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THE KING’S BUSINESS
though he drifted far away from all he was taught there and in his Christian home, yet the seed sown in prayer and tears brought forth fruit in God’s own good time, as it always does. He began to work when twelve years old, but the friendship of a Christian girl kept him in attendance at the Sun day school, and exercised a powerful in fluence on his young manhood. He was of an adventurous disposition and got himself into many unpleasant and dangerous predicaments. The spirit of unrest led him to enlist in the British army, from which, at some •sacrifice, his farther bought him off, only to see him become the leader in a set of profane, drinking gamblers in the principal gam bling hell in Manchester. But even when the “fun” was at' its height, the con science of the leader refused to let him enjoy it. Sometime in 1859 or 1860 one of Har ry’s companions in evil, a miner named Thomas Castle, was soundly converted, and he immediately began to pray for, and plead with Harry that he, too, might be saved. It may have been to escape the pleadings that he joined the army as already mentioned. His friend, Mary, also continued to remember him at the throne of grace, as did his godly father. In December, 1861, after returning from the army to Manchester, he was walking down an obscure street with some boon companions, and passed a house where they heard sounds of sing ing. For mischief his friends proposed that they go in, assuring him that there was lots of drink and fun. The room was so crowded with working men and women that he had to stand on the stairs. Ed ward Usher, another of the group of converts already alluded to, assisted by two others, was conducting a Gospel meeting and began to read and expound the parable of the Prodigal Son. When he reached the words—“bread enough and to spare,” he described a man in exactly Harry Moorehouse’s condition. The conscience-smitten man recognized his own picture and murmured to him self: “Harry! thou art the man.” The Holy Spirit pierced his heart with one word, and that was “Jesus.”’ So over come with a sense of guilt was he that he had to grasp the banister of the stairway to keep from falling. But he was not yet a child of God, born from above; only an awakened and terrified sinner. He returned to his father’s house and was lovingly welcomed, but tried to silence God’s Spirit by rushing
into dissipation. One day, especially, he drank and drank, yet could not make himself drunk. For three weeks he en dured this awful struggle. Sometimes he attended Gospel meetings, but with out finding relief. Sorely tempted was he to despair of God’s mercy, and even to commit suicide. A kindly Christian gentleman, Mr. Walter Caddell, invited him to his house and talked with him, without being able to lead him definitely to Christ. Then Harry remembered a former friend, who had been converted and was an engineer in Rylands & Son’s warehouse. He went to see him, and heard from him the story of his own conversion. This, however, did not help Harry, and his friend turned to Romans 10:8-10, in his Bible, and read it slowly to him. “Do you believe that?” said he. “Do you believe that Christ is indeed risen, and that the work of redemption is fin ished?” “I do, with all my heart,” replied the earnest seeker. “Then are you going to confess what you believe?" “Of course I will.” “Then what follows?: ‘Thou shalt be saved.’ ” Moorehouse, trembling all over, ex claimed: “Oh! I see it, I see it. I am saved!” A soul had been born again. Harry Moorehouse had passed from death unto life. The child of Satan had become a son of God and a joint-heir with Jesus Christ. Harry entered into partnership with his old friend, Tom Castle. They decided to become peddlers of thread, tape, pins, needles, etc. The paid-up capital of the firm was three pence. Harry was a born business man, but Tom had no taste for it, so at the end of the week the firm was dissolved, each partner receiving thirty shilUngs(?7.50), which was not a bad showing, and which is really an indication of what our friend might have become had he devoted him self to money making. Tom died soon after as the result of an accident in the sawmill where he had secured employment, and passed away peacefully and happily, trusting in Jesus. Harry secured a position as salesman in a large notion store and, to reduce a stock that was too large, rented a store in another street where he pro ceeded to sell the surplus by auction His employer was highly delighted with him, and Harry seemed on a fair way
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