The Village in the Mountains; Conversion of Peter Bayssière; and History of a BibleWilder, Sampson Vryling Stoddard
Religion
The Village in the Mountains; Conversion of Peter Bayssière; and History of a Bible
Wilder, Sampson Vryling Stoddard
Bible -- Publication and distribution
"Is it possible?" exclaimed the astonished villagers. "May we, sir,
believe the good news? May we rely on your promise? It appears too
great--too good--we will pay for them now, sir, if you please."
"You may depend on receiving them," said M. ----, "if God prolongs my
life. But I entreat you to do me the favour to accept them, as a
proof of my Christian regard, and an expression of my gratitude for
having been permitted to enjoy, in this unpromising spot, the
refreshing company of the followers of Christ."
The conversation then turned on the value of the sacred volume, and
the sinfulness of those who withhold it from perishing and dejected
sinners. After some time, the hostess inquired, "Pray, sir, can you
tell us if any thing extraordinary is passing in the world? We are
shut out from all intercourse; but we have an impression that God is
commencing a great work in the earth, and that wonderful events are
coming to pass."
"Great events have taken place, and news is arriving every day," said
M. ----, "from all parts of the world, of the progress of the Gospel,
and the fulfilment of the Holy Scriptures. He then gave to his
attentive and enraptured auditory an outline of the moral changes
accomplished by the diffusion of the Bible, the labours of
missionaries and the establishment of schools; but only such an
outline as was suited to their general ignorance of the state of what
is called the religious world. And when he had concluded, they all
joined in the prayer: Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as
it is done in heaven."
Anxious as was M. ---- to pursue his journey, he devoted three hours
to this interview. He exhorted them to receive and practise only what
they found in the Scriptures, and to cleave to the Lord with full
purpose of heart.
The termination of this extraordinary meeting was most affecting:
tears of pleasure, gratitude, and regret streamed from the eyes of the
mountaineers; and the traveller, though more deeply moved by having
seen the grace of God than by all the scenes through which he had
passed, went on his way rejoicing, and following the directions of
the good widow, he arrived at the town of S----. In this town he had
correspondents among the principal inhabitants and authorities, and
under the impression of all he had witnessed, he inquired, as if with
the curiosity of a traveller, the name of the hamlet he had passed on
the mountains, and the nature of the employments, and the character of
its inhabitants.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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