Clergy -- Canada -- Fiction; Russo-Japanese War, 1904-1905 -- Fiction
Shortly after Rev. Mr. Melvin's departure old Uncle Reynolds, as he was
called, was struck by a pilot engine at the station, and so seriously
injured that he was taken home in the ambulance. He was the most
saintly man in the tabernacle, and Rev. Mr. Devoau, now in full charge,
was sent for. His practiced eye at once told him that the old man's
hour had almost come. Stooping down he said, "Uncle, how is it with
your soul?" and opening his weary eyes the aged veteran said, "It is
well; it is well." Talking for a moment or two with his pastor he
said: "Our dear Bro. Melvin is gone from us, but, oh, how precious are
his teachings! As the result of them my feet are on the Rock of
Ages--the rock of Christ--and I have long since found out that 'all
other ground,' as the sacred bard says, 'is sinking sand.'"
Coming back late in the evening Mr. Devoau said, "Uncle, is there light
in the valley?" and the dying man raised his feeble hand and blessed
his pastor, and whispered to him that he had already been a blessing to
many and the people loved him. Then he said: "Oh, yes, the valley is
bathed in light; for He has said, 'At evening time it shall be light.'"
With these words trembling upon his lips the old man swept through the
gates of paradise, a ransomed soul.
Finished as was the course of this saintly man, yet the great world, as
in all such cases, moved on, and with it the teaching of the new pastor
of Mount Zion.
Speaking to the young people some time after this, he said: "Let there
be no misunderstanding concerning what I stand for, and what we all
should stand for. I am for liberty of conscience, freedom and
independence, along all lines, both religious and national, even to the
granting of home rule to poor, old, long-suffering Ireland, which, by
all means, it should have, and is justly entitled to in this twentieth
century.
"The question arises, How can we best qualify ourselves for the
salvation of ourselves and fellows, and the working out of our destiny
along general lines? I answer, by consecrating our ransomed powers to
the great Arbiter of Destinies, who stands behind all forms and
systems, but ever watchful of His own."
At the conclusion of the address Mr. Henry, principal of the Public
School, arose and said: "I beg that the Young People's Club will place
upon record, and in letters of gold engrave and place amid the archives
of the church, the admirable and fearless utterances of this evening."
Mr. Henry was followed by one who, in the educational world, stood
higher than he, namely, the head master of the Collegiate Institute in
Carsville, who capped everything by saying, "'Pro bono publico,' and as
well as being for the public good, though I am an independent in
politics, I will say that the Rev. Mr. Devoau has the faculty of always
saying the right thing, and his teachings are an inestimable boon to
all classes in this place."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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