Produced by Al Haines
Alter Ego
A TALE
by Rev. W. W. Walker
Author of "By Northern Lakes," "Sabre Thrusts at Freethought," "Plain
Talks on Health and Morals, Part II," and "Occident and Orient."
AUTHOR'S EDITION
TORONTO
WILLIAM BRIGGS
1907
Entered according to Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year one
thousand nine hundred and seven, by WILLIAM WESLEY WALKER, at the
Department of Agriculture
To
Lydia Kirby Walker
the granddaughter of a cultured Frenchman
and the faithful partner of my joys
and sorrows, this volume
is affectionately
dedicated.
The author is indebted to the great national newspapers of Canada and
the United States, the Toronto _Globe_ and _Collier's Weekly_, for some
facts from the former and some figures from the latter in rounding up
the historical part of the story as relating to the conflict in the Far
East.
PREFACE
To men who teach and write the oft-recurring question comes, How can we
so influence others in heart and intellect as to help them reach a
loftier plane of thought and action? As every life has its Gethsemane
of sorrow and tragedy, so every life has its morning star of hope and
its mainspring of faith.
Our salvation, then, and the lifting up and saving of others is the
exercise of that vital principle which has its incarnation in hope.
The use of this still further causes the mountains of difficulty that
loom portentous in our pathway and tower to the heavens to crumble into
mole-hills.
The soul is made optimistic and the life beautified by its possession,
while the ear is brought, spiritually speaking, within range of the
victorious shout, "More than conquerors!" and the new song, the song of
Moses and the Lamb.
CONTENTS
I. The Appointment
II. Mr. Melvin's Marriage and Teachings
III. Secretary-Treasurer Thompson's Death--A Surprise
from the Far-off East
IV. 203 Metre Hill and Mukden
V. The Battle of Mukden--and Call of Mr. Devoau as
Associate Minister
VI. Further Teachings and how they are Estimated
ALTER EGO
CHAPTER I.
_THE APPOINTMENT._
In the uplands of Canada was an attractive church with a spire that
pointed longing souls to the skies, and the pastor of which had
finished his course with joy and was now joining in the hallelujah
choruses of the upper sanctuary. The authorities of the denomination
to which the church belonged appointed a man to its pulpit who was
progressive and independent, as well as being very broad-minded. The
necessity for this lay in the fact that the population of the place
represented nearly all the languages and creeds to be found in the
Dominion, and consequently if a man of narrow views were appointed he
would soon make shipwreck of everything.
The new minister, as well as being broad and advanced, was very
honorable, and would not in any way infringe upon the rights of others;
but as Mount Zion was the only church in the place, he was perfectly
safe from any charge of meanness, in the form of coaxing sheep away
from a brother's fold. The first Sunday came upon which the Rev.
Thomas Melvin was to occupy his new pulpit, and an immense congregation
filled every part of the edifice. The text was from the Saviour's
words, "Feed my sheep," and the preacher had not gone far when his
attentive hearers discovered that he was a man of great intellect and
unusual power as a speaker, and they were swayed as corn-stalks in a
tempest as he reasoned of the Saviour's place in the world, and of His
work, and also of man's obligations to Him, as well as to his fellows.
All through the week this first fearless and powerful sermon was the
talk of all who had heard it. Some, however, did not like it, as
telling them of their duty caused indigestion, while others were
delighted, as they loved a man who shunned not to declare all counsel,
whether pleasing or displeasing. The next Sabbath disclosed the fact
that Mr. Melvin was no plug either, as he said things outside the scope
of the Bible and over the boundary line of prescribed theology. One
old gentleman who occupied a front seat in the church, and who was of
portly mould and genial disposition, and whose dinners were really of
more account in his estimation than anything else, forgot said feasts
for a period sufficiently long to say: "My songs! I wonder what that
new preacher means, anyway!"
Next day our friend, who was dean of the dinner-table faculty, called
on his new pastor and said, after being asked how he liked the sermon
on Sunday: "My songs! You said things that my bloomin' brain could
'ardly hunderstand." To tell the truth, Mr. Melvin was something of a
statesman as well as a preacher, and with narrow bigots soon became as
much hated as he was beloved by the broad and liberal minded. The
bigots, however, soon ceased to be. Although those classing themselves
as belonging to other denominations were in no case strong enough to
form societies, yet they remained loyal to what they claimed allegiance
to, but this did not hinder them from frequently hearing Mr. Melvin,
who was delighted to see his countrymen, who in some cases spoke the
mellow, musical tongue of France, that land of art, science, and
literature, and military power. As his congregation was so
cosmopolitan and contained representatives of every leading
denomination, the pastor of Mount Zion preached the doctrines of the
Bible in their broadest sense, and showed their most comprehensive
meaning.
Everyone who heard Mount Zion's rector, or pastor, noticed that he was
perfectly fearless in depicting the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and
having found out that a certain prominent man in the place was very
vile in his morals, and had ruined many young lives, and was in the
habit of running the rig on good people, and who also was most
un-Canadian in his ways, he openly rebuked him for his evil deeds and
for not restraining his family. Of course, this exasperated the man,
and for a long time he was a persistent enemy of Mount Zion's pastor,
but he was yet to find out that the servant of the Galilean would
conquer. His sympathies were all of the Mother Goose type, as is the
case with most evil men, whose stamina is so exhausted in sinning that
they lack the courage to stand alone, and never dare to be Daniels,
above everything heeding God's command.
As Rev. Mr. Melvin was the only resident ordained man in the place, he
had a great many marriages. Indeed, all the marriages--or rather,
marriage ceremonies--were performed by himself and the Rev. Father
Trenton, of the Catholic Church, who came occasionally from a
neighboring parish to minister to people of his own faith.
Mr. Melvin, after meeting Father Trenton two or three times, decided
that he was a man of fine principle and real moral worth, also a strong
advocate for total abstinence from cigarettes and strong drink,
believing, as a man of culture and science, that the effect of both was
pernicious and poisonous, and that on that ground they were to be
avoided. The reverend father was a most companionable man, and, as Mr.
Melvin said, was a jolly good fellow. he was soon invited to the manse
for tea, where a most enjoyable time was spent, and where many a good
story was told. There soon came an invitation to Mr. Melvin from
Father Trenton to visit him at his home in the next town. The
invitation was promptly accepted, and another happy evening whiled
away. It was inspiring to all languages and creeds to see the warm and
hearty cordiality of feeling that existed between these two broad and
liberal-minded men, which taught the world that the elevation of the
human race lay not in such senseless antagonisms as existed among our
bigoted and foolish ancestors, but in the exercise of a spirit not only
of toleration, but of good-fellowship and love.
Some very amusing incidents occurred during the performance of the
marriage ceremony. One man, who had previously been received into the
Church, and who was asked the question, "Will you renounce the world,
the flesh and the evil one?" the answer of which was, "I renounce them
all," was asked, "Will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, for
better, for worse, in sickness and health, till death you do part?" and
in his excitement, having the membership reception in mind, he said, "I
renounce them all." On another occasion, while a couple were being
yoked together, the groomsman suddenly leaned over and saluted the
bride instead of the groom, to the infinite amusement of all present,
and causing the face of the latter to take on a crimson hue.