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When Governor Pollock was the Chief Executive of the State of Pennsylvania a young man high in social life killed a friend of his in the city of Philadelphia. The result of his trial was his conviction and sentence to death. Then every influence was brought to bear upon the Governor to change the sentence to life imprisonment, but without avail. At last, the mother of the boy made her way to Harrisburg to plead as only a mother could for the life of her child, and the Governor was obliged again to refuse interference. She fell in a faint upon the floor, and then the tender-hearted man of God turned to his secretary and said, "There is one thing I could do; I could go and see the boy and prepare him to die.'' He made his way into his cell, gave him God's promises, offered up a fervent prayer in his behalf and heard him say that He was not afraid of death, and then he left him. With his white face pressed out between the bars of his cell door he watched the retreating form of his friend, and as he still stood in the same position the warden passed by, and the condemned boy said, "Warden, who was it in my cell a moment ago," and the warden said, "Why, that was Governor Pollock." He threw himself back at arm's length and then fell upon the floor crying out as he fell, "Oh, my God; the Governor in my cell and I didn't know it." "Oh, warden," said he, "if you had told me that it was the Governor I would have thrown my arms about him and never let him leave the cell until he had given me my pardon."
But one who is better than the Governor stands near to every one condemned because of his sin and offers a pardon freely. It would be an awful thing to wake up in eternity and say with bitter crying, "The Lord Jesus Christ was near me and I would not let him in." -- J. W. C.
By J. Wilbur Chapan, "Present Day Parables."
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