strated with him in private. She
had no difficulty in keeping Hiram by her side on Sunday afternoons, and
the little fellow seemed instinctively to appreciate why. Indeed, I
doubt if the green fields and pleasant meadow, with the pretty brook
running through it, had any charms for him even then. At any rate, he
was satisfied with his mother's reason, that it was not good for him; he
had better stay at home with her.

At fourteen, Hiram was to become 'pious.' So Mrs. Meeker fervently
hoped, and to this end her prayers were specially directed. Her son once
secure and safe within the pale of the church, she could be free to
prosecute for him her earthly plans, which could not be sanctioned or
blessed of Heaven, so long as he was still in the gall of sin and bonds
of iniquity. So she labored to explain to him how impossible it was for
an unconverted person to think an acceptable thought or do a single
acceptable act in the sight of God. All his labor was sin, while he was
in a state of sin, whether it was at the plow, or in the shop, or store,
or office, or counting-room. She warned him of the wrath to come, and
she explained to him with minute vividness the everlasting despair and
tortures of the damned. Hiram was a good deal affected. He began to feel
that his position personally was perilous. He wanted to get out of it,
especially as his mother assured him if he should be taken away--and he
was liable to die that very night--then alas! his soul would lie down in
everlasting burnings. At last, the youth was thoroughly alarmed. His
mother recollected she had continued just one week under conviction,
before light dawned in on her, and she considered that a proper period
for her son to go through. She contented herself, at first, by
cautioning him against a relapse into his old condition, for then seven
other spirits more wicked than the first would have possession of him,
and his last state would be worse than the first. Besides, he would run
great risk of sinning away his day of grace. It was soon understood in
the church that Hiram was under concern of mind. Mrs. Meeker, on the
fourth day, withdrew him from school, and sent for the minister to pray
with him. He found him in great distress, I might say in great bodily
terror; for he was very much afraid when he got into bed at night, he
might awake in hell the next morning. The clergyman was a worthy and a
sincere man. He was anxious that a true repentance should flow from