I now add a number of facts and incidents that occurred during these
two months of labor.
There was a Mr. G----, a coal-digger, of desperate character, that I
had been warned not to visit. I was told that he was such an abandoned
character that he was hopeless; that he spent the most of every night
in a miserable doggery, drinking and fighting. I had passed his house
every day for some time, but did not feel satisfied with myself for
neglecting it.
At last I felt constrained to call one evening; but he had not returned
from his work. I had a long, earnest talk with his wife, who seemed
very careless and wicked. All I could say made no impression on her. I
gave her a copy of Baxter’s Call, with the earnest request that she and
her husband would read it. What followed I will relate as near as I can
in his own words in a prayer-meeting in his own house about two weeks
after.
“While eating my supper, my wife told me some man had been here and
left a book, which he was very desirous she and I should read. I got
the book to look at it, and read a few pages without much interest; but
as I was very tired, I concluded not to go to the grog-shop that night.
In the morning, which was Sunday morning, I felt inclined to go and get
my bitters; but seeing the book, I concluded to read till breakfast,
and then go. By the time breakfast was ready I felt pretty serious, and
asked my wife if she would not like to go to church--a place we had not
been in for eight years. She said she had no objections. I read till
it was time to go, and began to feel somewhat anxious about my soul. I
listened to the preaching with intense interest. I read the book nearly
through that evening, went back to the church that night, and when
those who desired to have an interest in Christ were called for, I came
forward. A week after, I found peace.”
He then added, “If it had not been for that book, I think myself and
wife would have been in hell to-night. That gun was loaded,” pointing
to an old gun in the corner, “with a view of killing myself and wife
near a month ago, and if God had not saved me, it would likely have
been done before this time. I was a miserable man; life was a burden;
but now I am happy.”
This narrative brought tears to all our eyes, and joy to our hearts.
I visited some of the grog-shops around the village every day to
supply their customers with temperance tracts. In the village proper,
no liquor could be sold, as in all the deeds for lots there was a
temperance clause that forfeited the property if liquor was sold; but
all round the village the grog was abundant, and customers plenty.
Passing one of these drinking places one day I saw several customers
in, and entered the bar-room with my tracts. The liquor-sellers had
got to know me, and often looked daggers at me. A good-looking man,
well dressed, and about half drunk, was approaching the counter to get
a six-cent drink. Said I, “My friend, I can give you something for
six cents that will do you much more good, and no harm.” He asked me
what it was, when I presented to him Baxter’s Call. I told him the
liquor might kill him, and if he would read that book with prayerful
attention, it might save his soul. He said he would buy the book if he
had the money, but that he had only six cents to pay for that glass of
liquor, which by this time was standing on the counter.
We both came up to the counter, when I laid the book beside the glass,
saying, “Here is life or death for six cents.” The grog-seller said
I had no business to come there annoying his customers, and injuring
his business. I urged the man at the risk of losing his soul to buy
and read the book. The struggle seemed to be between life and death.
At last he handed me the money, took the book, and went out of the
room. I then handed the landlord a book worth more than the whiskey,
and told him to read it, and then sell it to make up the loss. This is
only a sample of every day occurrences in village and city colportage.
Eternity only will reveal the results.
At the request of the proprietors of a large rolling-mill, I visited
those in their employ.
Among them was a man that professed to be a kind of Universalist
preacher. He was a boss over a number of hands, and I was told was
shrewd and fond of argument, and was doing much injury in propagating
his opinions. Late one evening I called at his rooms. There was no one
in but his wife. I conversed with her some time, and found her a pious
Christian woman. I asked her about her husband. She burst into tears,
and said he was a kind husband, but a wicked man; that he preached
sometimes, and was a Universalist.
While I was urging her to labor and pray for his salvation, a
fine-looking man, of a haughty mien and deportment, came in.
I arose and introduced myself, and asked if he was Mr. V----, the
gentleman of the house. He replied that he was. I then told him I was a
colporteur visiting from house to house, selling and giving books, and
talking and praying with the people.
“Oh, I have heard of you about here for two or three days. I am a
Universalist, sir; I don’t believe there is any such place as hell.” I
replied that it would be well for many of us if that doctrine was true,
and asked him how long he had been a Universalist. He said about eight
years; that his mother had belonged to the orthodox, and taught him in
his early years about a terrible place called hell, and that he knew no
better till about eight years ago. That for three or four years after
he heard the true doctrine of the salvation of all men, he was troubled
with those foolish prejudices; but for the last four years he had never
had a solitary _pang_ on that subject.
I replied that it was often hard to get rid of a mother’s instructions
and prayers; that it had taken the devil four years to silence his
conscience, and get them put to sleep.
“Do you feel confident,” I said, “that you are this moment prepared to
enter heaven if you were to die?” “Yes,” said he, “as certain as I am
that the sun rises and sets.” “Well,” said I, “is not this rather a
toilsome world to live in?” “Yes,” said he, “it is, and I have a full
share of it.” “Then,” said I, “why not cut your throat, and go right
to heaven this evening?” “Oh,” said he, “I have my wife to provide
for.” “Oh,” said I, “cut her throat, and take her along.” “Oh,” said
he, “that would be wrong.” “No,” said I, “if your creed is right, it
cannot be wrong; and even if it should, you would be done with all the
consequences of the wrong as soon as you were dead.” He hung his head,
and made no further reply. I told him I hoped that he had seen the
fallacy of his belief, and would at once abandon such soul-destroying
opinions. I sold him several books, and left him.
As the men worked by turns all night in the rolling-mills, and it was
difficult to gain access to them, one of the proprietors proposed
that he would join me to visit them all the next Sabbath, when they
often gathered in groups to play cards and drink. Accordingly the next
Sabbath morning we were joined by a theological student, and commenced
going round the houses and rooms, near one hundred in number.
Late in the evening we entered the apartments of Mr. V---- and his
wife. They were sitting reading new books, which I think were those I
had sold them. I said, “Good evening, Mr. V----. I have come to talk
with you again, and I am glad to see you reading those books. I hope
you have changed your mind on religious subjects.” “No,” said he, “I am
more convinced than ever that I am right.” “Well,” said I, “I want to
ask you a few questions by the way of information, as you profess to
have a near cut to heaven.” Said he, “I am not going to answer any more
of your questions. I don’t like to be criticized.” I told him I would
only ask him easy questions; that I wanted to know what that scripture
meant which speaks of a class of men who “shall not be forgiven,
neither in this world, nor in the world to come.” Said he, “I am not
going to answer any more questions.”
Mr. R---- said he would like to ask him one question. “There were two
thieves crucified with Christ. He said to the one, ‘This day shalt thou
be with me in paradise;’ where did the other go?” He made no answer.
We all three united in urging him to repent and believe in Christ, but
he made no answer. At last I said, “Brethren, unless God will hear and
answer prayer in this man’s behalf, he is a lost man.” His wife was
weeping as if her heart would break. We knelt in prayer, and I think
there were four earnest hearts lifted up to God. He sat still some
minutes, but at last he knelt. When we rose from our knees the tears
were running down his cheeks. I said, “Do you feel no ‘pangs’ now?”
With a sob that seemed to come from his heart, he said, “I don’t know
what has come over me.” We then pointed him to the Saviour, and told
him we believed his feelings were produced by the Spirit of God. Of all
the penitents that I have ever seen, I hardly remember one who seemed
so deeply moved as this man. During the time he remained in that place
he seemed to be an entirely changed man.
One day, accompanied by the Rev. Mr. J----, we called at the office of
a very fine-looking gentleman, and introduced the subject of religion
to him. He was rather surly and sceptical. I proposed to sell him a
book, but he declined, saying that he seldom read such books. At last
I proposed to give him a copy of Nelson on Infidelity, and went on to
say that it equalled any romance in interest. At last he said, “I have
money plenty to buy books, and as you are so urgent about it, I will
buy it, and read it; and if it is not as good as you say it is, I will
give you a thrashing the first time I catch you.” I told him I would
run the risk of that if he would read the book carefully.
About ten days after we were passing again, and called on him. He met
us in the most cordial manner. I told him I had called to see whether
he would thrash me or not for the book I had sold him. “Oh,” said he,
“it is the best book I ever read. I would not take five dollars for it,
if I could not get another like it.” We found him deeply anxious about
his soul. After a long talk with him, I told him I was about to close
my labors there, and never expected to meet him again in this world,
and urged him to meet me in heaven. With tears running down his cheeks,
he said to Mr. J----, “Will _you_ not come and see me again?” Mr. J----
said with tears that he would, and he no doubt did very frequently.