Born Again

Born Again, by Alfred Lawson

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Title: Born Again
Author: Alfred Lawson
Release Date: October 4, 2006 [EBook #19459]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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AGAIN ***

Produced by Jerry Kuntz as part of the Lawson's Progress Project,
http://www.lawsonsprogress.com

Born Again
by Alfred Lawson
DEDICATION

One day, not many years ago, while walking along a street in Detroit,
Michigan, I was stopped by a ragged and forlorn beggar, with the
request for a few cents to buy something to eat.
I gave him a dime and walking on a few paces stopped to observe his
following movements. Contrary to my supposition that perhaps he
would enter a saloon and buy whiskey he went as fast as his weary legs
would carry him in a straight course toward a restaurant on the opposite
side of the street.
As he was about to enter the place his attention was attracted by a more
pitiable wretch than himself standing outside who had but one leg, was
partly blind, and whose nose was almost eaten off by disease.
He paused for a moment and looked sympathetically at the crippled
beggar and then started again toward the door of the restaurant, but
before entering he stopped once more to take another look, and after a
few moments' hesitation he deliberately turned about, handed the other
fellow the dime and walked away without feeding himself.
Of all the heroic deeds I have ever witnessed, I recollect none quite so
grand and noble as this act, for notwithstanding this poor beggar may
have been heir to every other weakness a human being could possibly
contract, still he contained that spark of unselfish love for his fellow
beings, without which no man is more than a mere brute, and for that
reason I respectfully dedicate this work to his memory.
ALFRED WILLIAM LAWSON.
CHAPTER I
Judging from my own experience it is my opinion that many strange
and wonderful events have happened during the past in which man took
part, that have never been recorded.
Many reasons could be given for this, but the main causes perhaps, are
that the participants have lacked the intelligence, education or literary
ability to properly describe them.

In these respects I must admit my own inferiority. But I feel that should
I not promulgate an account of my own remarkable life for the benefit
of mankind then I would betray the trust nature has confided in me.
So I warn the exquisite literary critic and the over-polished individual
who prefer fancy phrases to logical ideas, that this work may somewhat
jar their delicate senses of perception.
And having offered these few remarks I shall introduce myself to the
reader. My name is John Convert. The earth is my home and country.
All men are my kin, be they white, black, red, yellow or brown. I was
born somewhere on the Atlantic Ocean between Liverpool and New
York while my parents were emigrating from England to America. My
mother died giving me birth.
Whether or not it was because I first saw the light of day while in a
state of transit that caused me afterwards to acquire a thirst for travel
and adventure I cannot say, but true it is that during my whole life I
have been constantly moving from place to place. Then again my father
was a Methodist preacher and the good Lord ostensibly sent calls to
him from every nook and corner of the United States, for as long as I
can remember he too was continually changing abiding places. In fact,
it seems to me now when I look back that he seldom preached twice
from the same pulpit. Whether this was due to bad preaching or
because he had the courage to tell the good church folk many plain
truths concerning themselves, I know not, but I do know that in many
ways my father was a very good man, and also a very learned
man--perhaps a little too learned to be wise, for, like most great
scholars he may have forced so much book stuff into his brain that he
left no room for progressive thoughts of his own. He was, however,
quite unlike many clergymen of the present time who apparently think
and certainly act as if their main work was to flatter and amuse the
women.
My father was straightforward, honest, kind and truthful. He was
dogmatic in his religious beliefs,