"I do," was my reply. "I would not exchange the experience of the past
decade for all the former years of worldly dissipation and pleasure put
together. They have all been unsatisfactory. This is quite the
opposite, and, better still, it is the enjoyment of indescribable peace
and delight. You are not going to be much longer in this world. Mrs.
R----, I beg of you to seek the Lord whilst he may still be found. It
is not too late, but soon, yes, very soon it may be. Then where will
you spend eternity?"
Her lips curled with a sinister, contemptuous sneer. Nevertheless she
managed to smile as she resorted to repartee.
"You must come with me this evening," she said. "I intend to take
possession of you for an hour or two, and give you a good time."
"You will please excuse me from anything of the kind," was my quick
reply. "I have long ceased to enjoy worldly amusements."
Just then the waitress came with the cheque.
"One or two?" she inquired.
"Two," promptly replied Mrs. R----
I politely wished her good evening as we stood at the desk, and was
quickly walking away when she called after me.
"Wait a minute," she said, and took a firm hold of my arm and sleeve,
so that it was impossible to free myself without attracting attention.
We were now on the street. As she walked beside me, she said:
"You may not think so, but I intend to do you a favor. People in your
line of work are never blest with overmuch of this world's goods,
especially money. I'm going to take you with me across the bridge [into
Kentucky] to the house of one of my friends and win a stake for you.
You needn't touch a card unless you want to. Now don't be afraid to
trust me, because----"
Before she had hardly finished speaking, I suddenly tore away from her
grasp, ran down the block to the corner, and boarded a passing car, not
caring where it took me, so anxious was I to get away from this female
gambler, this confidence woman.
Why did I not have her arrested? First, because I had already purchased
my ticket for my journey to Pittsburg, and secondly, because her
private conversation with me would not have warranted me in so doing.
Moreover, I knew that the all-seeing eye of God was taking cognizance
of her actions as well as of mine. He protected me, and you may rest
assured that she and her kind will not go unpunished.
Why have I told you this? In order to show that it is not only the
young girls and youth who are in danger, but also the more mature, even
the rescue missionary. It therefore behooves us to be constantly in an
attitude of watchfulness and prayer, for Satan goes about in all manner
of garbs seeking whom he may devour. Nothing could better please him
than to overpower or side-track one of the children of God, more
particularly a missionary.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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