Blair Collection > Rhys Lewis, minister of Bethel

RHYS LEWIS.
who should have been most faithful unto thee— thy husband,
my father. And this is not to be wondered at. He was, I
have heard, a sturdy, handsome man. He was irreligious.
He wished to speak with thee; but thou would' st have
nothing to say to one who had no religion. He attended
the means of grace ; but to what end ? At last he became a
member of the same church with thee. He could now hold
converse with thee, tenderly and religiously. Detestable
hypocrite I He was ready of speech like thyself, and in this
respect you were both well matched. O, how he envied the
preacher ; and what pleasure he found in chapel ! He was a
new man from thenceforth ; but there was a -legion of devils in
his heart. Thou gavest ear to him, yes I And ninety nine out
of every hundred girls would have done the same. Ye were
married, one lovely morning in May, amidst a shower of
presents and good wishes from thy friends. And after that —
ah, after that! God and thyself alone knew what thou
suffered'st, what trials thou did'st undergo ! But of whom am
I speaking ? Of my father — my own father. Wretch ! When
thou died'st I rejoice that I had neither seen his face nor heard
his voice. One notable night in my history I caught one faint
glimpse of his form — only his form — in the darkness, in
company of another whom I hated with all my heart.
Dear old mother! What a mercy thou should'st have found,
while yet a lass, a religion of the best stamp. Thy husband's
vile ways and devilish disposition left thy faith in God un-
tarnished ! Under bruises from his cruelty — and the thought
that thou ever wert so makes my heart bleed — thou yet could'st
pray for him! Many a time wert thou unable to attend chapel
because of a " pair of black eyes." Inhuman scoundrel ! My
flesh creeps, and my sinews tighten, when I think of all thou
suflFered'st. How fortunate for thee, Mary Lewis, that his
wickedness developed to such a degree that he was obliged to
fly the country ! He nearly made an end of thy life, many
times, without thought of escape, and without giving the
authorities any idea of his apprehension. But having once
come near taking the life of another, infinitely less worthy than
thee, all the country demanded his arrest, and every officer of
police burned with a desire to curb him. Thank Heaven ! thou