the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第12部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


me。　I　thought　Mr。　Nation　was　asleep；　but　he　afterwards　told　me　that　he
heard　me　whispering。　I　slept　until　late；　and　when　I　did　go　down　to　breakfast；
Mr。　Nation　and　Alex；　my　son…in…law；　were　at　the　table。　I　told　them
I　had　a　warning　last　night；　and　if　I　had　a　Daniel　or　Joseph　they　could
interpret　a　vision　I　had。　The　peculiar　vision　of　the　light　was　repeated　to
them；　but　they　paid　very　little　attention　to　it；　being　very　busy　I　thought
no　more　of　it　that　day。

Just　about　three　o'clock　the　next　morning；　I　was　awakened　by　the　cry
of　fire。　Charlien　screamed　from　the　next　room：　〃Mamma；　the　town　is　on
fire。〃　I　ran　out　and　the　whole　heavens　seemed　to　be　on　fire。　It　had　originated
in　a　drugstore　and　was　sweeping　towards　the　hotel。　I　immediately
ran　upstairs　and　began　to　pray。　I　told　God　〃There　wasn't　a　dishonest　dollar
so；　far　as　I　knew　in　the　house；　and　that　He　told　me　〃to　call　on　Him　in
a　day　of　trouble；〃　and　said；　〃this　is　my　day　of　trouble；　and　begged　He
would　hear　me。　Many　of　the　guests　passed　by；　some　of　them　with　baggage
in　their　hands　and　some　still　dressing。　I　prayed　until　I　seemed　to　get
an　answer　of　security。　One　lady；　Mrs。　Moore；　the　wife　of　a　physician；
who　had　boarded　with　me　a　long　time；　had　a　very　elegant　set　of　furniture；
and　she　called　to　me　several　times　to　take　my　things　out　of　the　hotel。　She
had　two　colored　men　moving　her　furniture　I　heard　her　say　to　several　persons：
〃That　woman　has　lost　her　mind。〃　All　the　boarders　had　their　trunks
out　and　everyone　was　saying　to　me：　〃Why　don't　you　try　to　save　your
furniture？〃　I　would　take　hold　of　some　things　to　take　out；　but　it　seemed
something　would　intimate　；　〃Let　it　be。〃　I　walked　down　the　street　and　Mr。
Blakely；　one　of　the　men　who　was　killed　in　the　Jaybird　and　Peckerwood　battle
in　Richmond　said：　〃Are　you　insured？〃

I　said：　〃Yes；　up　there；〃　pointing　to　Heaven。

All　fear　was　gone；　and　now　in　the　time　of　almost　certain　danger　I
was　confident　of　deliverance；　when　before　I　had　been　nervous；　in　time　when
all　was　secure。　At　last　the　cry　came　in：　〃You　are　saved。〃　I　went　in　the
hotel　office；　sat　down　by　the　stove　and　Alex；　my　son…in…law；　was　by　me。　I
said　to　him：　〃Oh；　Alex；　my　vision！〃　He　looked　almost　paralyzed；　for
I　had　told　him　it　was　a　warning　and　all　the　circumstances。　From　that
day　to　this　I　have　never　had　any　fear　of　fire。


ENTERTAINING　ANGELS　UNAWARES。

One　noon　I　was　busy　with　the　guests　and　waiting　on　the　tables；　and
going　to　the　kitchen　I　saw　sitting　on　the　wood…box　a　poor　dejected　looking
creature；　a　man　about　twenty…four　years　of　age。　He　asked　me　if　I　had　any
tinware　to　mend。　I　told　him；　〃No；　but　you　can　have　your　dinner。〃
He　said。　〃I　don't　want　any。〃　He　looked　the　picture　of　dispair。
I　said：　〃Don't　go　until　I　can　speak　to　you。〃

When　I　had　time　I　told　him　I　wanted　some　one　to　wash　dishes。　He
consented　to　stay；　and　I　felt　at　that　time　I　must　care　for　that　poor　creature
or　he　would　die。　He　stayed　with　us　three　years　and　proved　to　be　a
jewel。　All　the　rest　of　my　help　was　colored；　and　generally　speaking；　white
and　colored　help　do　not　assimilate；　but　they　all　had　profound　respect　for
Smith。　He　soon　owned　his　horse　and　did　the　draying　for　the　hotel。　Then
he　got　to　be　a　clerk；　and　bought　pecans　for　the　northern　market。　All　his
family　had　died　from　consumption；　and　he　was　traveling　for　his　health。
He　left　us　for　Pierce's　Sanitarium；　Buffalo；　N。　Y。；　and　stayed　there　some
time　for　treatment。　He　ran　a　little　booth　by　the　Niagara　Bridge；　and　soon
accumulated　quite　a　little　sum。　He　became　a　Christian　and　married。　I
often　got　letters　from　him　expressing　so　much　gratitude。　He　was　an
infidel　when　he　first　came；　and　he　said　it　was　my　influence　that　made　him
a　Christian。

I　often　had　the　Orthodox　Jews　to　stop　with　me。　They　ate　nothing
that　contained　lard；　their　food　was　mackerel；　eggs；　bread　and　coffee。　The
rates　were　two　dollars　a　day；　but　I　charged　them　only　one　dollar；　and
allowed　them　to　pay　their　bills　with　something　that　was　in　their　〃pack。〃
My　other　guests　would　often　regard　them　with　almost　scorn；　but　when
they　were　at　their　meals　I　would　wait　on　them　myself；　showing　them　this
preference；　for　I　could　not　but　respect　their　sacrifice　for　the　sake　of
their　religion。　I　have　always　treated　the　Jews　with　great　respect。　Our
Savior　was　a　Jew　and　said：　〃Salvation　is　of　the　Jews。〃　They　are　a　monument
to　the　truth　of　the　Scriptures；　a　people　without　a　country；　and
though　they　are　wanderers　upon　the　face　of　the　earth；　they　retain　their
characteristics　more　than　any　other　people　have　ever　done。　If　an　Italian；
German　or　Frenchman　comes　to　America；　in　a　hundred　years　he　becomes
thoroughly　an　American；　losing　the　peculiarities　of　his　descent。　But
wherever　a　Jew　goes　no　matter　how　long　be　stays　he　remains　a　Jew。
This　can　be　said　of　no　other　people　on　earth。

I　know　by　experience　that　the　Jews　are　tricksters；　but　they　have
almost　been　forced　into　their　cupidity　in　getting　money；　yet　the　greatest
promise　of　deliverance　in　the　Bible　is　for　that　nation。　The　foundation
stones　of　heaven　and　the　pearly　gates　are　named　for　the　twelve　tribes。　No
Christian　should　scorn　a　Jew。

One　day　I　was　driving　down　the　street　of　Richmond　in　a　buggy；　and
Mr。　Blakely　the　merchant　I　dealt　so　much　with；　and　also　a　member　of
the　Methodist　church；　stopped　me；　saying　that　he　had　something　to　say
to　me：　；

〃Your　friends　are　becoming　very　uneasy　about　the　state　of　your　mind。
You　are　thinking　too　much　on　religious　subjects；　and　they　asked　me　to
warn　you。〃　This　gave　me　a　blessed　assurance；　and　I　laughed　very　heartily；
saying：

〃Your　words　are　indeed　a　blessing　to　me；　for　if　I　have　a　religion
that　the　world　understands；　it　is　not　a　religion　of　the　Bible。〃

I　was　naturally　ambitious　and　was　very　fond　of　nice　furniture；　china
and　dainty　things；　but　I　have　lost　all　taste　for　these；　and　stopped　making
fashionable　calls；　for　I　have　seen　the　vanity　and　wickedness　in　fashionable
society　and　costly　dressing。　I　educated　myself　to　look　at　things　as　I
thought　God　would；　and　this　change　came　about　after　that　transaction
between　my　soul　and　God；　at　the　Methodist　church；　which　I　know　was　the
〃Baptism　of　the　Holy　Ghost；〃　but　did　not　know　then　what　it　was。　I　had
been　born　in　the　Christian　church；　and　was　taught　that　only　the　Apostles
had　received　that　gift。　I　never　knew　what　to　call　this　experience　until
three　years　after　when　I　went　to　Kansas；　and　had　it　explained　to　me　by
the　Free　Methodists；　and　where　God　gave　me　a　witness　that　it　was　true。

We　had　quite　a　drought　in　Texas；　everything　was　parched　and　burning
up；　and　great　concern　was　felt　by　all。　Charlien　said　to　me　one　day：
〃Mamma　why　don't　you　pray　for　rain？〃

I　was　so　struck　with　the　idea　that　I　went　to　the　church　that　night　and
proposed　that　we　pray　for　rain。　So　four　ladies　were　elected　to　appoint
a　special　meeting。　The　minister's　wife；　Mrs。　Todd；　Mrs。　Blakely　and　myself
were　the　four。　We　met　and　we　said　the　first　thing　is　to　agree。　The
minister's　wife　began　to　cry　and　said：

〃I　have　read　of　so　many　thunderbolts　lately；　that　I　am　almost　afraid
to　pray；〃　and　Mrs。　Blakely　repeated　the　same；　but　I　told　the　women　this
was　doubting　God　in　the　beginning。

〃　'If　you　ask　for　bread；　will　He　give　you　a　stone。'　I　am　willing　to
trust　God　who　said：　'Ask　and　ye　shall　receive；'　and　let　Him　send　the
rain　any　way　He　pleases。〃　This　was　finally　agreed　upon；　and　the　next
afternoon　the　citizens　of　the　town　were　called　to　the　church　to　pray　for
rain。

After　the　meeting；　we　were　standing　on　the　platform　in　front　of　the
church；　and　a　sprinkle　of　rain　out　of　a　cloudless　sky　fell　on　the　platform；
and　on　the　shutters　of　the　house。　This　was　nothing　but　a　miracle；　and
was　very　astonishing　to　us　all。　The　next　day　the　clouds　began　to　gather
in　the　sky；　and　the　moisture　began；　at　first；　to　fall　like　heavy　dew。　There
was　no　lightning　or　thunder　and　the　rain　came　down　in　the　gentlest　manner
and　continued　in　this　way　three　days。　With　this　marvelous　manifestation
in　direct　answer　to　prayer；　many　people　said　〃we　would　have　had　the
rain　any　way。〃　Truly　the　ox　knoweth　his　owner；　and　the　ass　his　master's
crib；　but　my　people　doth　not　know；　my　people　doth　not　consider。〃

I　began　to　think　what　I　should　do　to　fulfill　my　vow　to　God；　for　I
vowed　to　return　to　Him　something　for　rain；　to　show　my　gratitude　that　I
had　seen　done。　There　was　an　old　man；　about　seventy　years　old；　entirely
destitute；　whose　name　was　Bestwick。　I　went　to　see　him；　asked　him　to
come　to　the　hotel　and　make　his　home　there。　There　was　also　a　poor　German
girl；　named　Fredricka。　I　also　gave　her　board　at　the　hotel。　These　two
stayed　with　me　free　of　charge　as　long　as　I　lived　in　Richmond。

There　were　two　political　factions　in　Richmond　at　this　time；　one　called
the　〃Jaybirds〃　and　the　other　〃Peckerwoods〃。　The　latter　were　people
that　were　in　favor　of　the　negro　holding　offices。　This　party　had　control　of
the　country　for　some　time。　The　head　of　this　party　was　Garvey；　the
sheriff。　The　head　of　the　former　was　Henry　Frost；　a　saloon…keeper；　and
to　this　belonged　nearly　all　the　young　men　of　Richmond。

Mr。　Nation　was　correspondent　for　the　Houston　Post　and　he　wrote
a　letter　speaking　of　the　bad…influence　and　conduct　of　these　young　men　the
night　before；　screaming　about　the　streets　and　disturbing　the　peace　generally。
He　went　down　to　meet　the　trains　about　twelve　o'clock　at　night。　The
next　night　after　the　article　appeared　in　the　Post；　he　came　in　and　woke
me　up　saying：　〃Wife　get　up；　I　have　been　beaten　almost　to　death；〃
and　lighting　a　lamp；　I　found　that　his　body　was　covered　with　bruises。
I　bathed　him　in　cold　water　and　otherwise　tried　to　relieve　him。　He
was　too　faint　to　tell　me　the　trouble；　only　the　boys　had　beaten　him。　I　knelt
down　by　the　window　to　pray　to　God。　I　began　by　calling　on　God　to　send　a
punishment　on　people　that　would　do　such　a　mean；　cowardly　act。　I　prayed
until　I　received　perfect　deliverance　from　that　kind　of　a　spirit；　and　when　I
got　up　from　off　my　knees；　it　was　four　o'clock　in　the　morning。

In　this　crowd　was　a　family　of　Gibson　boys；　whose　father　was　an
infidel；　and　encouraged　his　sons　in　this　matter　and　in　all　their　bad　ways。
There　were　also　other　boys；　Peason；　Little；　Winston；　twenty…one　in　all。
A　man　by　the　name　of　Henry　George　asked　Mr