STORY OF TWO CONVERSIONS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13664, 31 March 1908, Page 7

STORY OF TWO CONVERSIONS.

Poring his. address last night the Rev. J. Flanagan related the following story: . "In, uiff district ftevm by the river side 7 a 'sn6l as near to Hell as can get 'to in the whole Empire, where many a : deed of darkness has been performed — on the batiks of the river Thames in one of those terrible places where you could -[los0 r *saffa£lf — was a yard, and in this yard were two dens — I could not call them houses. Here two women lived. One was alone, the other KaA 4 }k&. Thfese women so-rated one another that they were spoken of as the leading prize-fighters among the women of the district. They did not live a fortnight without having ft -set* to in the yard. They fought and fought — *vom4n who once were fair as you, bojfc Mf}J&. and vice had brottght them tor that state until they Were more like animals. One day they had a terrible fight for who should have the championship among the women in that fighting«district, and at it they went until one got the other down and taking hold of her hair began to bang her head on the hard ground until the woman thought she would kill her. She calfedixuV 'Old on, 'olcLoui. Lgives.in, I gives in. Toil can be number one and I'll be number two.* And bloody and bruised Ijhey jparted. The woman beaten came one night led by an angel sister to hear the story of Jesus and His love. It would make your hearts bleed to sec some of those people, particularly the women. The power of God was in the little story and while she vft* listening to the.sfory ctfl'tew God loved even such as she, the Lord gave her a blessed tender yearning to bo forgiven, and that night, 'bruised and battered, an object of rcnulsion and disgrace not fit for anybody decent to touch her. that niglit the blessed Master washed all her sins away, and made her soul (jKnitercr-ner^fcody was) whiter than snow. She prayed to Jesus thus : 'Jesus, I'se so, afraid. I'se not afraid of the devil, Jesus, bat it's my neigh-

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hour and if jsb,e..gets ,tp know that I— that I come to pray; to you, Jesus, shefll ohallenge .n\e again, and I'm afraid then that the olaaevil will' master me. Oh, Jesus,' she sibid, 'do go with me %m help me.' What do you think of, a 'woman being more afraid of another ■woman«vthan the devil?" asked the, v preacher. "She went back to her den and watched for opportunities to show this fighting woman what a change had come in her heart.\ She watched and kept herself quiet until one day while on the drink- she had locked the door and looked the lad/out, hungry and starving) pioking up^bits along the gutter and sating them. Here* was an opportunity. 'Ain't, your mother come 'ome yet?' asked the woman. 'Come in and warm yourself*' come in and warm yourself, and I'll make you a cup of tea and give you a piece of bread 3 and ljtffcfefer.' H[e went in, his face, was wash id and^% had some tea and bread and butter and then started for ' 'ome.' Hjg mother, Jiad,,cqme home drunk, and when saw < him called out 'Where have j'ou been?' (She never > knew her boy had a face like that. We can't afford to wash them anyway, you know. We have no soap and water. It's very scarce). 'Where have you I got that f^ce^'i /^Jmjb, lad-like, he told i hei\ ' A" daycpor- twof..aftei* the woman I noticed- that her« neighbour's step had never been cleaned. We don't clean voncof a w^e&HMir, *£*£!*" said the preacher, 'not until we can't get into the house for dirt.,. She took bucket, water, soap, and pipe clay. Matters went on like this until one day whilo this, woman> way*, busy in hey home, now ti<|y, » knock «ame at the door. It was opened' and she saw those black eyes and thought she had come to challenge her. 'Oh Jesus,' she prayed, 'keep me ! Help me ! — Yes, missus, what do you want?' And in a strange tone the drunken woman said, 'Excuse inc. but I just came to know if they'd got any more religion to spare like that you got where you got'jtftirs.'-^he woman Koked. G&d! \ That's :the beginning, 1 shp 'thought. 'She "Has come 'to taunt me.' And tremblingly she said, 'What did you say, missus?* The ques,tion 4¥£3> repeated :, 'You'll -• exouse me. but I have just come to ask you if 'they'd^ got any; more v rejigion to spare Kke ibjfcSgfou gpt yours.' fPerfiaps the woman is in earnest after all,' thought the woman, and she said, 'Yes, there's plenty more.' And then, the tears came to the other woman's eves, and rolled down her battered - fchefeks, as she said, 'Because — because^ j{ it's possible I'd like some of it mv* self.' And that day the«pobr dear soul was taken to the Mission Hall, and at the close of the service her. companion led her but and kneftf "by her side with her aiifts around her- neck and said, 'Please'' Jesus will you give this woman some of the same religion as you gave'