The Man with the Book; or, The Bible Among the People.Weylland, John Matthias
History
The Man with the Book; or, The Bible Among the People.
Weylland, John Matthias
City missions; London City Mission
The stranger then took his place upon the chair, and read the hundred
and third psalm, after which the old friend rose to offer the parting
prayer. As the words, "Let us pray," rung through the Court, battered
hats and fur caps were removed, so all the men stood uncovered, and
several of the women knelt down; while at the windows and in the crowd,
many covered their faces with their hands. The prayer was short but
earnest. At its close the word "Amen" was uttered so loud and clear,
that it seemed to come from a church congregation, rather than from that
strange gathering of worshippers; and after the Benediction the word was
uttered with still deeper feeling; and then, amidst the tears, the
thanks, and blessings of the people, and humbled before God, because of
the mission blessings received, the man with the Book passed out of
Paradise Court.
He did not, however, and has not to this day, lost interest in the
people. At intervals he visited in the place with the Missionary, but on
each occasion found some of his old friends gone, and at length, his
acquaintance there became very small. Among those who remained, was
drunken (now sober) Sammy. He became a member of the Baptist chapel,
and never broke his pledge. His attendance at the means of grace and at
temperance meetings was regular, and he won the respect of Church
members and abstaining companions. When the friend who had stopped him
in the road to ruin called, he treated him with a respect approaching to
reverence. He died at the age of seventy, after a short illness, in
which he gave evidence of meetness for heaven.
Persons who have left the Court, have frequently been met with in the
streets and elsewhere, and several remarkable proofs of good were in
this way brought to light; as, for instance, in the case of a little
deformed man of uncertain age, strange expression of countenance, and
rather weak intellect, who shared a back attic with a crossing sweeper,
and paid one shilling a week rent. He called himself a "fagger," and
lived as quite a number of men do, by searching the streets of London by
night and at early morning for lost money and property. These "faggers,"
may be seen walking at a steady pace, or trotting gently, glancing keen
looks along the road and pavement. They always pause at corners where
omnibuses stop; at the doors of theatres and other likely places. In the
season they all make for the "Haymarket," as the place where valuables
such as rings may be found, and when the "cafes" close, they make for
home, searching as they go.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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