that their first  sin had severed not   
only them but also the entire human race
 from ,god's  family 7,rom4 #e3ai74 ,had
 he known that it is impossible for any 
one to know  ,god or to enter the better
 world without first realizing that he  
is already  condemned and on the road to
 destruction1 and that the only way to  
be  transferred to the highway leading  
to heaven is to be forgiven and adopted 
back into the family of ,god as a       
redeemed child1 it would not have been  
so  hard for him to understand upon     
which road he was traveling4    ,it was 
springtime1 and as the days grew warm   
and bright1 the tiny  grass-blades in   

the meadowlands made their appearance4  
,then it was that the  farmer for whom  
,edwin was working realized that it was 
time to gather the  stones that were    
scattered here and there throughout the 
meadow into piles  that they might be   
hauled away before they became lost in  
the soft1 velvety  carpet of green2 for 
should they be left where they were1    
later on the  knives of the             
mowing-machine and the teeth of the     
hay-rake would be badly  damaged and    
perhaps broken4 ,edwin was told1        
therefore1 that his work for a  time    
would be to gather all the stones1 both 
large and small1 into heaps in          
systematic order so that they could be  
easily hauled away by the team in  the  
large farm-wagon4    ,as ,t,he field was
 large and level1 it was a pleasant     
place to work1 and  ,edwin1 having      
plenty of time to think1 confined his   
thoughts principally to  the things that
 were uppermost in his mind4 ,he        
reasoned thus3    ,now1 if a man must   

walk every step of the way through life 
in uncertainty  and doubt as to what the
 end will be1 and has such a short time 
to stay in  this world how miserable    
,t,he remainder of my life will be6 ,if 
only ,i could  do something whereby ,i  
could know surely that ,i would at the  
last have my  desire1 ,i would be so    
glad6 ,still1 he reasoned on1 there must
 be some way  to know these things1 and 
,i will not stop trying to find out just
 what it  is4 ,it's altogether          
unreasonable to believe that we can not 
know until  after we die about these    
things4 ,god surely has some way to let 
us  understand2 for if he didn't what   
would there be to hinder every person on
  earth from going to hell8 ,surely ,god
 wants some of the people to go to the  
other place4    ,his belief that some   
were surely on their way to heaven was  
firm1 and he  felt that those few must  
not be in doubt as to where they were   
going1 and  that ,god must in some way  
let them know how to live in order to   

keep on the  right road1 and also that  
their lives must be peaceful and happy4 
,but he  felt that some great change    
would have to take place in one's life  
before  this assurance could come4      
,thus1 ,god again1 when all men failed  
him1 became ,edwin's teacher1 for these 
thoughts were in accordance with the    
,bible1 and in wisdom and love his      
heavenly ,father helped him to          
comprehend the very principles of a true
  ,christian life4 ,the truths he thus  
learned were so deeply stamped upon his 
mind with the divine seal that they     
could never be erased4 ,still within his
  heart there was another question that 
had not been answered3 ,how can ,i get  
this assurance within my own heart8     
,nothing could ever bring satisfaction  
until he knew without a doubt that he   
was going aright1 and nothing but  facts
 would ever dispel his doubts4    ,god1 
he reasoned1 is the only one who knows1 
and the only way for me to  understand  
is for ,god to let me know just what he 

thinks about me4 ,god will  not deal    
with me according to what the people may
 think of me1 or by what  they may say4 
,some say that ,i am all right now2 but 
if ,i were all right1 ,i  should be the 
first to know it1 and ,i do not feel    
that ,i am fit now for  heaven if ,i    
should die4    ,the knowledge that he   
had always tried to do the best that he 
could and  that he had endeavored to    
treat every creature living as fairly as
 he knew  how was not enough to satisfy 
him1 and he said3 ,there is something   
still  of which ,i have never heard or  
dreamed4 ,if only ,i could find out what
 it is  or by what means ,i could get   
it1 how glad ,i should be6 ,can it be   
that ,i  must die before ,i know what it
 is8    ,shall not ,god search this out8
 for he knoweth the secrets of the heart
  7,psa4 #dd3ba74        ,,chapter ,,xii
    ,a ,,revelation ,,on ,,eternity     
,life is real6 ,life is earnest6    ,and
 the grave is not its goal2    ,dust    
thou art1 to dust returnest1    ,was not

 spoken of the soul4      --,longfellow4
    ,while ,edwin was still laboring    
among the stones in the field of grass1 
this  thought came suddenly to his mind3
    ,if ,i should be so unfortunate as  
to die before ,i receive the assurance  
that ,i am going to heaven and ,i should
 happen to find myself in hell1 how     
long would ,i have to be there8 ,and how
 hot would be that fire that ,i have    
heard so much about from profane        
tongues8 ,would there be any ending or  
wearing away of eternity8 and would the 
suffering after a while be less  severe8
 or would it go right on just the same  
forever and ever8    ,as his desire to  
know these things increased1 he was     
willing to lay aside  his thoughts      
concerning how he was to get the        
assurance that he was going  to heaven1 
and as he passed from one heap of stones
 to another1 he became  sorely troubled4
 ,he longed for a friend to whom he     
could go for help1 but  no one was      
suggested to his mind4 ,even his friend 

,frank ,kauffman1 he was  sure1 could   
not enlighten him2 for to none of the   
questions he already  asked upon these  
subjects had he received satisfactory   
answers4    ,then suddenly1 as though he
 had passed into the great beyond1      
everything  about him appeared to be    
changed4 ,he seemed to have died and    
passed into  hell1 and the flames1 as   
they rose in imagination about him1 were
  penetrating every fiber of his being1 
and he cried out in his distress4 ,but  
as though the vision had been only to   
teach him of the reality of that  place 
of torment1 ,edwin felt himself caught  
up1 as it were1 and he was  seemingly   
suspended in an endless space with the  
eternal realities of life  opened up for
 him to view4 ,for miles and miles      
nothing but space appeared  to stretch  
before1 above1 and around him1 with the 
glaring flames that he  had just left   
but a short distance behind him4        
,then the scene was changed1 and he saw 
before him a great and high mountain  of

 sand1 and the thought of the           
impossibility of counting the grains was
  suggested to his mind4 ,again the     
scene changed1 and each grain in the    
mountain seemed to be a year1 and the   
grains as years began to form           
themselves into one continuous straight 
line1 so long that the distance  could  
not be measured by the human eye1 for   
there was no end4 ,once more  there was 
a change4 ,the line of years took the   
form of a great  measuring-rod1 and     
strength was given ,edwin to grasp the  
rod and to try to  measure the duration 
of hell-fire2 and he tried to see if in 
eternity there  could be any possible   
way of forgetting the past4 ,twice with 
the immense  rod he measured into the   
sea of ,forgetfulness1 but before the   
third  measurement was taken1 he saw    
from a backward glance that hell was no 
farther away from him than it had been  
at the first4 ,in great distress  ,edwin
 dropped the rod1 and the vision passed 
away4    ,when he realized that he was  

still in the field of grass and was on  
time's  side of eternity1 he was very   
glad indeed4 ,through the vision he was 
convinced of two things--that hell and  
its torments were certain1 and that     
eternity was without end--and he was    
filled with a new determination and     
zeal to do everything in his power to   
obtain an assurance within himself  that
 he was really on the road to the better
 world4    ,how sad that ,edwin could   
not have gone directly to ,jesus as some
 did in  olden time and have heard him  
explain that to enter heaven one must be
 born  again4    ,the wind bloweth where
 it listeth1 and thou hearest the sound 
thereof1 but  canst not tell whence it  
cometh1 and whither it goeth3 so is     
every one that  is born of the ,spirit4 
,except a man be born again1 he can not 
see the  kingdom of ,god4 7,john        
#c3h1c74        ,,chapter ,,xiii        
,,puzzled ,,about ,,prayer      ,heaven 
asks no surplice round the heart that   
feels1    ,and all is holy where        

devotion kneels4      --,holmes4        
,edwin's distress of mind and his       
confusion of thought were greatly       
increased when1 a few days after the    
vision in the field1 there was another  
strange occurrence4 ,the stones had not 
all been gathered into piles1 but  the  
work was progressing well1 and when     
,edwin occasionally stopped in his  work
 to note the appearance of the large    
field1 he was pleased with what he  had 
accomplished4 ,the burden of his        
thought1 however1 was not the work nor  
the neatness of the place4 ,neither was 
it the beautiful scenery of slightly    
rolling country1 the ,christmas stories 
and legends connected with ,blue        
,mountain1 nor the ghost-stories and    
horrors in the home of the witch4 ,even 
the vision of eternity was a thing of   
the past4    ,if only ,i knew6 ,if only 
,i could tell1 before ,i die1 on which  
of the roads  ,i am traveling to        
eternity6 was the constant cry of his   
troubled soul4  ,once when these words  

had just escaped his lips1 he suddenly  
heard a  strange and rumbling sound that
 seemed to come from the very heart of  
the  earth1 and he felt the ground      
beneath his feet begin to shake4 ,unable
 to  understand what had happened1      
,edwin hastened to the house1 but the   
people  there were as mystified as he   
himself1 except that they said1 ,surely 
it  must have been an earthquake6 and   
some suggested that the end of the world
  might be near4 ,with this bit of      
knowledge1 ,edwin returned to his work1 
but  oh1 how heavy was his heart6       
,why is it so hard1 he cried1 to        
discover the secret that is causing me  
all this worry and trouble8 ,but the    
words had no sooner escaped his lips    
than he added1 ,there is and there must 
be some way to find out1 and ,i'll  keep
 on trying until ,i know that it is of  
no use to try4    ,across the fields on 
a pretty knoll stood the humble little  
dwelling of  ,frank ,kauffman and his   
wife1 and as ,edwin glanced occasionally

 in that  direction1 he wondered if his 
friend would be able to enlighten him   
about  the earthquake1 and he planned to
 visit him that very evening after      
supper4    ,frank's home1 although      
small1 was always cozy and inviting2 for
 ,amanda1  long before ,frank married   
her1 had been taught by her energetic1  
systematic  mother1 ,mrs4 ,miller1 the  
principles of good housekeeping4 ,and   
,frank1  although not a ,christian1 had 
been reared by a pious and devoted      
mother1  who in all her ways endeavored 
to set before her children an example   
that  she would not be ashamed to have  
them follow1 and she was a woman who    
knew  the value of prayer4 ,for this    
reason ,frank could easily talk on a few
 of  the principles of religion2 but    
when it came to the actual experiences1 
he  was at a loss to know what to say4  
,but although ,frank's mother was so    
noble and true1 his father's goodness   
was only from a moral standpoint1 and   
regardless of the evil effect that  his 

smoking might have upon his three       
growing boys1 he very much enjoyed  his 
pipe4 ,as a result of the father's      
indulgence1 ,frank and his two          
brothers1 when scattered out in homes of
 their own1 said1 ,father smoked  and   
seems none the worse for it1 and ,i     
guess a little tobacco will not hurt    
us4    ,but the fact that some of her   
family smoked at all never ceased to be 
a  great worry to ,mrs4 ,kauffman1 and  
whenever there was an opportunity she   
reminded them of their fault4 ,and as   
,frank's home was but a short distance  
from his mother's1 ,edwin's visits were 
noticed by the anxious woman1 and  when 
she found that he too was a             
tobacco-user1 she was much worried about
  the influence he might have over her  
son4    ,after she had expressed her    
fears concerning ,edwin1 one day to     
,frank1 her  son answered1 ,mother1 you 
are doing ,edwin a great injustice2 for 
instead  of his being an evil associate1
 he is not only noble and good1 but a   

pattern of good works1 for even in the  
use of tobacco he is moderate and  neat4
 ,more than this1 ,frank continued1     
,edwin is very much interested in       
religion1 and many times ,i am unable to
 answer his questions because they  are 
so deep4    ,could ,mrs4 ,kauffman have 
known ,edwin at this time1 she would    
certainly have  been of a different     
opinion1 and she might have helped him  
through some of  his difficulties2 but  
she knew nothing of the perplexities of 
his mind1 and  ,edwin did not know of   
her anxieties concerning his influence  
over her son4    ,when ,edwin saw the   
evening shades beginning to gather1 he  
was glad1 and as  soon as his supper and
 evening duties were over1 he made his  
way across  meadow and fields to the    
home of his friend1 and he did not      
forget to carry  with him a generous    
supply of dried tobacco-leaves1 which he
 had tied up in  a large red            
handkerchief4 ,the leaves were for his  
friend and him to smoke  while they     

talked4    ,as he passed the place in   
the field where he had felt the shock of
 the  earthquake1 he remembered1 that he
 had not told ,frank about the vision of
  eternity and hell that was still fresh
 in his memory1 and then so rapidly     
were the things suggested to his mind   
that he would like to say1 that he      
began to wonder if he would be able to  
unburden his heart in so short a  time4 
,when he approached the house1 he saw   
his friend ,frank seated upon the       
porch4 ,frank was resting after a hard  
day's work in the field1 but he gave    
,edwin a hearty welcome and bade him be 
seated beside him4 ,edwin took the      
chair1 and the two were soon loading    
their pipes from the dried              
tobacco-leaves contained in the red     
handkerchief4 ,then as the circles of   
blue smoke began to arise in the air1   
,frank asked3    ,did you feel or hear  
over at your place anything of the      
earthquake8    ,yes1 and ,i should like 
to know more about it1 ,edwin answered4 

,it shook the windows and doors in our  
house so hard that my wife couldn't     
imagine for a time what was happening1  
,frank continued1 and my horse in  the  
field came very near getting away from  
me4    ,it seemed to me1 ,edwin         
remarked1 that the whole field where ,i 
was  working was going to pieces and    
that ,i was going right down into       
eternity4    ,then1 as they smoked1     
,edwin told his friend all about his    
vision and  explained how dreadful he   
felt it would be to land in such an     
awful place  when he came to leave this 
world4    ,i guess you felt like saying 
a prayer about the time you found       
yourself in  hell1 didn't you8 ,frank   
asked as ,edwin finished relating the   
incident4    ,the awful picture of the  
future world that had been painted in   
words had  caused ,frank to shudder1 for
 he was not prepared to die4 ,it might  
have been  ,frank's manner and it might 
have been the tone in which the word    
prayer  was spoken that caused ,edwin to

 exclaim3    ,prayer6 what is prayer8   
,prayer1 ,frank replied1 is man's way of
 talking with ,god4 ,when anybody  tells
 ,god what he wants1 he prays2 and ,god 
has promised to hear his words  and to  
help him out of his troubles4 ,but the  
person who prays must speak  from his   
heart and not try to say a lot of words 
that he has learned from  some one else 
or from a book4 ,a prayer from the heart
 is the only kind that  ,god will hear4 
,what do you mean by talking with ,god8 
,edwin asked in a still more  mystified 
tone1 for he had never thought of man   
while still on the earth or  in fact    
anywhere else1 as speaking with ,god in 
heaven4    ,after ,frank had explained  
that such a thing was possible1 ,edwin  
exclaimed3    ,who can make such a      
prayer8 ,do you know of any one who can8
    ,the twilight shades had all        
disappeared from the sky above1 and it  
was  already dark where ,frank and      
,edwin were sitting1 but inside the cozy
  living-room ,amanda1 seated beside a  

table1 upon which a kerosene-lamp was   
burning1 was quietly knitting4 ,pointing
 in her direction1 ,frank said1         
confidently3    ,there's one who can    
pray4 ,and she prays from the heart4    
,although ,edwin had been in the home a 
number of times and had noticed         
,frank's wife1 he had never talked with 
her1 and as he gazed through the  open  
window1 he wondered what kind of person 
she could be4 ,turning suddenly  to his 
friend1 he said3    ,by what means does 
a person become able to pray such a     
prayer8    ,by being converted1 ,frank  
answered4    ,converted6 ,edwin         
exclaimed with even more wonder shining 
in his large  brown eyes1 for he seemed 
to realize instantly that another great 
and  important subject had been         
introduced4    ,in answer to ,edwin's   
question as to how it was possible to be
 converted1  ,frank explained that one  
was converted through prayer or by      
praying2 but  this answer was more      
confusing than any other had been1 and  

,edwin  exclaimed3    ,why1 ,frank1 how 
is this8 ,you say that the only kind of 
prayer that will  amount to anything is 
that prayer that comes right out of the 
heart1 and  that to pray such a prayer  
one must be converted4 ,and now you say 
that one  is converted through prayer4  
,now tell me1 if this is true1 how and  
where  does a person get his start8     
,not being a ,christian himself1 or ever
 having had the experience of           
salvation1 ,frank did not know how to   
unravel the tangle of thought that he   
had woven within ,edwin's mind1 and he  
was at a loss to know what to say4      
,how easy it would have been for ,mrs4  
,kauffman to help ,edwin out of his     
difficulty had she known1 but she was in
 her own home a short distance away     
burdened and sad4 ,she had watched      
,edwin as he crossed the fields on his  
way  to the home of her son and knew    
that they were smoking upon the porch4  
,when the subject of prayer was dropped1
 ,edwin told his friend that the  farmer

 for whom he was working would soon be  
caught up with his work and  that it    
would be necessary for him to look for a
 new place to work1 and he  asked ,frank
 if he knew of any farmers who were     
needing help4 ,as ,edwin had  expressed 
a desire to get into another            
neighborhood1 if possible1 for the      
experience1 ,frank said that his        
father-in-law1 ,mr4 ,miller1 would be in
 need  of hired men during harvest1 and 
added1 ,if you wish1 ,i will speak a    
good  word in your behalf4    ,edwin    
expressed his gratitude for his friend's
 interest1 and then after a  few other  
remarks he arose to go4 ,before leaving1
 however1 he emptied the  contents of   
the red handkerchief out upon a piece of
 paper4 ,then1 putting  the handkerchief
 in his pocket1 he bade his friend      
goodnight4    ,it was a beautiful       
evening1 but ,edwin paid no attention to
 the stars as  they gazed down upon him 
from above4 ,he was thinking of his     
friend's words1  and he said aloud3 ,to 

be converted must be the very thing for 
me and just  what ,i need4 ,but how am  
,i to get converted1 since ,i must pray 
and since ,i  can not pray until ,i get 
converted8 ,the words taught him at the 
poorhouse  came quickly to his mind1 but
 he said sadly3 ,no1 they won't do6     
,frank said  that a prayer is words1 but
 that the words must not be any that    
have been  learned from any person or   
book4 ,they must come right out of one's
 heart4  ,what can it all mean8 ,and    
that night1 for the first time in many  
years1  the little prayer failed to     
bring him comfort before he closed his  
eyes in  sleep4    ,o thou that hearest 
prayer1 unto thee shall all flesh come  
7,psa4 #fe3 #b74        ,,chapter ,,xiv 
,a ,,prayer-,,meeting      ,oh the      
precious privilege    ,to the pious     
given1    ,sending by the dove of prayer
    ,holy words to heaven6    ,arrows   
from the burning sun    ,cleave the     
quivering air2    ,swifter1 loftier1    
surer on1    ,speeds the dove of prayer1

    ,bearing from the parted lips       
,words of holy love1    ,warm as from   
the heart they gushed1    ,to the throne
 above4      --,mrs4 ,hale4    ,not long
 after the excitement caused by the     
earthquake had subsided1 ,frank         
,kauffman informed his father-in-law1   
,mr4 ,miller1 of ,edwin's intention to  
change his place of employment and took 
great pains to mention the young  man's 
good qualities4 ,as a result1 ,frank    
returned with the message3 ,my          
father-in-law will be glad to have you  
help him on the farm even before        
harvest1 and you are at liberty1 he     
said1 to come just as soon as you care  
to do so4 ,accordingly1 at the end of   
the month ,edwin1 together with his     
trunk and other baggage1 was transferred
 to the home of ,mr4 ,miller4    ,when  
the news of ,edwin's departure from the 
neighborhood came to the ears  of ,mrs4 
,kauffman1 she rejoiced1 because she    
felt that his influence over  her son in
 regard to smoking would not be so      

great2 but little did she know  what the
 move was to mean to ,edwin or that it  
would bring him even more  directly into
 her life4    ,mr4 ,miller1 a well-to-do
 old farmer1 was still strong for his   
age and well  able to assume the        
responsibilities connected with his     
business2 so the  greater part of his   
help was hired by the day4 ,but since he
 would need one  steady hand to help him
 throughout the harvest-season with the 
barn- and  house-chores1 he hired ,edwin
 for two months4 ,finding that all that 
,frank  had said of him was true1 the   
,millers took ,edwin into the home as a 
member  of the family4    ,edwin was not
 long in discovering that he greatly    
enjoyed being in this  home1 for both   
,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,miller were good people1
 and ,mrs4 ,miller was a  professor of  
religion4 ,but to the young man so      
hungry for the right kind of  living the
 lack of profanity between the husband  
and wife was the thing  most noticeable 
and gratifying4    ,he had been there   

but a short time when the motherly      
sympathy of ,mrs4  ,miller was aroused  
on account of his extreme ignorance on  
many subjects1  and she did not grow    
weary in explaining the meaning of new  
words and in  doing all else that she   
knew to do to enlighten his mind4 ,that 
she might  have a better opportunity to 
talk with ,edwin1 he was invited to     
share with  the old couple the          
smoking-hour that was spent in the      
little summer-kitchen  7for both ,mr4   
and ,mrs4 ,miller were fond of their    
tobacco74 ,for this  kindness ,edwin was
 very grateful4    ,the little          
summer-kitchen1 which had been built    
just back and a little  apart from the  
large1 convenient farm-house1 was       
principally for the  purpose of keeping 
the larger building free from the       
offensive odors that  might arise from  
the cooking or the use of tobacco2 but  
,mrs4 ,miller was so  extremely neat and
 clean about her housekeeping that this 
room too was  always cozy and inviting4 

,in the chimney-corner of the kitchen a 
large  fireplace had been built1 and the
 latter had been covered by a closed    
iron  cooking-grate4 ,above the rustic  
stove was a mantel1 upon which the      
tobacco  supplies of the old people were
 kept1 and ,edwin was told that he was  
welcome to place his pipes and cigars   
with theirs if he desired to do so4     
,the invitation was gladly accepted1 and
 when ,edwin's things were arranged1    
the mantel was well filled4 ,the other  
furnishings of the room were a large    
cupboard1 the necessary articles for    
cooking1 a long home-made dining-table  
in the center of the room with long     
benches on both sides1 and a few        
old-fashioned straight-backed chairs4   
,and here they met night after night  to
 smoke and to talk4    ,the congregation
 to which ,mrs4 ,miller belonged was in 
the habit of holding  their weekly      
prayer-services in the residences of the
 different  church-members1 and soon    
after ,edwin's arrival in her home ,mrs4

 ,miller told  him that on the following
 ,thursday evening there was to be a    
prayer-meeting  at her house4    ,a     
prayer-meeting6 ,edwin exclaimed with as
 much wonder and astonishment as  he had
 displayed when talking with ,frank     
about prayer2 and immediately he        
connected the words with those that he  
had listened to on the porch of his     
friend's home4 ,and when he asked       
simply1 ,what is a prayer-meeting8 she  
hid her surprize and explained that some
 people from different parts of the     
neighborhood would come together after  
supper in some room and spend an  hour  
in reading1 praying1 and singing hymns4 
,can ,i be with you too8 ,edwin asked as
 though he expected to be denied the    
privilege2 but when ,mrs4 ,miller       
answered1 ,certainly1 the beseeching    
look  immediately changed to one of     
gladness4    ,can it be possible1       
thought ,edwin the following day as he  
went about his  work1 that in this very 
home where ,i am now living they will   

have prayer4  ,only three more days6    
,how can ,i wait until ,thursday night8 
,when at last the appointed evening had 
arrived1 ,edwin with great inward       
emotion and with bright anticipations   
watched the people as they arrived in   
groups of twos and threes1 some on foot 
and others in carriages4 ,when all  had 
arrived and had passed on into the      
house1 they were greeted by ,mrs4       
,miller1 and ,edwin was invited to join 
them in the comfortable sitting-room  of
 the large house4    ,edwin felt that   
these people were conferring upon him a 
wonderful privilege  and honor1 but he  
could not get away from the feeling that
 he was an  intruder in their meeting4  
,he was surprized that no one else      
seemed to look  upon his being there as 
strange4 ,in fact1 all were so very kind
 that he  decided to get all the good   
possible from being there and to solve1 
if he  could1 the puzzle of prayer1 also
 to find out what it meant to become    
converted4    ,now1 ,edwin had never    

learned that there was any other        
language than the  ,pennsylvania ,dutch 
dialect1 and having never been in a     
neighborhood where  the ,bible truths in
 any language were taught in his        
hearing1 and not  knowing that there was
 a ,bible or a ,savior1 he had no way of
 understanding  7even in his            
mother-tongue7 what to most people would
 have been simple and  readily          
comprehended4    ,when all was in       
readiness for the service to begin1 a   
song was sung and  then a chapter from  
the large ,german family ,bible was     
read4 ,after that all  knelt to pray4   
,edwin knelt also1 but he faced the     
others and gazed upon the  upturned     
faces as though they belonged to        
creatures from another world4  ,when    
,amanda and ,mrs4 ,kauffman prayed and  
he saw their faces beaming with  the    
glory of ,god1 he was sure that their   
prayers were informal1 for no  books    
were before them and the words seemed to
 come from their hearts4 ,the  reason   

that he could not understand what was   
said1 he felt sure1 was  because they   
were talking to ,god1 and the language  
was that of another  world4    ,when    
they arose and began telling of ,god's  
goodness to them1 some even  leaping and
 shouting at times1 ,edwin supposed that
 it was another form of  prayer1 and as 
the words spoken were all in ,german1   
they too1 he reasoned1  must belong to  
another world4 ,notwithstanding he      
rejoiced because he was  there1 and he  
believed that everything was just as it 
should have been4    ,when the meeting  
had been dismissed and the people had   
gone to their homes1  ,edwin and ,mr4   
and ,mrs4 ,miller went to the           
summer-kitchen to smoke before          
retiring4 ,while they were filling their
 pipes and selecting the coals to  light
 them1 ,mrs4 ,miller inquired1 ,how did 
you like the meeting tonight4  ,edwin8  
,was it like you thought it would be8   
,his answer did not reveal the  fact    
that he had not understood enough of    

what had been said or done to  form any 
new conclusion4 ,he did tell her1       
however1 that he thought the  meeting   
was really wonderful1 and he asked how  
they all knew that they were  on the    
road to heaven4 ,for ,mrs4 ,miller this 
was a very hard question to  answer1 for
 she too was living in great uncertainty
 regarding the future  and her reward2  
so she said3    ,they don't know        
anything about that for sure in this    
life4 ,they must wait  until after they 
die before they can find that out4      
,in reply to ,edwin's questions on      
prayer and what it means to be          
converted1  ,mrs4 ,miller explained that
 she had gone forward and given her hand
 to the  minister a long time before and
 that after waiting a year's time he had
  told her she was in the church1 and   
that joining church was what was meant  
by being converted4    ,what do you mean
 by 'church'8 ,edwin asked1 feeling that
 he had found  another word bearing upon
 the great subject that was perplexing  

him4    ,why the church is that big     
building down on the first four corners 
as you  go into town4 ,you can't miss   
it1 for it's the only building there1   
and if  you want to go down there with  
us some time to a meeting1 you can4 ,we 
have  meeting1 you know1 every ,sunday  
at the church4    ,but ,edwin did not   
know1 so he said1 ,do you mean that you 
have  prayer-meeting every ,sunday8     
,oh1 no1 she answered2 it isn't a       
prayer-meeting4 ,we just get together   
and listen to the minister talk1 but we 
always sing1 and the minister prays  for
 us4    ,and don't you know1 because you
 go to that church1 that you will go to 
heaven when you die8 ,edwin said in     
astonishment1 but the answer was1 ,oh1  
no2 we don't really know anything about 
that4    ,as ,edwin pondered over the   
matter that night when alone1 he said1  
,if it  took ,mrs4 ,miller a whole year 
to get into the church1 it will take me 
that  long to get converted2 but ,i     
can't see why she doesn't know any more 

than  she does about getting to heaven4 
,although ,edwin could get no           
understanding in regard to the deep     
things that  were upon his mind1 he     
never for one moment thought of giving  
up in his  efforts to search for them   
and to find out4 ,in his heart he was   
still sure  that there was a way to know
 these things1 and although his friends 
had  failed to discover them1 his       
confidence in their sincerity was not in
 the  least shaken4    ,the ,lord is not
 slack concerning his promise1 as some  
men count slackness2  but is            
long-suffering to usward1 not willing   
that any should perish1 but  that all   
should come to repentance 7#b ,pet4 #c3 
#i74        ,,chapter ,,xv    ,a ,,star 
,,of ,,hope      ,come then1 ,o care6 ,o
 grief6 ,o woe6    ,o troubles6 mighty  
in your kind2    ,i have a balm ye ne'er
 can know1    ,a hopeful mind4          
--,vane4    ,during the weeks that      
followed1 ,edwin was very busy1 but most
 of the time  that he was at work about 

the chores or in the harvest-field where
 the men  were gathering in the ripened 
grain or preparing for the threshers1 he
 was  reviewing in his mind the scene on
 eternity1 the talks with ,frank1 the   
prayer-meeting1 and what ,mrs4 ,miller  
had told him in regard to the church4   
,it will take me just a year from the   
time ,i start to go to church before ,i 
can become converted1 or be able to pray
 the right kind of prayer1 he said  to  
himself2 and how much longer will it    
take before ,i know that ,i am on  the  
road to heaven8 for regardless of ,mrs4 
,miller's confident statement  that     
nobody in this world could know of his  
future reward1 ,edwin was still  of the 
opinion that people could4 ,it's just   
because they haven't got that  far      
along1 ,i guess1 he reasoned1 and he    
felt very sure that some of the  people 
who were at the prayer-meeting must     
know4    ,among the day-laborers who    
worked for ,mr4 ,miller was a ,mr4      
,kunz1 who1  although not a ,christian1 

was a good1 intelligent1 and friendly   
fellow1 and  who lived only about a mile
 away4 ,for this young man ,edwin soon  
formed a  great attachment1 and as the  
weeks slipped by he occasionally found  
time  and opportunity to visit him in   
his home4 ,during one of these visits   
,mr4  ,kunz said in answer to ,edwin's  
questions on prayer and the other things
  that were troubling him3    ,i don't  
know very much about such things1       
,edwin1 but ,i think that you can  find 
out all you want to know if you will go 
to the big camp-meeting that  is soon to
 be held on the camp-ground yonder1 and 
with his finger ,mr4 ,kunz  pointed to a
 strip of woods that ,edwin had heard   
spoken of as the  ,camp-,ground4        
,why6 what has the camp-meeting to do   
with such things8 ,edwin asked1  greatly
 surprized2 for his idea of the         
camp-ground had been that it was a      
place for worldly amusements to be held1
 such as picnics1 festivals1 and        
ball-games1 and it was hard for him to  

connect it with anything that he        
considered so solemn as prayer and      
getting an assurance of heaven4    ,it  
has much to do with it1 ,edwin1 ,mr4    
,kunz replied4 ,the meeting is held  by 
men and women who are converted and     
whose business it is to see that  those 
who come to the meeting get converted4  
,they will know what you need  and will 
help you to understand how to get it4   
,do you mean1 ,edwin asked1 his eyes    
opening wide in wonder1 that one can    
get converted right there at the        
meeting8    ,yes1 indeed1 ,i mean it1   
,mr4 ,kunz replied1 smiling at the      
eagerness of  ,edwin4 ,every year many  
are converted1 and it is for that very  
purpose that  the meeting is held4      
,poor ,edwin6 ,it was hard for him to   
make the words of ,mrs4 ,miller and     
those  of ,mr4 ,kunz harmonize2 but as  
he considered what his friend had said1 
a  bright star of hope arose in his sky1
 and he at once decided that the thing  
for him to do was to attend that        

meeting4 ,he asked ,mr4 ,kunz how it was
  possible for those people to get any  
one converted in so short a time4 ,as   
,mr4 ,kunz was not a ,christian himself1
 he could only answer that he did not   
know how it was1 but that somehow they  
did it4 ,with this knowledge ,edwin     
arose to return to the place where he   
was making his home4    ,it was ,sunday 
afternoon early in ,august1 but ,edwin  
gave no heed to the warm  rays of the   
sun4 ,as he walked along the highway    
toward the home of his  employer1 his   
heart was light and happy1 and as he was
 alone he swung his  arms and clapped   
his hands in his delight4 ,the thought  
that it was possible  to become         
converted within a week's time1 or eight
 days1 as the meeting was  to continue  
over two ,sundays1 seemed almost too    
good to be true4 ,but why  not1 he      
reasoned1 when there will be such able  
men and women at the  meeting to do the 
work4 ,at the church where ,mrs4 ,miller
 was converted1 it  might have taken a  

year1 for there was but one man to do   
the work2 but at  the camp-meeting there
 will be many4    ,then he began to     
wonder how the work would be            
accomplished1 and he  concluded that it 
would take some kind of a scientific1   
systematic  performance1 together with a
 wonderful prayer1 and that then1 if the
 work  had been properly done1 an       
assurance that the person was converted 
and safe  for heaven would come4        
,suddenly as he walked along1 he felt   
that he was not alone1 but no one was   
in sight4 ,then these words seemed to be
 whispered in his ear3    ,you had      
better not rejoice too soon1 for your   
hope may be in vain4 ,your  master may  
refuse to let you go to the             
camp-meeting2 for you know how busy  he 
is just now and how necessary that he   
should have your help4    ,but without  
the slightest fear ,edwin answered in an
 audible tone3    ,yes1 sir1 ,i know    
that the work is pushing us hard just   
now1 but this  matter1 to my mind at    

least1 is of far greater importance than
 all the work  on the farm4 ,and then ,i
 do not expect my master to give me the 
time off to  attend the camp-meeting4   
,i'll tell him how much ,i dislike to   
leave him and  that nothing else at such
 a time would induce me to go4 ,then    
,i'll say that  ,i will not only work   
for him as hard as ,i can the four weeks
 before ,i go1  but that ,i will stay   
two weeks longer than ,i agreed to stay 
and will give  him that work free1 if he
 will only let me attend that meeting4  
,had ,edwin thought to ask ,mr4 ,kunz if
 anyone could get converted in less     
than the eight days1 he might not have  
been so determined to remain for the    
entire meeting2 but1 supposing that it  
would take at least that long for  the  
operation1 he did not want to run any   
chances of failure in his  undertaking4 
,he had hardly finished telling what he 
would do in return for the favor  that  
he was expecting to ask of his master1  
when again he seemed to hear  the voice 

speaking4 ,it said3    ,your week's     
absence from the farm at this busy time 
might cause your  master so much        
inconvenience and loss that he would not
 even consider your  offer of two extra 
weeks of labor in return4    ,under such
 circumstance ,i'd give him a month's   
time for the one week1  ,edwin answered 
bravely4    ,then the voice suggested   
that he might be unable to leave under  
any  circumstances1 but at this         
suggestion ,edwin exclaimed3    ,well1  
sir1 then ,i shall go anyway6 ,my matter
 is of far greater importance  than     
anything that is connected with his     
farm1 and ,i can not afford to miss     
that meeting4 ,i can not give up a      
chance to get converted2 for if ,i do   
and  should die1 ,i shall go into       
eternity unprepared4 ,i will just tell  
him that  ,i am going anyway and will   
take my chances on all the rest4        
,because of this decision on ,edwin's   
part1 the tempter1 who was ,satan1 the  
enemy of all who will do right1 was     

forced to flee4 ,had ,edwin listened to 
the suggestions longer or given the     
wicked one any encouragement to stay1   
there would have been no end to his     
arguments2 for it is the business of    
,satan to discourage and dishearten all 
who seek to travel upon the highway     
that leads to heaven4    ,thus1 we find 
that ,edwin in his ignorance had once   
more been guided by  ,divine ,providence
 and that his heavenly ,teacher had     
taught and aided him in  his hour of    
need4 ,god never fails when a soul is   
doing his best to please  him4 ,failure 
comes1 not merely from a lack of        
understanding1 but from a  lack of      
decision and purpose to go all the way  
at any cost4 ,every one who  is honest  
with himself and anxious to do the will 
of his ,maker will be  shown the way4   
,the ,lord looketh from heaven2 he      
beholdeth all the sons of men4 ,from the
  place of his habitation he looketh    
upon all the inhabitants of the earth4  
,he fashioned their hearts alike2 he    

considereth all their works444 ,behold1 
the eye of the ,lord is upon them that  
fear him1 upon them that hope in his    
mercy2 to deliver their soul from death4
 7,psa4 #cc3 #ac-ai74        ,,chapter  
,,xvi    ,a ,,revelation ,,on ,,tobacco 
,who is it that will doubt    ,the care 
of ,heaven1 or think the immortal       
,pow'rs are slow8      --,davenaut4     
,when ,edwin entered the barn on the    
morning following his ,sunday afternoon 
visit1 he found that ,mr4 ,miller was   
there ahead of him and that the large   
forkfuls of fresh hay for the horses'   
breakfasts were already tumbling        
rapidly from the large mow above4    ,as
 soon as he comes down1 thought ,edwin1 
,i'll ask him about my going to  that   
meeting1 for it'll be as good a chance  
as ,i'll have4 ,then as he went  about  
among the feed-bins1 measuring grain for
 the stock1 he rehearsed in  his mind   
the little speech that he had planned1  
to see if it could be  improved2 but he 
decided that it was just what he should 

say1 and with all  his heart he hoped   
that his generous offer would be        
accepted4 ,if possible1  he wanted to go
 without causing any hard feelings on   
the part of his  employer4 ,still he    
felt that he must go1 and was resolved  
to go even if ,mr4  ,miller should be   
stubborn4    ,it was really but a few   
minutes until ,mr4 ,miller was          
descending the  stairway that led from  
the loft above1 but to ,edwin in his    
anxious state of  mind it seemed a long1
 long time4 ,it was a little hard at    
first to break  the silence1 but finally
 he said3    ,mr4 ,miller1 ,mr4 ,kunz   
was telling me that the camp-meeting    
that is to be  held on the camp-ground  
before long is for the purpose of       
getting people  converted and that the  
work can be done in a week's time4 ,i   
should like to  go to that meeting1 but 
,i hate to leave you1 for ,i know how   
much work there  is to be done just now4
 ,but ,i feel that ,i must get converted
 as soon as ,i  can1 for ,i don't know  

how soon ,i may die4 ,now1 ,i'll work   
for you as hard as  ,i can before ,i go1
 and when ,i serve the time that ,i've  
agreed to stay1 ,i'll  work two weeks   
longer for you for nothing if you will  
only let me go to  that meeting6        
,edwin had spoken excitedly1 and every  
nerve in his body was on a tension  when
 ,mr4 ,miller said slowly3    ,why1 yes1
 ,i guess you can go4 ,to me this matter
 of getting converted  doesn't seem so  
important1 but ,i think ,i can manage   
the work all right if  you want to go4  
,edwin could scarcely believe his ears1 
and when he found that no second  offer 
was necessary1 it was as though a great 
and heavy burden had been  rolled from  
his heart4 ,during the days that        
followed he endeavored to live  up to   
the agreement that he had made to work  
faithfully for his master4  ,many times 
he thought of the meeting1 and as often 
he asked himself3 ,is  there anything   
special that ,i can do to help in this  
matter8 ,is there  anything that ,i     

ought to do so as to be better able to  
go through the  operation8    ,he even  
asked ,mrs4 ,miller if she could think  
of anything more that he could  do1 but 
she1 failing to understand his meaning1 
said3 ,no1 there isn't much  that you   
can do4 ,the things about the           
camp-ground are pretty handy1 and  it's 
only a few miles away1 and ,i will see  
to it that your clothes are  clean and  
mended4 ,but still ,edwin was not       
satisfied4 ,every day he reviewed  his  
conduct to see if there was any possible
 way that he could improve  himself4    
,one evening his divine ,teacher again  
came to his assistance4 ,it was after   
supper1 and ,edwin was still in the     
summer-kitchen4 ,the smoking-hour1 too1 
was over1 and his pipe and tobacco were 
on the shelf4 ,mrs4 ,miller had  retired
 to her room in the large house for the 
night1 and her husband was  making his  
usual rounds about the place to see that
 all the pasture-fences  were secure4   
,sometimes when the horses and cows were

 trying to rid themselves of the        
tormenting flies and mosquitoes1 they   
would loosen the rails of the fences  by
 rubbing their itching sides against    
them4 ,thus an opening would often be   
made1 through which1 if not repaired1   
the entire herd might find their way    
and do much damage both to themselves   
and to the large fields of waving  corn 
that were growing all around the        
pasture-land4 ,for this reason it was   
necessary after the animals had quieted 
down for the night to see that          
everything was in good condition1 and   
,mr4 ,miller would trust no one to do   
this chore but himself4    ,seated in   
his accustomed place on the bench near  
the end of the long  dining-table1      
,edwin1 with both elbows upon the table1
 was resting his face  upon his hands4  
,again he was thinking of the one great 
subject about which  he was so seriously
 concerned4 ,suddenly he seemed not to  
be alone4 ,looking  about him as though 
expecting to see some person standing   

near1 he heard a  voice seemingly from  
above his head1 and he was told to      
listen4    ,when the voice of the       
tempter had spoken discouragingly on the
 way from ,mr4  ,kunz's1 ,edwin had felt
 no fear1 but now a fear that caused him
 to tremble  crept over him4 ,but when  
the voice in tender1 loving tones said  
softly1 ,do  not be afraid1 for ,i am   
your friend1 he turned with eagerness to
 listen4    ,you want to be prepared for
 heaven1 the voice continued4 ,now1     
tobacco-using is unbecoming and unclean 
in my eyes1 and before you can get  on  
the highway that leads to heaven1 you   
must stop using tobacco4    ,until then 
,edwin had not been told by a living    
creature that tobacco was  not a food1  
or that it was unfit for the use of     
mankind1 or unclean in the  sight of    
,god2 but as he listened to the words of
 his divine ,guide and  ,teacher1 the   
great truth of the matter sank deep     
within his heart1 and he  had no thought
 or desire to dispute them4 ,neither did

 he stop to think or  reason that his   
best friends ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,miller1    
,frank ,kauffman1 and ,mr4  ,kunz were  
all using tobacco4 ,instead he arose    
and1 going to the mantel1  selected all 
his smoking-materials there1 opened the 
grate1 and dumped them  one and all upon
 the few living coals that were still   
smoldering among the  ashes4 ,he also   
brought from his room in the large house
 a box of cigars1  some pipes and       
cigar-holders1 and threw them in upon   
the other things4    ,when ,edwin1 all  
unconscious of the dense smoke and the  
strong odor that  were beginning to     
arise from the old-fashioned chimney1   
returned to his  place by the table1 he 
resumed his former position on the bench
 and  endeavored to continue his        
meditation as it was before the         
revelation4    ,outside the night was   
perfect4 ,a bright moon looked down from
 its lofty  height among the stars and  
revealed the farmer repairing a place in
 the  fence-corner where the rails had  

been loosened4 ,scarcely had he finished
  the task1 when a glance from the      
hollow in which he was busy toward the  
hill upon which his home was located1   
caused him to gasp and shudder with     
fear4 ,then with his nose in the air he 
began to inhale and said1 ,why1 that    
smells like tobacco-smoke4 ,the time of 
night and the fact that the smoke  was  
coming in great volumes from the chimney
 of the summer-kitchen made him  think  
that the kitchen was on fire and that   
the tobacco on the mantel-shelf  was    
causing the smoke4    ,with anxious     
haste the excited old gentleman turned  
his steps toward the  house and hurried 
forward in that direction4 ,a few       
minutes later ,edwin's  surprize was no 
less than his employer's had been2 for  
the latter1  breathing heavily and      
nearly exhausted from the exertion of   
climbing the  hill in such haste1 threw 
open the door and rushed in4 ,for the   
moment  neither spoke1 and then after a 
curious glance first toward the mantel  

and  then at ,edwin1 who was still      
sitting calmly beside the table1 ,mr4   
,miller  hastened to the grate and1     
lifting the lid1 gazed in wonder upon   
the heap  of burning tobacco4    ,that  
the old farmer was displeased and even  
vexed at what he saw could be  easily   
detected in his features4 ,seeing that  
only ,edwin's belongings were  in the   
fire1 he hastily demanded an            
explanation4 ,edwin replied that he had 
destroyed the tobacco and cigars because
 he did not feel that they were fit  for
 him to use1 but he said nothing about  
the manner in which he had  discovered  
the fact4 ,i put them in the fire1      
,edwin continued1 because ,i  did not   
want any one else to defile himself with
 what ,i could not use  myself4 ,then   
seeing that ,mr4 ,miller was taking a   
few of the cigars from  the grate1 he   
said1 ,if you take them out of the fire 
and use them1 ,i shall  not be to blame1
 but ,i have no more use for tobacco1   
and ,i will not give to  any one else   

what ,i consider unfit to use myself4   
,to ,edwin the use of tobacco had been a
 great source of comfort in his  lonely 
hours1 and he had endeavored to secure  
for himself every little  convenience   
that would make its use more pleasant   
and cleanly4 ,aside from  his pipes and 
cigar-holders1 he had provided himself  
with a self-lighting  match-safe for his
 vest-pocket1 a self-closing rubber     
chewing-tobacco  pouch that kept the    
tobacco clean and moist1 and other      
things that appealed  to his sense of   
cleanliness4 ,his efforts had always    
been to do away with  the filthy part   
connected with its use4 ,in fact1 he had
 often been  commended for his neatness 
in regard to his tobacco2 but when ,god 
said that  it was unclean and unfit for 
the use of any one who was seeking to be
 on  the highway to ,heaven1 he did not 
care for it at all4 ,it was no trial to 
give it up1 and he was glad to part with
 everything connected with its use4     
,edwin's example should have been a real

 rebuke to ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,miller1 but  
instead1 they attributed his conduct to 
his ignorance and even made almost      
unkind remarks about his unnecessary    
waste4 ,but this couple should not      
receive too much blame2 for they1 like  
,edwin1 had never been taught that  the 
use of tobacco was anything that should 
be avoided4 ,in their home life  they   
had all respect for ,edwin1 and in their
 efforts to help him in his  ignorance  
to understand their views of the        
,christian life they had been  honest   
and earnest4    ,their displeasure at   
his destruction of his tobacco-supplies 
was due to the  fact that they had never
 heard that tobacco was injurious to    
their bodies  and not a food4 ,in their 
minds ,edwin's conduct was justly worthy
 of  criticism4 ,had they known that the
 pleasure derived from the use of       
tobacco  is like the sensation produced 
by scratching and rubbing the skin when 
one  has a skin-disease1 they might have
 understood4 ,if it were not for the    

disease1 no pleasure would result from  
the friction4 ,likewise1 were it not    
for the disease of the tobacco-appetite1
 the use of tobacco would sicken        
instead of give pleasure4 ,tobacco      
contains a deadly poison4 ,its constant 
use will in time injure both body and   
mind past repair4 ,in many cases it  has
 been the direct cause of various       
diseases and insanity1 and it may land  
the soul in hell4    ,the ,lord knoweth 
how to deliver the godly out of         
temptations1 and to  reserve the        
unjust444 to be punished3 but chiefly   
them that walk after the  flesh in the  
lust of uncleanness 7#b ,pet4 #b3i1     
#aj74    ,let not sin therefore reign in
 your mortal body1 that ye should obey  
it in  the lusts thereof4 ,neither yield
 ye your members as instruments of      
unrighteousness unto sin3 but yield     
yourselves unto ,god1 as those that are 
alive from the dead1 and your members as
 instruments of righteousness unto      
,god4 7,rom4 #f3ab1 #ac74               

,,chapter ,x,vll    ,,the               
,,camp-,,meeting      ,and many learned 
to trust the ,lord    ,from precious    
truths that here were heard1    ,while  
sounded out ,god's precious ,word       
,from pulpit and from altar too4    ,by 
hearing of its meaning true1    ,they   
learned to know that ,god would do      
,just as his ,holy ,word had said1      
,in leading all that would be led4      
--,a4 ,b4 ,gildersleeve4    ,edwin was  
faithful to his promise regarding his   
employer's interests1 and  at the end of
 the month the farm-work was under such 
good control that both  ,mr4 and ,mrs4  
,miller had decided that they too could 
attend a part of the  meeting4 ,several 
times ,edwin had visited his friend ,mr4
 ,kunz1 and upon one  occasion he had   
noticed that where the roads crossed    
there was a large  advertisement ,it    
read3      ,,camp-,,meeting    ,,august 
#ca--,,september #g      ,a series of   
religious open-air meetings will be     
held on the    ,,camp-,,ground ,,at     

,,maple ,,grove    ,everybody invited4  
,come and bring your friends4           
,camp-,meeting ,committee4    ,but as he
 could not read the words1 he was at a  
loss to understand what was  meant by   
the sign2 but when his friend explained 
that it was a notice of  the            
camp-meeting of which he had been       
telling him1 ,edwin thought he          
comprehended1 and he felt that it was   
indeed a wonderful thing4    ,when at   
last the morning of the thirty-first    
arrived1 everything about the  farm was 
in excellent condition to leave4 ,mrs4  
,miller brought ,edwin his  clean       
clothes that she had so carefully       
mended1 and said3 ,on the  camp-ground1 
,edwin1 you will find a large           
boarding-tent4 ,there you can buy  your 
meals1 and there will be some place     
given you to sleep at night4 ,of        
course1 you can do as you like1 but ,i  
wouldn't take along anything that ,i    
didn't need1 for bundles will only be in
 your way4 ,so when ,edwin set out  for 

the camp-ground1 which was a distance of
 about five miles1 he was  empty-handed4
    ,the day was perfect1 and ,edwin1   
dressed in a neat suit of clothes1 straw
  hat1 and colored shirt1 appreciated it
 as such4 ,the little birds and nature  
had lost none of their charms for him in
 all the trying scenes through  which he
 had passed1 but upon this occasion they
 were merely passing  thoughts1 for his 
mind was upon the meeting and his       
purpose in going to it4    ,from his    
experiences in the prayer-meetings      
,edwin had learned that he could  not   
understand the words that were used in  
prayer1 and he did not know why  this   
was so2 consequently the thought was    
suggested to his mind that now  perhaps 
he would be unable to know when the     
operation through which he was  soon to 
pass would begin4    ,dinner was just   
over when he reached the grounds1 but   
although the  boarding-tent was pointed 
out to him by a man who was working hard
 to get  his tent-pole in position1     

,edwin did not go to ask whether there  
would be a  second table1 partly from   
ignorance and partly because of his not 
being  very hungry4 ,he was more anxious
 to examine the place where the meetings
  were to be held4 ,mr4 ,kunz had given 
him a description of what to expect1    
but he wanted to see it all for himself4
 ,he soon discovered the crude          
structure that was to serve as a pulpit1
 and he found that it was just as  his  
friend had described it4 ,the rows of   
seats1 which were simply some  boards   
laid upon large blocks of wood1 were    
also as he had expected to see  them4   
,there were enough of these rude benches
 to accommodate a large  congregation4  
,only above the stand was there a       
covering1 and ,edwin wondered  what     
would happen in case of a storm1 but    
this also was but a passing  thought4   
,finding1 by inquiring of a neighbor    
whom he happened to know and whose name 
was ,james ,hass1 that the meeting-hour 
was close at hand1 ,edwin suddenly      

realized that if he was to have an      
interpreter he must make haste in       
finding one1 and as ,mr4 ,hass did not  
seem to have any special duties1 he     
asked the favor of him4 ,after ,edwin   
had explained that his object in coming 
to the meeting was to be converted and  
that all he wanted of ,mr4 ,hass was    
that he inform him when to act1 the two 
went at once and took their places  on  
the front row of seats very close to the
 pulpit1 and there they waited          
patiently while the rest of the people  
assembled4 ,judging that ,mr4 ,hass     
would be as anxious to help him as      
,edwin had himself always been to do    
kind  acts for others1 he had no thought
 of doubting his interpreter's          
sincerity4  ,after the bell had rung the
 minister soon arrived1 and the meeting 
was  begun4    ,the opening exercises   
were similar to those of the            
prayer-meetings that  ,edwin had        
attended and were in the ,german        
language4 ,the minister arose and  read 

as his text ,titus #c3g3 ,that being    
justified by his grace1 we should  be   
made heirs according to the hope of     
eternal life4 ,as he talked upon the    
hope of the righteous1 his words would  
have been a great inspiration and       
encouragement to ,edwin could he have   
understood them4 ,the speaker went into 
detail regarding the sinful state of    
mankind and endeavored to make          
perfectly clear why it was necessary    
that a person should see his lost       
condition before he could become a      
,christian by being born again1 but of  
course ,edwin did not receive the least 
light4    ,at the close of the sermon   
the minister said1 ,if any one desires  
to be  converted and become an heir to  
these promises1 let him stand4    ,it's 
time to act now1 ,mr4 ,hass whispered in
 ,edwin's ear1 not knowing that  ,edwin 
had thus far understood nothing of the  
sermon2 but he explained his  meaning by
 adding4 ,you must stand up and let him 
know that you want to be  converted4    

,without a moment's hesitation ,edwin   
arose1 and while he waited to be told   
what next to do1 his heart was bounding 
with joy and bright anticipation1  for  
he was positive that the wonderful      
operation of which he had been so  long 
dreaming had at last actually commenced4
 ,he was sure that they were  beginning 
with him all right1 for they were       
commencing with his case on the  very   
first day of the meeting4 ,and1 because 
he supposed that it would  require the  
entire season of the camp-meeting to    
complete the work1 he was  very grateful
 to his interpreter for telling him what
 to do4    ,while standing thus in front
 of the audience1 he turned about to see
 if  there were any in the congregation 
that he knew1 and to his surprize he    
discovered in one of the back seats his 
mother and a few others with whom  he   
had been acquainted4 ,with a thrill of  
satisfaction he again faced the         
minister1 wondering if they too had come
 to the meeting to get converted4  ,he  

did not know that his mother had lately 
taken up a faith1 as she  called it1 and
 by her old associates was being termed 
religious4 ,but he  believed that she   
must have had some good intention in    
coming to so sacred  a place and that   
she would approve of the step he had    
taken4    ,he was still standing1 facing
 the minister and wondering what the    
next step  would be for him to take1    
when his interpreter explained that he  
must be  seated4 ,edwin was greatly     
disappointed1 for he desired that since 
the work  had commenced it might go     
right on to its completion4 ,still he   
made no  complaint1 believing that the  
minister knew his business and would be 
faithful to him4    ,as ,edwin sat down 
beside ,mr4 ,hass1 feeling that         
everything would come out  all right in 
the end1 he did not see the expression  
of disgust that  shadowed his mother's  
face4 ,feeling that he was disgracing   
her by his  ignorance1 she would have   
enjoyed punishing him as she was in the 

habit of  doing in his childhood1 but   
this was beyond her power4    ,it was   
but a few minutes after ,edwin had taken
 his seat until the meeting  was        
dismissed1 and the people scattered out 
over the grounds1 a few to the  pump1   
some to the boarding-house entrance1 and
 others to their private  tents4 ,edwin 
followed the largest crowd1 for ,mr4    
,hass had left him as soon  as the      
meeting was dismissed1 and he went to   
the boarding-house for his  supper4 ,he 
was very hungry1 having had no dinner4  
,after the meal was ended1  he walked   
about over the grounds until it was time
 for the evening service4  ,very glad he
 was when he heard the meeting-bell     
ringing as ,mr4 ,kunz had  explained it 
would1 and1 finding his interpreter1 he 
was soon again seated  in front of the  
pulpit4    ,the evening's discourse was 
given in the ,english language1 but it  
was no  more enlightening to ,edwin than
 the afternoon's sermon had been2 still1
 by  his expression of reverence and awe

 the congregation was not aware of this 
fact4 ,at the close of the service      
,edwin was surprized to see that the    
entire congregation arose and remained  
standing as he had done in the          
afternoon4 ,by this he supposed that all
 who were there had come to be          
converted4 ,then an altar-call was made1
 and ,edwin's interpreter whispered1    
,that means to go forward4    ,now1 if  
,edwin had not already been in front of 
the entire audience1 he  would have gone
 forward2 but supposing that the call   
was for some one else1  he remained     
standing as he had done in the          
afternoon1 but he made no move  toward  
the altar4 ,still the singing continued 
and no one came forward1 and  as the    
minister's manner became more and more  
earnest1 all eyes were turned  toward   
him4 ,edwin became sorely troubled2 for 
he feared that he was not  doing all    
that he should do to get the best       
results1 and he did not want to  hinder 
the operation4    ,he saw the long      

vacant bench in front of the pulpit1 but
 he had no way of  knowing that going   
forward meant to kneel in prayer before 
the altar  where the spiritual workers  
might pray with and help him to         
understand what  it meant to be         
converted4 ,for this ignorance he was   
misjudged1 many  supposing that he was  
stubborn and unwilling to bow before the
 altar in so  humble a manner4          
,noticing that ,mr4 ,hass had           
occasionally spoken to him1 no one else 
thought  it necessary to do so4 ,it     
seemed that night that the singing and  
invitations were continued an unusually 
long time1 for ,edwin's case was        
already creating an interest4 ,the fact 
that he was a subject for prayer and    
the anxiety pictured upon his face made 
many long to see him move out and  get  
an experience of salvation4 ,and ,edwin1
 feeling that something was  expected of
 him and that he was losing much        
valuable time1 became more  anxious and 
concerned as the moments crept by4      

,it was another opportunity for his     
divine ,teacher to act1 and suddenly he 
seemed to feel the pressure of a strong 
hand placed upon his shoulder1 and  by  
an unseen power he was forced downward  
upon his knees directly in front  of the
 altar4 ,although he could not have told
 how or why he was there1 he  was sure  
that it was the right thing for him to  
do1 and immediately his  worry was gone4
 ,thus1 unconsciously and mysteriously  
he was being led one  step at a time1   
but always he was unable to know just   
what thing to do  next4    ,seeing      
,edwin kneeling at the altar1 the       
minister soon came and1 kneeling  beside
 him1 began to ask various questions1   
but to all that he said he  received no 
answer1 and he wondered at ,edwin's     
silence4 ,then again ,edwin  was        
misjudged4 ,not knowing that it was     
because the young man did not           
understand the language1 the minister   
arose1 leaving ,edwin still kneeling  at
 the altar1 and dismissed the meeting4  

,when ,edwin realized that the people   
were scattering out over the grounds1   
he too arose from the altar and followed
 them4 ,then he remembered that ,mrs4   
,miller had said that some place would  
be found for him to sleep1 and as ,mr4  
,meyer1 one of ,mr4 ,miller's neighbors1
 appeared among the crowd1 ,edwin made  
his wants known1 and the kind old       
gentleman hastened to show him a good   
bed  that he had prepared in his covered
 wagon4 ,it had been made1 he told      
,edwin1  for another brother1 but he    
could share it if he liked4    ,edwin   
lost no time in getting into the place  
assigned him1 but before sleep  would   
come to his eyes1 he had carefully      
reviewed in his mind all the  events of 
the day4 ,charging his mind with the    
place where he had left off  in the     
evening1 he was determined to commence  
again right there at the very  first    
opportunity that was offered him1 and he
 was confident that he would  somehow   
discover just what was the next best    

thing to do4 ,still he could  not help  
wondering just what that step would be4 
,he was still pondering  upon these     
things when sleep came to his relief1   
and it was not until the  early songs of
 the little birds peeled merrily forth  
through the grove the  following morning
 that he awoke from his dreams4         
,edwin was soon dressed and out upon the
 grounds1 feeling thankful indeed  that 
he was still permitted to live and enter
 upon another day of life4  ,only a few 
people were in sight1 and he began to   
wonder how long it would  be before     
breakfast would be ready4 ,then he      
thought he could hear the sound  of     
singing such as he had heard in the     
meetings1 and he listened carefully4  ,i
 can not afford1 he told himself1 to    
miss anything that pertains to the      
meeting4 ,he found that the sound was   
coming from the tent near where he  had 
spent the night1 and1 walking up to it1 
he quickly lifted the flap that  served 
as a door4    ,the tent was owned by    

,mr4 ,meyer1 as was the wagon in which  
,edwin had spent  the night1 and the    
occupants of the tent1 which were ,mr4  
and ,mrs4 ,kauffman1  ,mr4 and ,mrs4    
,gardner1 and the ,meyers1 were having  
their morning worship  together4 ,to    
,edwin the little scene that met his    
gaze was a pleasant  surprize2 for he at
 once connected it with the             
prayer-meetings that had  been held at  
the residence of his employer1 as he    
recognized some of the  people who had  
been at the meeting and whose           
countenances and earnestness  in prayer 
he would never forget4    ,the worship  
was over1 and the song to which ,edwin  
had listened had been  intended for the 
closing-song4 ,then they were to        
separate and each family  go to their   
own tent for the morning meal4 ,edwin's 
appearance in the  doorway changed their
 plans1 and ,mrs4 ,meyer1 a dear old    
lady who had felt a  deep interest in   
,edwin from the time she had first seen 
him in the  prayer-meeting1 arose and1  

offering her chair to ,edwin1 bade him  
enter and  be seated1 while she found a 
seat for herself on the foot of a       
temporary  bed4 ,edwin needed no second 
invitation1 for ,mrs4 ,meyer had spoken 
in his  mother-tongue1 and he could     
understand what she said4 ,then she     
said1 ,let  us once more kneel down and 
pray1 and they all knelt down1 ,edwin   
following  the others' example4    ,as  
they prayed1 ,edwin once more watched   
their faces and carefully listened  to  
every word1 but not a word could he     
understand4 ,he knew that the people    
were praying1 but he did not know that  
they were praying for him4    ,so deeply
 was ,edwin impressed with the          
earnestness of these people and so      
sincerely did he wish to join them in   
prayer1 that he decided to watch        
carefully for small words that he could 
say regardless of their meaning and  to 
repeat such words as a prayer for       
himself4    ,if ,i take some words from 
a real prayer1 they will be a part of a 

prayer1  and it will not be as though ,i
 had learned the words from a book or   
from  some person4    ,thus1 in his     
ignorance he listened and reasoned1 and 
when he had found  three small words1   
meaningless in themselves1 he began to  
repeat them in  audible tones4 ,the fact
 revealed to ,edwin while working among 
the stones in  the field of grass that  
,god had made a provision whereby man   
could be able  in this life to          
understand upon which road he was       
traveling toward eternity  had never    
left him1 and although he had not as yet
 discovered anything at  all about      
,god's great plan of salvation1 he was  
still certain that as soon  as he was   
converted he would discover all the     
things he was longing to  know4 ,at that
 moment it seemed to ,edwin that the    
only way to unravel  ,frank's definition
 of prayer and what it meant to be      
converted was to use  some words from a 
real prayer until he could form a prayer
 of his own1 and  for this reason he had

 selected the three little words4       
,god1 as a discerner of the thoughts and
 intents of the heart 7,heb4 #d3ab71    
saw the sincerity of ,edwin's purpose1  
and the little unintelligible words     
reached his throne as though they had   
been an eloquent prayer1 and the more   
he prayed the more desperately in       
earnest did he become4    ,suddenly     
,edwin felt that his prayer must have   
taken hold on ,god1 for a  burden new   
and strange and different from anything 
that he had ever  experienced semed to  
settle down upon him1 and as it grew    
heavier and  heavier1 he felt that he   
was being crushed to the earth4 ,then a 
feeling of  unworthiness that even the  
earth should hold him up and keep him   
from  instant destruction in hell until 
,god in his mercy would deliver him     
swept  over him1 and in his desperate   
condition he cried out until his voice  
was  heard all over the camp-ground1 and
 the people in crowds came to discover1 
if possible1 what was taking place in   

,meyer's tent4    ,then a strange and   
wonderful thing occurred4 ,heaven in all
 its beauty  seemed to open to his view1
 and as the great burden rolled away he 
sprang  to his feet1 and while leaping  
about the tent he shouted for joy and   
thanked ,god because he was at last sure
 that he was on the road to heaven4     
,when at last ,edwin could think about  
his surroundings1 he saw that both      
flaps of the tent were open wide and    
that ,mrs4 ,kauffman1 ,frank's mother1  
was earnestly preaching salvation from  
sin to an immense congregation4 ,the    
latter had been drawn together by the   
sound of ,edwin's agonizing cries1 and  
although ,edwin could not understand    
what she was saying1 for she was        
speaking in the ,german language1 he was
 sure that she was telling them of      
,god's wonderful power and goodness to  
him4 ,and as he looked about him1 he    
wondered why the people and trees had   
never appeared so beautiful to him      
before4    ,when the curiosity of the   

crowd had been satisfied and ,edwin was 
once more  on the outside of the tent1  
he was surprized to find that all nature
 was  beautified and that the songs of  
the birds were sweeter and more         
thrilling  than he had ever known them  
to be4 ,in recovering from his state of 
rapture1  he realized that only one half
 day of the camp-meeting was over and   
that he  not only was converted but had 
all the remainder of the meeting before 
him4  ,it was his blessed privilege to  
enjoy the remainder of the time with all
  the rest of ,god's good people4       
,such had been his breakfast1 and when  
the meeting-bell began to ring1 ,edwin  
did not look for his interpreter2 for he
 felt that since he had received  that  
for which he had come to the meeting1 it
 was no longer necessary to  trouble    
,mr4 ,hass4    ,the all-seeing ,father  
not only had understood ,edwin's        
ignorance and taught  him his need1 but 
had helped him to know how to approach  
his throne in an  acceptable manner4    

,for he shall deliver the needy when he 
crieth2 the poor also1 and him that     
hath no helper 444 and precious shall   
their blood be in his sight 7,psa4      
#gb3ab1 #ac74        ,,chapter ,,xviii  
,,discovers ,,the ,,existence ,,of      
,,god',s ,,word      ,o precious volume6
 only in thy pages    ,we read the duty 
of all our race2    ,only thy sunbeams1 
shining through the ages4    ,reveal the
 wonders of saving grace4      --,daniel
 ,s4 ,warner4    ,edwin had heard that  
there was such a book as the ,bible1 but
 that the ,bible  was a good book or of 
any more value in the world than the    
almanac or the  ,book of ,black ,arts1  
that had been in the home of ,mrs4      
,fitch1 had never  been suggested to his
 mind4 ,so of course he did not know    
that the ,bible was  ,god's great       
message to the world4 ,it was therefore 
a wonderful thought when  the truth     
first dawned upon his mind4    ,the     
little group that had been present at   
the time of his conversion were  the    

first to explain the matter to him1 and 
when ,mrs4 ,kauffman added1 in  words   
that he could understand1 that the      
,bible contained the story of  ,jesus1  
she found that he had never heard that  
there had ever been any one  on the     
earth by that name4 ,it was a long      
story1 but after hearing a little1      
,edwin was anxious to hear the          
remainder1 and when his kind friend had 
finished speaking1 he asked simply1 ,was
 ,jesus ,god's son and yet a man just   
as ,i am8    ,yes1 ,mrs4 ,kauffman      
replied2 ,god made man in the first     
place1 good and  pure like himself1 and 
he was made master of all that was in   
the world4 ,in  return for all these    
blessings1 ,god demanded obedience and  
said that death  to all the human race  
would be the penalty for his            
disobedience4    ,then she related that 
man yielded to sin and fell from the    
holy state in  which he was created1    
receiving as his penalty eternal        
banishment from  ,god's presence1 and   

she went on to tell of the provision    
that had been  promised at the time of  
the fall4    ,for more than four        
thousand years1 she said1 this awful    
blight of sin  continued2 then ,jesus1  
the provision that ,god had promised1   
came into the  world to live a life of  
perfect obedience to ,god4 ,and ,god    
sent to all the  world by his ,son the  
message that any and all who would      
follow ,christ's  example and live as he
 had told them at the first to live1    
would be  forgiven and with his ,son    
would become a part of his own great    
family 7,heb4  #e3 #h1i74 ,god in this  
way formed a bridge across the gulf that
 had been  fixed between the sinner and 
his ,maker4 ,now it is possible for any 
one who  will1 to cross the bridge and  
to enter heaven1 but they must prepare  
for  the journey before they die4    ,is
 all that in the ,bible8 ,edwin asked in
 astonishment2 and is it so that  ,god's
 ,son once lived upon this earth8       
,yes1 ,edwin1 it is true1 ,mrs4         

,kauffman answered4 ,then she read and  
explained ,heb4 #a3a-c and #e3h1 #i3    
,god1 who at sundry times and in divers 
manners spake in times past unto the    
fathers by the prophets1 hath in these  
last days spoken unto us by his ,son1   
whom he hath appointed heir of all      
things1 by whom also he made the worlds2
 who being the brightness of his  glory 
and the express image of his person1 and
 upholding all things by the  word of   
his power1 when he had by himself purged
 our sins1 sat down on the  right hand  
of the ,majesty on high4 ,though he were
 a ,son1 yet learned he  obedience by   
the things which he suffered2 and being 
made perfect1 he  became the author of  
eternal salvation unto all them that    
obey him4    ,she then told him that the
 place where ,jesus had lived was far   
away from  there1 but that it was a     
country similar to our own4 ,as she     
continued to  talk about ,jesus' home1  
,edwin exclaimed1 ,oh1 if only ,i could 
some time go  and see that place for    

myself6 ,but when he thought of what    
such a trip  would cost1 his hope of    
ever getting there was destroyed4 ,as   
,edwin  considered the wonderful love   
that had prompted ,god and his ,son to  
make so  great a sacrifice for men and  
women who had been disobedient to his   
laws  and commands1 his heart was       
flooded with love for his ,creator1 and 
he  cried3    ,i knew that ,god must    
have made some way for man to know where
 he was going  to land in eternity6     
,jesus is that provision4 ,i can see it 
all now1 and the  assurance that we are 
going aright is that we are obedient to 
,god8 he  added with a rising           
inflection4    ,yes1 it is obedience to 
,god1 ,mrs4 ,kauffman explained4 ,but   
there is more  to his plan than that4   
,god wants us to love and reverence his 
,son for all  that he has done4 ,to do  
this we must ask ,god to forgive and to 
receive us  back into his family for    
,jesus' sake4 ,this is a true prayer    
when it comes  from the heart4    ,is   

that the prayer that ,i prayed when ,i  
was converted8 ,edwin asked1            
remembering the three little words that 
he had selected from one of the  prayers
 in ,mr4 ,meyer's tent4    ,no1 ,mrs4   
,kauffman replied2 your prayer was      
different4 ,it was really no  prayer at 
all1 but you see you did not understand 
these things or know how  to pray4 ,god 
knew what you wanted1 because he        
understands the heart1 and he  knew that
 you would have asked for it in proper  
words if you could have  understood4    
,both ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,kauffman were very
 good to ,edwin2 for after he had left  
their neighborhood1 they had learned    
something of his worth4 ,every day      
during the meeting they endeavored in   
some way to help him to understand  what
 it means to be a ,christian1 and some  
of the wonderful things that are  in the
 ,bible4 ,much of their effort was lost1
 however1 because of his  ignorance1 but
 it seemed that each time he was able to
 grasp a new thought  that would        

correspond and link on to his own       
experience4    ,when the last day of the
 camp-meeting arrived1 ,edwin was sorry1
 for he felt  that it had been a good   
place to be2 but since he had received  
the benefit  for which he had come1 he  
was ready to return to the farm and     
fulfil his  agreement with ,mr4 ,miller 
and do all that he could to make up for 
the time  that he had been away at the  
meeting4 ,the ,kauffmans1 ,itterlys1 and
 ,meyers  had all given him pressing    
invitations to visit them in their      
homes1 and  with many happy remembrances
 of the meeting in his mind he was soon 
well on  his way down the dusty road in 
the direction of his employer's home4   
,again he noted the sweet songs of the  
little birds1 and nature seemed all     
aglow with her beauty and grandeur2 but 
as before1 when he was on his way  to   
the meeting1 his mind was too full of   
weightier things to give outside  things
 much thought or attention4    ,as he   
passed in through the open gate1 he     

remembered that ,mrs4 ,kauffman had     
said that in a certain city not more    
than ten miles away a ,bible could be   
purchased1 and1 knowing that ,mr4       
,miller occasionally went to that city  
to  do his trading1 he decided to ask   
him to get him a copy while there4      
,when he reached the summer-kitchen1 he 
found the old couple partaking of  their
 evening meal1 and when ,edwin had taken
 his accustomed place on the  end of the
 bench1 he was asked to give an account 
of the meeting and to  tell how he had  
enjoyed himself while there4 ,it was in 
glowing terms that  ,edwin described    
each little detail and the effect that  
the entire meeting  had produced in his 
life4 ,when he had finished1 ,mrs4      
,miller remarked3    ,i'm glad1 ,edwin1 
that you have at last found out what it 
means to be  converted4 ,but of course  
you will have to join the church4 ,you  
can go with  us to our church every     
,sunday if you want to1 and after you go
 a while they  will tell you whether    

they want you to become a member4       
,edwin gladly accepted the invitation1  
and then after telling what ,mrs4       
,kauffman had said about the ,bible1 he 
asked ,mr4 ,miller if he would buy him  
a copy the next time he went to the     
city4 ,the latter said that he would do 
the best that he could4 ,when the       
smoking-hour arrived1 ,edwin remained1  
but  to visit1 not to smoke4 ,he cared  
no longer for his pipe1 for the appetite
  for tobacco was all gone4    ,although
 ,edwin was disappointed a number of    
times because of his employer's         
forgetfulness to do his errand1 a few   
weeks after the camp-meeting had        
closed1 a little red leather pocket     
,testament in both the ,german and      
,english languages was placed in his    
hand1 and what a treasure it was6 ,the  
price that ,edwin had paid for it seemed
 very small indeed1 but he did not  know
 that the little volume was only a part 
of the wonderful book of which  he had  
heard such thrilling accounts4    ,in   

the days that followed a great longing  
to read the sacred pages of his  little 
,testament came into his heart1 but even
 to have the little book in  his        
possession was a great comfort1 and very
 often he drew it from his  pocket and  
pressed it to his heart while he was at 
his work4    ,on ,sunday1 ,edwin never  
failed to go with ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,miller
 to the little  church that was on the  
corner where the roads met and crossed1 
and he was  still as earnest and anxious
 to learn as he had been at the         
camp-meeting2  but the difficulty of the
 language was ever before him1 and his  
extreme  ignorance concerning the ,bible
 was very noticeable4    ,at last when  
the subject concerning whether he should
 be accepted as a  candidate for a      
member of their denomination arose1 a   
lengthy discussion  among the most      
prominent brethren followed1 and it was 
decided in ,edwin's  hearing that he was
 far too ignorant on ,bible lines ever  
to amount to  anything among them4 ,it  

would therefore1 they said1 be best to  
drop the  matter at once4    ,think of  
it6 said one1 it doesn't stand to reason
 that any one with so  little education 
and knowledge concerning the ,bible     
could be so easily  converted4 ,he will 
be like a wave of the sea--lost and     
forgotten1 in a very  short time4 ,why1 
he can't even understand the preaching  
yet or the things  that you try to      
explain to him6 ,to my mind his case    
isn't worth bothering  with4    ,after  
,edwin had heard this man's reasoning   
and had found that it was the  decision 
of all1 he was given an opportunity to  
speak for himself4 ,he said3    ,i'm    
sure that you are mistaken when you say 
that ,i will not stand4 ,i know  that ,i
 am very ignorant about what is in the  
,bible1 but if you will just  give me   
ten years1 ,i will prove to you that    
,god1 who has brought me through  all my
 past difficulties1 and in spite of all 
my ignorance has directed me  always in 
the right way1 will never fail to teach 

me the next best thing to  do4    ,after
 ,edwin's speech it was decided that it 
would be all right for him to  attend   
the meetings1 but that they could not   
accept his name even on  probation4     
,it was with a sad heart the following  
day that ,edwin went about his work     
upon the farm4 ,he could not understand 
why the brethren had doubted his        
ability to stand nor their reason for   
not allowing him the same privilege     
that was given to others1 simply because
 he was ignorant and his conversion  had
 not required so long a time as they    
were in the habit of allowing their     
more enlightened members4 ,god surely   
knew what he was doing1 he reasoned1    
and ,i believe that my life is as       
precious to him as that of any other    
man1  though he may know a great deal   
more than ,i do4    ,all day long he was
 burdened and sad1 and when night came1 
instead of  resorting to the            
summer-kitchen as had been his habit for
 so long1 he went  to his room          

immediately after the evening chores    
were done4 ,falling upon  his knees and 
taking from his pocket his little red   
,testament1 he opened it  and laid it   
upon the chair before him4 ,then as     
tears blinded his eyes1 he  buried his  
face in his hands and1 bending          
reverently over the little  volume1 made
 his request known to ,god4    ,o ,god6 
he cried1 not caring by whom he was     
heard1 you who have been so  faithful to
 me in the past1 in helping me out of   
all my difficulties1 help  me now6 ,i   
have learned that this little book is to
 make me know what you  want me to do1  
so help me to be able to read what is in
 it4    ,to ,edwin this task was no     
greater for him than others had been    
that he had  mastered1 and with perfect 
faith1 believing that ,god would open   
his  understanding sufficiently for him 
to comprehend the meaning of all that he
  needed to know1 he began the work of  
learning what he should have known  many
 years before4    ,with his finger      

,edwin carefully traced in several words
 the outline of the  letters1 until     
suddenly a few of the characters that he
 had learned from  the school-teacher   
when1 in his early childhood days1 he   
was sent to school  as protector of his 
younger cousins1 returned to his mind1  
and although  they had been meaningless 
then and had been long since forgotten1 
they  corresponded perfectly with those 
before him4 ,thus he continued to labor 
long into the night1 and during the days
 and evenings that followed1  whenever  
there was a moment to spare1 a moment   
that he could feel was his  own1 he     
endeavored to locate the same letters in
 other words4 ,but although  he could   
locate several of the letters1 he did   
not know their names4    ,later on1     
after the corn-husking was done1 ,mr4   
,miller decided that he could get along 
with the work by himself1 and ,edwin    
began looking for another place4 ,when  
the word became circulated that ,edwin  
was wanting a job1 several opportunities

 to get into good families were  offered
 him1 but he would decide on none of    
them until he had spent a few  weeks in 
visiting the kind friends whom he had   
met at the camp-meeting4    ,during     
,edwin's stay with ,mr4 and ,mrs4       
,miller1 ,edwin had learned to respect  
them very highly1 and their kindness and
 sympathy meant very much to him1  but  
he felt that he was sadly misunderstood 
by them both and that their  judgment   
was not altogether good4 ,he was sad1   
too1 because of the attitude  of the    
church-members toward him1 but his only 
thought was to prove to all  that he was
 sincere1 and although so coldly held   
off by some he continued  to attend the 
meetings regularly4    ,on the morning  
of his departure1 ,mrs4 ,miller in her  
motherly way invited  him to visit them 
occasionally1 and after thanking them   
kindly for all  their interest in him1  
,edwin left for the home of ,mr4 and    
,mrs4 ,kauffman4  ,frank ,kauffman was  
at his mother's home when ,edwin        

arrived1 and when he saw  the welcome   
that she gave to the one whom she had so
 severely condemned1  because of the    
influence she was afraid he might have  
upon her son1 he  could not help        
smiling4 ,he had heard that ,edwin had  
given up the use of  tobacco1 and it was
 not long until he learned from ,edwin  
himself his  reasons for doing so4      
,frank was much impressed by the story  
and felt that  perhaps ,edwin was right 
about the matter1 and he would have been
 glad to  give up the use of tobacco    
himself1 but the power of habit was     
great1 and  the poisonous nicotine was  
so working in his system that his       
strength of  decision was limited4      
,edwin's stay with the ,kauffman's was  
prolonged to several months2 for these  
people1 finding that ,edwin was so      
anxious to learn to read his ,bible1    
began  at the foundation and taught him 
both the ,english and the ,german       
alphabets  and instructed him how to use
 them in forming words4 ,until then     

,edwin had  not understood the          
difference in the languages1 and1       
finding that the words  used in prayer  
and preaching1 were not a heavenly      
language as he had  supposed1 but were  
meant for any one to speak1 he decided  
at once to master  them both4 ,he       
reasoned that what he could not         
comprehend in the one  language he might
 in the other1 and his progress in the  
undertaking was so  rapid that it was   
marvelous4    ,when he learned that the 
,bible was in two parts--a ,new and an  
,old  ,testament--and that his little   
red-covered book was only the ,new1 he  
longed  for the complete volume and was 
soon in possession of one4    ,hear me  
speedily1 ,o ,lord3 my spirit faileth3  
hide not thy face from me1  lest ,i be  
like unto them that go down into the    
pit4 ,cause me to hear thy              
loving-kindness in the morning2 for in  
thee do ,i trust3 cause me to know  the 
way wherein ,i should walk2 for ,i lift 
up my soul unto thee 7,psa4 #adc3  #g1  

#h74        ,,chapter ,,xix             
,,devotion ,,and ,,works      ,faith    
builds a bridge across the gulf of      
death1    ,to break the shock blind     
nature can not shun1    ,and lands      
thought smoothly on the further shore4  
--,young4    ,during his visit in the   
,kauffman home1 ,edwin learned what was 
meant not  only by prayer but by a life 
of true devotion1 for ,mrs4 ,kauffman   
was a very  spiritual woman4 ,she was   
sorry for the decision of the brethren  
to refuse  ,edwin even a trial for      
membership in the church1 but she       
endeavored to  encourage him in the     
belief that all would come out right in 
the end1 and  ,edwin very courageously  
said that he was sure it would4 ,and the
 fact that  he was misunderstood by some
 did not lessen his confidence in the   
brethren  nor cool his intense love for 
humanity4 ,neither did it dampen his    
desire to  be a blessing to mankind1 and
 so great did the latter longing become 
that  he began to seek for opportunities

 of doing good4    ,by living in such   
sweet communion with ,god he learned a  
great many lessons  that were very      
helpful to him in different ways2 and   
with a little help  from his kind       
friends he learned to read in such a    
marvelously short time  that it was     
plain to all that ,god was truly his    
teacher4    ,one day while ,edwin was   
quietly meditating upon the wonderful   
things that  he had read within the     
,bible1 he compared them with the       
experiences through  which he had       
passed1 and he marveled at the manner in
 which they  corresponded4 ,then1 while 
thinking of what had taken place at the 
camp  meeting1 he remembered his mother 
and his surprize at seeing her at such a
  place4 ,could it be possible1 he said 
to ,mrs4 ,kauffman1 that my mother's    
reason for attending the meeting was    
that she was interested in spiritual    
things8 ,his friends thought it was     
probable1 and then ,edwin said that if  
such was the case he would like to tell 

her about some of the wonderful  things 
,god had done for him4 ,in this ,mrs4   
,kauffman encouraged him1 and she       
helped him to find several appropriate  
passages of ,scripture that he could    
read to his mother1 and when he went she
 bade him ,godspeed4    ,edwin had not  
visited his mother since the time when  
her proud heart was  crushed because of 
the shame and disgrace that had been    
forced upon her  through ,elmer's       
actions4 ,since then many things had    
taken place in her life  that had caused
 her to change some of her ways1 but the
 faith that she  claimed to have taken  
up and that had encouraged her to attend
 the  camp-meeting was only a try to do 
better plan4    ,when ,mrs4 ,fischer saw
 her son approaching the house1 she at  
once remembered  his ignorance at the   
camp-meeting1 the ridicule created by   
his queer  actions1 and the hard        
feelings that1 in her embarrassment1 she
 had felt  toward him2 still1 she       
endeavored to treat him kindly1 and at  

first she  permitted him to talk freely 
about his experiences before and after  
the  meeting4 ,but when in conclusion1  
he said1 ,mother1 can't you see how     
necessary it is for any one to be       
converted1 or to be born again into     
,god's  great family8 she exclaimed3    
,oh1 such trash6 ,i won't listen any    
longer6  ,i've committed no sins that ,i
 need to repent of4 ,my 'faith' is good 
enough for me1 and ,i don't expect to   
know everything about heaven in this    
life4 ,the church that ,i have joined   
teaches that if you do as well as you   
can you'll go to heaven anyway1 and     
after you have pledged any church that  
you will stand by it and then you go and
 join another and take up their         
'faith1' you become a shame and disgrace
 to the church to which you did  belong4
    ,yes1 but you may not get to heaven 
if you do not anxiously seek to know    
the right way1 ,edwin said1 and the     
earnestness in his voice could be felt4 
,then opening his ,bible1 which was     

already well marked1 he read3 ,wisdom   
crieth without2 she uttereth her voice  
in the streets3 she crieth in the  chief
 place of concourse1 in the openings of 
the gates3 in the city she  uttereth her
 words1 saying1 ,how long1 ye simple    
ones1 will ye love  simplicity8 and the 
scorners delight in their scorning1 and 
fools hate  knowledge8 ,turn you at my  
reproof3 behold1 ,i will pour out my    
spirit unto  you1 ,i will make known my 
words unto you4 ,because ,i have called 
and ye  refused4444 ,i also will laugh  
at your calamity2 ,i will mock when your
 fear  cometh4444 ,then shall they call 
upon me1 but ,i will not answer2 they   
shall  seek me early1 but they shall not
 find me3 for that they hated knowledge1
  and did not choose the fear of the    
,lord2 they would none of my counsel3   
they despised all my reproof4 ,therefore
 shall they eat of the fruit of  their  
own way1 and be filled with their own   
devices4 ,for the turning away  of the  
simple shall slay them1 and the         

prosperity of fools shall destroy  them4
 ,but whoso hearkeneth unto me shall    
dwell safely1 and shall be quiet  from  
fear of evil 7,prov4 #a3bj-cc74    ,that
 his mother was surprized to hear ,edwin
 reading the words was very  plain to be
 seen1 but her spirit was still proud1  
and she cried3 ,no1  ,edwin1 ,i won't   
listen to any more4 ,those words are in 
the ,old ,testament1 ,i  know1 but they 
were written for the people who lived at
 that time1 and not  for us4 ,the ,new  
,testament is for us4    ,well1 then1   
,mother1 ,edwin said1 quickly turning to
 the third chapter of  ,st4 ,john1 let  
me read to you something from the ,new  
,testament1 some of the  words of ,god's
 own ,son to all the world4 ,jesus was  
talking to a man who was  a teacher and 
very wise1 but he told him that the only
 way to get to heaven  was to be born   
again1 for he said3 ',that which is born
 of the flesh is  flesh2 and that which 
is born of the ,spirit is spirit4       
,marvel not that ,i  said unto thee1 ,ye

 must be born again4 ,the wind bloweth  
where it listeth1  and thou hearest the 
sound thereof1 but canst not tell whence
 it cometh1  and whither it goeth3 so is
 every one that is born of the ,spirit4 
,nicodemus  answered and said unto him1 
,how can these things be8 ,jesus        
answered4444 ,god  so loved the world   
that he gave his only begotten ,son1    
that whosoever  believeth in him should 
not perish1 but have everlasting life4  
,for ,god sent  not his ,son into the   
world to condemn the world2 but that the
 world through  him might be saved4'    
,and now1 ,mother1 ,edwin said1 here is 
the part that ,i  want you to listen to 
especially3 ',he that believeth on him  
is not  condemned3 but he that believeth
 not is condemned already1 because he   
hath  not believed in the name of the   
only begotten ,son of ,god4 ,and this is
 the  condemnation1 that light is come  
into the world1 and men loved darkness  
rather than light1 because their deeds  
were evil4 ,for every one that doeth    

evil hateth the light1 neither cometh to
 the light1 lest his deeds should  be   
reproved4 ,but he that doeth truth      
cometh to the light1 that his deeds  may
 be made manifest1 that they are wrought
 in ,god4'    ,the reading of the last  
scripture had been more difficult for   
,edwin1 but he  had reviewed the words  
so often under the direction of ,mr4    
,kauffman1 who  had taken a keen        
interest and delight in the manner in   
which ,edwin was  learning1 that he was 
able to read them both plainly and      
distinctly4 ,but  still his mother said3
    ,that1 too1 was long ago4 ,things   
are different today4 ,you needn't try to
  tell me that what the people did and  
said at that time were anything like    
what they say and do today4    ,then as 
,edwin attempted to explain1 she said3  
,no1 ,edwin1 you must not say anything  
more to me about these things4 ,i'm     
satisfied to let well enough alone2 and 
if ,i'm contented1 you ought to be4     
,seeing that his mother was determined  

to continue in her uncertainty1 ,edwin  
next thought of his own brother and     
sister in the flesh1 whom he had never  
seen4 ,through his mother he had found  
out where they were living1 and         
although it was a long distance to their
 homes and they were as strangers  to   
him1 he decided to visit them and at    
once set out upon the journey4    ,the  
brother had heard through the mother    
some things about ,edwin's  stupidity1  
as she called his extreme ignorance 7for
 which she was herself  to blame71 and  
he had also heard of ,edwin's           
willingness to suffer cruel  punishments
 and unjust blame4 ,but1 the mother had 
also said1 with all  his                
block-headedness1 he has never done     
anything to compare with what  ,elmer1  
his cousin1 has done to make me ashamed4
    ,it was therefore with real interest
 and curiosity that the brother received
  him into his home1 and he was shown   
much kindness by his brother's wife4    
,when ,edwin explained how wondrously he

 had been led and taught of ,god1 the   
brother was astonished1 for he could see
 that all ,edwin had said was very      
reasonable and sensible1 and he wondered
 why he had never thought to search  out
 some of the things for himself4 ,the   
brother's wife as well was greatly      
interested1 and when ,edwin read and    
explained the verses from his           
well-marked ,bible1 they were both      
convicted and exclaimed3    ,o ,edwin6  
what must we do to get this great       
salvation8    ,immediately ,edwin turned
 to ,acts #af3 #cj1 #ca1 and read the   
jailer's words to  ,paul and ,silas1    
,sirs1 what must ,i do to be saved8 and 
,paul's answer1  ,believe on the ,lord  
,jesus ,christ1 and thou shall be saved1
 and thy house4  ,he then explained that
 ,jesus came to seek and save the people
 from their  sins and that he went about
 preaching the glad tidings of          
salvation1 after  which he gave his life
 upon the cross that their salvation    
might be  possible4    ,next he read    

,isa4 #ee3 #f1 #g3 ,seek ye the ,lord   
while he may be found1 call  ye upon him
 while he is near3 let the wicked       
forsake his way1 and the  unrighteous   
man his thoughts3 and let him return    
unto the ,lord1 and he will  have mercy 
upon him2 and to our ,god1 for he will  
abundantly pardon4    ,to forsake sin1  
,edwin explained1 is to stop doing      
anything that one  knows to be wrong1   
like stealing1 lying1 swearing1 and he  
named over a  number of other things4   
,by the power of the will it is possible
 for any  who have formed such habits to
 stop doing the things that are wrong1  
but  before a person can really be      
delivered from sin1 he must be very     
sorry for  having disobeyed ,god4 ,that 
sorrow is repentance if the person is   
sorry  enough to ask ,god to forgive him
 and to cleanse him from all            
unrighteousness4    ,edwin did not tell 
them that it had always been his desire 
to do to others  as he would be done by1
 for to him this had been only his      

privilege and  duty to mankind1 and he  
fully realized that before he was       
converted he was1  with all the rest of 
humanity1 in a sense separated from     
,god4 ,instead he  said3    ,you must   
think of ,god's goodness1 and he read3  
,come unto me1 all ye that  labor and   
are heavy-laden1 and ,i will give you   
rest4 ,take my yoke upon you1  and learn
 of me2 for ,i am meek and lowly in     
heart3 and ye shall find rest  to your  
souls4 ,for my yoke is easy1 and my     
burden is light4 ,and then he  read     
,heb4 #aj3ci3 ,but we are not of them   
who draw back unto perdition2 but  of   
them that believe to the saving of the  
soul4    ,o ,edwin6 his brother cried1  
why is it that we have never heard of   
these  things before8 ,surely ,god has  
sent you to us4    ,as a large revival  
was being held in the city at that time1
 they all  decided to attend1 and at the
 meeting and with ,edwin's help the     
brother and  his wife were gloriously   
saved4    ,when the meeting was over1   

,edwin was urged to prolong his stay4   
,this he  did1 and he spent a few weeks 
very profitably in helping his relatives
 to  become established and to learn how
 to study the ,bible that had so long   
been only an ornament in their home4    
,his sister also was deeply impressed   
with the wonderful things that ,god had 
done for ,edwin1 but she was the mother 
of several small children1 and her  life
 was such that she thought that she was 
unable to make the necessary            
sacrifices4 ,edwin read to her from the 
seventh chapter of ,matthew these  words
 of ,jesus3 ,whosoever heareth these    
sayings of mine1 and doeth them1 ,i     
will liken him unto a wise man1 which   
built his house upon a rock3 and the    
rain descended1 and the floods came1 and
 the winds blew1 and beat upon that     
house2 and it fell not3 for it was      
founded upon a rock4 ,then he explained 
to her about the house that fell1 but   
she only answered3 ,no1 ,edwin1 it is   
of no use4 ,i can not live it now1 and  

thus ,edwin left her feeling her need   
but unwilling to yield4    ,from his    
sister's home ,edwin returned to ,mrs4  
,kauffman's1 where he was  again treated
 with the greatest affection and        
respect4 ,as he told of his             
experiences1 his kind friends were      
deeply interested as well as astonished 
at the manner in which he had succeeded 
in his brother's home1 and ,mrs4        
,kauffman thanked ,god for so           
wonderfully answering prayer4           
,learning that ,edwin was again in the  
neighborhood1 the farmers with whom he  
was acquainted did their best to engage 
him to work for them1 but to all he     
said3 ,no1 not yet4 ,i have not         
satisfied my mind4 ,i am still a guest  
in the  home of ,mrs4 ,kauffman1 and    
since they are satisfied to have me     
stay1 ,i  think that there must be more 
things that ,god would teach me from his
 ,word1  so ,i will study my ,bible for 
a while longer4    ,baptism was the next
 subject that bothered him4 ,during his 

recent visit  with his mother he had    
learned from her that1 as an infant1    
before he was  taken to the poorhouse1  
he was baptized2 but he had read in his 
,bible1 ,he  that believeth and is      
baptized1 shall be saved 7,mark #af3af74
 ,no infant  could believe or reason    
anything about the ,lord ,jesus1 he told
 ,mrs4  ,kauffman1 and he asked her     
advice about having the work done again4
    ,you had better go to your minister 
and ask him what he thinks1 ,mrs4       
,kauffman said4 ,edwin improved the very
 first opportunity1 which happened to   
be the following ,sunday immediately    
after the morning service4 ,replying to 
him1 the minister asked3    ,don't you  
think the baptism in your infancy       
amounted to anything8    ,i don't know1 
,edwin answered cautiously4 ,that is    
what ,i came to see you  about4 ,the    
,bible says1 ',he that believeth and is 
baptized1' and ,i'm sure  that ,i didn't
 know enough at that time to 'believe'  
anything1 and the way  that ,i          

understand that verse is that ,i am to  
be baptized after ,i am  converted4     
,well1 then1 said the minister1 if you  
do not feel satisfied1 ,i will1 at  some
 convenient season1 attend to the       
matter4    ,for several weeks ,edwin    
anxiously waited for the convenient     
season2 then  on entering the chapel one
 ,sunday morning1 he noticed on a stand 
beside the  altar a large bowl of water1
 and he wondered if it was in any way   
connected  with his baptism4 ,he was not
 kept long in suspense1 for immediately 
after  the morning exercises he was     
requested by the minister to come       
forward and  to take his seat upon the  
altar4 ,edwin quickly obeyed1 and the   
minister1  after a short ceremony1 took 
the bowl in his hand and with his       
fingers  sprinkled a little of the water
 upon ,edwin's head4    ,to ,edwin it   
was a very solemn affair1 for he was    
very sincere4 ,at the close  of the     
ordinance the minister said1 ,now1      
whether you consider that your  other   

baptism amounted to anything or not1 ,i 
hope that your doubts will be  forever  
gone4 ,at the time ,edwin thought they  
were1 but later on when he  read1       
,buried with him in baptism1 wherein    
also ye are risen with him  through     
faith of the operation of ,god1 who hath
 raised him from the dead  7,col4       
#b3ab71 he thought that to be really    
baptized meant more than merely  to have
 a little water sprinkled upon his head2
 and when he considered that  ,john     
baptized people in the river ,jordan and
 that ,jesus1 his example1  walked down 
into the water1 saying1 ,suffer it to be
 so now3 for thus it  becometh us to    
fulfil all righteousness1 and that when 
,jesus came up out  of the water the    
voice from heaven said1 ,this is my     
beloved ,son1 in whom ,i  am well       
pleased 7,matt4 #c3ae1 #ag71 he felt    
that he should like to go down  into the
 water as though he had been buried from
 the sight of the world  just as his    
,savior had done4    ,as was his custom 

when perplexed over such problems1 he   
went to ,mrs4  ,kauffman that he might  
have the benefit of her judgment4 ,she  
advised him to  go to a body of people  
that believed in immersion and be       
baptized by their  minister4 ,edwin     
followed her direction1 and as soon as  
possible he was put  under the water as 
a testimony to the world that he was    
dead to sin4    ,thus1 day by day ,god  
in his wisdom continued to be ,edwin's  
teacher in the  deep as well as in the  
simple things of life until the wisdom  
of the  poorhouse waif was in many      
things far beyond that of many who      
professed to  be leaders of men4    ,for
 his ,god doth instruct him to          
discretion and doth teach him 7,isa4    
#bh3  #bf74    ,teach me1 ,o ,lord1 the 
way of thy statutes2 and ,i shall keep  
it unto the  end4 ,give me              
understanding1 and ,i shall keep thy    
law2 yea1 ,i shall observe  it with my  
whole heart4 ,stablish thy word unto thy
 servant1 who is  devoted to thy fear   

7,psa4 #aai3 #cc1 #cd1 #ch74            
,,chapter ,,xx    ,,called ,,to         
,,service        ,walk    ,boldly and   
wisely in that light thou hast2         
,there is a hand above will help thee   
on4      --,bailey4    ,when ,edwin     
heard of the heathen in other lands     
across the sea1 a great  longing to help
 them to understand ,god's love and to  
bear them the message  of ,jesus'       
mission to the earth came into his      
heart4 ,so great did this  longing      
become that he spoke of it to the       
brethren at the church1 but he  was told
 that it would be better to first prove 
his calling at home1 for  there were    
plenty of heathen all around him needing
 his help4    ,without criticism or     
feelings that he had been dealt with    
unwisely1 he  accepted this judgment as 
proper and right1 and at once began by  
seeking  for opportunity to talk about  
his experiences with both neighbors and 
friends4 ,in this way he made his       
efforts for doing good to count1 and he 

became personally acquainted with the   
greater part of the community4 ,mr4  and
 ,mrs4 ,kauffman1 seeing ,edwin's zeal  
and courage1 were surprized and         
pleased1 and1 taking note of the good he
 was accomplishing1 offered him the     
privilege of holding prayer-meetings in 
their home4 ,soon others gave him  the  
same opportunity1 and it was evident    
that ,god was using him even to the     
saving of a few souls4    ,as ,edwin    
continued to grasp every opportunity for
 usefulness1 the brethren  who had      
refused to accept him as a candidate for
 membership in their  church1 became    
anxious to have him enroll1 but ,edwin  
told them3 ,no1 my ten  years are not   
yet up4 ,you must remember that ,i told 
you ,i wanted that long  to prove to you
 that ,i could stand and that ,i am     
truly converted4    ,when ,edwin felt   
that he could spare the time from       
studying the ,bible and  doing spiritual
 work1 to resume his labors as a        
farm-hand1 he found that it  required no

 effort to find a place1 as all seemed  
to know of his ability  and willingness 
to work4 ,there was even contention     
among the farmers as to  who would be so
 fortunate as to secure his services4   
,finding out the true state of affairs1 
,edwin was pleased1 and he decided to   
divide his time among them4 ,in this way
 he was able to enter other homes  and  
lives and to help them spiritually as   
well as with his labor4 ,but  through   
all this service ,edwin was not without 
various trials and tests2  but in       
everything he was able to give ,god     
thanks and to draw useful  lessons4 ,for
 thou1 ,o ,lord1 hast proved us3 thou   
hast tried us as silver is  tried4      
7,psa4 #af3aj74    ,after a time ,edwin 
felt that he would like for at least a  
while to try city  life4 ,finding a man 
that was engaged in peddling            
spring-water1 he agreed to  work for him
 for a share of the income4 ,the        
business did not prove to be a          
profitable one for ,edwin1 but by very  

careful management he was able to  make 
both ends meet4 ,but when he had met his
 necessary expenses1 he had  nothing    
left that he could use for the work of  
the ,lord4    ,this soon became a great 
trial to ,edwin1 and when one ,sunday   
there was a  call 7in the new church he 
was attending in the city7 for a liberal
 amount  of money1 he felt that he must 
subscribe twenty-five dollars even      
though he  did not know how he could    
ever pay it4 ,he believed that in some  
way or  other he would be able to raise 
the money even though the time allowed  
for  paying it was only one month4 ,god 
will help me in this thing as he has    
helped me through all my other          
difficulties1 he said as he set out on  
,monday morning in his covered wagon to 
dispose of his bottled water4    ,at    
first the sales were as they had been on
 other days1 but along in the  afternoon
 they began to increase1 and when night 
came and he had time to  figure up the  
amount of the water sold1 he found that 

there was over and  above all his       
expenses five dollars extra to his      
credit4 ,for four  successive days this 
increase of sales continued1 until he   
had four  five-dollar bills laid aside4 
,on ,friday morning ,edwin started with 
a glad heart2 for he thought1 ,if only  
,i succeed today as well as ,i have been
 doing all week1 by this evening ,i     
shall have the amount ,i subscribed4 ,he
 expressed his gratitude in             
thanksgiving and praise to ,god4 ,to his
 great disappointment1 that day the     
extra amount of water was not sold1 and 
on ,saturday and ,sunday he did not     
peddle4 ,climbing into his covered wagon
 filled with bottles1 he started out    
for his boarding-place2 but he was not  
in the least discouraged1 for he was    
sure that the remainder of the money    
would be raised in some unexpected      
manner before the month was up4         
,scarcely had ,edwin dismissed the      
matter from his mind when he came to an 
electric-car crossing4 ,it was a        

dangerous place1 for a few feet above   
the  crossing the track was completely  
hidden from view by a large ledge of    
rock  and a sudden curve4 ,at this place
 ,edwin always listened carefully for a 
signal4 ,hearing nothing and knowing    
that the car had been due fully ten     
minutes before1 he was soon driving upon
 the track without any thought of       
danger1 as he had so often done before4 
,his surprize was therefore complete    
when1 just as the back wheels of the    
wagon were dropping heavily over the    
last rail1 there was a sudden breeze and
 whiz came the car around the  curve4   
,no warning whatever had been given1 and
 a second later ,edwin found  himself   
among the legs and hoofs of the faithful
 animal that he had been  driving4      
,it was indeed a narrow escape1 and as  
,edwin crept from his dangerous         
position he found that not only his     
horse but his wagon and load of bottles 
were upside down and that the conductor 
and motorman were by his side  inquiring

 of him how badly he was hurt4    ,edwin
 himself was uninjured1 and after the   
harness had been loosened1 the  horse   
was able to rise1 and when the wagon and
 bottles were examined1 it  was found   
that nothing was at all harmed4 ,but    
before ,edwin was again on his  seat in 
the wagon1 the conductor had taken his  
name and address4    ,as he drove away  
from the scene of the accident ,edwin   
was rejoicing in the  fact that he had  
escaped so well1 and with no thought of 
ever hearing any  more about the affair 
he was soon putting his things away for 
the night4 ,in  the morning1 therefore1 
he was greatly surprized when he was    
called to the  door and by the same     
conductor that had the evening before   
taken his name  and address was handed  
an envelope and told that the contents  
were his  because of the accident that  
had occurred the evening before at the  
crossing4 ,edwin tried to explain that  
no harm had been done to anything1  but 
the conductor replied that the blame was

 his because he had given no  signal4   
,but1 he continued1 it will always be a 
mystery in my mind how  such an accident
 could occur without a single injury to 
anything4    ,then the conductor went   
away1 and when ,edwin opened the        
envelope1 he found  that it contained   
just five dollars1 the exact amount that
 he needed to  complete his             
purpose-money4 ,one week out of the four
 had not yet passed1  and yet he had the
 full amount of his obligation4 ,and    
when1 on ,sunday  morning1 he carried   
the money to the church and told of the 
wonderful  manner in which it had been  
supplied 7for indeed it was wonderful71 
many  marveled4    ,in the city ,edwin  
continued to do all in his power for the
 ,lord as he had  done in the country1  
and just about two years from the time  
that he  attended his first             
prayer-meeting in the home of ,mrs4     
,miller1 he received  an urgent         
invitation from ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,kauffman
 to return to their home and  hold a    

series of revival meetings2 for said the
 letter1 our house and  all that we     
possess are turned over to the ,lord1   
and we feel that you have  proved       
yourself sufficiently to come and be our
 minister4    ,to ,edwin the privilege  
of holding the meeting and the          
confidence of these  people meant very  
much indeed1 but he still felt keenly   
his inability of  doing anything in his 
own strength4 ,to think of himself as a 
preacher he  did not1 for ,god at that  
time had not revealed to him his calling
 in life4  ,still1 he submitted the     
matter entirely to the ,lord1 and when  
the way was  opened for him to go he was
 glad to accept the opportunity4 ,as a  
result  there was a wonderful revival2  
for ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,kauffman did their  
best to  have the meetings advertised1  
and as ,edwin's present1 and early      
history as  well1 was well known        
throughout the country1 the people for  
miles around1  many of them out of      
curiosity1 however1 came to see if what 

they had been  hearing about ,edwin as a
 ,christian was true4    ,when the      
meeting closed1 ,edwin had in the minds 
of the people proved  himself to be a   
real minister of the gospel1 and        
arrangements were soon  made to buy a   
piece of ground and to build a small    
meeting-house4 ,the idea  was sanctioned
 by ,edwin1 and he saw it carried into  
effect1 but when they  begged him to    
stay as their pastor1 he refused4 ,it is
 better1 he said1  for you to get some  
one else to be your leader until ,i know
 positively  that ,god has set me apart 
for that work2 and referring them to a  
certain  brother who claimed to be a    
minister1 he left them in his charge and
  returned to the city where he had been
 peddling water4    ,edwin's object in  
leaving the community in which he had   
been holding the  meetings was that he  
might have a better opportunity to know 
positively  whether or not ,god had     
really called him to preach the gospel4 
,his first  duty1 therefore1 after      

arriving in the city was to go to the   
minister for  advice and counsel4 ,after
 confiding his desire to work for the   
,lord and the  manner in which he had   
been used in the meeting1 he was told3  
,there are  many who mistake their      
calling in life4 ,sometimes the enemy of
 souls puts  such feelings in the heart 
to mislead honest souls1 or to get them 
out of  ,god's order4 ,and the minister 
related an instance of a young man who  
had  once come to him just as ,edwin had
 come for advice4 ,seeing his           
earnestness1 ,i gave the fellow a chance
 to prove himself1 but it was found     
that he had no gift or ability at all to
 teach4 ,in fact1 he did so poorly  in  
all public work that he was forced to   
confess that he was really  mistaken4   
,after that he never wanted to preach   
again1 and it was even  difficult for   
him to testify4    ,well1 ,edwin        
answered1 if it is the enemy in my case1
 ,i will have no  trouble to get rid of 
this feeling1 for ,i shall only be too  

glad to know  that ,i am misled4 ,all ,i
 want to know is what ,god wants me to  
do4 ,if he  doesn't want me to preach1  
that is the last thing ,i would care to 
do4    ,from that moment ,edwin ignored 
the thought of preaching1 and while he  
applied himself to his manual labor1 he 
endeavored to forget all about his      
usefulness during the revival4 ,and as  
he was thus striving with himself1  the 
minister in whom ,edwin had confided1   
desiring to know if there was  anything 
to ,edwin's convictions1 paid a visit to
 the community in which  ,edwin had held
 the revival4 ,several months had       
passed1 but the fire was  still burning 
in the hearts of the people 7although   
the one left in charge  of them had done
 more harm than good71 and as the       
minister listened to the  glowing       
accounts of ,edwin's works among them   
and the good that had been  accomplished
 through his labors1 he was forced to   
change his mind4 ,god's  hand must      
surely be on that man for service1 was  

his secret thought1 and  on the ,sunday 
morning following his tour of           
investigation he brought the  matter    
before the church4    ,nearly the entire
 congregation with the exception of     
,edwin were present1  and as the        
minister related carefully and in detail
 what had taken place  recently in the  
community where ,edwin had been so      
strangely converted and  had formerly   
made his home1 he added that only the   
wisdom and power of the  ,holy ,spirit  
could have enabled him to accomplish    
such a work4 ,there is no  doubt now in 
my mind1 he continued1 that ,god's hand 
is upon the young man  for the ministry2
 for his moral character is without spot
 and blameless in  the eyes of all who  
know him1 and he is well known and      
respected throughout  the country for   
this and because of his unusual         
conversion4    ,in that meeting it was  
decided that it would be best to have   
another talk  with ,edwin before he was 
encouraged to preach4 ,when the minister

 went to  him1 it was with these words3 
,edwin1 do you still feel your desire to
 preach the gospel8    ,oh yes1 ,edwin  
answered4 ,since talking with you1 ,i   
have tried in every  way to get rid of  
the thought of preaching1 if it was not 
,god's will for me  to preach1 but the  
burden is only growing heavier4 ,i have 
submitted the  matter to you and the    
church1 however1 to decide for me1 and  
,i know that  ,god knows the same2 so ,i
 can quietly trust him until you tell me
 what you  think would be best for me to
 do4    ,are you still fully agreed to  
allow the church to consider the matter 
for  you8 ,edwin was then asked4    ,oh 
yes1 sir6 he quickly replied4 ,i have   
submitted everything into your  hands1  
for ,i want to know just what you       
consider is best4 ,i will be  perfectly 
satisfied either way it may go4 ,i am   
not anxious2 for ,i know that  if ,god  
really wants me to preach he will take  
care of it all and will work  everything
 out in his own good time and way4 ,if  

he does not work it out so  that ,i am  
considered capable of preaching1 then ,i
 shall take it for granted  that it was 
a suggestion of the enemy1 and ,i will  
take a vehement stand  against those    
feelings as an imposition of the enemy4 
,now1 ,i consider what  ,i have said is 
sufficient1 and it will be no trial for 
me1 for ,i shall feel  that ,i am in    
,god's order1 and ,i care for nothing   
else4    ,when the minister heard       
,edwin's humble answer and noted his    
willingness to  allow ,god to have his  
perfect way with him and compared his   
manner with the  many remarkable reports
 to which he had listened concerning his
  experiences1 he was more convinced    
than ever that ,god's hand for service  
was surely upon this devoted young man4 
,but he felt that since the thing  had  
been left for the church to decide1 he  
must in ,edwin's absence once  more     
place the subject before the            
congregation4    ,the time chosen was   
the following ,sunday4 ,when the        

minister asked for an  expression from  
the people concerning ,edwin's case1    
with one united vote  they said that    
they were perfectly agreed to accept    
,edwin as a minister1  provided he could
 prove his gift4 ,it was therefore      
decided that since they  had never heard
 him preach1 they would call him in and 
let him deliver the  morning sermon2 and
 severe as was the test1 it was carried 
out4    ,when ,edwin a few minutes later
 entered the room and looked over that  
large  audience1 he had not the faintest
 idea of preaching to the people4 ,his  
only  thought was to learn what their   
decision had been1 and his surprize was 
therefore complete when the almost      
painful hush that prevaded the room was 
broken by the request that he take the  
pulpit and assume full charge of the    
meeting that morning4    ,had it not    
been that ,edwin already knew the ,lord 
to be an unfailing source  of strength  
and an able helper in every time of     
need1 his courage might  have failed    

him1 for upon the rostrum were several  
ministers and gospel  workers4 ,instead1
 he instantly submitted the matter to   
the ,lord1 and1  forgetting about his   
ignorance1 he rejoiced that he could    
have an  opportunity to glorify ,god and
 took his position between ,god and poor
  blighted humanity4    ,let us pray1   
were his first words1 and1 falling upon 
his knees1 he poured  out his heart in  
fervent prayer to ,god1 asking him for  
help and divine  guidance in this1 his  
great hour of need4 ,while still upon   
his knees he was  given a text1 and1    
rising to his feet1 he opened his       
,bible1 turned to ,luke  #g3dg1 and     
read1 ,her sins1 which were many1 are   
forgiven2 for she loved  much4    ,then 
as he explained the meaning of the      
words1 his eyes became blinded by       
tears4 ,as he lost sight of his         
audience1 the ,holy ,spirit came to his 
rescue1 and as the words poured forth   
from his mouth1 it was evident to all   
that the sermon was given him by divine 

power4 ,so lost to himself and the      
opinions of others did he become that he
 seemed to be swimming out into the     
vast ocean of ,god's boundless love4    
,that ,god was glorified and his name   
honored it is needless to say1 and from 
that time ,edwin was accepted without   
question as a gifted and qualified      
minister of the gospel1 and his calls   
both in his home community and in  other
 places were many4 ,he was even         
preferred above other able ministers    
because of his strange and wonderful    
experiences4    ,as ,edwin continued to 
preach1 he remembered how hard it had   
been for him to  understand that there  
were other languages than his own mother
 tongue1 and  he prepared himself to    
preach not only in the ,german and the  
,english  languages1 but in             
,pennsylvania ,dutch as well4    ,while 
studying his ,bible he found that there 
was even healing virtue in  prayer4 ,in 
,james #e3ad1 #ae1 he read1 ,is any sick
 among you8 let him call  for the elders

 of the church2 and let them pray over  
him1 anointing him  with oil in the name
 of the ,lord3 and the prayer of faith  
shall save the  sick1 and the ,lord     
shall raise him up2 and if he have      
committed sins1 they  shall be forgiven 
him4 ,in his own case he had found this 
to be true4 ,god  had not only healed   
his soul's sickness but also removed his
 bodily  afflictions4 ,finding that he  
could receive such instant relief for   
himself1  he was soon exercising his    
gift for others1 and many were healed   
through  his earnest prayers4    ,in one
 place where he was preaching1 he made  
his home with a family in  which there  
were two small children1 a girl three   
years old and a boy about  one year     
younger4 ,to these children ,edwin soon 
became greatly attached1 and  their love
 for him was no less than his own4 ,once
 when ,edwin was away for a  few days   
holding a series of meetings1 the little
 boy became seriously ill  with         
pneumonia4 ,the parents1 who knew the   

worth of prayer in time of  sickness1   
took his case at once to their ,great   
,physician2 but although they  prayed   
very earnestly1 their prayers seemed to 
be of no avail1 for the  child grew     
constantly worse4 ,a number of the      
brethren were repeatedly  called in to  
pray for little ,charley1 but the child 
grew constantly worse  until it seemed  
that it would be a question only of a   
few hours until he  would be called into
 eternity4 ,finally the mother said1 ,if
 ,edwin were only  here1 ,i believe that
 the child would be healed1 but ,edwin  
did not even  know that little ,charley 
was ill4    ,at last the parents1 while 
gazing down upon the little unconscious 
form  burning with fever1 gave up all   
hope of his recovery1 consecrated their 
child afresh1 and submitted their own   
wishes in the matter to the ,one who    
had lent them the darling4 ,then they   
seemed to see upon the fevered brow  the
 angel touch of death1 and the troubled 
spirit of little ,charley1  moaning     

piteously1 appeared to be preparing for 
its upward flight to a  better world4   
,feeling that there was nothing more    
that they could do1 the brethren had    
taken their departure1 but only a short 
distance from the house they met  ,edwin
 returning unexpectedly from his trip4  
,had ,edwin endeavored to do so1  he    
could not have told them why he was     
coming just at that hour1 but  something
 seemed to bid him hasten1 for his      
presence was needed4 ,from the  brethren
 he learned of the child's illness1 and1
 hurrying into the house1  he was soon  
beside the parents1 who were still      
weeping over their little  one4    ,as  
,edwin looked down upon the face of the 
one whom he so dearly loved1 the  words1
 ,the prayer of faith shall save the    
sick 7,jas4 #e3af71 appeared to  be all 
that he could see or hear4 ,he went     
hurriedly to the door and called  loudly
 to the brethren and bade them return at
 once4 ,fortunately1 the  latter had    
been walking slowly1 for their hearts   

were troubled because of  their         
neighbor's distress1 so they heard the  
sound of ,edwin's voice calling  to     
them1 and they immediately retraced     
their steps4    ,the little group1 with 
the addition of ,edwin1 once more       
gathered around the  child's crib4 ,as  
,edwin knelt he clasped his own hands   
and raised them  before him2 then with  
upturned face and pleading tones1 he    
asked ,god1 for  ,jesus' sake1 to heal  
little ,charley4    ,for several minutes
 he prayed1 and in his earnestness his  
body swayed  backward and forward1 and  
tears flowed freely over his cheeks4    
,when the  prayer was ended1 and ,edwin 
opened his eyes to look about him1 to   
his great  surprize and joy he saw      
before him upon the floor the little    
child with his  hands clasped and raised
 as ,edwin's had been and his large blue
 eyes turned  heavenward4 ,he too was   
praying1 trying to imitate ,edwin's     
example4 ,at the  very first of the     
prayer when ,edwin's voice arose1 the   

child regained  consciousness and1      
seeing his friend upon his knees beside 
him1 he had  begged his mother to allow 
him to pway too4 ,lifting him tenderly  
from the  crib1 the mother had placed   
him carefully upon the floor4 ,from that
 moment  little ,charley was well1 and  
soon called for some food4    ,at       
another time1 when ,edwin was holding a 
meeting about seventy-five miles  from  
this home1 the little girl became       
seriously ill4 ,have ,edwin pway6  have 
,edwin pway6 was all they could hear    
from little ,charley2 so a letter       
bearing the news and telling the nature 
of the child's illness was posted  as   
soon as possible4 ,when the word reached
 ,edwin1 he went to his room and  there 
remained before the ,lord until he felt 
that his little friend was  healed4     
,when another letter came from the      
mother1 it brought the word that  the   
little girl was healed1 and the day and 
hour that the work was done  agreed     
perfectly with the time when ,god had   

witnessed to ,edwin in his room  that   
the child was healed4    ,a few days    
after the healing of the little girl    
,edwin received still  another letter4  
,this time it was from the wife of a    
certain man for whom  ,edwin had worked 
and whose confidence he had won before  
,god called him to  preach4 ,please pray
 for my husband1 the letter ran4 ,he is 
in the  hospital with a cancerous sore  
upon his right leg4 ,the doctors give   
him no  hopes that he will recover1 but 
we have not forgotten how often ,god has
  heard your prayers1 and we believe    
that if you will pray for him he will   
recover4 ,there is no earthly remedy    
that can help him4    ,edwin remembered 
the old gentleman well1 and he went out 
in the woods where  he could be alone   
and prayed earnestly a long time for the
 man1 but he  received no answer or     
impression that the work was done4 ,for 
three  successive days ,edwin went alone
 to the woods to pray4 ,on the third day
 he  felt that the man would recover1   

and immediately he mailed a letter to   
the  lady to that effect4    ,when the  
message was received and read to the    
sick husband1 the faith of  both him and
 his wife were increased and            
strengthened1 and they too  believed    
that he would soon be well4 ,from that  
very hour there was a change  in the    
man's condition1 and the sore began at  
once to heal4 ,when the nurses  came to 
dress the sore1 they were astonished at 
the change1 and the doctors  confessed  
that it was a mystery too deep for them 
to fathom1 but to ,edwin  it was only   
another blessing from the ,lord4    ,and
 when he had called unto him his twelve 
disciples1 he gave them power  against  
unclean spirits1 to cast them out1 and  
to heal all manner of  sickness and all 
manner of disease 7,matt4 #aj3 #a74     
,for the scripture saith1 ,whosoever    
believeth on him shall not be ashamed4  
,for there is no difference between the 
,jew and the ,greek3 for the same ,lord 
over all is rich unto all that call upon

 him4 ,for whosoever shall call upon    
the name of the ,lord shall be saved4444
 ,how beautiful are the feet of them    
that preach the gospel of peace1 and    
bring glad tidings of good things6      
7,rom4 #aj3aa-ae74        ,,chapter     
,,xxi    ,,discovers ,,god',s ,,church  
,o ,church of ,god1 thou spotless bride4
    ,on ,jesus' breast secure6    ,no   
stains of sin in thee abide4    ,thy    
garments all are pure2    ,of unity and 
holiness    ,thy gentle voice doth sing1
    ,of purity and lowliness    ,thy    
songs of triumph ring4      --,clara ,m4
 ,brooks4    ,a number of years had     
passed since ,edwin began preaching1 and
 in the  suburbs of a large city where  
the houses were numbered in groups of   
twos  and threes1 there was a certain   
quiet dwelling that could not help      
attracting the notice of the passerby2  
for the place1 surrounded as it was  by 
a pretty grassy lawn with a few choice  
flowers scattered here and there1       
disclosed the fact that the occupants of

 the cottage were lovers of the         
beautiful4    ,through an open window a 
song of praise was floating1 and upon   
the face of  the fair and noble young   
woman within could be read happiness1   
contentment1  and love4 ,she was busying
 herself about the stove1 for she was   
,edwin's  wife1 and she was preparing   
her husband's evening meal4 ,god not    
only had  raised the poorhouse waif     
above his difficulties1 but had given   
him in  addition a good ,christian      
companion to comfort and encourage him4 
,a smile and a cheerful word were       
,edwin's greeting when he returned from 
the  post-office4 ,seating himself in   
the large comfortable chair that had    
been  placed by loving hands close      
beside the window1 he began at once to  
examine  the mail4 ,there were several  
letters1 which were each read in turn2  
but  when ,edwin came to the paper1 his 
face wore a puzzled expression1 for the 
latter was not his own4    ,i guess a   
mistake has been made somehow at the    

post-office1 he said1 for  this paper   
belongs to another person2 but ,i see   
that the wrapper is loose1  and ,i      
suppose it will be all right for me to  
slip it off and look the paper  over1   
for that's what ,i hope the other fellow
 will do with mine4 ,then as  he        
proceeded to unfold the large religious 
periodical1 he remarked1 ,i  haven't yet
 found a paper that can come up to our  
own1 and we can rejoice  tonight because
 whoever has it will have something good
 to read4    ,at the very beginning of  
their home life1 ,edwin1 feeling that   
some good  religious paper ought to come
 regularly to their home1 had chosen    
from a  bundle of sample copies the     
paper he considered best suited for     
their  purpose1 and for some time it had
 been making its weekly visits to their 
home4 ,since then it had been his custom
 to read aloud either from it or the    
,bible while his wife was busy about her
 household duties4 ,in this way they    
could talk over together the subjects   

that puzzled them while these were      
still fresh in their minds4    ,as      
,edwin's eyes fell upon the title of the
 new paper that he had just  brought and
 found that the name of the paper       
contained three words and that  the     
middle word was ,gospel1 he said1 ,well1
 it at least has a good name1  and now  
we'll see if it teaches what its title  
indicates4    ,the heading of an article
 that read1 ,god's ,word as ,our ,guide1
 next  attracted his attention2 and when
 he began reading1 his wife left her    
partly prepared supper to come and look 
over his shoulder4    ,as trusting      
children of ,god1 we naturally look to  
him for guidance2 for he  has said1 ',i 
will instruct thee and teach thee in the
 way that thou shalt  go3 ,i will guide 
thee with mine eye4' ,when two paths lie
 before us and we  know not which one to
 take1 we ask ,god to make known to us  
the way that he  would have us take4    
,god is willing to do this4 ,he is glad 
to have us follow  where he leads4      

,that is very good1 ,edwin's wife       
remarked4    ,drawing a chair beside his
 own for her1 ,edwin said3    ,never    
mind the supper4 ,sit down1 and we will 
eat later4    ,then he read3 ,in ,exod4 
#ai3e ,god says that his people will be 
a peculiar  treasure unto him above all 
people4 ,this great favor is bestowed   
upon all  those who obey his voice4     
,when we see how much people have cost  
him1 we can  comprehend1 in a measure1  
how precious we must be in his sight4   
,naturally  we value anything by its    
cost4 ,if this rule be applied here1    
truly ,god must  place great value upon 
his people2 for he spared not his own   
,son1 but  delivered him up for us all4 
,he must therefore estimate our value by
 his  ,son4    ,next he read under the  
heading ,god's ,church3 ,no one thing on
 earth is  complete enough in its nature
 to fully represent the church of ,god4 
,neither  is the human mind able to     
grasp singly a name that would express  
every  feature of the church4 ,for this 

reason ,god has made use of many        
relative  names1 such as kingdom1 ,zion1
 holy city1 house1 body of ,christ1     
bride of  ,christ1 family1 sheepfold1   
vine and its branches1 and other similar
  illustrations4    ,first1 let us      
consider the word 'church4' ,it means a 
congregation of  people separated from  
the world 7,john #ae3ai74 ,next1 ,god's 
church is  characterized by being       
separate from the world and all its     
evils 7#b ,cor4  #f3ad71 and ,christ is 
the head 7,eph4 #a3bb71 the door 7,john 
#aj3i71 the  foundation 7#a ,cor4       
#c3aa71 and the chief corner-stone      
7,eph4 #b3ai1bj74    ,for a moment the  
paper dropped idly in ,edwin's hands1   
for the truth of ,god  was streaming    
down into his heart4 ,ever since his    
talk in the  summer-kitchen with ,mrs4  
,miller1 when she said that she was     
converted at  the time when she joined  
church and in answer to ,edwin's        
question as to  what the church was     
replied that the church was the little  

building where  the roads met1 he had   
felt that there was such a thing as the 
church1 but  he could not get it settled
 that it was the building on the corner1
 as ,mrs4  ,miller had told him that it 
was4 ,but whenever so situated that he  
could do  so1 he had continued to be a  
regular attendant of every religious    
service  either at that place or in some
 adjoining community4 ,in his heart he  
felt  that as the meaning of eternity1  
prayer1 and conversion had been revealed
  to his entire satisfaction1 ,god would
 in his own good time help him to       
discover the true meaning of the word   
church4    ,presently he read under     
another heading3 ,the gospel of         
salvation that  ,christ preached        
penetrated the dark places of sin and   
idolatry like sun  rays driving back the
 darkness of night4 ,wickedness in the  
hearts and lives  of men gave way to    
grace and truth4 ,christ then           
established his church4  ,true holiness 
adorned her fair brow4 ,unity and purity

 were her chief  characteristics4 ,of   
her it is said1 ',thou art all fair1 my 
love2 there is  no spot in thee' 7,s4 of
 ,sol4 #d3g74 ,and again1 ',my dove1 my 
undefiled1 is  but one' 7,s4 of ,sol4   
#f3i74 ',he ,christ is the head of the  
body1 the church  444 that in all things
 he might have preeminence' 7,col4      
#a3ah74    ,having purchased1 founded1  
and built the church1 ,god claims       
exclusive  right to the government4 ,she
 is not 'our church1' but ',god's       
building1'  owned by ,god alone4 ,all   
her members are the sons of ,god and    
bear his holy  image4 ',god hath set the
 members every one of them in the body1 
as it hath  pleased him' 7#a ,cor4      
#ab3ah71 for 'ye are the body of        
,christ1 and members in  particular4'   
,for a moment ,edwin paused to meditate 
upon what he had read2 then he          
continued3    ,it is ,god himself that  
assigns each member his place in the    
church1 or the  body of ,christ1 and    
makes known to him what his line of     

spiritual work is  to be--',now ye are  
the body of ,christ1 and members in     
particular4 ,and ,god  hath set some in 
the church1 first apostles1 secondarily 
prophets1 thirdly  teachers1 after that 
miracles1 then gifts of healing1' etc4  
7#a ,cor4  #ab3bg1bh74    ,the origin of
 the church is the immediate result of  
conversion and is  inseparable from it4 
',i pray not for the world1 but for them
 which thou  hast given me2 for they are
 thine4 ,neither pray ,i for these      
alone1 but for  them also which shall   
believe on me through their word2 that  
they all may  be one2 as thou1 ,father1 
art in me 444 that the world may believe
 that thou  hast sent me' 7,john #ag3i1 
#bj1 #ba74 ',as new-born babes1 desire  
the sincere  milk of the word1 that ye  
may grow thereby 444 ye also1 as lively 
stones1  are built up a spiritual house1
 an holy priesthood1 to offer up        
spiritual  sacrifices1 acceptable to    
,god by ,jesus ,christ4 ,but ye are a   
chosen  generation1 a royal priesthood1 

an holy nation1 a peculiar people2 that 
ye  should show forth the praises of him
 who hath called you out of darkness    
into his marvelous light3 which in time 
past were not a people1 but are now  the
 people of ,god4' 7#a ,pet4 #b3b1 #e1   
#i1 #aj74    ,again ,edwin paused1 and  
as the wonderful beauty and completeness
 of ,god's  plan concerning his people  
dawned upon his mind1 his large brown   
eyes were  brightened with tears of joy1
 and he said to his wife3    ,i believe 
,i understand at last what is meant by  
'the church4' ,all  converted souls1    
both dead and alive1 and of every nation
 or race of people  in the world1 make  
up ,god's church1 and to become a member
 of the church is  to be converted1 or  
born into ,god's family4    ,read on1   
his wife said eagerly1 and ,edwin       
continued3    ,god's people are not to  
forsake the assembling of themselves    
together to  worship him 7,heb4 #aj3be72
 'for where two or three are gathered   
together in  my name there am ,i in the 

midst of them4' 7,matt4 #ah3bj74    ,it 
may be a mystery in the mind of some why
 we read in the ,bible of  churches1    
when ,god has but one church4 ,a little 
attention to the word will  convince any
 honest mind that the church of ,god is 
plural only in regard to  its           
geographical location4 ,the people in   
the different communities could  not go 
up to ,jerusalem in order to assemble   
themselves together in worship1  for the
 distance in some instances would have  
been too great4 ,thus1 it  became       
necessary for many to form home         
congregations4 ,but although they  were 
often widely separated1 the same sweet  
fellowship was flowing in the  hearts of
 all1 and ,god looked upon them all     
together as his church1 or the  body of 
his beloved ,son4 ,the idea in referring
 to the church1 or the divine           
congregation1 as a bride and wife in    
relation to ,christ was to teach their  
close relationship4 ',and ,i will       
betroth thee unto me forever2 yea1 ,i   

will  betroth thee unto me in           
righteousness1 and in judgment1 and in  
loving-kindness1 and in mercies4 ,i will
 even betroth thee unto me in           
faithfulness3 and thou shalt know the   
,lord' 7,hosea #b3ai1 #bj74 ',for ,i am 
jealous over you with godly jealousy3   
for ,i have espoused you to one         
husband1 that ,i may present you as a   
chaste virgin to ,christ' 7#b ,cor4     
#aa3b74 ',he that hath the bride is the 
bridegroom' 7,john #c3bi74 ',for thy    
maker is thine husband2 the ,lord of    
hosts is his name2 and thy ,redeemer the
  ,holy ,one of ,israel2 ,the ,god of   
the whole earth shall he be called'     
7,isa4  #ed3e74 ',let us be glad and    
rejoice1 and give honor to him3 for the 
marriage  of the ,lamb is come1 and his 
wife hath made herself ready4 ,and to   
her was  granted that she should be     
arrayed in fine linen1 clean and white3 
for the  fine linen is the righteousness
 of saints' 7,rev4 #ai3g1 #h74 ,since no
 man can  rightly have more than one    

wife1 ,god has but one church1 and      
,christ is her  husband4    ,wife1      
,edwin said1 this truly is wonderful4 ,i
 see it all clearly now4 ,god  has had a
 purpose in keeping me from joining the 
little church on the  corner1 for ,i was
 already born into ,god's church when ,i
 was converted4 ,he  understood my      
ignorance2 and although they have long  
since changed their  minds concerning   
me1 the ten years that ,i requested to  
prove my sincerity  have shielded me    
from making a mistake1 and my name has  
long ago been  enrolled in heaven4      
,as they continued to glance over the   
pages of the paper1 they came to a      
large advertisement of a camp-meeting to
 be held in an adjoining ,state4  ,after
 reading the urgent invitation to all   
who could to come to the  spiritual     
feast1 ,edwin said that he would like   
very much to attend that  meeting4 ,it  
was impossible for them to both leave at
 the same time1 but  ,edwin's wife urged
 him to go while she remained to take   

care of things at  home4    ,before     
retiring that night ,edwin told his     
companion about the first  camp-meeting 
that he ever attended4 ,i know1 he said1
 that ,i was looked  upon by many as a  
lunatic1 but ,i'm glad that ,god        
realized and understood  all about the  
difficulties that had surrounded my     
early life4 ,and1 ,wife1 if  ,i had it  
all to do over again1 ,i could never    
know more perfectly how to  consecrate  
myself to ,god and to realize the       
completeness of his love within  my     
heart4 ,and thus their talk continued   
long into the night4 ,their supper  had 
been forgotten1 for they were feasting  
on heavenly manna4    ,when the time for
 the meeting arrived1 ,edwin bade his   
wife farewell at the  station2 and as it
 was but a few hours' ride1 he was soon 
at his  destination4 ,his general       
appearance as well as his understanding 
of the  three languages helped him to   
make a far better impression than he had
 made  at the time of him conversion1   

but his same innocence regarding sinful 
pleasures was still very noticeable4    
,from his earliest recollections in the 
poorhouse his desire to do right for    
principle's sake had never left him4    
,this desire and ,god's wonderful       
protection had guarded him against many 
evils that might in later years have    
entangled his feet and obstructed his   
pathway4    ,what he saw and heard in   
the meeting was in such harmony with all
 that ,god  had taught him and with what
 he had read in the ,bible that he said1
 ,of a  truth ,i have found ,god's      
church1 and his people shall henceforth 
be my  people4    ,he was still of the  
same humble1 teachable spirit1 and when 
he returned to  his home1 he carried    
many rich morsels of truth to his loving
 and faithful  wife4    ,one ,god and   
,father of all1 who is above all1 and   
through all1 and in you  all 7,eph4 #d3 
#f74 ,he will guide you into all truth  
7,john #af3 #ac74        ,,chapter      
,,xxii    ,,visits ,,the ,,poorhouse    

,i am not old--though time has set      
,his signet on my brow1    ,and some    
faint furrows there have met1    ,which 
care may deepen now--    ,for in my     
heart a fountain flows1    ,and round it
 pleasant thoughts repose1    ,and      
sympathies and feelings high    ,spring 
like the stars on evening sky4          
--,benjamin4    ,it was evening in the  
late summer1 and ,edwin was sitting upon
 the porch4 ,he  had been reading1 but  
the paper had fallen carelessly by his  
side4 ,in the  western sky the beautiful
 tints of gold were rapidly changing to 
the deeper  shades of lavender and      
crimson1 and as he gazed upward among   
the drifting  clouds he seemed lost to  
his earthly surroundings4 ,so enraptured
 and  carried away with his meditation  
had he become that he did not notice the
  approach of his faithful wife as she  
came to take her place beside him4      
,edwin1 your thoughts tonight seem to be
 very far away indeed1 she said4  ,i    
hope that you are thinking of things    

that are pleasant    ,with a smile and a
 word of welcome1 ,edwin awoke from his 
reverie and said3    ,yes1 ,wife1 my    
thoughts were pleasant4 ,in imagination 
,i was living over  again some of my    
early experiences4    ,if that is the   
case1 my dear1 ,i greatly fear that a   
part of your thoughts  were not as      
cheerful as they might have been1 his   
wife said as her chair  was drawn       
closer4 ,taking the hand that was       
scarred and disfigured in  several      
places by abuse in his childhood1 she   
continued3 ,i fear that many  things    
concerning your childhood would be very 
hard indeed if you were  forced to live 
them over again even in thought4        
,yes1 ,wife1 that is true4 ,there were  
many hard and bitter things1 which are  
indeed painful to recall1 especially    
those pertaining to my mother4 ,to know 
that she has left this life without any 
hope for the future world1 feeling  that
 such was unnecessary1 is hard1 but it  
was not of her nor of her  attitude     

toward me that ,i was thinking          
altogether4 ,i was meditating upon my   
life as a whole4 ,you see1 more than    
fifty summers and winters have passed   
since ,i left the poorhouse in my       
boyhood days1 and ,i have passed well   
over  the best part of my life4 ,i am   
now on the downward slope of life's     
mountain  of years1 and it will not be  
long until ,i shall be entering the     
valley of  the shadow of death4    ,the 
soft fingers of the gentle wife closed  
more tightly over the hand they  held1  
as she said3    ,yes1 dear1 neither of  
us is young any more1 for the silvery   
threads are  already in our hair2 but   
whether our years on earth are few or   
many1 ,i  believe that we both are ready
 to enter into the presence of our ,lord
 at  any moment that he should call for 
us4    ,i have no fears on those lines1 
,wife1 ,edwin said1 while his eyes were 
still upon the beautiful horizon2 for ,i
 have the sweet assurance within my     
soul that ,i am a child of ,god and that

 ,i am on the road that leads to        
eternal bliss and glory for all who are 
faithful unto the end4 ,but this        
evening as ,i sat here gazing upon the  
beautiful handiwork of ,god1 ,i         
wondered what could be awaiting us in   
that brighter and better world beyond   
the grave4    ,that is not for us to    
know now1 ,edwin1 but some day the      
curtain will be  drawn aside1 and ,i am 
sure that the scene will be all the     
brighter for our  having had to await   
,god's time to reveal to us the         
mysteries that he has  for a time       
thought best to veil4    ,the silence   
that followed seemed too sacred to be   
broken1 and the gathering  darkness     
crept slowly about them4 ,when the last 
shade of crimson had left  the sky1     
,edwin said3    ,i have been thinking of
 the many good things that have come to 
me in this  life1 and the manner in     
which they have come4 ,it seems that    
,god's hand has  been over me ever since
 ,i can remember1 and as ,i look back   

now ,i can see  that ,god has always    
been my guide ever since ,i chose to do 
the right  because it was right to do   
it1 and that even in my extreme         
ignorance1 when  ,i knew nothing of     
,god's existence1 he guided my steps and
 enabled me to  live a life that was    
upright and consistent in the eyes of   
the world4 ,then1  when ,i had no       
earthly friend who was able to unfold   
the mysteries of the  future world to my
 entire satisfaction1 he became my      
teacher and taught me  how to be born   
into his heavenly family4 ,surely it was
 only through his  divine protection    
that ,i have been brought through all my
 perplexities to  the present time4     
,then as ,i was thinking about my       
childhood home at the  poorhouse1 a     
great desire to visit the place again   
crept into my heart4 ,it  seems to me   
that it would be a comfort to stand once
 more upon the same  ground and to see  
the scenes that ,i beheld at the time   
when ,i was a  helpless waif4    ,fifty 

years1 ,edwin1 have probably made many  
changes1 and nothing would  seem the    
same to you now4 ,it could not be as it 
was when you were a child4    ,that may 
all be true1 ,edwin replied1 and yet the
 more ,i think about it1  the greater   
becomes my desire to go and visit the   
place again4 ,if you could  give your   
consent1 ,i should be glad to go at     
once4    ,that you certainly have1 his  
wife said earnestly1 adding1 ,i will    
gladly  do all in my power4 ,edwin1 to  
help you to prepare for the journey4    
,three days later ,edwin kissed his wife
 good-by and with his handbag in his    
hand started for the railway station4   
,after boarding the train he had a  long
 and tiresome journey1 but at last it   
was at an end4 ,alighting from the      
train1 he stood for a moment upon the   
platform1 trying to think which way  to 
go4 ,noticing a man standing near1      
,edwin inquired the way to the          
poorhouse1 and finding that the distance
 was not too great to walk1 he was  soon

 wending his way in that direction4     
,in that section of the country the land
 was quite level1 and long before       
,edwin reached the place1 he could see  
the large brick building that during    
his stay there was the quarters of the  
vicious and insane4 ,he wondered if  it 
was still used for the same purpose and 
if the same sights and sounds  could be 
seen and heard4 ,in a little while he   
was in front of the place  that was his 
home half a century before4    ,leaving 
the highway1 he passed through the open 
gateway1 and a picture of  his uncle in 
the buggy with the little forlorn       
poorhouse waif sitting  beside him arose
 in his mind4 ,looking about1 he        
wondered if either ,mr4  ,engler or the 
chore-boy ,jim were in sight2 but he was
 not long in  discovering that a new    
manager 7or steward as he was called7 by
 the name  of ,blohm had taken ,mr4     
,engler's place and that no one could   
tell him the  whereabouts of ,jim4 ,he  
was beginning to reah'ze that what his  

wife had said  concerning the changes of
 fifty years was true1 but the greatest 
surprize  was before him4    ,the room  
in which he had been left by his        
heartless mother was still fresh  in his
 memory as he had left it to go to his  
mother's home4 ,when a moment  later he 
stepped inside the up-to-date office    
that was in the main  building1 he could
 scarcely believe that the apartment was
 the same that he  had known years      
before4 ,nothing1 not even the couch    
upon which the  cruel-hearted woman had 
laid her helpless babe1 was there1 for  
all the  furniture was bright and new4  
,here he met ,mr4 ,blohm1 and after     
introducing himself as one who had      
formerly been an inmate of the home1 and
 relating some of the ,lord's  dealings 
with him1 he told a little about his    
checkered experiences and  ended the    
story by telling of his divine          
commission to preach the gospel4  ,after
 all this explanation he was shown every
 possible favor and looked  upon as an  

honorable guest4 ,in fact1 he was taken 
by ,mr4 ,blohm himself all  over the    
establishment4    ,a few of the inmates 
whom ,edwin had known in his childhood  
were still  living1 and although they   
were greatly changed in appearance1 he  
recognized  them as the same persons4   
,when he passed through the long hall1  
he thought  of the time that he had     
followed ,mr4 ,engler on his way to meet
 his uncle in  the office1 and he took a
 special look at the very spot where he 
was  standing when the steward gave him 
the order to come4    ,passing outside1 
he was told to examine a large marble   
stone that had been  placed in the side 
of the building1 and he found that all  
the names of the  different managers1   
including ,august ,engler's1 were there4
 ,in another large  building he found   
the bakery1 and in this busy place the  
greater part of  the cooking was still  
done4 ,as he passed through the large   
double doors  that divided the two      
apartments1 everything seemed for a     

moment as it had  been fifty years      
before1 for just outside he could see   
the spot where he  with other children  
had stood looking down into the bakery  
hoping to  receive from some one a crust
 of bread or a stale biscuit4    ,at    
dinner-time he was conducted into the   
large dining-room4 ,there he found  many
 tables neatly spread with food that was
 good and wholesome1 and it was  plain  
to be seen that the needs of all had    
been taken into consideration4  ,one    
special table had been assigned to the  
management and special workers1  and it 
was there that ,edwin was offered the   
seat of honor4 ,it is needless  to say  
that he greatly enjoyed the good1       
substantial meal1 for he was very       
hungry after all his exertions4         
,after dinner he continued his          
investigations1 and as he went about    
from  place to place1 he seemed to be   
living over again a part of the past4   
,he  recognized the place in which the  
old lady had taught him the words1 ,now 

,i  lay me down to sleep1 and as he     
remembered the comfort that he had      
realized while repeating them1 his heart
 throbbed with gratitude to the ,one    
who knew and understood his childish    
desire to live right4 ,at night he was  
shown to a clean and comfortable bed1   
and there he fell asleep with the  past 
as a sacred dream4    ,in the morning   
,edwin arose feeling greatly refreshed  
and ready to enjoy  another day in the  
county poorhouse1 but before noon he    
reentered the main  office and wrote a  
letter home to his beloved wife4 ,it    
read3    ,dear ,wife3 ,greeting in      
,jesus' name4 ,i am sure that you will  
be anxious to  hear from me and of my   
eventful journey4 ,to me this has been a
 wonderful  experience1 and although it 
is true that everything is greatly      
changed1  there are certain associations
 with every place that bring a flood of 
remembrances4 ,the changes are          
principally in the people1 however1 and 
their  manner of living1 for very few   

buildings have been added or torn away4 
,from the window where ,i am sitting ,i 
can see the old well where we  children 
used to pump the cold water on our dry  
bread4 ,i can also see the  path leading
 down to the large turnip-patch1 and as 
,i watch the waving  tops1 ,i can       
imagine myself a child again eating the 
round white balls1 dirt  and all4 ,i    
have also taken a stroll about the yard 
and stood upon the very  spot where ,i  
used to stand when watching the queer   
actions of the insane  and listening to 
their horrible sayings4 ,the large brick
 building for the  insane of which ,i   
have told you in the past is still as ,i
 remember it1  except that it is no     
longer needed for the insane and the    
gratings from the  doors and windows    
have all been removed4 ,that part of the
 work is taken  care of by the ,state   
asylum1 and this building is now used   
for the weak and  feeble-minded women4  
,there is also another building where   
the men of this  class are cared for by 

special workers4    ,when it became     
known that a former inmate of the       
infirmary was a ,christian  and a       
minister of the gospel1 it was          
considered a great honor to the         
establishment1 and ,i have been         
requested to take charge of the morning 
service in the chapel next ,sunday4 ,i  
have already had the privilege of       
explaining some verses to a few1 and    
some who knew of my early  disadvantages
 confess with shame their own lack and  
wish for an experience  like mine4      
,do pray for me that ,i may be the      
greatest blessing possible while ,i am  
here1 and with the prayer that ,god will
 bless and keep you until we meet       
again1 ,i will close4    ,that ,edwin's 
visit at the poorhouse was profitable1  
both to himself and to  others1 it is   
needless to say4 ,on ,sunday he preached
 to a large audience1  and he was       
privileged also to visit and pray for   
many who were unable to  meet in the    
chapel4 ,thus1 he who was once a poor   

waif in this institution  was enabled to
 be a help and a blessing to those who  
were still  unfortunate4    ,on ,edwin's
 return home1 he and his wife were in   
the cozy living-room until  a late hour 
talking over the events of the past few 
days4 ,before retiring  he reached for  
the ,bible1 and after he had read a     
chapter1 they knelt  together in prayer4
 ,in earnest1 fervent supplication and  
praise he opened  his heart to the ,one 
to whom he was so greatly indebted4     
,o ,lord1 he prayed1 thou hast been so  
merciful to me all my days6 ,thy  hand  
of love and protection hath been over me
 wherever ,i have been4 ,thine  eye hath
 guided my feet past many pitfalls that 
,i could not see4 ,in my  weakness thou 
hast been my strength4 ,in my ignorance 
thou hast been my  wisdom and teacher4  
,when friends forsook me thou wast      
mindful of my needs4  ,when others      
misunderstood thou hast been my         
,comforter4 ,to thee1 ,o ,god1 ,i       
render thanks for all thy benefits1 for 

thy saving and keeping grace that  hath 
reached even to one so unfortunate as   
,i4 ,and now1 ,o ,lord1 grant that  all 
the remainder of my days1 be they few or
 many1 may be spent for thee  and for   
others who have not yet learned to love 
thee and to know of thy  great goodness4
 ,to thee we commit ourselves for the   
night and place our  hands in thine for 
future service1 knowing that when our   
work on earth is  ended1 thou wilt      
gather us home to live among the        
faithful forever4 ,amen4    ,there is   
little else to say of ,edwin's life     
except that his determination  is still 
on the increase to help men and women to
 understand their need of  a ,savior and
 to instruct them in the ways of the    
,lord4 ,as we draw the  curtain over the
 life of the unfortunate poorhouse waif1
 we should not  rejoice alone because he
 has been able to rise above his        
difficulties but  also because his      
divine ,teacher will instruct all who   
will be taught4    ,for this cause ,i   

bow my knees unto the ,father of our    
,lord ,jesus ,christ1 of  whom the whole
 family in heaven and earth is named1   
that he would grant  you1 according to  
the riches of his glory1 to be          
strengthened with might by  the ,spirit 
in the inner man2 that ,christ may dwell
 in your hearts by faith2  that ye1     
being rooted and grounded in love1 may  
be able to comprehend with  all saints  
what is the breadth1 and length1 and    
depth1 and height1 and to  know the love
 of ,christ1 which passeth knowledge1   
that ye might be filled  with all the   
fulness of ,god4 ,now unto him that is  
able to do exceeding  abundantly above  
all that we ask or think1 according to  
the power that  worketh in us1 unto him 
be glory in the church by ,christ ,jesus
 throughout  all ages1 world without    
end4 ,amen4