CHAPTER XXIII. THE CAMP-MEETING.

titrighttoyourconscience,myfriend,whetheryouthinkyoucouldkeeptoyourtrade,andliveaChristianlife." "Nothefactis,it'sad——dbadbusiness,that'sjustwhere'tis.Wean'tfittobetrustedwithsuchthingsthatcometous—galsandwomen.Well,Ifeelprettybad,Itellyou,to-night'causeIknowIhaven'tdonerightbythisyergal.Ioughtfurtohaveletheralonebut,then,thedevilorsomethingpossessedme.Andnowshehasgotafever,andscreechesawfully.Ideclar,somethingsshesaysgorightthroughme!" FatherDicksongroanedinspiritoverthisaccount,andfelthimselfalmostguiltyforbelongingostensiblyandoutwardlytoachurchwhichtoleratedsuchevils.Herodealongbythesideofhiscompanion,breakingforthintooccasionalejaculationsandsnatchesofhymns.Afterarideofaboutanhour,theyarrivedattheencampment.Alargefirehadbeenmadeinaclearedspot,andsmoulderingfragmentsandbrandswerelyingamongthewhiteashes.Oneortwohorsesweretiedtoaneighboringtree,andwagonsweredrawnupbythem.Aroundthefire,indifferentgroups,layaboutfifteenmenandwomen,withheavyironshacklesontheirfeet,asleepinthemoonlight.Atalittledistancefromthegroup,andneartooneofthewagons,ablanketwasspreaddownonthegroundunderatree,onwhichlayayounggirlofseventeen,tossingandmoaninginadisturbedstupor.Arespectable-lookingmulatto-womanwassittingbesideher,withagourdfullofwater,withwhichfromtimetotimeshemoistenedherforehead.Thewomanroseasthetradercameup. "Well,Nance,howdoesshedonow?"saidthetrader. "Mis'ableenough!"saidNance."Shedonebeentossing,athrowinground,andcryingforhermammy,eversinceyouwentaway!" "Well,I'vebroughttheminister,"saidhe."Try,Nance,towakeherupshe'llbegladtoseehim." Thewomankneltdown,andtookthehandofthesleeper. "Emily!Emily!"shesaid,"wakeup!" Thegirlthrewherselfoverwithasudden,restlesstoss."Oh,howmyheadburns!—Oh,dear!—Oh,mymother!Mother!—mother!—mother!—whydon'tyoucometome?" FatherDicksonapproachedandknelttheothersideofher.Themulatto-womanmadeanotherefforttobringhertoconsciousness. "Emilyhere'stheministeryouwaswantingsomuch!Emily,wakeup!" Thegirlslowlyopenedhereyes—large,tremulous,darkeyes.Shedrewherhandacrossthem,asiftoclearhersight,andlookedwistfullyatthewoman. "Minister!—minister!"shesaid. "Yes,minister!Yousaidyouwantedtoseeone." "Oh,yes,Idid!"shesaid,heavily. "Mydaughter!"saidfatherDickson,"youareverysick!" "Yes!"shesaid,"very!AndI'mgladofit!I'mgoingtodie!—I'mgladofthat,too!That'sallI'vegotlefttobegladof!ButIwantedtoaskyoutowritetomymother.SheisafreewomanshelivesinNewYork.Iwantyoutogivemylovetoher,andtellhernottoworryanymore.TellherItriedallIcouldtogettoher:buttheytookus,andmistresswassoangryshesoldme!Iforgiveher,too.Idon'tbearheranymalice,'causeit'sallover,now!SheusedtosayIwasawildgirl,andlaughedtooloud.Ishan'ttroubleanyonethatwayanymore!Sothat'snomatter!" Thegirlspokethesesentencesatlongintervals,occasionallyopeninghereyesandclosingthemagaininalanguidmanner.FatherDickson,however,whohadsomeknowledgeofmedicine,placedhisfingeronherpulse,whichwasrapidlysinking.Itistheusualinstinct,inallsuchcases,tothinkofmeansofprolonginglife.FatherDicksonrose,andsaidtothetrader:— "Unlesssomestimulusbegivenher,shewillbegoneverysoon!" Thetraderproducedfromhispocketaflaskofbrandy,whichhemixedwithalittlewaterinacup,andplaceditinfatherDickson'shand.Hekneeleddownagain,and,callingherbyname,triedtomakehertakesome. "Whatisit?"saidshe,openingherwild,glitteringeyes. "It'ssomethingtomakeyoufeelbetter." "Idon'twanttofeelbetter!Iwanttodie!"shesaid,throwingherselfover."WhatshouldIwanttolivefor?" Whatshouldshe?ThewordsstruckfatherDicksonsomuchthathesatforawhileinsilence.Hemeditatedinhismindhowhecouldreach,withanywords,thatdyingear,orenterwithherintothatlandoftranceandmist,intowhosecloudycirclethesoulseemedalreadytohavepassed.Guidedbyasubtleinstinct,heseatedhimselfbythedyinggirl,andbegansinging,inasubduedplaintiveair,thefollowingwell-knownhymn:— "Hark,mysoul!itistheLord, 'TisthySaviour,hearhisword Jesusspeaks—hespeakstothee! Say,poorsinner,lov'stthoume?" Themelodyisoneoftensungamongthenegroesandonewhich,fromitstendernessandpathos,isafavoriteamongthem.Asoilwillfinditswayintocreviceswherewatercannotpenetrate,sosongwillfinditswaywherespeechcannolongerenter.Themoonshonefullonthefaceofthedyinggirl,onlyinterruptedbyflickeringshadowsofleavesand,asfatherDicksonsung,hefanciedhesawaslight,tremulousmovementoftheface,asifthesoul,sowornandweary,wereupborneonthetenderpinionsofthesong.Hewentonsinging:— "Canamother'stendercare Ceasetowardthechildshebare? Yes,shemayforgetfulbe: StillwillIrememberthee." Bythelightofthemoon,hesawatearstealfromunderthelonglashes,andcourseslowlydownhercheek.Hecontinuedhissong:— "Mineisaneternallove, Higherthantheheightsabove, Deeperthanthedepthsbeneath, Trueandfaithful—strongasdeath. "Thoushaltseemyglorysoon, Whentheworkoffaithisdone Partnerofmythroneshaltbe! Say,poorsinner,lov'stthoume?" Oh,loveofChrist!whichnosincanweary,whichnolapseoftimecanchangefromwhichtribulation,persecution,anddistresscannotseparate—all-redeeming,all-glorifying,changingevendeathanddespairtothegateofheaven!Thouhastonemoretriumphhereinthewilderness,intheslave-coffle,andthoucomesttobindupthebroken-hearted. Asthesongceased,sheopenedhereyes. "Motherusedtosingthat!"shesaid. "Andcanyoubelieveinit,daughter?" "Yes,"shesaid,"IseeHimnow!Helovesme!Letmego!" Therefollowedafewmomentsofthosestrugglingsandshiveringswhicharethebirth-pangsofanotherlife,andEmilylayatrest. FatherDickson,kneelingbyherside,pouredoutthefulnessofhisheartinanearnestprayer.Rising,hewentuptothetrader,and,takinghishand,saidtohim,— "Myfriend,thismaybetheturning-pointwithyoursoulforeternity.IthaspleasedtheLordtoshowyoutheevilofyourwaysandnowmyadvicetoyouis,breakoffyoursinsatonce,anddoworksmeetforrepentance.Takeofftheshacklesofthesepoorcreatures,andtellthemtheyareatlibertytogo." "Why,blessyoursoul,sir,thisyerlot'sworthtenthousanddollars!"saidthetrader,whowasnotpreparedforsocloseapracticalapplication. Donotbetoosure,friend,thatthetraderispeculiarinthis.Theverysameargument,thoughlessfranklystated,holdsinthebondsofSatanmanyextremelywell-bred,refined,respectablemen,whowouldgladlysavetheirsoulsiftheycouldaffordtheluxury. "Myfriend,"saidfatherDickson,usingthewordsofaverycloseanduncompromisingpreacherofold,"whatshallitprofitamanifheshouldgainthewholeworld,andlosehisownsoul?" "Iknowthat,"saidthetrader,doubtfully"butit'saveryhardcase,this.I'llthinkaboutit,though.Butthere'sfatherBonniewantstobuyNance.Itwouldbeapitytodisappointhim.ButI'llthinkitover." FatherDicksonreturnedtothecamp-groundbetweenoneandtwoo'clockatnight,and,puttingawayhishorse,tookhiswaytotheministers'tent.HerehefoundfatherBonniestandingoutinthemoonlight.Hehadbeenasleepwithinthetentbutitistobeconfessedthattheinteriorofacrowdedtentonacamp-groundisanythingbutfavorabletorepose.Hethereforecameoutintothefreshair,andwastherewhenfatherDicksoncamebacktoenterthetent. "Well,brother,wherehaveyoubeensolate?"saidfatherBonnie. "Ihavebeenlookingforafewsheepinthewilderness,whomeverybodyneglects,"saidfatherDickson.Andthen,inatonetremulousfromagitation,herelatedtohimthescenehehadjustwitnessed. "Doyousee,"hesaid,"brother,whatiniquitiesyouarecountenancing?Now,here,rightnexttoourcamp,aslave-coffleencamped!Menandwomen,guiltyofnocrime,driveninfettersthroughourland,shamingusinthesightofeveryChristiannation!Whathorrible,abominableiniquitiesarethesepoortraderstemptedtocommit!Whatperfecthellsarethegreattrading-houses,wheremen,women,andchildrenaremademerchandiseof,andwherenolightoftheGospeleverenters!Andwhenthispoortraderisconvictedofsin,andwantstoenterintothekingdom,youstandtheretoapologizeforhissins!BrotherBonnie,Imuchfearyouarethestumblingblockoverwhichsoulswillstumbleintohell.Idon'tthinkyoubelieveyourargumentfromtheOldTestament,yourself.Youmustseethatithasnokindofrelationtosuchkindofslaveryaswehaveinthiscountry.There'sanawfulScripturewhichsaith:'Hefeedethonashesadeceivedhearthathturnedhimaside,sothathecannotdeliverhissoul,norsay,Istherenotalieinmyrighthand?'" TheearnestnesswithwhichfatherDicksonspoke,combinedwiththereverencecommonlyentertainedforhispiety,gavegreatforcetohiswords.ThereaderwillnotthereforewondertohearthatfatherBonnie,impulsiveandeasilymovedashewas,weptattheaccount,andwasmovedbytheexhortation.Norwillhebesurprisedtolearnthat,twoweeksafter,fatherBonniedroveabriskbargainwiththesametraderforthreenewhands. Thetraderhaddiscoveredthatthejudgment-daywasnotcomingyetawhileandfatherBonniesatisfiedhimselfthatNoah,whenheawokefromhiswine,said,"CursedbeCanaan." ********** Wehaveonescenemoretodrawbeforewedismisstheauditorsofthecamp-meeting. AtalatehourtheGordoncarriagewaswindingitswayunderthesilent,checkered,woodlandpath.Harry,whocameslowlyonahorsebehind,feltahandlaidonhisbridle.Withasuddenstart,hestopped. "Oh,Dred,isityou?Howdaredyou—howcouldyoubesoimprudent?Howdaredyoucomehere,whenyouknowyouriskyourlife?" "Life!"saidtheother,"whatislife?Hethatlovethhislifeshallloseit.Besides,theLordsaiduntome,Go!TheLordiswithmeasamightyandterribleone!Harry,didyoumarkthosemen?Huntersofmen,theirhandsredwiththebloodofthepoor,allseekinguntotheLord!Ministerswhobuyandsellus!IsthisapeoplepreparedfortheLord?Ileftamandeadintheswamps,whomtheirdogshavetorn!Hiswifeisawidow—hischildren,orphans!Theyeatandwipetheirmouth,andsay,'WhathaveIdone?'ThetempleoftheLord,thetempleoftheLord,arewe!" "Iknowit,"saidHarry,gloomily. "Andyoujoinyourselfuntothem?" "Don'tspeaktomeanymoreaboutthat!Iwon'tbetrayyou,butIwon'tconsenttohavebloodshed.Mymistressismysister." "Oh,yes,tobesure!TheyreadScripture,don'tthey?Castoutthechildrenofthebond-woman!That'sScriptureforthem!" "Dred,"saidHarry,"IloveherbetterthanIlovemyself.Iwillfightforhertothelast,butneveragainsther,norhers!" "AndyouwillserveTomGordon?"saidDred. "Never!"saidHarry. Dredstoodstillamoment.Throughanopeningamongthebranchesthemoonbeamsstreameddownonhiswild,darkfigure.Harryremarkedhiseyefixedbeforehimonvacancy,thepupilswellingoutinglassyfulness,withafixed,somnambulicstare.Afteramoment,hespoke,inahollow,alteredvoice,likethatofasleep-walker:— "Thenshallthesilvercordbeloosed,andthegoldenbowlbebroken.Yes,coverupthegrave—coveritup!Now,hurry!cometome,orhewilltakethywifeforaprey!" "Dred,whatdoyoumean?"saidHarry."What'sthematter?"Heshookhimbytheshoulder. Dredrubbedhiseyes,andstaredonHarry. "Imustgoback,"hesaid,"tomyden.'Foxeshaveholes,thebirdsoftheairhavenests,'andinthehabitationofdragonstheLordhathopenedawayforhisoutcasts!" Heplungedintothethickets,andwasgone.