The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1901, Page 15

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‘The Lutheran Pioneer.

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The Story of an English Surgeon.

His father, a captain in the British navy,
died before his birth. His mother died three
weeks after his birth, and the babe was left in
charge of his father’s friend, who acted as
the kindest of fathers towards the orphan.
When the young man had completed his uni-
versity course and his medical studies, he was
appointed surgeon in the English army, and
with a handsome fortune and happy heart en-
tered upon his career.

He was more than once honorably men-
tioned for faithful service, and was so moral
and upright that he was nicknamed
‘parson’? by the officers of the
mess. He prided himself upon his
high character. General Gordon,
the Christian soldier, was fond of
him, and taking him to his room
one day, told him his need of Christ,
reading to him the Bible. The next
day the surgeon’s regiment was or-
dered to Malta, and Gordon went
with him to the vessel, saying to
him lovingly and solemnly as they
separated, ‘‘I am sure the Lord will
bring you to Himself, but it will be
through deep humiliation and sor-
Trow.’”’

Not long after, the surgeon re-
tired from the army. With abun-
dant means at his disposal he wan-
dered about the world, reading the
Bible constantly, because he ad-
mired its literary beauties, but quite
unconscious of his own guilt and
Tuinasasinner. ‘Thus he came to
New York. He placed his money
in a celebrated bank, the manager
of which was a scoundrel, who
robbed him of all.

Disappointed and enraged, he
took to strong drink. He had no
difficulty in finding employment on
the papers, for he was a good scholar
and a ready writer; but he could
not break the fetters of that vice of intemper-
ance. In vain he struggled, and wept, and
vowed. At last a severe attack of pneumonia
brought him to death’s door, and upon his
recovery he sought a dry climate in an interior
city of the country.

Here, too, he at once obtained employment
onthe daily papers; but he could not conquer
the dreadful habit of drunkenness. A paper
of which he was chosen to be the editor failed,
and this started him upon a long debauch.
When he came to himself, he was in a hospi-
tal, physically wrecked, and racked with hor-
tible sufferings. One Sunday morning he said
to the nurse: ‘‘Hand me that Bible on the
mantel.” ‘‘No,’? replied the nurse, “‘you
must not read it, it will excite you too much.
Go to sleep now, and when you are stronger,
Iwill give it to you.’? ‘The despairing sinner
begged and promised that he would read it

only five minutes. The nurse placed the book
in his hands, and he turned to the first chap-

|or any other sinner but the blood of Christ;
| nothing will save him but the mercy of God;

ter of John. His eyes fell upon the words: | nothing will keep him but the abiding presence

‘““As many as received Him, to them gave He
power to become the sons of God, even to
them that believe on His name.’’ ‘The scales
fell from his eyes. He saw that his great sin
was the rejecting of the Saviour, who alone
could help him from sin. ‘Receive Him,”’
he cried, ‘this is what I need. I commit my

poor sinful soul to Him who suffered and died |

for me.’’
He rested his faith on the finished work of
Christ, and whilst before he had been trem-

HE LIVES.

“Weep not! Behold thy Saviour near!
He lives to silence all thy fear,
He lives to calm thy troubled heart,
He lives, all blessings to impart.”
SSS ——— ee

bling in every joint, he now became calm and
soon slept like a child for hours. He was
awakened by the touch of the doctor’s hand,
who asked him how he felt. ‘‘Jesus Christ
has saved my soul,’’ he replied. The doctor,
who was an unbeliever, laughed and passed
on, no doubt thinking that his patient was 2
crank.

The surgeon got well, and he now being a
child of God sin had no longer dominion over
him. When asked what he thought of pledges
and temperance societies, he answered: ‘‘They
are like Job’s three friends, miserable com-
forters all. Nothing will cleanse the drunkard

of the Holy Spirit. Oh, I have tried them all,

| and let me say with earnestness, that the only

way to save the drunkard or any other sin-
ner is to lead him to receive Jesus, the only
Saviour.”

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An Easter Surprise.

There isa little town called Feldkirch on the
| frontier of Austria, on the Ill, an sflluent of
|the Rhine. It numbers under three thousand
inhabitants. In the year 1799, when
the armies of Napoleon were sweep-
ing over the continent, Massena, one
of his generals, suddenly appeared
on the heights above the town at
the head of eighteen thousand men.

It was Easter Day, and the morn-
ing sun as it rose glittered upon the
weapons of the French, at the top
of the range of hills west of Feld-
kirch. The town council hastily as-
sembled to consult what was to be
done. Defense was impossible.

Should a deputation be sent to
Massena with the keys of the town,
with an entreaty that he should treat
the place with mercy?

Then the old dean of the church
stood up. ‘‘It is Easter Day,”’ he
said. ‘‘We have been reckoning on
our own strength, and that fails.
It is the day of the Lord’s resurrec-
tion. Let us ring the bells and have
services as usual, and leave the
matter in God’s hands. We know
only our weaknesses and not the
power of God.”’

His word prevailed. ‘Then all at
once, from the three or four church
towers in Feldkirch, the bells began
to clang joyous peals in honor of the
resurrection, and the streets were
; filled with worshipers hastening to
the house of God. ‘The French heard with
surprise and alarm the sudden clamor of the
joy bells, and, concluding that the Austrian
army had arrived in the night to relieve the
place, Massena suddenly broke up his camp,
and before the bells ceased ringing not a
Frenchman was to be seen.

The Compass to Steer By.

‘tWell, my boy, so you are going to try your »
fortune in the city? I tell you itis a danger-
ous ocean to Jaunch your craft on,’ said a man
to his neighbor’s son.

“Yes, sir,’? answered the lad, taking his
Bible from his pocket; ‘‘but you see, T’'ye
got a safe compass to steer by.”

“Stick to it, stick to it!’? cried the man,
‘and the enemy may blow hot or cold, and
he can’t hurt so much as 8 hair of your head.’