Ten Years and Ten Months in Lunatic Asylums in Different States

by Moses Swan

But a long time has intervened between those happy and youthful days, and many joys, many sorrows and afflictions, trials, sufferings and disappointments, and even death, has been the lot of many of the little paradise family. Yet there are some who have arrived to man and womanhood, became pious fathers and mothers, and even grandparents, and are now occupying high and important places in the church of Christ and community; these have come up through much tribulation, as says the inspired writer.

In early life my mother taught me to say, "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." And when I came to riper years she taught me to read the Holy Scriptures, and they were they that were the power of God to my salvation, for in early life they were treasured up in my heart; my mother often encouraged me to read the Bible, and particularly on the Sabbath; when I was quite a small boy, she told me if I would read the Bible through by course she would give me a new one. I consequently commenced with all the eagerness of a saint and continued until I had accomplished the great work, though but a child when I commenced, early impressions made upon the tender mind while it is not clogged with the cares of the world are not easily erased from the mind.

Although I was once an innocent child and sat in my mother's lap, and clung to her breast, being encircled in her arms for protection and safety, and had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression and had been dandled in the lap of paradise, yet I was born under the law and in sin did my mother conceive me. I feel to bless the Lord my God and Redeemer to-day that my parents taught me in early life to read the Scriptures, and in them I found this passage, "As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive." If we are made alive to Christ, then we become heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ to an inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us. Who will not sell all for such an inheritance. Oh, young man, young lady! I ask you in the name of my Master, sell all that you have and buy the truth, the pearl of great price, and sell it not.

In early life the spirit of the Lord strove with me, when but a child the tears of penitence would steal down my cheek in my wakeful moments, and I can say as did Paul, "I was alive once without the law, but when the commandments came, sin revived, and I died."

Let us ask the apostle Paul what he means by life, by the commandments, by death. Paul, do you mean by this death, you was unconscious? Oh! now, friends; previous to this death I was persecuting the church under a mistaken notion, and had a conscience void of offense toward God and man.

Then you mean, Paul, by this death, you was unhappy, and your unhappiness was brought about by the coming of the commandments, and by their being set home upon your heart with reviving energy by the Holy Spirit?

Again, Paul, what do you mean by being alive once without the law? I mean I was without the word of Christ that speaketh better things than that of Abel. I was living under the Jewish dispensation, brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, and acting under a mistaken faith. I verily thought I was doing God service when I was persecuting the Church. (Paul was mistaken.)

As my father was a mechanic in early life my mind ran in that direction, and as I was a boy of rather feeble constitution, my parents allowed me many hours to myself. I was a sort of errand-boy and kitchen helper to my mother, as she had seven sons and but one daughter. I acquired a knowledge of my father's trade by working in the shop from time to time, but this did not seem to satisfy my mechanical genius, my mind rather ran to machinery. I made my father's grain cradles and horse rakes before the revolving rake was in use in this country. At one time I made a little trundle-head apple paring machine, and I have often heard remarked, one thing leads to another, and necessity is the mother of invention. As I was the errand-boy I often had to go to the neighbors to borrow fire, as there were no matches in those days. This led me to make a machine of this kind, to produce fire. I cut out a wher from a piece of steel, placed it upon an arbour, gave it a double geer to give it speed, held a flint against it. I then had that which I borrowed and never returned. (Fire.)

Parents often mistake in pointing out the line of business for their children in regard to placing them to trades or professions. It is my opinion, had my father chosen for me the machinists' art, I should not have been a Jack of all trades, and workman at none, as the saying is, although I have often regretted that my parents did not give me greater opportunity to improve in the arts and sciences, I have no cause to mourn that they did not train me up in the way a young man should go; for in early life they pointed me to the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world; and this they did by precepts and by their example.

Dear friends, if I have failed somewhat in literature, and in the arts and sciences, for want of opportunity, I shall not have it to say on the day of judgment, on the great day of accounts, that I had no opportunity to make my calling and election sure, no! no! no!