THE POORHOUSE WAIF

and

HIS DIVINE TEACHER

A True Story

BY ISABEL C. BYRUM

CONTENTS

Preface

I The Deserted Child

II Life in the Almshouse

III From Bad to Worse

IV Finding Friends

V Suffering for the Faults of Others

VI The Strange Visitor

VII Mysteries Unfolding

VIII Discovers the Existence of God

IX In the Home of a Witch

X A Contrast

XI Searching for Light

XII A Revelation on Eternity

XIII Puzzled about Prayer

XIV A Prayer-Meeting

XV A Star of Hope

XVI A Revelation on Tobacco

XVII The Camp-Meeting

XVIII Discovers the Existence of God's Word

XIX Devotion and Works

XX Called to Service

XXI Discovers God's Church

XXII Visits the Poorhouse

CHAPTER I

THE DESERTED CHILD

 In this wide world the fondest and the best Are the most tried, most troubled, and distressed. 

 --Crabbe. 

"Why, woman, you are not thinking of leaving that child in this place forus to look after, I hope! Our hands are more than full already. You saythat the child is scarcely a month old. How do you suppose that we couldgive it a mother's care? More than this, the board that governs the affairsof this institution has given us orders to accept no children under sevenmonths of age whose mothers are not with them. So if we should take thechild, as you say we must, you would be obliged to remain for that lengthof time, at least, to help us care for it. "

It was August Engler, steward of the county poorhouse in one of the easterncounties of Pennsylvania during the sixties, that spoke these words, andthe circumstance that called forth the language was the appearance andrequest of Mrs. Fischer, a well-dressed young widow. The latter had come tothe poorhouse with the intention of leaving her infant child. To this planMr. Engler had objected unless she was willing to comply with the rules ofthe place. 

Mrs. Fischer, the mother of three little children, had recently heard thather husband, a soldier in the Civil War, had been killed in battle, andimmediately she had gone into deep mourning as far as her dress wasconcerned. The care of her family, however, she felt was too great aresponsibility to assume alone, and she had decided that the best thing forher to do was to give her three small children away and that the sooner itwas done the better it would be. It was not hard to find homes for the girland the boy, but with baby Edwin it was different He was so young thatnobody cared to be bothered with him, and although she had tried hard, shehad not succeeded in finding him a home. 

In her perplexity she rushed to the infirmary. So confident had she beenthat it would be the duty of this institution to help her out that she hadnot thought of asking the privilege of leaving her baby as a favor. 

As steward and matron of the poorhouse, Mr. And Mrs. Engler did what theycould to keep things going smoothly and in order, but the work was toolarge for them to handle it properly. At that early date no special placeexcept the poor farm had been provided for the simple and the insane; so itwas necessary to have several buildings, both large and small, to providefor the needs of the people. 

In the building that was known as the poorhouse proper was the main office. It was here that Mrs. Fischer appeared. Several other rooms of importancewere also in this building, such as the dining-room and someliving-apartments, but the bakery and the kitchen were in a building just ashort distance away. And there was still another building, a large brickstructure close to the main building. This was used for the confinement ofsuch persons as the insane and the unmanageable, and the doors and windows, as well as the transoms, on both the inside and the outside were secured byiron bars. From these dark prison walls many strange and hideous soundscould be heard at any hour of the night or day. 

In the entire establishment the furnishings were scant and poor, and inevery way things were vastly different from what we find them in thepoorhouse of our modern times. In the main office, where Mr. Englertransacted his business affairs and entertained strangers, there was simplya rude desk, a homemade couch without springs or mattress, and a fewrush-bottomed chairs. For years the walls had been growing darker becauseof the constant use of tobacco by those who frequented the place. 

Had it not been that the steward and the matron of this home for the poorwere capable persons and able to get considerable help out of the inmates, they could not have managed to keep up the place at all. To conceal thefact that the poorhouse was a miserable place to stay would have been animpossibility. 

To the selfish mother it mattered not that the office within which she wasstanding was an index to the entire building. Regardless of consequences, she cared only to be freed from her burdens and responsibilities as amother. So the answer that Mr. Engler gave her only stirred within her evilheart the anger and cruelty already there, and with a fiendish glare ofderision toward the one who was endeavoring to do his duty, she took a steptoward the hard couch and threw, rather than laid, the bundle she held inher arms upon it. An instant later she disappeared through the opendoorway. When Mr. Engler recovered from his surprize and went to look forher, he saw her running up the road as fast as her feet would carry her. 

Realizing in part the seriousness of the situation, Mr. Engler went at onceto notify his wife, and, leaving her in charge of the little one, he, withothers, set out to find the runaway mother. The task proved to bedifficult. Owing to the fact that the woman was a stranger in the communityand had gotten the advantage of her pursuers, it took some time to findher, but at last she was returned to the infirmary and was given orders bythe authorities not to repeat the offense of deserting her baby. 

As the feeble-minded people at the almshouse sometimes caused trouble byrunning off, large balls of iron had been provided to be chained to thefeet of such persons. Thus their progress would be hindered and theirescape be less probable. Still they could take a part in the work that hadbeen assigned them about the place. It was thought best to use this methodof securing Mrs. Fischer. When the chains were fastened about her ankles, one of the authorities who had helped in capturing her remarked, "I guessnow you'll not raise your feet for a while as nimbly as you have been doingof late. "

That evening Mr. Engler said to his wife: "It's the strangest case I everheard tell of. Surely that woman has made the future of her infant son darkand uncertain. It doesn't seem possible that any mother could treat herchild in such a shameful manner. I'm sure if that woman could get loosethis minute she'd run away again, and we'll have to watch her closely whileshe's here. "

"Did you see the baby's large brown eyes?" Mrs. Engler asked, as herhusband ceased speaking. "He's certainly a nice child, and it's a shame tosee him grow up among all these paupers; but if his mother doesn't care, Idon't know who will. "

"Well, I don't know that it's any of our business, either, except to seethat she takes care of him while she's here, and after that I guess we canmanage some way as we always have, " Mr. Engler replied. "You've got toomuch to do to take any of her responsibilities on your shoulders, and youmust not try. If people will force their children on the charity of thecommunity, they must take the consequences. "

The constant work and worry incident to caring for so many poor, disheartened people was indeed great, and Mr. Engler was right when he toldhis wife that she already had too much work to do; but it was very hard forher to think of the neglect that the poor little child would undergo evenwhile its mother was there, for such a heartless woman could not beexpected to do her duty. As the days and weeks glided by, it was as Mrs. Engler had feared, and the cruel manner in which the babe was handled waspitiful to behold. But scolding and criticizing the mother did neither themother nor the child any good, and Mrs. Engler endeavored to forget aboutthe matter and to let the baby get along as well as it could. 

When at last the seven months had expired and the day for the departure ofMrs. Fischer had arrived, the woman who had so disgraced the name ofmotherhood was glad. The pretty costume of black was faded and worn, andthe glossy hair was tangled and unkempt, but within the eye the light ofevil was shining brighter than ever. It was indeed a glad moment for herwhen she heard the chains about her ankles clanking heavily upon the floorand she knew that she was once more a free woman and could go and do as shepleased. And without a thought for the comfort or a plan for the future ofher helpless child, she left him to the generosity of the people. 

It truly might seem that the young life was blighted, but there was One farbetter than mother, brother, or sister who cared and was ready to lend ahelping hand. 

"The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good"(Prov. 15:3). 

"Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither havestorehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better thanthe fowls?" (Luke 12:24). 

CHAPTER II

LIFE IN THE ALMSHOUSE

 Few save the poor feel for the poor: The rich know not how hard It is to be of needful rest And needful food debarred; They know not of the scanty meal, With small, pale faces round; No fire upon the cold, damp hearth When snow is on the ground. 

 --Miss Landon. 

Mrs. Engler had long since given the care and feeding of the children overinto the hands of inexperienced women, who might have utterly ruined thedelicate digestive organs had it not been that the food allowed waswholesome and the quantities too small for them to overfeed. The children, after being provided with pewter spoons, were seated in groups around largepans and were allowed to dip as they chose into the mixture that the pancontained. For a time after his mother's departure baby Edwin was fed froma cup, but as soon as he was able to handle the spoon and to toddle aboutthe floor, he had to take his place with the others. Thus, table mannersand politeness were unknown, and the earliest picture stamped upon the mindof little Edwin that he could in after-years remember was a group of boysand girls, of all ages and of whom he numbered one, hovering about a largedishpan, each eagerly watching for an opportunity to "dip" for his or hershare of the food. 

With the picture came a desire to be good and kind to all. Perhaps someChristian friend of the family had offered just such a prayer for him, andGod, knowing the evil surroundings that would have a tendency to make himselfish or unkind, protected and shielded him with this very wall ofkindness. At least God saw and understood, and he cared enough to help thepoor little innocent, untaught boy as he matured from babyhood not only tobe unselfish but to avoid doing many things that might have provoked othersto anger. In short, God became his teacher, and many times while Edwin wasstill very young, when he discovered his playmates doing that which wasevil, there was something within his heart that said it was wrong and thathe ought not to do as they were doing. His ideas in regard to the right andwrong of different things he for a time expressed quite freely among thechildren; but, finding that he was only ridiculed for his pious thoughts, he learned to keep his views to himself. Although he was silent, heendeavored to keep as far away as possible from the scenes that troubledhis finer nature. 

But not all the days were dark for Edwin. There were times when thechildren were taken for long walks out in the fields or woods, where theflowers grew and where the birds sang their sweet songs. Upon suchoccasions Edwin's heart would be so filled with gladness that he would bealmost beside himself. Not only the brown and yellow butterflies glidinghither and thither, lighting now and then upon some pretty blossom, only tosoar away again high above his head as they discovered him approaching, attracted his attention; but their cousins, the little black crickets andthe green and brown grasshoppers, springing about him in the meadowlands, made him shout aloud with delight. Not knowing the true names of the livelylittle fellows in the grass, he called them "jumper-men. " Sometimes hewould catch them in his hands, but he never thought of hurting them justfor fun. And the turnip-patch! What a treat it was for all the children topull the pretty white balls from the earth and to eat them, dirt and all, for it must be remembered that none of the children had been taught bytheir overseers to be clean and neat. It was too great an undertaking forMrs. Engler to attend to such minor points. So the turnip just out of theground was more of a luxury to Edwin in his half-starved condition thancandy could have been, and candy at the poorhouse was practically unknown. 

Once there was a kind old lady who came to stay for a short time in thehome. From the first she seemed interested in Edwin, and, seeing his greatdesire to do the right, she endeavored to help and to encourage him. Shehad a son of her own, who once had been small like Edwin, and she couldunderstand how very hard some things were for Edwin to bear. 

Among the things that the lady taught him to do was to kneel down and withhis little hands folded and in her lap, repeat after her the little prayer, "Now I lay me down to sleep. " But she failed to tell him that it waspraying or what it meant to pray. Neither did she explain that there was agreat God over all, to whom he could tell all his troubles. But althoughEdwin did not know the meaning of prayer, there was something about thewords and the repeating of them that he enjoyed, and long after the dearold lady had gone away from the almshouse, the words seemed to bring a realcomfort and satisfaction to his poor little hungry soul. 

Until the sixth year of Edwin's life he never heard that he had ever had afather, a mother, or a home other than the place in which he was thenliving. He knew only that he existed, and that from day to day there weremany things happening about him, some of which he enjoyed, but a great manyof which were distasteful to him. But all that took place he quietlyendured, thinking that it was the best that there was in life for him. Thefact that some were more favored than he was caused him no jealous orcovetous feelings. He reasoned that it was all right for them, but forhimself it could not be. 

During the play-hours when the children were allowed to amuse themselvesoutside of the building, Edwin soon discovered that "a soft answer turnethaway wrath, but grievous words stir up anger" (Prov. 15:1). God must surelyhave taught Edwin the meaning of this proverb; for the old lady did notmention it in any of her talks, and there was no one else in that wretchedplace to tell him. 

Many times the childish games were interrupted by the screaming and theswearing of the people in the insane-apartment. The timid children wouldcry out and tremble, but those who were older often tried to repeat theprofane language. All these things, like many others, made deep impressionsupon the sensitive nature of Edwin, and although he was not afraid, heoften pondered them in his heart. Sometimes seated in a secluded corner hewould watch the poor demented creatures with a pitying gaze, wondering whythey talked and acted so strangely, but whether he could or could notunderstand them, he studied the sane and the mad alike, and what he feltwas right in the conduct of either he made his pattern, but the wrong herejected. 

At times during the play-hours the children, overcome by hunger, would sliparound to the large window that opened into the bakery and there standgazing wistfully down upon the loaves of fresh bread as they were takenfrom the large oven. Sometimes some crusts or stale biscuits were giventhem, and with these they would scamper away to the pump to moisten thebread before dividing it. It sometimes happened that there was notsufficient bread for each child to have even a bit, and when it happenedthus, Edwin always gave his share to some one else. And when asked if hewould like some certain thing, his answer was always, "If no one else wantsit. "

Because of his thoughtfulness he was often obliged, because of theselfishness of others, to eat foods that had been rejected as refuse, butin his heart he never complained nor felt that he had not acted wisely. Thus, the Golden Rule, although in words unknown to him, became a governingprinciple in his life. 

When the days were pleasant and warm during the summer months, groups ofmen and women often gathered about upon the large platform that surroundedthe pump, or under the shade of an apple-tree, to prepare the vegetablesfor the table or the fruits for the coming winter's use. As little wasknown at that time about home canning, the fruits were usually dried in thesun or in the large ovens after the baking was done. The children loved togather about the groups at work to keep close watch for stray bunches ofberries or raw potatoes and turnips, that might be carelessly dropped. Inthis they were now and then successful, but the rounds of Mrs. Engler werefrequent, and for several reasons the workers were particular that nothingbe lost or wasted. 

Instead of horses, heavy teams of oxen were used for all farming purposes. These animals, although faithful and trusty under ordinary circumstances, did not like to have children playing about their feet; and as there was noone to pay especial attention to the little ones, it sometimes happenedthat a child was either crippled or killed by the hoofs or horns of thepowerful animals. On one occasion Edwin saw one of his playmates bruisedand trampled in this way. 

These scenes, as well as the regular rounds of the chore-boy Jim with hiswater-yoke upon his shoulders, carrying either water for the home or slopfor the pigs, were sights that were common and in many cases interesting toEdwin. But from them he could learn practically nothing of the things thathe would need before he could become a useful man in the world. Aside froma few instructions that were given them in hard labor, the poorhousechildren were allowed to grow up as a flock of poorly fed chickens oranimals. They were given their rations, a place to sleep, and that wasabout all. 

The daily routine of the almshouse from year to year was little changed. Some passed on to their reward in the beyond, but the general order ofthings remained the same. The steward and his wife were busy from earlydawn until late at night looking after everything and everybody, but manyof the things of vital importance had to be neglected for a lack ofsufficient time and strength. 

"Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that isperverse in his ways, though he be rich" (Prov. 28:6). 

CHAPTER III

FROM BAD TO WORSE

 "What bliss is born of sorrow! 'Tis never sent in vain-- The heavenly Surgeon maims to save, He gives no useless pain. "

 --Watt. 

Something more than six years had passed since the departure of Mrs. Fischer from the county poor-house, but still the place was little changed. Mr. Engler was once more in the office of the institution. This time he wasthere to interview a stranger concerning the child Edwin. There was stillthe same strong odor of nicotine in the room, and the furniture and thecondition of the walls and the floor still told of much want andwretchedness, as well as of habits that were unclean; but apparently aslittle heed was given to the fact by the stranger as had been manifested bythe selfish mother. 

It seems that the word that Mrs. Fischer was receiving generous pensionsboth for herself and for the support of her children had been carried tothe board that governed the affairs of the poorhouse. Finding that none ofthe amount had been paid into that institution, orders had been issued tothe effect that Mrs. Fischer must either pay for the support of her childor take him away from the almshouse. Having received a notice from Mr. Engler of the board's decision, she had decided to have him brought to herown home, and the stranger was no other than the boy's own uncle. He hadcome with horse and buggy, at the mother's request, he had told Mr. Engler, and he would appreciate having the child brought to him as quickly aspossible, as he had no time to lose. 

"And so the heartless woman's sent for her child at last, has she?" Mr. Engler said in a tone that might have inferred several things. 

"Yes, that was her order, " was the reply, and Mr. Engler left the room atonce to bring the fatherless and worse than motherless boy. The stewardsmiled as he thought of the contrast between Edwin and his uncle. Thelatter, a large, powerful man, was well-dressed and was apparently of astrong will, and the peculiar light within his eye and the hard lines abouthis mouth revealed the same characteristics that had been so prominent inthe mother. Edwin, on the other hand, was small for his age and hollow-eyedfrom lack of sufficient food to satisfy his hunger, and his clothes wereragged and soiled. The honest, straightforward expression of the largebrown eyes and the marks of refinement around his mouth made up, however, for what he otherwise lacked. 

In a room where several other children were playing Edwin was found, but hewas taking no part in the games. In fact, many things were done by thechildren in the poorhouse day after day that he did not enjoy and in whichhe would take no part. If questioned he could not have explained why hefelt as he did about their actions, but he preferred turning to the window, where he could look out upon God's creation. The little birds that hadcharmed him in his rambles had long been his friends, and as he gazedthrough an open window, he could see a nest full of small fuzzy headswaiting for the parent birds to bring them a meal of worms. Many times thebills had been raised and the mouths opened wide because of the rustling ofthe leaves above or below them, and the boy was glad when they couldrealize that their expected meal was there. 

In answer to Mr. Engler's order to come at once to the office, Edwinfollowed, but before he entered the room, Mrs. Engler saw to it that hisclothing was changed, so that he would be a little more respectable toappear in public. 

It was evident that, when Edwin, clad in a pair of faded blue overalls andshirt, entered the presence of his uncle, the latter was greatly surprizedat the slight figure before him, but he sought to conceal his thoughts andsaid, "Edwin, I'm your uncle and have come to take you home to yourmother. "

Very pleasantly these words fell upon Edwin's ears, but he associated themwith his rambles; for he knew nothing at all about his father or mother, not even that any such relation was necessary in life. He therefore wasglad, but said nothing, for he knew not what to say. Mistaking the meaningof his silence for timidity, the uncle spoke again. 

"Come on now, boy; I am here with a horse and buggy to take you to yourmother's home. Will you be glad to see your mother?"

But again Edwin was at a loss to know what to say, but his thoughts werethat the man before him was very large. It was not until his uncle saidimpatiently, "Come along!" that he understood, and this command heinstantly obeyed. 

A moment later the two were standing beside a large noble-looking brownhorse that was hitched to an open buggy. Next he felt a pair of stronghands placed upon his shoulders, and then he was lifted high in the air toa seat that was so different from the bed of the old ox-wagon that he hadto examine and rub his hand over the soft cushion. When his uncle took theseat beside him, everything about him began to move, and he thought of thefew times when the children had been taken for rides behind the large teamof oxen. But he had never been away from the poorhouse farm, and when theypassed from the driveway on to the public highway, he remembered that thechildren had been forbidden to leave the place, and he wondered what it allmeant. He was not troubled, however, for Mr. Engler knew of his going, andhe reasoned that since he was not going of his own accord, it must be allright. 

As there was nothing else for him to do as he and his uncle rode along, hebegan to look about at the many interesting things. The herds in the largemeadow-lands reminded him of the poorhouse cattle, and as he saw the little"jumper-men" skipping about in the tall grass, so many pleasantrecollections were brought to his mind that he laughed aloud. They metother horses and buggies similar to their own as well as covered carriages, and passed some horses quite like his uncle's tied to hitching-racks infront of houses or running about in the rich pasturelands. 

The musical birds also added much to the boy's enjoyment when he heard themnow and then singing in some tree-top or bower, but all that he thoughtabout any of the beautiful things around him was unexpressed and securelyfastened within his little mind for future meditation. His small store ofknowledge had been gained in this way, but it seemed to be God's method ofteaching him the lessons that in later years would be the most useful tohim. 

Occasionally he turned to look at the "big man" by his side, and each timebeneath the poverty-branded garments there throbbed a heart full of thedeepest esteem, and his desire to do his very best to win the confidenceand friendship of his new companion was strong. This was not a new impulsein Edwin, for he had always endeavored to please every one, and in doingthis he had found real pleasure. 

The afternoon was rapidly passing away, and as the sun sank in the westernhorizon, the blue sky above him became streaked with crimson and gold. ThenEdwin noticed that the houses were closer together, but he did not knowthat it was because he was entering a village and was close to his mother'shome. 

During the entire journey from the poorhouse the uncle had been silent, butsuddenly Edwin saw the right line tightening, and in answer to the uncle'scommand, "Whoa there, Bill!" they stopped close beside a hitching-post. 

Without a word of explanation the uncle sprang lightly to the ground andafter tying the horse grasped Edwin's shoulders and roughly placed him uponthe ground. Again the boy's decision to endeavor to please wasstrengthened, and when the uncle started toward the pretty brown house justinside the picket fence and repeated the words he had used at thepoorhouse, "Come along, " Edwin instantly obeyed. 

As they passed in through the open gateway, Edwin noticed prettyflower-bushes. His uncle told him that it was his mother's home. As theystepped upon the porch, Edwin could not refrain from sniffing in some ofthe delicious fragrance of the honey-suckle blossoms dangling so gracefullyhere and there from the pillars of the porch, but he was hurried on. 

When they entered the house, Edwin looked about in amazement, foreverything seemed so very beautiful. Then he saw a woman sitting near awindow with a piece of sewing in her hands and three children--a boy abouthis own size, a girl, and a boy younger--playing on the floor. 

"This is your mother, " he heard his uncle say. 

Without rising or giving the child a word of welcome, the unfeeling womansaid to the uncle:

"What do you think of him?"

"I don't know what to think, " was the uncle's answer. "He hasn't said aword since Engler turned him over into my care, and I certainly tried hardto get something out of him. All he did until I told him to come along wasto stare at me with those large brown eyes of his. While we were ridingalong, though, he seemed to see everything there was to see, and by the wayhe kept smiling to himself one would have supposed he was looking at acircus. "

Ah, could they have known the deep thoughts that had been passing throughthe childish mind even upon that trip, they would have understood betterhow to encourage him. With no consideration for the manner in which Edwinhad been shut away from the better class of society and the proper helpsthat are usually thrown about the young, they at once gave him a low anddegraded place in their estimation and pronounced him dull, stupid, andidiotic. All commands were given in a harsh tone and in such a manner thathe could not comprehend them. 

Before going farther into the life of Edwin, it might be well to explainthat the uncle and his three small children were making their home withEdwin's mother. The house in which they were living, although rented, contained many comforts and even luxuries; for the mother, aside from herpension-money, was being liberally paid by the uncle for keeping him andhis family. And Edwin's ignorance, as has already been inferred, was due tohis lack of training and to the fact that everything in his mother's housewas so new and different from what he had been used to in the poorhouse. 

"Go and wash yourself and get ready for supper, " he heard his mother say;but he had not been taught that this was necessary, and because he did notunderstand and so failed to obey, he was scolded and abused. 

"You worthless thing!" his mother said. "I'm sorry I didn't leave you atthe poorhouse now and let you grow up with the cattle if you don't knowenough to wash before you eat. "

When supper was ready, she ordered Edwin to get around behind the table ina corner where he would be the farthest from her, and added, "Any place inmy home is too good for the like of you, and you shall stand while you eat. Do you hear?"

Evidently Edwin understood this command, for he had been used to eating hismeals under just such trying circumstances, and he went at once to theplace assigned him. The good food upon the table was very tempting, andwhen he had eaten all that was on his plate, he watched the other childrento see what they would do when more was wanted, and when he saw thempassing plates, he did the same. 

He did not repeat this, however, for he found that he was not expected toshare with the rest or to eat until his hunger was satisfied. Without amurmur he did without the dainties that were given freely to the otherchildren, and with a dry crust he finished his meal in silence. 

When bedtime came, Edwin was given a place to sleep in an unused part ofthe house, and there alone in the darkness he could repeat the words thatthe kind old lady at the poorhouse had taught him. Then while the rats andmice played hide-and-seek in the room about him, his eyelids closed inpeaceful slumber. 

We have heard that "there is nothing so bad that it could not have beenworse. " For Edwin life seemed to be constantly growing more serious anddark, but "man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh uponthe heart" (I Sam. 16:7). 

CHAPTER IV

FINDING FRIENDS

 Oh! ask not, hope thou not too much Of sympathy below; Few are the hearts whence one same touch Bids the sweet fountains flow. 

 --Mrs. Hemans. 

The first morning for Edwin in his mother's home dawned clear and bright, and as the soft gleams of brilliant sunlight shone in upon the coverlet ofhis bed, he, who had been a poorhouse waif, opened his eyes and inbewilderment gazed about the place. Suddenly he remembered some of theevents of the previous day, and especially the form of the "big man" andthat of the "woman, " who, he had been told, was his mother. He remembered, too, his decision to do all in his power to please both. 

His heavenly Father understood his heart if his earthly parent did not, andthis all-wise guardian, knowing how very hard it was going to be for thechild in this new home, enabled him to find friendship that was really warmand true. 

Slipping noiselessly from beneath the covers--for the night had beencold--Edwin went to the window through which the morning sun was streaming, and there he saw a scene that thrilled him with delight. Lying asleep uponthe walk in the warmest spot that could be found was a large Newfoundlanddog. Clad in his heavy coat of shaggy fur and surrounded by a bed of green, he was indeed a pleasing picture. There had been several dogs at thepoorhouse of which Edwin had been especially fond, but there had been noneso beautiful as the one upon the walk below. The bees, too, were busygathering among the flowers the honey for their winter's supply, andhopping about here and there over the lawn were the little "jumper-men. "

As Edwin from his elevation beheld the part of God's creation that he hadalready chosen for his friends, his loneliness was quite forgotten. He wasstill gazing down upon the scene when his mother appeared in the doorwayand with cruel words ordered him to hasten below to the kitchen. Little didshe know that her child was finding in the animal kingdom the friendshipthat she had denied him, and she would not have cared had she known. 

During the day and those that followed, Edwin endeavored in every possibleway to help his mother, but his understanding so little about her ways andthe names and uses of the simplest articles about the house seemed only toincrease his troubles and hardships. And as slaps and bruises such as thedog had not known were his portion, the unfortunate child endeavored, whenever it was possible to do so, to hide from sight, but he always triedto be ready to give heed to the slightest order. But even thisfaithfulness, as well as the fact that he had so much difficulty incomprehending her meaning, made the mother still more unkind. 

One duty that was assigned him as a daily task was sweeping the crumbs frombeneath the dining-table, and when he had learned how, so thoroughly did hedo this work that he never stopped brushing until he had found everyparticle of dust or lint in sight that had settled under other articles offurniture. 

Another duty was carrying food to the dog, and he soon found that thewell-filled plate of scraps contained far better food in many instancesthan he was allowed to share at the table. Whenever this happened, as itoften did, and there was plenty of other food for the dog, Edwin ate aportion, but never without feeling confident that he was not robbing hisfriend. As the dog usually looked very wise, Edwin took it for granted thathis motive was understood as right and just, and in this way the child wasable to get some of the food that he would otherwise have been denied, andthe dog's allowance was still sufficient. Rather than rob the dog, he wouldalways have gladly done without. 

When Edwin was given the care of his little baby cousin, who was justbeginning to walk, he felt that this work was very hard indeed, but he didhis best to understand just what was expected of him. Having been theyoungest child at the almshouse and having spent so much of his time apartfrom the others, Edwin was unable to think of many ways in which he couldamuse the little fellow, and sometimes it seemed that all of his efforts toplease had been in vain. 

A few weeks after Edwin's arrival in his mother's home the children--Edwinand his three cousins, Elmer, Jennie, and the baby--were playing in theyard with Perry the dog. Elmer, a lad scarcely a year younger than Edwin, was tossing a stick for the dog to return to him, and Edwin was astonishedto find that his friend Perry was so very wise. The baby, who was inEdwin's charge, was barely able to keep upon his feet, but Edwin was doinghis best to protect him from falling and to keep his eyes upon both thechild and the dog at once. 

Suddenly above his head in a large apple-tree Edwin heard a rustling of theleaves and a chattering of little birds, and he realized that his featheredfriends had returned with a breakfast for the little ones. As he gazedupward endeavoring to locate the nest, he was just pointing to the spotwhen whiz went the stick with which Elmer had been amusing the group. Sodangerously near to the nest did the missile go that Edwin, crying out withterror and anxiety, for the moment forgot all about his baby cousin. Running toward the tree as though hoping to protect the nest, he was justin time to see the stick miss the mark and then fall upon the groundalarmingly near the baby's foot. Although unhurt, the baby screamed, and amoment later Mrs. Fischer came rushing from the house and demanded a reasonfor the little one's crying. 

Elmer, ever willing to justify himself at any cost, said hurriedly: "It wasall Ed's fault! I just tried to throw that little stick up there in thetree, and when it came down it struck the baby's foot. If Ed had beenminding his work, the baby wouldn't have been there. " But Elmer failed totell that he was throwing at the little nest with the intention of knockingit out of the tree and that the stick had done no harm to the baby's foot. 

Accepting the explanation without any further details, Mrs. Fischer becamefurious, and, picking up the stick, she struck Edwin time and again uponthe head and shoulders. Then, after calling him many hard and cruel names, she said, "I'll teach you how to attend to your business if there's anysense in you at all!"

After looking at the baby's foot and finding that there was nothing wrongwith it at all, the woman, without a word of apology or sympathy for hersuffering child, returned to the house. 

Once again when the poor boy was so much alone, as far as a human friendwas concerned, his heavenly Father understood and supplied his need. Perryat once left his former master and, going close to Edwin, did all withinhis power to soothe the little sufferer, and his sympathy was as balm tothe wounded, troubled spirit of the child. Casting aside his grief andreserve, he caressed the noble animal, and when comforted he arose and wassoon able to care for the little child that had been placed in his charge. And thus the afternoon slipped slowly away. 

So thoroughly seasoned with bitterness and grief had the day been thatEdwin was glad when he saw the shadows lengthening, for he knew that itwould soon be dark. The sweet quiet and rest of the night were inviting. Hethought of the pattering of tiny feet upon his coverlet and wondered if therats and mice would call again. He hoped that they would, for they too werehis friends. But after supper another surprize and disappointment wasawaiting him. At bedtime he was told that he need not go to the attic tosleep any more, as there was room for him in Elmer's bed, and thatthereafter the two would sleep in his mother's room. Edwin would havepreferred the attic, but he submissively did as he was told, and as heslept the Lord kept vigil and watched tenderly over the sleeping child, for"his eye seeth every precious thing" (Job 28:10). 

CHAPTER V

SUFFERING FOR THE FAULTS OF OTHERS

 In silence weep. And thy convulsive sorrows inward keep. 

 --Prior. 

Edwin's head was still aching when he awoke in the morning, but he arose, dressed hurriedly, and hastened to the kitchen to see if his services wereneeded by his mother. There was little that he could do, but with brush andpan he gathered the dust and lint from under the various articles offurniture. It was such a comfort and satisfaction to Edwin to know thenames of those articles, and their uses. 

After the meal was over, he carried the scraps to the dog; but as thesupply was short, he did not help himself to a part as he did when therewas plenty, for the golden rule was too much a part of his nature. When hismorning duties were done, his mother told him to go and take care of thebaby; but when he went out into the yard, he could find no one but Perrythe dog. 

For the moment Edwin forgot what his mother had told him to do. The eyes ofhis noble friend seemed beckoning him to the spot where he was lying, andEdwin obeyed. Sitting down by Perry's side, he buried his little face inthe furry neck of the graceful animal, and all about him seemed to say:"Good morning, my boy. Cheer up, cheer up! Our meals you shall share andour songs you shall hear. " The fact that there was no regret within hisheart because of the lack of human friendship made it easy for him toaccept the comfort and encouragement that was sent him through otherchannels by his loving, tender heavenly Father. 

The small hand was stroking the sleek side of the huge animal, and thelittle bird-song in the tree close by added much to his enjoyment, and, sitting erect, he chirped in reply a sweet little song that he had learnedat the poorhouse from the birds. This peaceful condition, however, was toogood to last. In a very short time he heard the voice of his mother askinghim where his cousins had gone. 

"I haven't seen them yet, " he said simply. 

"And didn't you know that I meant for you to hunt them up?" she exclaimedin a tone that was much more harsh and severe than that in which her otherwords had been spoken. Then adding, "I'll teach you to pay attention towhat I say!" she picked up a board that was lying near and began to beathim as she had done the day before. Hoping to escape some of the blows, thechild drew closer to his mother, but the following instant he found himselftumbling head foremost toward a stone wall and heard the woman say, "Getaway from me, you blockhead, or I'll dash out your brains on that stonewall. You are dumber than the dumb and not fit to live, and I wish you hadnever been born. "

When the awful treatment was ended, Edwin was lying in the grass in almosta helpless condition, but he was left there piteously moaning while hismother went to find the other children. The baby was in the house in hiscrib and was still asleep, and the other two children, who had been on theopposite side of the house at play, were standing in full view of thescene. Without a word of comfort for her suffering child, she told Elmerand Jennie to go quickly to her room, as she intended to take them to thecountry, and the three disappeared to prepare for the trip. 

It was some time before Edwin could arise, but at last, bruised andbleeding, he got upon his feet and hobbled to a place that was not quite soconspicuous. There he was sitting when his mother came from the house. Thebaby, then awake and dressed, was sitting in its carriage, and the otherchildren were by her side. Before leaving the yard, she called loudly forEdwin, asking where he was hiding, and as the child came limping towardher, she threw him a package, saying as she did so: "Here's some dinner foryou and Perry. We'll not be back before night, but you see to it that youstay right here in the yard. If it rains, you can crawl in with the dog. "Without any other information as to what she intended to do or where shewas going, and without a word of sympathy, the little group passed throughthe gate and were soon out of sight. 

To be thus left alone at so tender an age with no other companions thannature and the dog, to some might seem cruel, but to Edwin life was alreadytoo full of varied experiences for this fact to make any materialdifference in his feelings. He did think, however, that it was very kind ofhis mother to leave Perry and the birds as his companions, and no bettercompany could he have desired. 

The small package that Edwin had received from his mother was of greatinterest to the half-fed child. Knowing that it was intended for the dog aswell as for him, he called for Perry to come, and together they went to theplace beneath the little nest where the scene of cruelty had occurred theday before. 

Opening the package, he found that the dinner consisted of a small piece ofboiled pork, all fat, and a little dry bread, in all scarcely enough forone, and yet two, one of which was a hungry dog, were to dine upon it. After Edwin had considered all this, feelings arose in his heart, but theywere not of ingratitude or displeasure. He was anxious to know just how todivide the food so that each would receive his just portion. He concludedthat since Perry and he were the parties concerned, Perry must help him todecide. 

"Perry, " he said, "you are the biggest, and you eat much more than I do, but, Perry, you get all you want very often, and I never do. Now, thismorning your plate wasn't quite as full as it is sometimes, so I didn'ttake any bites. I gave it all to you, Perry, and I was so hungry. Don't youthink that it would be all right now if we divided this dinner in halves?It would be all right with me if it would with you. "

The dog had been an attentive listener, and as his little master waited foran answer. Perry, who had been taught to "speak" in his dog language, answered, "You, you, " and Edwin understood it as being his perfect consent. Still fearing that he might not have been perfectly understood, Edwin beganagain, "Now, Perry, are you really willing to have it that way, and can youtrust me to divide both the meat and the bread?" Again the dog's "You, you"meant "Yes" to Edwin; so, taking the bread in his fingers, he proceeded todivide it as evenly as he could. Then he did the same with the meat, andtheir dinner was all ready. 

The next thing that puzzled them was the time of day and when to eat. Thiswas also decided by Perry, and at last the two faithful friends began theirscanty meal. There being no dishes, table manners, or napkins to botherwith, the dinner was soon eaten, and after a little romp (for Edwin hadquite forgotten his bruises) the two lay down together beneath theapple-tree. Here they were soon lulled to sleep by the murmuring of thewind among the leaves, the chirping of the birds in the branches, and thesinging of various insects in the grass; and their dreams were sweet. 

When Edwin awoke the sun was high and its rays were streaming down directlyinto his eyes. Again he wondered where he could be, but Perry's cold noseagainst his cheek reminded him of what had happened before he fell asleep, and, sitting up, he looked around to see if he was right. Everything in theyard was just as he had seen it before his nap, and the empty newspaper byhis side brought to his mind the humble lunch that had been given him byhis mother. 

Next he gazed around at the landscape before him. His mother's home beingin the very edge of the village, Edwin could look for a long distance inone direction. But it was not the gardens nor the corn-fields thatattracted his attention; he was considering the sky, which was to him as ahigh blue arch, and he wished that he could know what was above it. 

Presently he began playing with Perry, throwing a stick as he had watchedhis cousin do the day before. He found it great sport. Once when near thepicket fence that surrounded the garden, he noticed some chickens near thegate scratching in the soft earth. After watching them for a little while, he saw something smooth and round lying where he could easily reach it, andhe found that it was a pretty white stone with pink stripes in it To Edwinit was a valuable treasure, and by searching carefully he soon discoveredtwo other stones that were equally pretty. A number of playthings belongingto his cousins were scattered about the yard, but thinking that they mightbe displeased if he touched them, he let them alone. 

When he returned to the place beneath the apple-tree, he carefully examinedeach little stone in its turn, and he considered them very pretty indeed. The one with the pink stripes was so nearly round that it might have beenmistaken for a marble; the next was oval in shape and was of a pearlywhiteness; the third, although not quite so round as the first, was brownand was a very handsome little stone. 

While he was still admiring his treasures, he heard voices and, looking up, saw his mother and the children returning from their visit. A sudden fearthat Elmer might want the stones made him thrust them out of sight, but hewas not swift enough to escape the eyes of that young lad. Elmer saw theact and, thinking that Edwin might have discovered something valuable, saidauthoritatively: "Ed, what was that that you put in your pocket just now?Let me see it. "

Edwin hesitated, for he did not want to part with what seemed to him hisonly earthly possessions; bui when he saw his mother's threatening look andheard her say, "Out with whatever you've got, Ed, or I'll see why! Youneedn't try to show any of your authority around here!" he said, "I haven'tanything except these little stones that I found in the yard over there. "Then taking the stones from his pocket, he handed them to his mother forinspection. 

Finding that the stones were of no value, Mrs. Fischer returned them to herson, and with the two younger children she passed on into the house. Elmer, however, did not go with the rest, but sat down on the grass near Edwin, and watched him closely as he returned the little stones to his pocket. Edwin, although so young and seemingly ignorant along some lines, knew whatit was to be robbed of similar treasures; and, noticing the same evil lightin his cousin's eye that he had noted many times before at the poorhouseamong the children there, young as he was, he felt sure that, if given anopportunity, Elmer would steal. He hoped that his cousin would forget aboutthe stones; so he decided not to refer to them any more and to play withthem only when he was alone. 

During the evening nothing unusual happened, and when it was time to retirefor the night, Edwin was told that the bed that he had occupied the nightbefore was to be his permanent sleeping-quarters. The moon was shiningbright and clear, and beneath its silver rays the two boys crept into bed. Both were very still; in fact, they were so very quiet that in a short timeeach thought the other asleep. It was therefore a surprize to Edwin when hefelt his cousin creeping stealthily from the bed and out upon the floorwhere the rays of the moon were the brightest. 

As Edwin had inherited from his mother a natural love for neatness, he hadalready formed the habit of hanging his clothing upon the bedpost, and, turning softly in the bed, he could see from where he was lying, a sightthat made him tremble with excitement. Elmer's hand was already in thepocket containing the treasured stones, and Edwin could not helpexclaiming:

"What are you doing there, Elmer? Don't take those stones! They are mine!"

Elmer quickly withdrew his hand when he heard his cousin speak, for he didnot expect to be caught; but in an irritated tone a voice from the bedopposite the boys said:

"Ed, what's the matter with you? Can't you let that boy alone? Shut yourmouth I say and let him have those stones if he wants them, for what arethey worth, anyway?"

Thus rebuked. Edwin said no more; and Elmer, glad to have his own way, yielded to his selfish desire and, again thrusting his hand into thetrousers-pocket, became a thief indeed. 

How sad! Edwin had early chosen the path of right because it was right, butElmer was already on the road that leads to destruction and death! Why?Because he had decided in his heart to do evil. Even the kind old lady atthe almshouse had not entered his life. Was it Elmer's fault? Notaltogether. Temptation comes to all, but with the temptation there is a wayof escape (1 Cor. 10: 13). Elmer could have chosen to do right and leavethe stones where they belonged; but when he was caught in the act ofstealing, Mrs. Fischer, who was responsible for his training, should havecarefully taught him the dangers connected with stealing. A little seed ofdishonesty sown in the heart needs only cultivation to help it to grow. 

The following morning when Edwin's tasks in the house were completed, hewas told to go outside to look after the baby, and here it was that herecalled Elmer's act. After making sure that the stones were not in hispocket, Edwin went over to that part of the yard in which his cousin wasplaying, and as their eyes met he said:

"Elmer, why did you steal my stones last night? I want them back. "

"I haven't got anything that belongs to you, and I didn't steal yourstones, " Elmer almost shouted; and, running to Mrs. Fischer, he saidexcitedly, "Ed called me a thief and said I stole those stones out of hispocket last night. "

"I'll teach him to call you a thief!" the woman exclaimed in an exasperatedtone and ran toward her son with a club and began using it freely upon him, saying as she did so: "Ed, you wretched child! Is that all you've learnedat the poorhouse? What are those little old stones good for, anyway? And tothink you'd dare to accuse Elmer of stealing them!"

The beating that Edwin received was far worse than the one given him theday before, and in the evening when he laid his little tired and achingbody upon the bed beside his cousin, he wondered why he was forced tosuffer and bear the punishment that rightfully belonged to some one else, but he did not complain or feel unkindly toward those who justly deservedthe blame. 

When at last he fell asleep, God sent angels to minister to the needs ofthe little forlorn child, and they cared for him tenderly while he slept. 

"When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up"(Psa. 27: 10). 

"But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as anevil-doer" (1 Pet. 4: 15). 

CHAPTER VI

THE STRANGE VISITOR

 How shall I ever go through this rough world! How find me older every setting sun! How merge my boyish heart in manliness!

 --Coxe. 

The little seed that had been planted in Elmer's heart was not long insending forth a sturdy sprout; for it was in fertile soil, and there wasnothing to hinder rapid growth. Not only did he continue to watch Edwin'spockets for coveted articles like the stones, but from the match-safe inthe kitchen to the purse of Mrs. Fischer in the bureau-drawer he stolefrequently. Nor did it stop with this. At the village grocery he oftenslipped behind the counter and took articles for which he did not pay, andfinally he visited the combination money-drawer. 

Of much of Elmer's dishonesty Edwin was aware; but, feeling that his motherwould believe no report about his cousin that he might bring, and dreadingher punishments for tattling, he kept all such knowledge to himself. Evenwhen blamed and abused for the things that Elmer had done, he bore itpatiently, unless questioned; then he told the truth and took theconsequences, usually a beating. 

Elmer, on the other hand, while endeavoring to cover up his misdeeds, toldlie after lie, and when accused and blamed by the grocer and others, he wasscreened and helped out of his difficulties by Mrs. Fischer. 

When Edwin was about ten years of age, his mother moved from the village inwhich she had been living to a farm among the foothills of the AlleghanyMountains. Here it was that Edwin for the first time saw an outline of thewonderful Blue Mountain of which he had at Christmas time heard many weirdand frightful legends. Blue Mountain was one of the tall mountain-peaksthat stood out a little apart from the main ridge and was known among thepeople as the home of St. Nicholas and his elves. Strange stories wereconnected with the place, and all who believed them were full ofsuperstition and awe. 

It was reported that during the year St. Nick, as he was commonly called, was busy manufacturing and preparing wonderful toys to be distributedthroughout the country among the children who were deserving. In order toknow to whom the presents were to go, he sent out his elves into the homesto take an inventory of the lives of die children. These reports were to bereturned just before Christmas eve so that he could use them as a guide indistributing his gifts. For all the children who were not entitled topresents tortures of many kinds were invented. These were to be inflictedwhen the annual tours were made. 

All this and much more Edwin had heard in his former home at eachChristmas-tide, and as the tortures had always been his lot, he did notlike to think about the great mountain any more than he could help. It waslittle wonder that he felt this dread, for to him St. Nick was a fierce andterrible monster. But it was a great mystery to him why St. Nick had neverfound out about Elmer's misdeeds. 

Even at the age of ten Edwin was very small, and his ignorance concerningthe ordinary things of life was really painful. A dread of not beingunderstood seemed constantly to hover over him, and as he had been taughtto feel himself inferior and in the way, there was no opportunity for himto improve. When company came to the house, he was ordered to remain in thekitchen or in the yard, but never in hearing-distance, and he was alwaystoo busy to visit had he been permitted to do so. A few times he had beensent to school to help the smaller children through the snow or mud, but itwas only occasionally and with no explanation as to the meaning of schoolor the value of learning. 

Once the teacher sent word to Mrs. Fischer that if she cared to have herson learn to read she must supply him with a primer. Before doing as theteacher had told her, Mrs. Fischer took up a primer belonging to one of theother children, turned to a lesson well over in the book, and commandedEdwin to read the paragraph to which she was pointing. Seeing that he wasunable to tell one letter from another, she shouted at him: "Ed, youblockhead! there is no use for you to try to learn anything, and I willnever spend any money for books to help you to disgrace me any more. " Thenso great was her cruelty that the child fell prostrate at her feet in aswoon. But even this did not cause the heartless mother to be sorry forwhat she was doing to her child. Almost before he had recovered from theeffects of this severe punishment, she ordered him, if he knew anything atall, to tell her the time of day. When he could not do this, he was againmistreated. 

Shut away as he had been from the society of every one who could havehelped him, he was, of course, unable to unravel the untruth that had beenrelated to him about Blue Mountain; and when told that the time for St. Nick to pay them another visit was drawing near, he looked upon the eventwith increasing dread. 

"No good thing, Ed, can you expect this year on Christmas eve, " he heardElmer say a few days before that eventful night. "He never has rememberedyou with any good, and I don't think he ever will. "

Yes, Edwin knew all about the neglect. He remembered, too, that he had beentold that upon Christmas eve, instead of going to bed, he must sit beforethe fireplace upon a certain chair in the sitting-room to await the arrivalof St. Nick. Perfect obedience being so impressed upon his mind, Edwinobeyed, but imagined many things, one of which was that instant death wouldfollow any refusal to do the bidding of St. Nick. Therefore when theappointed time arrived, Edwin was ready and seated in his chair even beforethe remainder of the family had retired. Then, while his cousins werethinking of the happiness the morrow held in store for them, and thechildren in other homes were dreaming of the sweet stories to which theyhad listened concerning the Christ-child and God's great love in sendinghis only Son as a Christmas gift to all the world, Edwin heard a sound inthe yard as of heavy tramping. Then the lashing of a whip upon thewindow-pane and house caused him to spring from his chair and seek for acorner in which to hide. Presently he again heard the lashing upon anotherwindow-pane, followed by a fierce blow upon the kitchen-door, which hadbeen purposely left ajar, and he saw the door fly open and beheld an objectso completely hideous that he was more frightened than he had been upon anyprevious occasion. 

There, clad in a pair of old trousers that were partly covered by a shortpetticoat, and wearing a bright red blouse elaborately trimmed with whitecotton batting in imitation of white fur, a sunbonnet of faded blue, and afalse face in the form of a mule's head, stood the object posing himself asSt. Nicholas. 

One glance at the frightful creature with the long whip in his hand wouldhave been sufficient to strike terror through the heart of a moreenlightened mind, and Edwin, with the remembrance of the suffering ofprevious years still fresh in his mind, was under a mental strain that wasfearful indeed. 

The strange form, pretending not to notice Edwin, laid down his whip andbegan loosening the large pack of toys that were upon his shoulders. As thesack was laid down in front of the old fireplace, a rubber ball rolled outupon the rug, whereupon Edwin heard him say in a gruff tone:

"Now, if that hain't a mess! Guess I've come off without that there list, after all. Thought those little imps wasn't going to get it in, and whenthey did"--here he pulled out a long strip of paper that appeared to havewriting upon it and from which he began reading the names of the childrenand the presents that each one was to receive. 

As Edwin saw the costly gifts that were one by one taken from the sack, there seemed to be nothing lacking and plenty for him to have at least onetoy, but his name was not called. There was a hobby-horse, a top, a horn, aball, a wagon, a doll, dishes, a rocker, candy, and nuts. A sudden longingcame into his heart to be remembered. 

As if divining Edwin's thoughts, the monster, who was the child's own uncledisguised, turned suddenly and, facing Edwin, said:

"Now, sir, I'll become acquainted with you! I'm the person that some folkscall Santa Claus, but by others I'm known as St. Nick. To you, Edwin, Ishall be St. Nick, and I want to say that if you touch any of these thingsthat I have placed here for your cousins, you'll find out what Old Nick cando. " Then with a wave of his hand he said, "Come on out here now before Ileave to go to another home. I want you to look at each of these things, sothat you will know just what they are like, and then you see to it that youkeep your stupid hands forever off!"

In obedience to the commanding voice of the frightful being, Edwin wentbreathlessly forward and listened to the words:

"Do you see that horse? Well, that's Elmer's, and because he has been sucha good boy he shall have the ball and the top. The other things are for hissister and brother. Now that you have seen these nice things that are forgood children, I want to show you the part that is to be yours, but youwill have to go out in the kitchen to see it. "

On the way to the kitchen Old Nick, who had taken up his whip, flourishedit to hurry the child along, saying as he did so, "Now, you little gump, here's your treat. " Then he threw a few nuts upon the kitchen-floor andordered Edwin to hurry and pick them up. As the child obeyed, down came thelash of the whip upon his fingers, and the blood began at once to ooze fromthe deep gashes. When the hand was withdrawn, the lash fell upon his body. Next he was told to dance and then to sing and at last to pray. As he eachtime tried to obey, the whip was used upon him. The dance and the song wereboth very crude, but the prayer was the words that he had learned from theold lady at the alms-house. Those words Edwin felt were appropriate becauseOld Nick had knelt beside a chair when explaining what he wanted him to do, and he remembered that he had knelt thus at the old lady's knee. But beforethe list of terrible tortures was exhausted, Edwin could stand no more. Weakened by the loss of blood from his wounds and by the extreme fear, hefell as though dead. 

How long he was there or what happened after he had fainted Edwin couldnever tell, but when he became conscious, he was alone and the room wascold. Painfully he arose and by the aid of the lamp that was still burninglow, he crept away to his bed, which was fortunately very close to thekitchen. 

As the sun arose in the eastern sky, it cast its bright rays upon thesnow-covered ground around the home of Mrs. Fischer and caused a dazzlingbrightness, but it did not erase the many footprints that had been made theevening before by the supposed St. Nicholas, nor was it sufficient tosoothe the poor little aching head of the unfortunate Edwin. 

Edwin had been in bed but a few hours when he heard the children's voices. He listened to their remarks as they examined in turn the beautiful gifts, and then--was it possible? He thought he heard the youngest child in a toneof disappointment saying, "Why, where are Ed's stocking and things? Didn'the get anything at all?"

The answer from Elmer was spoken differently. "No, hush!" he said. "Edhasn't anything here. Santa Claus, you know, doesn't bring gifts to everyone. There are only certain people who are allowed presents. "

Then Edwin heard his cousin explaining the story of Blue Mountain and StNicholas as he had often heard it before; but when his cousin said, "Thereason that Ed wasn't remembered is because he does so many bad things, "Edwin wondered again what kind of report the elves had carried concerningthe pebbles and the other things that Elmer had taken dishonestly and whatexplanation they had given regarding the lies. But there was seemingly noway for Edwin to know these things. His storehouse of knowledge wasapparently closed, but still he was not discouraged in well-doing nor washe tempted to do evil. Like Job, he could have said: "Thou knowest that Iam not wicked . . . I am full of confusion . . . Even when I remember I amafraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh" (Job 10:7, 15; 21:6). 

CHAPTER VII

MYSTERIES UNFOLDING

 The brave are ever tender. And feel the miseries of suffering virtue. 

 --Martyn. 

Hedged about by such walls of difficulty, Edwin seemed to be shut entirelyaway in a little world that was all his own. As he had no one to help himto understand the every-day happenings about him, it was not strange thatthe mysteries of nature were hidden as well. Shunned and abused as he was, even curiosity was almost of no avail. But although he knew it not, theall-seeing Eye was watching over him and angels were rejoicing over themanner in which he was laying a foundation for a strong and noble Christiancharacter. 

Edwin's holding no revenge in his heart toward those who had so repeatedlywronged him made it easier, in a way, for him to endure his hardships. Andby constantly being watchful and on his guard, he was many times able toimprove little opportunities to assist either his mother or his uncle, andin this way he sometimes evaded punishments that he would have otherwisereceived. His always being on the alert made it easier for him to becomefamiliar with the names of various things that he could not have otherwiseknown. To gain any knowledge at all was indeed a pleasure, and it enabledhim to escape so much unjust abuse. 

As his love for doing good increased, so also his admiration for andinterest in the things of nature and that which was strange and mysteriouswere deepened. He often wondered about the blue arch above his head, and, supposing it to be an upper story to the earth, believed it to be inhabitedby a family similar to St. Nick and his elves. He often tried to imaginewhat kind of man this being could be and wondered whether in any way heresembled St. Nick. 

In electrical storms he supposed that the man must be very angry and thatthe sounds and flashes were the result of throwing or rolling heavy orcombustible articles of furniture as he had so repeatedly known his motherand uncle to do. As such a view of life was all that he knew, it was notstrange that he could make no better comparison. 

Occasionally he noticed his uncle and Elmer throwing stones high up in theair, and sometimes when the stones went too high to be followed by thenaked eye, he supposed that they pierced the arch and lodged on the otherside. 

The fact that while he was at the poorhouse a few persons had died and beenburied in the ground was till fresh in his memory, and from the oaths andunkind language of his mother he had come to the conclusion that all mustdie and be buried in the same manner. What became of them after death hecould not fathom, but he concluded that the frost in the winter-time was asort of cold vapor arising from the bodies of those who were dead and thatsuch things were all governed by the great man above the arch. 

In the village where his mother had lived, very little attention was givento family quarrels or to the troubles of children, but in this newneighborhood it was different. A dear old couple by the name of Hahn, living very close, soon became greatly interested in the child Edwin. Manytimes they listened with deepest sympathy to his cries of agony and terror, knowing that his cries were caused by cruel blows or kicks. Then when thelittle fellow, all bleeding and bruised, would be discovered hobbling aboutand endeavoring to comprehend what was expected of him that he might themore perfectly perform the task THat had been assigned him, their heartswere filled with indignation and pity. 

"I don't see how it is, " said Mrs. Hahn one day to her husband at the closeof the midday meal. 

"Now, that Mrs. Fischer seems in some ways to be a pretty good sort ofwoman, but when she speaks to her son, she acts like Satan himself. Onlyyesterday I saw her out cleaning up the yard, and she seemed quitegood-natured until she discovered Ed coming out to help her. Then, withouttelling him where to get it, she told him to hustle around and find her apicket, for she wanted to fix the fence. I saw right away that he didn'tknow what a picket was, but I wanted to see what he would do. He didn'task. Instead he ran around the house looking in every direction and cameback to tell her that he couldn't find any. Then, in a tone that she wouldnot have used for the dog she yelled at him that it was of no use to expectan idiot like him to find anything. Next she went to a pile of pickets thatwas near the barn and easily got herself what she was wanting. Still shedidn't explain anything to Edwin, but I could see that the boy knew thenwhat a 'picket' looked like. 

"Now, Pa, I'll tell you what I'd like to do. Since his mother acts towardhim as she does, I'd like to ask him over here whenever he can come, justas though he were coming to help us, you know, and then we could tell himabout many of these things that he doesn't know. Perhaps if he knew betterwhat they meant, it would not be so hard for him, and he would escape someof the abuse. "

"That's a bright idea, my good little wife, " said Mr. Hahn smiling hisapproval. "I believe that we ought to help the boy all that we can, forhe's sure having a hard time of it. Do what you think is best, but becareful not to let Mrs. Fischer think you want to help her son, or all yourplans will be upset. She doesn't care what becomes of the boy, and I thinkshe would be glad to see him die, but doesn't dare to be the one to end hislife. But she'll do it if she keeps on as she is going. "

"Well, with your consent I'll do what I can, " replied Mrs. Hahn, and with arelieved expression she hastened to make some plans that were to amountvery much to Edwin. 

Mrs. Fischer graciously consented to let her son go to help the old couplenow and then, "but, " she added, "you'll soon find that he's no good toanybody. I find him lots more bother than he's worth. "

"I'll risk that part of it, " Mrs. Hahn answered, and from that day a greatchange came into the poor boy's life. 

In the home of Mr. And Mrs. Hahn, Edwin was still very timid, but they wereso kind and considerate that his intense fear gradually gave way toconfidence and trust. It seemed that his new friends were never vexedbecause of his extreme ignorance. Instead of reproaching him for what hedid not know or understand, they took extra pains to explain their meaningin the simplest language possible. To Edwin the explanation of the mosttrifling every-day occurrences seemed wonderful, and to the unenlightenedchild it opened up many avenues for thought that had hitherto been closed. Never once while he was with them did they seem to grow weary of trying tomake things more simple and plain for the inquiring child. 

The more Edwin associated with these friends, the more he began tounderstand how he had been wronged; for many questions concerning theearth, the sky, and himself were corrected. In explaining about St. Nick, Mr. Hahn said:

"Edwin, that terrible creature that treated you so shamefully on Christmaseve was not St. Nicholas at all. It was your uncle, who had, with theconsent of your mother, dressed himself in the hideous clothing in which heappeared to you. He must have wanted to see just how much he could deceiveand frighten you. "

"But how about his home in Blue Mountain?" Edwin asked in amazement. "IfSanta Claus doesn't make the toys up there, where does he make them?"

"Edwin, don't you believe those stories any longer, " Mr. Hahn answered. "Your uncle bought from a store in the city of M----all those presents thathe gave to his children. The stories that he told you about the elvesvisiting the homes to discover who were bad are untrue. I know it seemsvery strange to you, but what is the most difficult for me to understand ishow your mother and uncle could find pleasure in frightening and deceivingyou in such a way. 

"Well, if Blue Mountain isn't the home of St. Nick, what is it?" Edwinasked in a mystified tone. 

Then in very simple words Edwin heard for the first time the real factsregarding the great mountain that had until then been as an awful nightmareto the unenlightened boy. Pointing away toward the line of blue and whitedomes and peaks that grew more and more faint as they faded away in thedistance, Mr. Hahn explained that they were only high parts of the earth. "Blue Mountain, " he said, "is only one part of the range, and those darkplaces that you see on its sides are just trees and bushes such as growright here in our yard. Then there are large rocks, some of them the sizeof this house, and springs of water where many animals and birds may drink. And in some places there are large flower-gardens, where the flowers growwithout the use of the spade or the hoe. I would certainly like to take youto see the mountain, Edwin, if it were not so far away, but it would takeus too long to go and come, for it is very much farther away than itseems. "

Reasons were given also for the strange noises that Edwin had attributed tothe rolling of heavy articles of furniture, and the names sky, thunder, andlightning were rightly applied. But with all their information, Mr. AndMrs. Hahn gave no hint that there was a great and supreme Being over all, one who had created all the wonders that they had been describing, for theywere not Christian people and were not acquainted with the love of God. They were greatly interested in the things that pertain to this life, butseemed unconcerned about heaven, eternity, and the Bible. So Edwincontinued to believe that some great man who had died and left the earthwas living above the blue arch and that the electrical storms were in someway the result of fireside quarrels and confusion. 

To Edwin it seemed that every moment that he from time to time spent withthese kind friends was precious indeed, but the effect upon the mother wasnot what Mrs. Hahn had desired. Finding that her son could understand moreabout the work, she became more particular and increased his tasksaccordingly until it seemed that he could do nothing to suit her. Poornervous child! if only he could have known the words of the Psalmist, whata comfort they would have been--"He shall deliver the needy . . . Andprecious shall their blood be in his sight. " (Psa. 72:12, 14). 

CHAPTER VIII

DISCOVERS THE EXISTENCE OF GOD

 Where'er thou art, He is; the eternal mind Acts through all places; is to none confined; Fills ocean, earth and air and all above, And through the universal mass does move. 

 --Dryden. 

Mrs. Fischer may have felt that her neighbors were learning too much abouther family matters and business affairs, and it may have been for otherreasons best known to herself, but she soon became dissatisfied with thefarm and thought best to move away to another part of the country. Theplace decided upon was near a public highway where there was an extrabuilding that could be used by the uncle as a blacksmith-shop, and therewas also a good barn, where the horse, cow, and chickens could be kept. 

When Mrs. Hahn heard of her neighbor's plans, she was sorry, for she hadbecome very much attached to Edwin and did not like to see him go so faraway from her home. She therefore decided to ask Mrs. Fischer to allow theboy to stay through the summer months with them in their home. "He could dolots of little light things that would be a great help to husband and me, "she said. 

"Well, I can't see why you are taking such an interest in that boy, " themother replied. "Now, if he were bright like Elmer, I wouldn't besurprized, but Ed is such a blockhead. You can have him, though, if you canmake any use of him, but I'm sure that you will very soon be sick of yourbargain. "

Mrs. Hahn assured the mother they were willing to run the risk, and it wasdecided that Edwin should stay with the Hahns for a while. So it happenedthat Edwin saw his people pack their goods and drive away from the farmleaving him behind. To be left in the care of the old couple whom he waslearning to love so dearly was indeed a happy change, but how great it wasnone but him and his heavenly Father could understand. Surrounded as he wasin this home by kind friends, provided good food, and enabled to thinkhappy thoughts, he soon grew well and strong and was able to do all thework that could be expected of any eleven-year-old boy. 

In the new home of Mrs. Fischer things went along seemingly well enough fora time, but as Elmer continued his underhanded work of taking things thatdid not belong to him, he became more and more bold, and Mrs. Fischer, nothaving Edwin to blame, was forced to see some of his faults. 

One day shortly after the family were settled in their new home, word thatthe barn was on fire rang out loud and clear, and a smell of burning woodand hay and clouds of smoke filled the air. Rushing to the door, Mrs. Fischer saw that the barn was wrapped in flames. With a scream for help sheran out into the yard, where she discovered the uncle and several othersendeavoring to deaden the flames, but their efforts seemed all in vain. 

It was too late to save the barn, so the attention of all was turned to thehouse and other buildings. As the wind was in their favor, no otherbuilding besides the barn was lost, and fortunately the disaster hadoccurred in the daytime, when the animals and chickens were out in the lot, so that the damage was not so great. 

When the excitement had somewhat subsided, and Mrs. Fischer looked aboutfor some one to blame for carelessness, she found that Edwin was not thereand that Elmer was the guilty person. Having repeatedly watched his fathersmoking a pipe or a cigar, Elmer had decided that it was time for him tolearn to smoke if he ever expected to appear like a man. Accordingly, witha few stolen matches in his pocket and some corn-stalks cut intocigar-lengths, he had gone to a place back of the barn for his firstlesson. He had not intended to have his actions upon this particularoccasion known, because both his father and Mrs. Fischer had seemed to beagainst his learning to smoke so young. But through the fire, caused by thedropping of burning matches among the litter at his feet, and the testimonyof his little brother, who had been present, his guilt became known. 

Although Mrs. Fischer knew that Elmer deserved correction for this deed, she simply smoothed the matter over and allowed it to pass by unnoticed. But when the news of the burning of the barn reached the ears of Mrs. Hahn, she said: "Edwin, you should be very thankful that you were not there. Hadyou been, Elmer would no doubt have laid the blame on you, and in her furyyour mother might have thrown you into the flames. " Edwin understood thatwhat Mrs. Hahn had said could very easily have been true, and he was veryglad that he had not been present when the barn was burned. 

His life in this new home was so different in every way from what it hadbeen in his mother's and he was so happy and content that he had no desireto return. He was therefore very sad when he was told in the fall that thefarm was sold and that as his old friends would go to the city to live withtheir children, it would be necessary for him to return to his mother. 

"I'm very sorry, " Mrs. Hahn said, "that you must leave us; but, Edwin, Ibelieve that your mother will be more kind to you, because you have learnedhow to do so many things and can do your work so well. I will see that Mr. Hahn goes with you and will have him explain to your mother what you cando, and when she sees that you can learn when you are taught and can do thethings that she expects of you, we shall hope that she will have morepatience with you than she has had in the past. "

Thus it was that one day late in the fall as the sun was slowly sinkingdown into a bed of crimson and gold, Mr. Hahn and Edwin drove up to theplace of which they had both heard but only Mr. Hahn had seen. If Edwin hadexpected to find a pile of rubbish to be cleared away where the ruins of abarn was resting, he was mistaken; for the owner of the property hadattended to that, and a new building had been erected upon the oldfoundation, and everything else was neat and clean. 

"Well, Mr. Hahn, " Mrs. Fischer began in answer to the announcement that herson had arrived, "I suppose you are very glad to be rid of your charge. I'mafraid he has made you lots of trouble. "

"Oh, no, Mrs. Fischer, " Mr. Hahn replied, "we got along just fine! I haveno fault whatever to find with your son. He is as good-hearted and faithfula boy about his work as I have ever seen, and if we were not going to leavethe farm, I wouldn't think of bringing him back. I think you havemisunderstood Edwin; for he seems so very anxious to learn and asks so manyquestions about everything that I have found it hard to find enough answersfor them all. Then, when he has once learned a thing, he never forgets it, and he seems to want to put every bit of his knowledge into use. I'm sureyour fears about his being dull are groundless, but he does need to betaught, and you will do well to give him a fair chance along with the otherchildren. "

After making a few other remarks and giving Edwin the promise, "If I everreturn to the farm again, I will let you know and will take you backagain, " Mr. Hahn said, "Good-by, " and Edwin was left behind to begin againthe kind of life that had been so hard and bitter. The kindnesses shown himduring the summer and the greater keenness of his judgment andunderstanding made the renewal of past cruelties even harder to bear thanthey had been before. 

After Edwin's home-coming Elmer and the other children found more time toshirk, and, seeing his eagerness and ability to do so many things that hehad not before understood, the family forced the poor little tired form towork far beyond its strength. But without complaint Edwin strove to do allthe work assigned to him and to make every move count so that he would beable to accomplish more than that if possible, but on every hand onlyfailure and unhappiness seemed to be awaiting him. 

Late in November, one evening just before time to do the milking, Mrs. Fischer, while in a terrible fit of anger because of some little mistake ofEdwin's hardly worth the mentioning, ordered him to go out in the yard andbring her a good strong stick and to hurry. And Edwin, though knowing thatthe stick was to be used upon himself, went to an apple-tree and cut fromit a good strong branch. Even under such extreme circumstances he wasdetermined to do his best. As he handed the stick to his mother, sheclutched it and with a fiendish expression she beat her son so cruelly thathe fell upon the floor. Then with her foot she kicked him about the roomuntil the blood was flowing freely from various wounds and gashes made byher shoe and the stick. 

The condition of the room and the helpless state of the child seemed toenable the wicked woman at last to realize what she was doing, and, fearfullest some one discover him thus, she ceased her cruelties and commandedEdwin to get up and clean the room. Then, without waiting to be sure thathe could do so, she went out to the barn to milk the cow. 

Edwin, in almost an unconscious state, realized at last that he was in thekitchen alone, and he endeavored to arise, but there seemed to be a pain inevery part of his body, and he was lying in a pool of blood. After a greateffort he managed to reach the sink, but it was some time before he couldstop the flow of blood from his mouth. Looking at himself in the glass, hesaw that a portion of his lip was cut and loosely hanging so that the teethbehind it were exposed, and the blood was still running from his mouth. Until then, though he would not have known how to express the thought, hehad never ceased to hope that in some way or other he would be able to winhis mother's love and confidence, but with this terrible outbreak ofpassion all desire to try to live seemed to vanish. 

After doing what he could to cover up his mother's cruel conduct, hestaggered through the open door and down the walk that led to the barn. Hewas intending to do what he could to help with the evening work, but hecould not suppress the sobs that were welling up from his poor troubled andwounded heart. Only hardships and discouragements seemed to be his portion, and without considering who was liable to hear him, he cried out in hisanguish:

"If such it the best that a person can have in life, it would be better forhim not to live at all. "

As the cry of distress floated in through the partly open stable-door, Mrs. Fischer was filled with wonder. Never before had she heard her son speak sosensibly, and, hastening to see what it all meant, she said: "Ah, Ed! Iheard you speak, and this time your words were not those of an idiot, butwise and full of reason. But how dare you wish yourself dead? Don't youknow that there is a God over us who hears every word we say?" Then sheadded, "Why is it on such things you can talk so well and on others youseem so dull?"

At the sight of his mother's face and the sound of her words, two thoughtsflashed through his mind: "Have I done anything to displease her?" and "Isthere really some powerful being by the name of God above me in the sky?"Instantly a feeling of awe and reverence filled his soul, and somethingwithin him told him that this great Being who could hear all that he saidmust be more than a common man. The very thought that God could hear himspeak made Him seem strangely near. 

As he continued to think, his troubles seemed to vanish and the sufferingfrom his wounds became less intense. Then he remembered that the name ofGod had been used many times by his mother, uncle, and the children in waysthat he was sure were wrong. If God could hear everything, what must hethink of the people who would talk about him thus? He wondered, too, whyMr. Hahn had not mentioned the name of God when explaining the reasons forthe sounds above the sky, or "high blue arch, " as he had called it. Pooruntaught child! God alone could be his teacher. 

"Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, who humblethhimself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in earth! He raisethup the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;that he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people"(Psa. 113:5-8). 

CHAPTER IX

IN THE HOME OF A WITCH

 A mother's love--how sweet the name! What is a mother's love? A noble, pure, and tender flame. Enkindled from above. To bless a heart of earthly mold; The warmest love that can grow cold; This is a mother's love. 

 --Montgomery. 

Yes, this is the nature of a true mother's love, but such love poor Edwinhad never known. At the age of fourteen the unwelcome child felt that therewas nothing in life for him except that which was hard and unreasonable. The things that he had learned from his kind friends, Mr. And Mrs. Hahnconcerning nature often helped him to forget his sorrows, and the factgained from his mother, that God's eyes were ever upon him, beholding hisactions all the time, was a constant source of comfort and satisfaction, for he was sure that he was always trying to do his best. 

"If I do as well as I can, God will surely know and care, " he reasoned. Thus, his Creator filled a place in the lonely life that had never known afather's or mother's love. And strange as it may seem, the neglect andabuse that Edwin endured did not rob him of his strength and ability toperform all the duties assigned him. So if Mrs. Fischer had hoped to bringon the premature death of her son through her cruel treatment, she wasdisappointed, and within her evil heart she conceived another plan. 

In a distant part of the country, among the hills where two public highwayscrossed was a home, large, aristocratic, and almost elegant in appearance. The large two-story-and-a-half brick house nestled amidst the denseevergreen and floral shrubbery, the large luxuriant orchards wideningaround it, the immense barn on the corner opposite, and the wheat- andcorn-fields waving in the distance, caused many a passer-by to envy thepossessors; but a look at the interior of the house and only a briefacquaintance with the occupants were sufficient to disillusion any oneregarding the family's culture and happiness. 

Mr. Fitch, a thriving and ambitious young farmer, had inherited the homeand, having married a woman of an evil and superstitious family, soondiscovered that he was bound to a person whom the community looked upon asa witch. The years had rolled by, and Mr. And Mrs. Fitch were now old. Thefame of the evil woman had been published, and she was considered as onewho was able to relieve people of any sickness or to drive trouble awayfrom their doors. The treatment, called powwowing, consisted of repeatinglong lists of words that she had learned from a book called "The BlackArts. " This book and an almanac made up the entire Fitch library. 

As this Mr. Fitch passed the home of Mrs. Fischer on his way to and fromthe city, it became his custom to stop at the uncle's blacksmith shop. Inthis way the two families became acquainted, and Mrs. Fischer learnedsomething of the nature of the witch. Just why and how it was suggested tothe mind of Mrs. Fischer that the Fitch home would be the proper place tosend her son is hard to tell. It would seem that Satan (understandingEdwin's desire to do right) helped her strive to throw every wickedinfluence possible about him and plan to discourage, deceive, and tempt himto do evil and become like the rest of the family. And she may have thoughtthat there was a possibility of a mysterious and unquestioned death. Atleast, it happened that one day late in the summer she asked Mr. Fitch thequestion:

"How would you like a fourteen-year-old boy who would work for you for hisboard and clothes?"

"To be sure, I need one very much!" was the old man's reply. "My wife has alittle girl to help her, and I need a boy to be with me. He could help withthe chores and herd the cows. I've tried several lads, but they always runoff. "

"Well, my Ed will be just the one for you then, " said Mrs. Fischerconfidently. "You needn't be afraid that he will run off, for he knows toowell that he must stay where I put him. "

"How about his wages and schooling?" Mr. Fitch inquired with a suspiciousglance at Mrs. Fischer, but he was instantly assured that such would not benecessary. "Only his clothes and board will be required, and I shall expectyou to see that he earns them. "

"Very well, ma'am, then we can count it a bargain, and I will take your sonright home with me today if you like, " and the old farmer and Mrs. Fischerhastened to the house to inform Edwin of the plan. 

Edwin, brush in hand and down upon his knees, was diligently brushing awaythe crumbs from under the table in the dining-room when he was told in afew words to stop his work and prepare for the journey. 

"You are to go home with Mr. Fitch, " his mother explained. "He wants you tolive with him and be his choreboy. "

Perhaps Mrs. Fischer did not understand the expression that came overEdwin's face, but the news gave him intense satisfaction. He could comparethe change only to his visit in the home of Mr. And Mrs. Hahn, and he coulddesire nothing better. Any place, Edwin reasoned, must be better than hismother's home, and he was soon sitting beside Mr. Fitch as he drove away inthe direction of the mountains. 

When they arrived at the place that Mr. Fitch explained was his home, Edwinwas more delighted than ever, for he had never pictured anything morebeautiful. But when they drew near the house and he heard oaths andlanguage still more vile than he had ever heard from his mother's tongue, he wondered if he heard aright. Even during her most terrible tantrums hehad never heard such words, and when through the open kitchen-door he sawMrs. Fitch with a rolling-pin in one hand and a pie-pan in the other andwith her face turned toward the sky, blaspheming the great God of theuniverse for permitting a certain crop to fail, he felt faint and sick. 

Again and again the wicked woman blasphemed that holy name because of thefailure caused by drought, and threatened, on account of the failure, toenter other fields and with a burning torch to set fire to them all. Thenas curse after curse upon other things rang from her lips, she continuedbeating the air with rolling-pin and pan until it was dangerous to beinside the room. Edwin remained very close to the door, and the girl whomMr. Fitch had mentioned as being his wife's helper, he saw spring to oneside just in time to escape being struck by a huge piece of dough that wasthrown by the wicked woman at her head. 

How long the unearthly scene had been going on or would have continued ishard to say, but from exhaustion Mrs. Fitch sank heavily upon the floor andfor some time was in an unconscious condition. In answer to Edwin's worriedexpression Mr. Fitch remarked, "Oh, that's nothing! She'll be all rightafter a while, " and together they went out to the barn. Edwin asked noquestions, but he wondered if such things were right and had to be. 

In this new place he soon discovered that he must bear, in some ways, evengreater cruelties than had been forced upon him in his mother's home, forin rainy weather or during the hardest storms as much was expected of himas when the sun was shining. Many times he was forced to work all day longwithout a dry thread of clothing upon his body and often without sufficientfood. For all this he never complained, but he wondered why it wasimpossible to please some people, when he was always satisfied with solittle. 

The greater part of the Fitch property that was used for pasturing purposeswas low and swampy and had long been the haunt of many poisonous snakes. One portion of the land that was higher than the rest, Mr. Fitch haddecided to have prepared for spring plowing, and Edwin's work was to gatherthe brush and the stones into piles that they might be burned or hauledaway. He was also instructed to drive the cows from those parts of thepasture in which the snakes were the most numerous. With nothing to protecthis bare feet and with no understanding of the danger of snakebites, he wasoften tramping in places where the reptiles were gliding past him in manydirections, but upon none of these occasions was he ever bitten. 

It was said that ghosts and many strange objects were often discovered inthe house or grove of the Fitch property, and also that some unearthlycreatures had been frequently known to rise from an unused chimney and, moving slowly toward the large field, to disappear always at a certainplace. Others said that ghosts and horrible-looking forms had been met inthe grove, and still others had heard strange noises, as the slamming ofdoors and windows when no breeze was blowing, the moving of heavy pieces offurniture, and the rattling and dragging of heavy chains. 

One man said that once while working for Mr. Fitch he was sleeping in acertain room when suddenly the covers from the bed began to move and thatalthough he resisted with all his strength, they were torn away. Feelingconfident that he was the only occupant of the room, he left the place inthe night vowing that he would never return. 

These stories and many more were told by the visitors who congregated inthe evening about the home from time to time, and they were usuallyapproved and strengthened by Mr. And Mrs. Fitch, who could tell of manyworse and more absurd happenings. Edwin often listened to the weird talesbecause those telling them were anxious to frighten him, but sometimes itwas because of his own curiosity. He was often seized with a strong desireto investigate and to find out for himself whether the things that theysaid were really true. Upon different occasions he was allowed to sleep inthe rooms that were supposed to be haunted, but never did he see or findout anything that was unusual. 

Lying and stealing and other evils were often freely discussed by the boysand girls of the neighborhood when they gathered in the grove, and it wasno uncommon thing to hear some one telling of a narrow escape fromdetection. Occasionally Eldwin was asked to tell a lie to help anothercover up some evil deed, but this Edwin always stoutly refused to do. Whenfun was made of him or he was mocked for his principles of right, hisanswer was always, "I never want any one to lie or steal for me, and I willnot do such things for any one else. " His reason for speaking thus was notthat he looked upon either of these things as sins, for he had noconception of what sin was. It was simply his sense of duty and hisadmiration of doing that which was right and just. Thus, his mother'sdesire to have him educated in wrong-doing was in no wise gratified, andhis young life, even in the home of one of Satan's most efficient servants, was protected and preserved pure and blameless. 

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, norstandeth in the way of sinners. " (Psa. 1:1). 

CHAPTER X

A CONTRAST

 When people once are in the wrong, Each line they add is much too long; Who fastest walks, but walks astray, Is only furthest from his way. 

 --Prior. 

At the age of nineteen Edwin was still untaught by man regarding thehereafter and God. The little that he had gleaned from the words andactions of the sinful people with whom he was forced to associate hadopened his understanding sufficiently for him to know that there is aspirit life and some sort of reward for the evil and the good, but that wasabout all. 

His life in the home of Mr. Fitch had been hard indeed, but through all hishardships the desire to do right had never left him, and the little prayerlearned in the poorhouse was still a comfort when he was lonely and sad. Many times in the silent hours of the night as he repeated the words softlyto himself and realized the waves of strength and courage sweeping overhim, he was made to wonder, but he never thought of connecting the prayerwith God. To Edwin the words were simply a pleasant and sacred memory thatwas treasured and appreciated, but his divine Teacher was using them as afoundation for his spiritual education. 

Although Elmer knew little more concerning the hereafter, he was far betterinformed in the ways of the world, for his life had been paved withopportunities, and he had made use of them. However, without a standard inhis heart such as Edwin had erected and with no home government to protectand guide him, as a petted and humored and spoiled child he had indulged inmany sins until some of the crimes traced to his door were of the blackesthue. He had already been tried for various crimes, but the latest trial wasfor his having promised to marry a young girl, when he had already a livingwife and child in another part of the city. "Why, " do you ask? "could thisdifference be?" Take a look into the heart and life of each, and you willdiscover the answer. Every thought and purpose of the one, regardless ofconsequences, had been to do the right for principle's sake and because itwas right, and God, noting his good intentions, had guided him onward. Theother, from the time that he had stolen the pebbles in the silent hours ofthe night, had sought for opportunities to do similar underhand deeds. 

Was it the fault of Elmer that such things should be? Not altogether. Thegreater blame must be laid at the door of those whose duty it was to warnand advise him of his danger and to see to it that he obeyed them while hewas young; for it is very plainly stated in the Bible that the child shouldbe trained in its youth (Prov. 22:6). Nevertheless, the evil-doer must havehis just deserts; for "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap"(Gal. 6:7). 

Elmer had continued his stealing until among the stolen articles were suitsof men's clothing, sums of money, and other things too numerous to mention. He had also been guilty of forging notes. But the crime of deceiving theyoung girl seemed to his friends the most humiliating. 

Although Edwin no longer lived in the community of his mother or Mr. Fitch, for he was supporting himself, he had learned what a mother's place in hislife should be and the attitude that a son should hold toward her. Hetherefore, regardless of her former shortcomings, went occasionally to seeher. In answer to those who questioned how he could respect or visit hismother after all that she had caused him to suffer, he would say: "She isstill my mother, just as though she had always been good to me, and I shallalways regard her as a mother. During my childhood I held nothing againsther for all the things I suffered, and why should I now?" Hearing ofElmer's trouble, Edwin hastened to his mother's home, and while listeningto her tale of woe he heard her say:

"I just can't understand what Elmer means by doing such outlandish thingsnow that he is grown up. If he were a boy, I wouldn't think so much aboutit, but here he is a man and bringing home to us nothing but sorrow anddisgrace. He can scarcely get out of one trouble until he is in another, and he even sets the other children up to do things that are bad. Now, howis it that you, whom I never gave credit for knowing anything, have nevercaused me any anxiety or trouble in any way? No matter where you are or howhard you have to work, I can never find any one that has anything bad tosay about you. I can't see why there should be such a difference. "

"Why, Mother, " Edwin answered, "it is very plain. I can tell you all aboutit. Do you remember the time when Elmer took the pebbles from my pocket inthe night time? That was his start. After that he often took things fromyour dress-pockets and money-drawer, and it was easy for him to slip inbehind the counters at the stores to help himself, for you always took hispart and shielded him; and you never taught him that he must be true to hiswife. You told me I must never speak to you of these things, and I did notbefore, for I knew that it would do no good; but the little seed that wasplanted in his heart that night when he was allowed to keep the pebbles hasgrown until it is what you see it now. Elmer is a thief and will have toreceive from the law the punishment that you ought to have given him longago. "

"I don't see how taking a few little stones out of your pocket could makehim a thief or amount to this, " his mother said as the truth began to dawnupon her. 

"Why, Mother, " Edwin answered, "it is just as natural for that little deedto grow and multiply as for a thistle-seed to grow and increase when it isdropped in the ground. One healthy stalk will bear a great many blossoms, and every blossom will have an abundant crop of seeds. The littlethistle-seed is very small and perfectly harmless if watched and destroyedbefore it has time to grow, but let it take root in fertile soil and get astart, and it will surely yield many more thistles and continue to increaselong after the plant itself is forgotten. "

While Edwin was speaking, his mother seemed to realize something of themeaning of his words. The time to undo many of the wrongs that she had donethe growing boys when they were under her care had gone; but had she knownit, there was still a chance to help poor Edwin, who, through observation, had discovered some deep and mysterious truths. 

He had found that there is nothing certain upon the earth except thateverything must have a beginning and an ending, and that old age and deathare unavoidable. The stories of ghosts and superstitious sayings had openedup avenues for thought, and he reasoned that if everything must die, and ifthere is a heaven and a hell, and if God knows all we do and say, theremust be some way for a person to know in which of these places he will liveafter he is dead. 

For a long time the thought had troubled him, but although he had askedmany people regarding the matter, no one had explained it to hissatisfaction. Taking note of his mother's friendly attitude toward him, heventured to ask if she could give him any information on the subject, buther answer was: "We can not know these things until after we are dead. Wemust wait and see. "

As Edwin left his mother's home to return to the place where he had beenworking, he was more perplexed than ever; but he had decided that since thegood place and the bad had been made for a purpose and since the good andthe bad must inhabit their own proper places, he would not cease trying tosolve the problem until he proved that it was an impossibility to do so. 

Poor Edwin! Could some one have read to him from the Bible--but no! Had helistened, he could not have understood; he had no way of knowing that itwas God's word to man. 

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to thetree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city" (Rev. 22:14). 

CHAPTER XI

SEARCHING FOR LIGHT

 The inquiring spirit will not be controlled; He would make certain all, and all behold. 

 --Sprague. 

At the age of twenty-one Edwin had formed one bad habit. Having had nobodyto tell him that the use of tobacco was harmful to his body and seeing itused as commonly as a food by nearly all, regardless of age or sex, he hadlearned both to smoke and to chew. By the permission of the farmers forwhom he had worked, he had raised a few tobacco-plants for himself, and theleaves of these plants, when carefully dried, were what he used assmoking-tobacco, but the cigars and chewing-tobacco he purchased at thestore. 

But although Edwin had never heard that tobacco was in any way unfit forthe use of man, something within him seemed to suggest that there were somethings about its use that were filthy and unclean. One thing that heabhorred was the chewing of tobacco in the house, because he pitied thewomen who were forced to look after and clean the spittoons. When in thehouse in the evening or on Sunday he considered smoking his pipe or cigarsmore appropriate, and he had supplied himself with special mouth-pieces forhis cigars and convenient cases in which to carry them in his pockets. Hedid his chewing when at his work in the field. He also felt that it wasplacing his employer's property in too much danger to smoke when about hiswork in the barn, and this he always avoided. Thus, the same principle thathad governed his earlier years was still his ruling trait. 

Although for so many months Edwin had been seeking carefully and often withtears for some clue to the mystery connected with the hereafter, he had asyet found no one who could inform him on the subject; for those whom heconsidered the best people living were as uncertain concerning the futurereward as the most vile. But from information gleaned he felt that theremust be a place somewhere beyond the grave where the good and the bad wouldlive again. When reasoning about the matter, he would say, "Now, if I am onthe road to heaven, how am I to know if I get off that road and take abranch that will land me in hell?"

The thought of his own good behavior and abhorrence of all that heconsidered evil did not suggest to his mind that for this reason he mightbe the more entitled to enter the better place, for all his actions hadbeen prompted by a sense of justice and his duty toward his fellow men. 

Having become acquainted with a young married couple named Frank and AmandaKauffman, Edwin went often to their home to pour out his troubles andperplexities. But although these people tried hard to help him, theirefforts often plunged him into greater doubts and confusion. Whenever hewent to them or to any one else with his question, it seemed that theanswer was still the same: "No one can know about these things. We must allwait and see. " Still he was not discouraged. Instead he was more than everdetermined to keep on trying until he did find out. 

Had Edwin been able to reason about the drunkard, the thief, or the liar, as not being fit for the good place, it might have been different, but tohim the evils with which they were bound were a matter of choice. He hadnever heard the story of Adam and Eve, and so did not know that their firstsin had severed not only them but also the entire human race from God'sfamily (Rom. 5:19). Had he known that it is impossible for any one to knowGod or to enter the better world without first realizing that he is alreadycondemned and on the road to destruction, and that the only way to betransferred to the highway leading to heaven is to be forgiven and adoptedback into the family of God as a redeemed child, it would not have been sohard for him to understand upon which road he was traveling. 

It was springtime, and as the days grew warm and bright, the tinygrass-blades in the meadowlands made their appearance. Then it was that thefarmer for whom Edwin was working realized that it was time to gather thestones that were scattered here and there throughout the meadow into pilesthat they might be hauled away before they became lost in the soft, velvetycarpet of green; for should they be left where they were, later on theknives of the mowing-machine and the teeth of the hay-rake would be badlydamaged and perhaps broken. Edwin was told, therefore, that his work for atime would be to gather all the stones, both large and small, into heaps insystematic order so that they could be easily hauled away by the team inthe large farm-wagon. 

As THe field was large and level, it was a pleasant place to work, andEdwin, having plenty of time to think, confined his thoughts principally tothe things that were uppermost in his mind. He reasoned thus:

"Now, if a man must walk every step of the way through life in uncertaintyand doubt as to what the end will be, and has such a short time to stay inthis world how miserable THe remainder of my life will be! If only I coulddo something whereby I could know surely that I would at the last have mydesire, I would be so glad! Still, " he reasoned on, "there must be some wayto know these things, and I will not stop trying to find out just what itis. It's altogether unreasonable to believe that we can not know untilafter we die about these things. God surely has some way to let usunderstand; for if he didn't what would there be to hinder every person onearth from going to hell? Surely God wants some of the people to go to theother place. "

His belief that some were surely on their way to heaven was firm, and hefelt that those few must not be in doubt as to where they were going, andthat God must in some way let them know how to live in order to keep on theright road, and also that their lives must be peaceful and happy. But hefelt that some great change would have to take place in one's life beforethis assurance could come. 

Thus, God again, when all men failed him, became Edwin's teacher, for thesethoughts were in accordance with the Bible, and in wisdom and love hisheavenly Father helped him to comprehend the very principles of a trueChristian life. The truths he thus learned were so deeply stamped upon hismind with the divine seal that they could never be erased. Still within hisheart there was another question that had not been answered: "How can I getthis assurance within my own heart?" Nothing could ever bring satisfactionuntil he knew without a doubt that he was going aright, and nothing butfacts would ever dispel his doubts. 

"God, " he reasoned, "is the only one who knows, and the only way for me tounderstand is for God to let me know just what he thinks about me. God willnot deal with me according to what the people may think of me, or by whatthey may say. Some say that I am all right now; but if I were all right, Ishould be the first to know it, and I do not feel that I am fit now forheaven if I should die. "

The knowledge that he had always tried to do the best that he could andthat he had endeavored to treat every creature living as fairly as he knewhow was not enough to satisfy him, and he said: "There is something stillof which I have never heard or dreamed. If only I could find out what it isor by what means I could get it, how glad I should be! Can it be that Imust die before I know what it is?"

"Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart"(Psa. 44:21). 

CHAPTER XII

A REVELATION ON ETERNITY

 Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul. 

 --Longfellow. 

While Edwin was still laboring among the stones in the field of grass, thisthought came suddenly to his mind:

"If I should be so unfortunate as to die before I receive the assurancethat I am going to heaven and I should happen to find myself in hell, howlong would I have to be there? And how hot would be that fire that I haveheard so much about from profane tongues? Would there be any ending orwearing away of eternity? and would the suffering after a while be lesssevere? or would it go right on just the same forever and ever?"

As his desire to know these things increased, he was willing to lay asidehis thoughts concerning how he was to get the assurance that he was goingto heaven, and as he passed from one heap of stones to another, he becamesorely troubled. He longed for a friend to whom he could go for help, butno one was suggested to his mind. Even his friend Frank Kauffman, he wassure, could not enlighten him; for to none of the questions he alreadyasked upon these subjects had he received satisfactory answers. 

Then suddenly, as though he had passed into the great beyond, everythingabout him appeared to be changed. He seemed to have died and passed intohell, and the flames, as they rose in imagination about him, werepenetrating every fiber of his being, and he cried out in his distress. Butas though the vision had been only to teach him of the reality of thatplace of torment, Edwin felt himself caught up, as it were, and he wasseemingly suspended in an endless space with the eternal realities of lifeopened up for him to view. For miles and miles nothing but space appearedto stretch before, above, and around him, with the glaring flames that hehad just left but a short distance behind him. 

Then the scene was changed, and he saw before him a great and high mountainof sand, and the thought of the impossibility of counting the grains wassuggested to his mind. Again the scene changed, and each grain in themountain seemed to be a year, and the grains as years began to formthemselves into one continuous straight line, so long that the distancecould not be measured by the human eye, for there was no end. Once morethere was a change. The line of years took the form of a greatmeasuring-rod, and strength was given Edwin to grasp the rod and to try tomeasure the duration of hell-fire; and he tried to see if in eternity therecould be any possible way of forgetting the past. Twice with the immenserod he measured into the sea of Forgetfulness, but before the thirdmeasurement was taken, he saw from a backward glance that hell was nofarther away from him than it had been at the first. In great distressEdwin dropped the rod, and the vision passed away. 

When he realized that he was still in the field of grass and was on time'sside of eternity, he was very glad indeed. Through the vision he wasconvinced of two things--that hell and its torments were certain, and thateternity was without end--and he was filled with a new determination andzeal to do everything in his power to obtain an assurance within himselfthat he was really on the road to the better world. 

How sad that Edwin could not have gone directly to Jesus as some did inolden time and have heard him explain that to enter heaven one must be bornagain. 

"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, butcanst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one thatis born of the Spirit. " "Except a man be born again, he can not see thekingdom of God. " (John 3:8, 3). 

CHAPTER XIII

PUZZLED ABOUT PRAYER

 Heaven asks no surplice round the heart that feels, And all is holy where devotion kneels. 

 --Holmes. 

Edwin's distress of mind and his confusion of thought were greatlyincreased when, a few days after the vision in the field, there was anotherstrange occurrence. The stones had not all been gathered into piles, butthe work was progressing well, and when Edwin occasionally stopped in hiswork to note the appearance of the large field, he was pleased with what hehad accomplished. The burden of his thought, however, was not the work northe neatness of the place. Neither was it the beautiful scenery of slightlyrolling country, the Christmas stories and legends connected with BlueMountain, nor the ghost-stories and horrors in the home of the witch. Eventhe vision of eternity was a thing of the past. 

"If only I knew! If only I could tell, before I die, on which of the roadsI am traveling to eternity!" was the constant cry of his troubled soul. Once when these words had just escaped his lips, he suddenly heard astrange and rumbling sound that seemed to come from the very heart of theearth, and he felt the ground beneath his feet begin to shake. Unable tounderstand what had happened, Edwin hastened to the house, but the peoplethere were as mystified as he himself, except that they said, "Surely itmust have been an earthquake!" and some suggested that the end of the worldmight be near. With this bit of knowledge, Edwin returned to his work, butoh, how heavy was his heart!

"Why is it so hard, " he cried, "to discover the secret that is causing meall this worry and trouble?" But the words had no sooner escaped his lipsthan he added, "There is and there must be some way to find out, and I'llkeep on trying until I know that it is of no use to try. "

Across the fields on a pretty knoll stood the humble little dwelling ofFrank Kauffman and his wife, and as Edwin glanced occasionally in thatdirection, he wondered if his friend would be able to enlighten him aboutthe earthquake, and he planned to visit him that very evening after supper. 

Frank's home, although small, was always cozy and inviting; for Amanda, long before Frank married her, had been taught by her energetic, systematicmother, Mrs. Miller, the principles of good housekeeping. And Frank, although not a Christian, had been reared by a pious and devoted mother, who in all her ways endeavored to set before her children an example thatshe would not be ashamed to have them follow, and she was a woman who knewthe value of prayer. For this reason Frank could easily talk on a few ofthe principles of religion; but when it came to the actual experiences, hewas at a loss to know what to say. 

But although Frank's mother was so noble and true, his father's goodnesswas only from a moral standpoint, and regardless of the evil effect thathis smoking might have upon his three growing boys, he very much enjoyedhis pipe. As a result of the father's indulgence, Frank and his twobrothers, when scattered out in homes of their own, said, "Father smokedand seems none the worse for it, and I guess a little tobacco will not hurtus. "

But the fact that some of her family smoked at all never ceased to be agreat worry to Mrs. Kauffman, and whenever there was an opportunity shereminded them of their fault. And as Frank's home was but a short distancefrom his mother's, Edwin's visits were noticed by the anxious woman, andwhen she found that he too was a tobacco-user, she was much worried aboutthe influence he might have over her son. 

After she had expressed her fears concerning Edwin, one day to Frank, herson answered, "Mother, you are doing Edwin a great injustice; for insteadof his being an evil associate, he is not only noble and good, but apattern of good works, for even in the use of tobacco he is moderate andneat. More than this, " Frank continued, "Edwin is very much interested inreligion, and many times I am unable to answer his questions because theyare so deep. "

Could Mrs. Kauffman have known Edwin at this time, she would certainly havebeen of a different opinion, and she might have helped him through some ofhis difficulties; but she knew nothing of the perplexities of his mind, andEdwin did not know of her anxieties concerning his influence over her son. 

When Edwin saw the evening shades beginning to gather, he was glad, and assoon as his supper and evening duties were over, he made his way acrossmeadow and fields to the home of his friend, and he did not forget to carrywith him a generous supply of dried tobacco-leaves, which he had tied up ina large red handkerchief. The leaves were for his friend and him to smokewhile they talked. 

As he passed the place in the field where he had felt the shock of theearthquake, he remembered, that he had not told Frank about the vision ofeternity and hell that was still fresh in his memory, and then so rapidlywere the things suggested to his mind that he would like to say, that hebegan to wonder if he would be able to unburden his heart in so short atime. 

When he approached the house, he saw his friend Frank seated upon theporch. Frank was resting after a hard day's work in the field, but he gaveEdwin a hearty welcome and bade him be seated beside him. Edwin took thechair, and the two were soon loading their pipes from the driedtobacco-leaves contained in the red handkerchief. Then as the circles ofblue smoke began to arise in the air, Frank asked:

"Did you feel or hear over at your place anything of the earthquake?"

"Yes, and I should like to know more about it, " Edwin answered. 

"It shook the windows and doors in our house so hard that my wife couldn'timagine for a time what was happening, " Frank continued, "and my horse inthe field came very near getting away from me. "

"It seemed to me, " Edwin remarked, "that the whole field where I wasworking was going to pieces and that I was going right down into eternity. "

Then, as they smoked, Edwin told his friend all about his vision andexplained how dreadful he felt it would be to land in such an awful placewhen he came to leave this world. 

"I guess you felt like saying a prayer about the time you found yourself inhell, didn't you?" Frank asked as Edwin finished relating the incident. 

The awful picture of the future world that had been painted in words hadcaused Frank to shudder, for he was not prepared to die. It might have beenFrank's manner and it might have been the tone in which the word "prayer"was spoken that caused Edwin to exclaim:

"Prayer! what is prayer?"

"Prayer, " Frank replied, "is man's way of talking with God. When anybodytells God what he wants, he prays; and God has promised to hear his wordsand to help him out of his troubles. But the person who prays must speakfrom his heart and not try to say a lot of words that he has learned fromsome one else or from a book. A prayer from the heart is the only kind thatGod will hear. "

"What do you mean by talking with God?" Edwin asked in a still moremystified tone, for he had never thought of man while still on the earth orin fact anywhere else, as speaking with God in heaven. 

After Frank had explained that such a thing was possible, Edwin exclaimed:

"Who can make such a prayer? Do you know of any one who can?"

The twilight shades had all disappeared from the sky above, and it wasalready dark where Frank and Edwin were sitting, but inside the cozyliving-room Amanda, seated beside a table, upon which a kerosene-lamp wasburning, was quietly knitting. Pointing in her direction, Frank said, confidently:

"There's one who can pray. And she prays from the heart. "

Although Edwin had been in the home a number of times and had noticedFrank's wife, he had never talked with her, and as he gazed through theopen window, he wondered what kind of person she could be. Turning suddenlyto his friend, he said:

"By what means does a person become able to pray such a prayer?"

"By being converted, " Frank answered. 

"Converted!" Edwin exclaimed with even more wonder shining in his largebrown eyes, for he seemed to realize instantly that another great andimportant subject had been introduced. 

In answer to Edwin's question as to how it was possible to be converted, Frank explained that one was converted through prayer or by praying; butthis answer was more confusing than any other had been, and Edwinexclaimed:

"Why, Frank, how is this? You say that the only kind of prayer that willamount to anything is that prayer that comes right out of the heart, andthat to pray such a prayer one must be converted. And now you say that oneis converted through prayer. Now tell me, if this is true, how and wheredoes a person get his start?"

Not being a Christian himself, or ever having had the experience ofsalvation, Frank did not know how to unravel the tangle of thought that hehad woven within Edwin's mind, and he was at a loss to know what to say. 

How easy it would have been for Mrs. Kauffman to help Edwin out of hisdifficulty had she known, but she was in her own home a short distance awayburdened and sad. She had watched Edwin as he crossed the fields on his wayto the home of her son and knew that they were smoking upon the porch. 

When the subject of prayer was dropped, Edwin told his friend that thefarmer for whom he was working would soon be caught up with his work andthat it would be necessary for him to look for a new place to work, and heasked Frank if he knew of any farmers who were needing help. As Edwin hadexpressed a desire to get into another neighborhood, if possible, for theexperience, Frank said that his father-in-law, Mr. Miller, would be in needof hired men during harvest, and added, "If you wish, I will speak a goodword in your behalf. "

Edwin expressed his gratitude for his friend's interest, and then after afew other remarks he arose to go. Before leaving, however, he emptied thecontents of the red handkerchief out upon a piece of paper. Then, puttingthe handkerchief in his pocket, he bade his friend goodnight. 

It was a beautiful evening, but Edwin paid no attention to the stars asthey gazed down upon him from above. He was thinking of his friend's words, and he said aloud: "To be converted must be the very thing for me and justwhat I need. But how am I to get converted, since I must pray and since Ican not pray until I get converted?" The words taught him at the poorhousecame quickly to his mind, but he said sadly: "No, they won't do! Frank saidthat a prayer is words, but that the words must not be any that have beenlearned from any person or book. They must come right out of one's heart. What can it all mean?" And that night, for the first time in many years, the little prayer failed to bring him comfort before he closed his eyes insleep. 

"O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come" (Psa. 65: 2). 

CHAPTER XIV

A PRAYER-MEETING

 Oh the precious privilege To the pious given, Sending by the dove of prayer Holy words to heaven! Arrows from the burning sun Cleave the quivering air; Swifter, loftier, surer on, Speeds the dove of prayer, Bearing from the parted lips Words of holy love, Warm as from the heart they gushed, To the throne above. 

 --Mrs. Hale. 

Not long after the excitement caused by the earthquake had subsided, FrankKauffman informed his father-in-law, Mr. Miller, of Edwin's intention tochange his place of employment and took great pains to mention the youngman's good qualities. As a result, Frank returned with the message: "Myfather-in-law will be glad to have you help him on the farm even beforeharvest, and you are at liberty, he said, to come just as soon as you careto do so. " Accordingly, at the end of the month Edwin, together with histrunk and other baggage, was transferred to the home of Mr. Miller. 

When the news of Edwin's departure from the neighborhood came to the earsof Mrs. Kauffman, she rejoiced, because she felt that his influence overher son in regard to smoking would not be so great; but little did she knowwhat the move was to mean to Edwin or that it would bring him even moredirectly into her life. 

Mr. Miller, a well-to-do old farmer, was still strong for his age and wellable to assume the responsibilities connected with his business; so thegreater part of his help was hired by the day. But since he would need onesteady hand to help him throughout the harvest-season with the barn- andhouse-chores, he hired Edwin for two months. Finding that all that Frankhad said of him was true, the Millers took Edwin into the home as a memberof the family. 

Edwin was not long in discovering that he greatly enjoyed being in thishome, for both Mr. And Mrs. Miller were good people, and Mrs. Miller was aprofessor of religion. But to the young man so hungry for the right kind ofliving the lack of profanity between the husband and wife was the thingmost noticeable and gratifying. 

He had been there but a short time when the motherly sympathy of Mrs. Miller was aroused on account of his extreme ignorance on many subjects, and she did not grow weary in explaining the meaning of new words and indoing all else that she knew to do to enlighten his mind. That she mighthave a better opportunity to talk with Edwin, he was invited to share withthe old couple the smoking-hour that was spent in the little summer-kitchen(for both Mr. And Mrs. Miller were fond of their tobacco). For thiskindness Edwin was very grateful. 

The little summer-kitchen, which had been built just back and a littleapart from the large, convenient farm-house, was principally for thepurpose of keeping the larger building free from the offensive odors thatmight arise from the cooking or the use of tobacco; but Mrs. Miller was soextremely neat and clean about her housekeeping that this room too wasalways cozy and inviting. In the chimney-corner of the kitchen a largefireplace had been built, and the latter had been covered by a closed ironcooking-grate. Above the rustic stove was a mantel, upon which the tobaccosupplies of the old people were kept, and Edwin was told that he waswelcome to place his pipes and cigars with theirs if he desired to do so. The invitation was gladly accepted, and when Edwin's things were arranged, the mantel was well filled. The other furnishings of the room were a largecupboard, the necessary articles for cooking, a long home-made dining-tablein the center of the room with long benches on both sides, and a fewold-fashioned straight-backed chairs. And here they met night after nightto smoke and to talk. 

The congregation to which Mrs. Miller belonged was in the habit of holdingtheir weekly prayer-services in the residences of the differentchurch-members, and soon after Edwin's arrival in her home Mrs. Miller toldhim that on the following Thursday evening there was to be a prayer-meetingat her house. 

"A prayer-meeting!" Edwin exclaimed with as much wonder and astonishment ashe had displayed when talking with Frank about prayer; and immediately heconnected the words with those that he had listened to on the porch of hisfriend's home. And when he asked simply, "What is a prayer-meeting?" shehid her surprize and explained that some people from different parts of theneighborhood would come together after supper in some room and spend anhour in reading, praying, and singing hymns. 

"Can I be with you too?" Edwin asked as though he expected to be denied theprivilege; but when Mrs. Miller answered, "Certainly, " the beseeching lookimmediately changed to one of gladness. 

"Can it be possible, " thought Edwin the following day as he went about hiswork, "that in this very home where I am now living they will have prayer. Only three more days! How can I wait until Thursday night?"

When at last the appointed evening had arrived, Edwin with great inwardemotion and with bright anticipations watched the people as they arrived ingroups of twos and threes, some on foot and others in carriages. When allhad arrived and had passed on into the house, they were greeted by Mrs. Miller, and Edwin was invited to join them in the comfortable sitting-roomof the large house. 

Edwin felt that these people were conferring upon him a wonderful privilegeand honor, but he could not get away from the feeling that he was anintruder in their meeting. He was surprized that no one else seemed to lookupon his being there as strange. In fact, all were so very kind that hedecided to get all the good possible from being there and to solve, if hecould, the puzzle of prayer, also to find out what it meant to becomeconverted. 

Now, Edwin had never learned that there was any other language than thePennsylvania Dutch dialect, and having never been in a neighborhood wherethe Bible truths in any language were taught in his hearing, and notknowing that there was a Bible or a Savior, he had no way of understanding(even in his mother-tongue) what to most people would have been simple andreadily comprehended. 

When all was in readiness for the service to begin, a song was sung andthen a chapter from the large German family Bible was read. After that allknelt to pray. Edwin knelt also, but he faced the others and gazed upon theupturned faces as though they belonged to creatures from another world. When Amanda and Mrs. Kauffman prayed and he saw their faces beaming withthe glory of God, he was sure that their prayers were informal, for nobooks were before them and the words seemed to come from their hearts. Thereason that he could not understand what was said, he felt sure, wasbecause they were talking to God, and the language was that of anotherworld. 

When they arose and began telling of God's goodness to them, some evenleaping and shouting at times, Edwin supposed that it was another form ofprayer, and as the words spoken were all in German, they too, he reasoned, must belong to another world. Notwithstanding he rejoiced because he wasthere, and he believed that everything was just as it should have been. 

When the meeting had been dismissed and the people had gone to their homes, Edwin and Mr. And Mrs. Miller went to the summer-kitchen to smoke beforeretiring. While they were filling their pipes and selecting the coals tolight them, Mrs. Miller inquired, "How did you like the meeting tonight. Edwin? Was it like you thought it would be?" His answer did not reveal thefact that he had not understood enough of what had been said or done toform any new conclusion. He did tell her, however, that he thought themeeting was really wonderful, and he asked how they all knew that they wereon the road to heaven. For Mrs. Miller this was a very hard question toanswer, for she too was living in great uncertainty regarding the futureand her reward; so she said:

"They don't know anything about that for sure in this life. They must waituntil after they die before they can find that out. "

In reply to Edwin's questions on prayer and what it means to be converted, Mrs. Miller explained that she had gone forward and given her hand to theminister a long time before and that after waiting a year's time he hadtold her she was in the church, and that joining church was what was meantby being converted. 

"What do you mean by 'church'?" Edwin asked, feeling that he had foundanother word bearing upon the great subject that was perplexing him. 

"Why the church is that big building down on the first four corners as yougo into town. You can't miss it, for it's the only building there, and ifyou want to go down there with us some time to a meeting, you can. We havemeeting, you know, every Sunday at the church. "

But Edwin did not know, so he said, "Do you mean that you haveprayer-meeting every Sunday?"

"Oh, no, " she answered; "it isn't a prayer-meeting. We just get togetherand listen to the minister talk, but we always sing, and the minister praysfor us. "

"And don't you know, because you go to that church, that you will go toheaven when you die?" Edwin said in astonishment, but the answer was, "Oh, no; we don't really know anything about that. "

As Edwin pondered over the matter that night when alone, he said, "If ittook Mrs. Miller a whole year to get into the church, it will take me thatlong to get converted; but I can't see why she doesn't know any more thanshe does about getting to heaven. "

Although Edwin could get no understanding in regard to the deep things thatwere upon his mind, he never for one moment thought of giving up in hisefforts to search for them and to find out. In his heart he was still surethat there was a way to know these things, and although his friends hadfailed to discover them, his confidence in their sincerity was not in theleast shaken. 

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;but is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, butthat all should come to repentance" (2 Pet. 3: 9). 

CHAPTER XV

A STAR OF HOPE

 Come then, O care! O grief! O woe! O troubles! mighty in your kind; I have a balm ye ne'er can know, A hopeful mind. 

 --Vane. 

During the weeks that followed, Edwin was very busy, but most of the timethat he was at work about the chores or in the harvest-field where the menwere gathering in the ripened grain or preparing for the threshers, he wasreviewing in his mind the scene on eternity, the talks with Frank, theprayer-meeting, and what Mrs. Miller had told him in regard to the church. 

"It will take me just a year from the time I start to go to church before Ican become converted, or be able to pray the right kind of prayer, " he saidto himself; "and how much longer will it take before I know that I am onthe road to heaven?" for regardless of Mrs. Miller's confident statementthat nobody in this world could know of his future reward, Edwin was stillof the opinion that people could. "It's just because they haven't got thatfar along, I guess, " he reasoned, and he felt very sure that some of thepeople who were at the prayer-meeting must know. 

Among the day-laborers who worked for Mr. Miller was a Mr. Kunz, who, although not a Christian, was a good, intelligent, and friendly fellow, andwho lived only about a mile away. For this young man Edwin soon formed agreat attachment, and as the weeks slipped by he occasionally found timeand opportunity to visit him in his home. During one of these visits Mr. Kunz said in answer to Edwin's questions on prayer and the other thingsthat were troubling him:

"I don't know very much about such things, Edwin, but I think that you canfind out all you want to know if you will go to the big camp-meeting thatis soon to be held on the camp-ground yonder, " and with his finger Mr. Kunzpointed to a strip of woods that Edwin had heard spoken of as the"Camp-Ground. "

"Why! what has the camp-meeting to do with such things?" Edwin asked, greatly surprized; for his idea of the camp-ground had been that it was aplace for worldly amusements to be held, such as picnics, festivals, andball-games, and it was hard for him to connect it with anything that heconsidered so solemn as prayer and getting an assurance of heaven. 

"It has much to do with it, Edwin, " Mr. Kunz replied. "The meeting is heldby men and women who are converted and whose business it is to see thatthose who come to the meeting get converted. They will know what you needand will help you to understand how to get it. "

"Do you mean, " Edwin asked, his eyes opening wide in wonder, "that one canget converted right there at the meeting?"

"Yes, indeed, I mean it, " Mr. Kunz replied, smiling at the eagerness ofEdwin. "Every year many are converted, and it is for that very purpose thatthe meeting is held. "

Poor Edwin! It was hard for him to make the words of Mrs. Miller and thoseof Mr. Kunz harmonize; but as he considered what his friend had said, abright star of hope arose in his sky, and he at once decided that the thingfor him to do was to attend that meeting. He asked Mr. Kunz how it waspossible for those people to get any one converted in so short a time. AsMr. Kunz was not a Christian himself, he could only answer that he did notknow how it was, but that somehow they did it. With this knowledge Edwinarose to return to the place where he was making his home. 

It was Sunday afternoon early in August, but Edwin gave no heed to the warmrays of the sun. As he walked along the highway toward the home of hisemployer, his heart was light and happy, and as he was alone he swung hisarms and clapped his hands in his delight. The thought that it was possibleto become converted within a week's time, or eight days, as the meeting wasto continue over two Sundays, seemed almost too good to be true. "But whynot, " he reasoned, "when there will be such able men and women at themeeting to do the work. At the church where Mrs. Miller was converted, itmight have taken a year, for there was but one man to do the work; but atthe camp-meeting there will be many. "

Then he began to wonder how the work would be accomplished, and heconcluded that it would take some kind of a scientific, systematicperformance, together with a wonderful prayer, and that then, if the workhad been properly done, an assurance that the person was converted and safefor heaven would come. 

Suddenly as he walked along, he felt that he was not alone, but no one wasin sight. Then these words seemed to be whispered in his ear:

"You had better not rejoice too soon, for your hope may be in vain. Yourmaster may refuse to let you go to the camp-meeting; for you know how busyhe is just now and how necessary that he should have your help. "

But without the slightest fear Edwin answered in an audible tone:

"Yes, sir, I know that the work is pushing us hard just now, but thismatter, to my mind at least, is of far greater importance than all the workon the farm. And then I do not expect my master to give me the time off toattend the camp-meeting. I'll tell him how much I dislike to leave him andthat nothing else at such a time would induce me to go. Then I'll say thatI will not only work for him as hard as I can the four weeks before I go, but that I will stay two weeks longer than I agreed to stay and will givehim that work free, if he will only let me attend that meeting. "

Had Edwin thought to ask Mr. Kunz if anyone could get converted in lessthan the eight days, he might not have been so determined to remain for theentire meeting; but, supposing that it would take at least that long forthe operation, he did not want to run any chances of failure in hisundertaking. 

He had hardly finished telling what he would do in return for the favorthat he was expecting to ask of his master, when again he seemed to hearthe voice speaking. It said:

"Your week's absence from the farm at this busy time might cause yourmaster so much inconvenience and loss that he would not even consider youroffer of two extra weeks of labor in return. "

"Under such circumstance I'd give him a month's time for the one week, "Edwin answered bravely. 

Then the voice suggested that he might be unable to leave under anycircumstances, but at this suggestion Edwin exclaimed:

"Well, sir, then I shall go anyway! My matter is of far greater importancethan anything that is connected with his farm, and I can not afford to missthat meeting. I can not give up a chance to get converted; for if I do andshould die, I shall go into eternity unprepared. I will just tell him thatI am going anyway and will take my chances on all the rest. "

Because of this decision on Edwin's part, the tempter, who was Satan, theenemy of all who will do right, was forced to flee. Had Edwin listened tothe suggestions longer or given the wicked one any encouragement to stay, there would have been no end to his arguments; for it is the business ofSatan to discourage and dishearten all who seek to travel upon the highwaythat leads to heaven. 

Thus, we find that Edwin in his ignorance had once more been guided byDivine Providence and that his heavenly Teacher had taught and aided him inhis hour of need. God never fails when a soul is doing his best to pleasehim. Failure comes, not merely from a lack of understanding, but from alack of decision and purpose to go all the way at any cost. Every one whois honest with himself and anxious to do the will of his Maker will beshown the way. 

"The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. From theplace of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashioned their hearts alike; he considereth all their works. . . Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in hismercy; to deliver their soul from death. " (Psa. 33: 13-19). 

CHAPTER XVI

A REVELATION ON TOBACCO

 Who is it that will doubt The care of Heaven, or think the immortal Pow'rs are slow?

 --Davenaut. 

When Edwin entered the barn on the morning following his Sunday afternoonvisit, he found that Mr. Miller was there ahead of him and that the largeforkfuls of fresh hay for the horses' breakfasts were already tumblingrapidly from the large mow above. 

"As soon as he comes down, " thought Edwin, "I'll ask him about my going tothat meeting, for it'll be as good a chance as I'll have. " Then as he wentabout among the feed-bins, measuring grain for the stock, he rehearsed inhis mind the little speech that he had planned, to see if it could beimproved; but he decided that it was just what he should say, and with allhis heart he hoped that his generous offer would be accepted. If possible, he wanted to go without causing any hard feelings on the part of hisemployer. Still he felt that he must go, and was resolved to go even if Mr. Miller should be stubborn. 

It was really but a few minutes until Mr. Miller was descending thestairway that led from the loft above, but to Edwin in his anxious state ofmind it seemed a long, long time. It was a little hard at first to breakthe silence, but finally he said:

"Mr. Miller, Mr. Kunz was telling me that the camp-meeting that is to beheld on the camp-ground before long is for the purpose of getting peopleconverted and that the work can be done in a week's time. I should like togo to that meeting, but I hate to leave you, for I know how much work thereis to be done just now. But I feel that I must get converted as soon as Ican, for I don't know how soon I may die. Now, I'll work for you as hard asI can before I go, and when I serve the time that I've agreed to stay, I'llwork two weeks longer for you for nothing if you will only let me go tothat meeting!"

Edwin had spoken excitedly, and every nerve in his body was on a tensionwhen Mr. Miller said slowly:

"Why, yes, I guess you can go. To me this matter of getting converteddoesn't seem so important, but I think I can manage the work all right ifyou want to go. "

Edwin could scarcely believe his ears, and when he found that no secondoffer was necessary, it was as though a great and heavy burden had beenrolled from his heart. During the days that followed he endeavored to liveup to the agreement that he had made to work faithfully for his master. Many times he thought of the meeting, and as often he asked himself: "Isthere anything special that I can do to help in this matter? Is thereanything that I ought to do so as to be better able to go through theoperation?"

He even asked Mrs. Miller if she could think of anything more that he coulddo, but she, failing to understand his meaning, said: "No, there isn't muchthat you can do. The things about the camp-ground are pretty handy, andit's only a few miles away, and I will see to it that your clothes areclean and mended. " But still Edwin was not satisfied. Every day he reviewedhis conduct to see if there was any possible way that he could improvehimself. 

One evening his divine Teacher again came to his assistance. It was aftersupper, and Edwin was still in the summer-kitchen. The smoking-hour, too, was over, and his pipe and tobacco were on the shelf. Mrs. Miller hadretired to her room in the large house for the night, and her husband wasmaking his usual rounds about the place to see that all the pasture-fenceswere secure. 

Sometimes when the horses and cows were trying to rid themselves of thetormenting flies and mosquitoes, they would loosen the rails of the fencesby rubbing their itching sides against them. Thus an opening would often bemade, through which, if not repaired, the entire herd might find their wayand do much damage both to themselves and to the large fields of wavingcorn that were growing all around the pasture-land. For this reason it wasnecessary after the animals had quieted down for the night to see thateverything was in good condition, and Mr. Miller would trust no one to dothis chore but himself. 

Seated in his accustomed place on the bench near the end of the longdining-table, Edwin, with both elbows upon the table, was resting his faceupon his hands. Again he was thinking of the one great subject about whichhe was so seriously concerned. Suddenly he seemed not to be alone. Lookingabout him as though expecting to see some person standing near, he heard avoice seemingly from above his head, and he was told to listen. 

When the voice of the tempter had spoken discouragingly on the way from Mr. Kunz's, Edwin had felt no fear, but now a fear that caused him to tremblecrept over him. But when the voice in tender, loving tones said softly, "Donot be afraid, for I am your friend, " he turned with eagerness to listen. 

"You want to be prepared for heaven, " the voice continued. "Now, tobacco-using is unbecoming and unclean in my eyes, and before you can geton the highway that leads to heaven, you must stop using tobacco. "

Until then Edwin had not been told by a living creature that tobacco wasnot a food, or that it was unfit for the use of mankind, or unclean in thesight of God; but as he listened to the words of his divine Guide andTeacher, the great truth of the matter sank deep within his heart, and hehad no thought or desire to dispute them. Neither did he stop to think orreason that his best friends Mr. And Mrs. Miller, Frank Kauffman, and Mr. Kunz were all using tobacco. Instead he arose and, going to the mantel, selected all his smoking-materials there, opened the grate, and dumped themone and all upon the few living coals that were still smoldering among theashes. He also brought from his room in the large house a box of cigars, some pipes and cigar-holders, and threw them in upon the other things. 

When Edwin, all unconscious of the dense smoke and the strong odor thatwere beginning to arise from the old-fashioned chimney, returned to hisplace by the table, he resumed his former position on the bench andendeavored to continue his meditation as it was before the revelation. 

Outside the night was perfect. A bright moon looked down from its loftyheight among the stars and revealed the farmer repairing a place in thefence-corner where the rails had been loosened. Scarcely had he finishedthe task, when a glance from the hollow in which he was busy toward thehill upon which his home was located, caused him to gasp and shudder withfear. Then with his nose in the air he began to inhale and said, "Why, thatsmells like tobacco-smoke. " The time of night and the fact that the smokewas coming in great volumes from the chimney of the summer-kitchen made himthink that the kitchen was on fire and that the tobacco on the mantel-shelfwas causing the smoke. 

With anxious haste the excited old gentleman turned his steps toward thehouse and hurried forward in that direction. A few minutes later Edwin'ssurprize was no less than his employer's had been; for the latter, breathing heavily and nearly exhausted from the exertion of climbing thehill in such haste, threw open the door and rushed in. For the momentneither spoke, and then after a curious glance first toward the mantel andthen at Edwin, who was still sitting calmly beside the table, Mr. Millerhastened to the grate and, lifting the lid, gazed in wonder upon the heapof burning tobacco. 

That the old farmer was displeased and even vexed at what he saw could beeasily detected in his features. Seeing that only Edwin's belongings werein the fire, he hastily demanded an explanation. Edwin replied that he haddestroyed the tobacco and cigars because he did not feel that they were fitfor him to use, but he said nothing about the manner in which he haddiscovered the fact. "I put them in the fire, " Edwin continued, "because Idid not want any one else to defile himself with what I could not usemyself. " Then seeing that Mr. Miller was taking a few of the cigars fromthe grate, he said, "If you take them out of the fire and use them, I shallnot be to blame, but I have no more use for tobacco, and I will not give toany one else what I consider unfit to use myself. "

To Edwin the use of tobacco had been a great source of comfort in hislonely hours, and he had endeavored to secure for himself every littleconvenience that would make its use more pleasant and cleanly. Aside fromhis pipes and cigar-holders, he had provided himself with a self-lightingmatch-safe for his vest-pocket, a self-closing rubber chewing-tobaccopouch that kept the tobacco clean and moist, and other things that appealedto his sense of cleanliness. His efforts had always been to do away withthe filthy part connected with its use. In fact, he had often beencommended for his neatness in regard to his tobacco; but when God said thatit was unclean and unfit for the use of any one who was seeking to be onthe highway to Heaven, he did not care for it at all. It was no trial togive it up, and he was glad to part with everything connected with its use. 

Edwin's example should have been a real rebuke to Mr. And Mrs. Miller, butinstead, they attributed his conduct to his ignorance and even made almostunkind remarks about his unnecessary waste. But this couple should notreceive too much blame; for they, like Edwin, had never been taught thatthe use of tobacco was anything that should be avoided. In their home lifethey had all respect for Edwin, and in their efforts to help him in hisignorance to understand their views of the Christian life they had beenhonest and earnest. 

Their displeasure at his destruction of his tobacco-supplies was due to thefact that they had never heard that tobacco was injurious to their bodiesand not a food. In their minds Edwin's conduct was justly worthy ofcriticism. Had they known that the pleasure derived from the use of tobaccois like the sensation produced by scratching and rubbing the skin when onehas a skin-disease, they might have understood. If it were not for thedisease, no pleasure would result from the friction. Likewise, were it notfor the disease of the tobacco-appetite, the use of tobacco would sickeninstead of give pleasure. Tobacco contains a deadly poison. Its constantuse will in time injure both body and mind past repair. In many cases ithas been the direct cause of various diseases and insanity, and it may landthe soul in hell. 

"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and toreserve the unjust. . . To be punished: but chiefly them that walk after theflesh in the lust of uncleanness" (2 Pet. 2:9, 10). 

"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it inthe lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments ofunrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that arealive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness untoGod. " (Rom. 6:12, 13). 

CHAPTER XVll

THE CAMP-MEETING

 And many learned to trust the Lord From precious truths that here were heard, While sounded out God's precious Word From pulpit and from altar too. By hearing of its meaning true, They learned to know that God would do Just as his Holy Word had said, In leading all that would be led. 

 --A. B. Gildersleeve. 

Edwin was faithful to his promise regarding his employer's interests, andat the end of the month the farm-work was under such good control that bothMr. And Mrs. Miller had decided that they too could attend a part of themeeting. Several times Edwin had visited his friend Mr. Kunz, and upon oneoccasion he had noticed that where the roads crossed there was a largeadvertisement It read:

 CAMP-MEETING AUGUST 31--SEPTEMBER 7

 A series of religious open-air meetings will be held on the CAMP-GROUND AT MAPLE GROVE Everybody invited. Come and bring your friends. Camp-Meeting Committee. 

But as he could not read the words, he was at a loss to understand what wasmeant by the sign; but when his friend explained that it was a notice ofthe camp-meeting of which he had been telling him, Edwin thought hecomprehended, and he felt that it was indeed a wonderful thing. 

When at last the morning of the thirty-first arrived, everything about thefarm was in excellent condition to leave. Mrs. Miller brought Edwin hisclean clothes that she had so carefully mended, and said: "On thecamp-ground, Edwin, you will find a large boarding-tent. There you can buyyour meals, and there will be some place given you to sleep at night. Ofcourse, you can do as you like, but I wouldn't take along anything that Ididn't need, for bundles will only be in your way. " So when Edwin set outfor the camp-ground, which was a distance of about five miles, he wasempty-handed. 

The day was perfect, and Edwin, dressed in a neat suit of clothes, strawhat, and colored shirt, appreciated it as such. The little birds and naturehad lost none of their charms for him in all the trying scenes throughwhich he had passed, but upon this occasion they were merely passingthoughts, for his mind was upon the meeting and his purpose in going to it. 

From his experiences in the prayer-meetings Edwin had learned that he couldnot understand the words that were used in prayer, and he did not know whythis was so; consequently the thought was suggested to his mind that nowperhaps he would be unable to know when the operation through which he wassoon to pass would begin. 

Dinner was just over when he reached the grounds, but although theboarding-tent was pointed out to him by a man who was working hard to gethis tent-pole in position, Edwin did not go to ask whether there would be asecond table, partly from ignorance and partly because of his not beingvery hungry. He was more anxious to examine the place where the meetingswere to be held. Mr. Kunz had given him a description of what to expect, but he wanted to see it all for himself. He soon discovered the crudestructure that was to serve as a pulpit, and he found that it was just ashis friend had described it. The rows of seats, which were simply someboards laid upon large blocks of wood, were also as he had expected to seethem. There were enough of these rude benches to accommodate a largecongregation. Only above the stand was there a covering, and Edwin wonderedwhat would happen in case of a storm, but this also was but a passingthought. 

Finding, by inquiring of a neighbor whom he happened to know and whose namewas James Hass, that the meeting-hour was close at hand, Edwin suddenlyrealized that if he was to have an interpreter he must make haste infinding one, and as Mr. Hass did not seem to have any special duties, heasked the favor of him. After Edwin had explained that his object in comingto the meeting was to be converted and that all he wanted of Mr. Hass wasthat he inform him when to act, the two went at once and took their placeson the front row of seats very close to the pulpit, and there they waitedpatiently while the rest of the people assembled. Judging that Mr. Hasswould be as anxious to help him as Edwin had himself always been to do kindacts for others, he had no thought of doubting his interpreter's sincerity. After the bell had rung the minister soon arrived, and the meeting wasbegun. 

The opening exercises were similar to those of the prayer-meetings thatEdwin had attended and were in the German language. The minister arose andread as his text Titus 3:7: "That being justified by his grace, we shouldbe made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. " As he talked upon thehope of the righteous, his words would have been a great inspiration andencouragement to Edwin could he have understood them. The speaker went intodetail regarding the sinful state of mankind and endeavored to makeperfectly clear why it was necessary that a person should see his lostcondition before he could become a Christian by being born again, but ofcourse Edwin did not receive the least light. 

At the close of the sermon the minister said, "If any one desires to beconverted and become an heir to these promises, let him stand. "

"It's time to act now, " Mr. Hass whispered in Edwin's ear, not knowing thatEdwin had thus far understood nothing of the sermon; but he explained hismeaning by adding. "You must stand up and let him know that you want to beconverted. "

Without a moment's hesitation Edwin arose, and while he waited to be toldwhat next to do, his heart was bounding with joy and bright anticipation, for he was positive that the wonderful operation of which he had been solong dreaming had at last actually commenced. He was sure that they werebeginning with him all right, for they were commencing with his case on thevery first day of the meeting. And, because he supposed that it wouldrequire the entire season of the camp-meeting to complete the work, he wasvery grateful to his interpreter for telling him what to do. 

While standing thus in front of the audience, he turned about to see ifthere were any in the congregation that he knew, and to his surprize hediscovered in one of the back seats his mother and a few others with whomhe had been acquainted. With a thrill of satisfaction he again faced theminister, wondering if they too had come to the meeting to get converted. He did not know that his mother had lately taken up a "faith, " as shecalled it, and by her old associates was being termed religious. But hebelieved that she must have had some good intention in coming to so sacreda place and that she would approve of the step he had taken. 

He was still standing, facing the minister and wondering what the next stepwould be for him to take, when his interpreter explained that he must beseated. Edwin was greatly disappointed, for he desired that since the workhad commenced it might go right on to its completion. Still he made nocomplaint, believing that the minister knew his business and would befaithful to him. 

As Edwin sat down beside Mr. Hass, feeling that everything would come outall right in the end, he did not see the expression of disgust thatshadowed his mother's face. Feeling that he was disgracing her by hisignorance, she would have enjoyed punishing him as she was in the habit ofdoing in his childhood, but this was beyond her power. 

It was but a few minutes after Edwin had taken his seat until the meetingwas dismissed, and the people scattered out over the grounds, a few to thepump, some to the boarding-house entrance, and others to their privatetents. Edwin followed the largest crowd, for Mr. Hass had left him as soonas the meeting was dismissed, and he went to the boarding-house for hissupper. He was very hungry, having had no dinner. After the meal was ended, he walked about over the grounds until it was time for the evening service. Very glad he was when he heard the meeting-bell ringing as Mr. Kunz hadexplained it would, and, finding his interpreter, he was soon again seatedin front of the pulpit. 

The evening's discourse was given in the English language, but it was nomore enlightening to Edwin than the afternoon's sermon had been; still, byhis expression of reverence and awe the congregation was not aware of thisfact. At the close of the service Edwin was surprized to see that theentire congregation arose and remained standing as he had done in theafternoon. By this he supposed that all who were there had come to beconverted. Then an altar-call was made, and Edwin's interpreter whispered, "That means to go forward. "

Now, if Edwin had not already been in front of the entire audience, hewould have gone forward; but supposing that the call was for some one else, he remained standing as he had done in the afternoon, but he made no movetoward the altar. Still the singing continued and no one came forward, andas the minister's manner became more and more earnest, all eyes were turnedtoward him. Edwin became sorely troubled; for he feared that he was notdoing all that he should do to get the best results, and he did not want tohinder the operation. 

He saw the long vacant bench in front of the pulpit, but he had no way ofknowing that "going forward" meant to kneel in prayer before the altarwhere the spiritual workers might pray with and help him to understand whatit meant to be converted. For this ignorance he was misjudged, manysupposing that he was stubborn and unwilling to bow before the altar in sohumble a manner. 

Noticing that Mr. Hass had occasionally spoken to him, no one else thoughtit necessary to do so. It seemed that night that the singing andinvitations were continued an unusually long time, for Edwin's case wasalready creating an interest. The fact that he was a subject for prayer andthe anxiety pictured upon his face made many long to see him move out andget an experience of salvation. And Edwin, feeling that something wasexpected of him and that he was losing much valuable time, became moreanxious and concerned as the moments crept by. 

It was another opportunity for his divine Teacher to act, and suddenly heseemed to feel the pressure of a strong hand placed upon his shoulder, andby an unseen power he was forced downward upon his knees directly in frontof the altar. Although he could not have told how or why he was there, hewas sure that it was the right thing for him to do, and immediately hisworry was gone. Thus, unconsciously and mysteriously he was being led onestep at a time, but always he was unable to know just what thing to donext. 

Seeing Edwin kneeling at the altar, the minister soon came and, kneelingbeside him, began to ask various questions, but to all that he said hereceived no answer, and he wondered at Edwin's silence. Then again Edwinwas misjudged. Not knowing that it was because the young man did notunderstand the language, the minister arose, leaving Edwin still kneelingat the altar, and dismissed the meeting. 

When Edwin realized that the people were scattering out over the grounds, he too arose from the altar and followed them. Then he remembered that Mrs. Miller had said that some place would be found for him to sleep, and as Mr. Meyer, one of Mr. Miller's neighbors, appeared among the crowd, Edwin madehis wants known, and the kind old gentleman hastened to show him a good bedthat he had prepared in his covered wagon. It had been made, he told Edwin, for another brother, but he could share it if he liked. 

Edwin lost no time in getting into the place assigned him, but before sleepwould come to his eyes, he had carefully reviewed in his mind all theevents of the day. Charging his mind with the place where he had left offin the evening, he was determined to commence again right there at the veryfirst opportunity that was offered him, and he was confident that he wouldsomehow discover just what was the next best thing to do. Still he couldnot help wondering just what that step would be. He was still ponderingupon these things when sleep came to his relief, and it was not until theearly songs of the little birds peeled merrily forth through the grove thefollowing morning that he awoke from his dreams. 

Edwin was soon dressed and out upon the grounds, feeling thankful indeedthat he was still permitted to live and enter upon another day of life. Only a few people were in sight, and he began to wonder how long it wouldbe before breakfast would be ready. Then he thought he could hear the soundof singing such as he had heard in the meetings, and he listened carefully. "I can not afford, " he told himself, "to miss anything that pertains to themeeting. " He found that the sound was coming from the tent near where hehad spent the night, and, walking up to it, he quickly lifted the flap thatserved as a door. 

The tent was owned by Mr. Meyer, as was the wagon in which Edwin had spentthe night, and the occupants of the tent, which were Mr. And Mrs. Kauffman, Mr. And Mrs. Gardner, and the Meyers, were having their morning worshiptogether. To Edwin the little scene that met his gaze was a pleasantsurprize; for he at once connected it with the prayer-meetings that hadbeen held at the residence of his employer, as he recognized some of thepeople who had been at the meeting and whose countenances and earnestnessin prayer he would never forget. 

The worship was over, and the song to which Edwin had listened had beenintended for the closing-song. Then they were to separate and each familygo to their own tent for the morning meal. Edwin's appearance in thedoorway changed their plans, and Mrs. Meyer, a dear old lady who had felt adeep interest in Edwin from the time she had first seen him in theprayer-meeting, arose and, offering her chair to Edwin, bade him enter andbe seated, while she found a seat for herself on the foot of a temporarybed. Edwin needed no second invitation, for Mrs. Meyer had spoken in hismother-tongue, and he could understand what she said. Then she said, "Letus once more kneel down and pray, " and they all knelt down, Edwin followingthe others' example. 

As they prayed, Edwin once more watched their faces and carefully listenedto every word, but not a word could he understand. He knew that the peoplewere praying, but he did not know that they were praying for him. 

So deeply was Edwin impressed with the earnestness of these people and sosincerely did he wish to join them in prayer, that he decided to watchcarefully for small words that he could say regardless of their meaning andto repeat such words as a prayer for himself. 

"If I take some words from a real prayer, they will be a part of a prayer, and it will not be as though I had learned the words from a book or fromsome person. "

Thus, in his ignorance he listened and reasoned, and when he had foundthree small words, meaningless in themselves, he began to repeat them inaudible tones. The fact revealed to Edwin while working among the stones inthe field of grass that God had made a provision whereby man could be ablein this life to understand upon which road he was traveling toward eternityhad never left him, and although he had not as yet discovered anything atall about God's great plan of salvation, he was still certain that as soonas he was converted he would discover all the things he was longing toknow. At that moment it seemed to Edwin that the only way to unravelFrank's definition of prayer and what it meant to be converted was to usesome words from a real prayer until he could form a prayer of his own, andfor this reason he had selected the three little words. 

God, as a "discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:12), saw the sincerity of Edwin's purpose, and the little unintelligible wordsreached his throne as though they had been an eloquent prayer, and the morehe prayed the more desperately in earnest did he become. 

Suddenly Edwin felt that his prayer must have taken hold on God, for aburden new and strange and different from anything that he had everexperienced semed to settle down upon him, and as it grew heavier andheavier, he felt that he was being crushed to the earth. Then a feeling ofunworthiness that even the earth should hold him up and keep him frominstant destruction in hell until God in his mercy would deliver him sweptover him, and in his desperate condition he cried out until his voice washeard all over the camp-ground, and the people in crowds came to discover, if possible, what was taking place in Meyer's tent. 

Then a strange and wonderful thing occurred. Heaven in all its beautyseemed to open to his view, and as the great burden rolled away he sprangto his feet, and while leaping about the tent he shouted for joy andthanked God because he was at last sure that he was on the road to heaven. 

When at last Edwin could think about his surroundings, he saw that both"flaps" of the tent were open wide and that Mrs. Kauffman, Frank's mother, was earnestly preaching salvation from sin to an immense congregation. Thelatter had been drawn together by the sound of Edwin's agonizing cries, andalthough Edwin could not understand what she was saying, for she wasspeaking in the German language, he was sure that she was telling them ofGod's wonderful power and goodness to him. And as he looked about him, hewondered why the people and trees had never appeared so beautiful to himbefore. 

When the curiosity of the crowd had been satisfied and Edwin was once moreon the outside of the tent, he was surprized to find that all nature wasbeautified and that the songs of the birds were sweeter and more thrillingthan he had ever known them to be. In recovering from his state of rapture, he realized that only one half day of the camp-meeting was over and that henot only was converted but had all the remainder of the meeting before him. It was his blessed privilege to enjoy the remainder of the time with allthe rest of God's good people. 

Such had been his breakfast, and when the meeting-bell began to ring, Edwindid not look for his interpreter; for he felt that since he had receivedthat for which he had come to the meeting, it was no longer necessary totrouble Mr. Hass. 

The all-seeing Father not only had understood Edwin's ignorance and taughthim his need, but had helped him to know how to approach his throne in anacceptable manner. 

"For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him thathath no helper . . . And precious shall their blood be in his sight" (Psa. 72:12, 13). 

CHAPTER XVIII

DISCOVERS THE EXISTENCE OF GOD'S WORD

 O precious volume! only in thy pages We read the duty of all our race; Only thy sunbeams, shining through the ages. Reveal the wonders of saving grace. 

 --Daniel S. Warner. 

Edwin had heard that there was such a book as the Bible, but that the Biblewas a good book or of any more value in the world than the almanac or the"Book of Black Arts, " that had been in the home of Mrs. Fitch, had neverbeen suggested to his mind. So of course he did not know that the Bible wasGod's great message to the world. It was therefore a wonderful thought whenthe truth first dawned upon his mind. 

The little group that had been present at the time of his conversion werethe first to explain the matter to him, and when Mrs. Kauffman added, inwords that he could understand, that the Bible contained the story ofJesus, she found that he had never heard that there had ever been any oneon the earth by that name. It was a long story, but after hearing a little, Edwin was anxious to hear the remainder, and when his kind friend hadfinished speaking, he asked simply, "Was Jesus God's son and yet a man justas I am?"

"Yes, " Mrs. Kauffman replied; "God made man in the first place, good andpure like himself, and he was made master of all that was in the world. Inreturn for all these blessings, God demanded obedience and said that deathto all the human race would be the penalty for his disobedience. "

Then she related that man yielded to sin and fell from the holy state inwhich he was created, receiving as his penalty eternal banishment fromGod's presence, and she went on to tell of the provision that had beenpromised at the time of the fall. 

"For more than four thousand years, " she said, "this awful blight of sincontinued; then Jesus, the provision that God had promised, came into theworld to live a life of perfect obedience to God. And God sent to all theworld by his Son the message that any and all who would follow Christ'sexample and live as he had told them at the first to live, would beforgiven and with his Son would become a part of his own great family (Heb. 5: 8, 9). God in this way formed a bridge across the gulf that had beenfixed between the sinner and his Maker. Now it is possible for any one whowill, to cross the bridge and to enter heaven, but they must prepare forthe journey before they die. "

"Is all that in the Bible?" Edwin asked in astonishment; "and is it so thatGod's Son once lived upon this earth?"

"Yes, Edwin, it is true, " Mrs. Kauffman answered. Then she read andexplained Heb. 1:1-3 and 5:8, 9: "God, who at sundry times and in diversmanners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in theselast days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of allthings, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of hisglory and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by theword of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on theright hand of the Majesty on high. " "Though he were a Son, yet learned heobedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, hebecame the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. "

She then told him that the place where Jesus had lived was far away fromthere, but that it was a country similar to our own. As she continued totalk about Jesus' home, Edwin exclaimed, "Oh, if only I could some time goand see that place for myself!" But when he thought of what such a tripwould cost, his hope of ever getting there was destroyed. As Edwinconsidered the wonderful love that had prompted God and his Son to make sogreat a sacrifice for men and women who had been disobedient to his lawsand commands, his heart was flooded with love for his Creator, and hecried:

"I knew that God must have made some way for man to know where he was goingto land in eternity! Jesus is that provision. I can see it all now, and theassurance that we are going aright is that we are obedient to God?" headded with a rising inflection. 

"Yes, it is obedience to God, " Mrs. Kauffman explained. "But there is moreto his plan than that. God wants us to love and reverence his Son for allthat he has done. To do this we must ask God to forgive and to receive usback into his family for Jesus' sake. This is a true prayer when it comesfrom the heart. "

"Is that the prayer that I prayed when I was converted?" Edwin asked, remembering the three little words that he had selected from one of theprayers in Mr. Meyer's tent. 

"No, " Mrs. Kauffman replied; "your prayer was different. It was really noprayer at all, but you see you did not understand these things or know howto pray. God knew what you wanted, because he understands the heart, and heknew that you would have asked for it in proper words if you could haveunderstood. "

Both Mr. And Mrs. Kauffman were very good to Edwin; for after he had lefttheir neighborhood, they had learned something of his worth. Every dayduring the meeting they endeavored in some way to help him to understandwhat it means to be a Christian, and some of the wonderful things that arein the Bible. Much of their effort was lost, however, because of hisignorance, but it seemed that each time he was able to grasp a new thoughtthat would correspond and link on to his own experience. 

When the last day of the camp-meeting arrived, Edwin was sorry, for he feltthat it had been a good place to be; but since he had received the benefitfor which he had come, he was ready to return to the farm and fulfil hisagreement with Mr. Miller and do all that he could to make up for the timethat he had been away at the meeting. The Kauffmans, Itterlys, and Meyershad all given him pressing invitations to visit them in their homes, andwith many happy remembrances of the meeting in his mind he was soon well onhis way down the dusty road in the direction of his employer's home. 

Again he noted the sweet songs of the little birds, and nature seemed allaglow with her beauty and grandeur; but as before, when he was on his wayto the meeting, his mind was too full of weightier things to give outsidethings much thought or attention. 

As he passed in through the open gate, he remembered that Mrs. Kauffman hadsaid that in a certain city not more than ten miles away a Bible could bepurchased, and, knowing that Mr. Miller occasionally went to that city todo his trading, he decided to ask him to get him a copy while there. 

When he reached the summer-kitchen, he found the old couple partaking oftheir evening meal, and when Edwin had taken his accustomed place on theend of the bench, he was asked to give an account of the meeting and totell how he had enjoyed himself while there. It was in glowing terms thatEdwin described each little detail and the effect that the entire meetinghad produced in his life. When he had finished, Mrs. Miller remarked:

"I'm glad, Edwin, that you have at last found out what it means to beconverted. But of course you will have to join the church. You can go withus to our church every Sunday if you want to, and after you go a while theywill tell you whether they want you to become a member. "

Edwin gladly accepted the invitation, and then after telling what Mrs. Kauffman had said about the Bible, he asked Mr. Miller if he would buy hima copy the next time he went to the city. The latter said that he would dothe best that he could. When the smoking-hour arrived, Edwin remained, butto visit, not to smoke. He cared no longer for his pipe, for the appetitefor tobacco was all gone. 

Although Edwin was disappointed a number of times because of his employer'sforgetfulness to do his errand, a few weeks after the camp-meeting hadclosed, a little red leather pocket Testament in both the German andEnglish languages was placed in his hand, and what a treasure it was! Theprice that Edwin had paid for it seemed very small indeed, but he did notknow that the little volume was only a part of the wonderful book of whichhe had heard such thrilling accounts. 

In the days that followed a great longing to read the sacred pages of hislittle Testament came into his heart, but even to have the little book inhis possession was a great comfort, and very often he drew it from hispocket and pressed it to his heart while he was at his work. 

On Sunday, Edwin never failed to go with Mr. And Mrs. Miller to the littlechurch that was on the corner where the roads met and crossed, and he wasstill as earnest and anxious to learn as he had been at the camp-meeting;but the difficulty of the language was ever before him, and his extremeignorance concerning the Bible was very noticeable. 

At last when the subject concerning whether he should be accepted as acandidate for a member of their denomination arose, a lengthy discussionamong the most prominent brethren followed, and it was decided in Edwin'shearing that he was far too ignorant on Bible lines ever to amount toanything among them. It would therefore, they said, be best to drop thematter at once. 

"Think of it!" said one, "it doesn't stand to reason that any one with solittle education and knowledge concerning the Bible could be so easilyconverted. He will be like a wave of the sea--lost and forgotten, in a veryshort time. Why, he can't even understand the preaching yet or the thingsthat you try to explain to him! To my mind his case isn't worth botheringwith. "

After Edwin had heard this man's reasoning and had found that it was thedecision of all, he was given an opportunity to speak for himself. He said:

"I'm sure that you are mistaken when you say that I will not stand. I knowthat I am very ignorant about what is in the Bible, but if you will justgive me ten years, I will prove to you that God, who has brought me throughall my past difficulties, and in spite of all my ignorance has directed mealways in the right way, will never fail to teach me the next best thing todo. "

After Edwin's speech it was decided that it would be all right for him toattend the meetings, but that they could not accept his name even onprobation. 

It was with a sad heart the following day that Edwin went about his workupon the farm. He could not understand why the brethren had doubted hisability to stand nor their reason for not allowing him the same privilegethat was given to others, simply because he was ignorant and his conversionhad not required so long a time as they were in the habit of allowing theirmore enlightened members. "God surely knew what he was doing, " he reasoned, "and I believe that my life is as precious to him as that of any other man, though he may know a great deal more than I do. "

All day long he was burdened and sad, and when night came, instead ofresorting to the summer-kitchen as had been his habit for so long, he wentto his room immediately after the evening chores were done. Falling uponhis knees and taking from his pocket his little red Testament, he opened itand laid it upon the chair before him. Then as tears blinded his eyes, heburied his face in his hands and, bending reverently over the littlevolume, made his request known to God. 

"O God!" he cried, not caring by whom he was heard, "you who have been sofaithful to me in the past, in helping me out of all my difficulties, helpme now! I have learned that this little book is to make me know what youwant me to do, so help me to be able to read what is in it. "

To Edwin this task was no greater for him than others had been that he hadmastered, and with perfect faith, believing that God would open hisunderstanding sufficiently for him to comprehend the meaning of all that heneeded to know, he began the work of learning what he should have knownmany years before. 

With his finger Edwin carefully traced in several words the outline of theletters, until suddenly a few of the characters that he had learned fromthe school-teacher when, in his early childhood days, he was sent to schoolas protector of his younger cousins, returned to his mind, and althoughthey had been meaningless then and had been long since forgotten, theycorresponded perfectly with those before him. Thus he continued to laborlong into the night, and during the days and evenings that followed, whenever there was a moment to spare, a moment that he could feel was hisown, he endeavored to locate the same letters in other words. But althoughhe could locate several of the letters, he did not know their names. 

Later on, after the corn-husking was done, Mr. 

Miller decided that he could get along with the work by himself, and Edwinbegan looking for another place. When the word became circulated that Edwinwas wanting a job, several opportunities to get into good families wereoffered him, but he would decide on none of them until he had spent a fewweeks in visiting the kind friends whom he had met at the camp-meeting. 

During Edwin's stay with Mr. And Mrs. Miller, Edwin had learned to respectthem very highly, and their kindness and sympathy meant very much to him, but he felt that he was sadly misunderstood by them both and that theirjudgment was not altogether good. He was sad, too, because of the attitudeof the church-members toward him, but his only thought was to prove to allthat he was sincere, and although so coldly held off by some he continuedto attend the meetings regularly. 

On the morning of his departure, Mrs. Miller in her motherly way invitedhim to visit them occasionally, and after thanking them kindly for alltheir interest in him, Edwin left for the home of Mr. And Mrs. Kauffman. Frank Kauffman was at his mother's home when Edwin arrived, and when he sawthe welcome that she gave to the one whom she had so severely condemned, because of the influence she was afraid he might have upon her son, hecould not help smiling. He had heard that Edwin had given up the use oftobacco, and it was not long until he learned from Edwin himself hisreasons for doing so. Frank was much impressed by the story and felt thatperhaps Edwin was right about the matter, and he would have been glad togive up the use of tobacco himself, but the power of habit was great, andthe poisonous nicotine was so working in his system that his strength ofdecision was limited. 

Edwin's stay with the Kauffman's was prolonged to several months; for thesepeople, finding that Edwin was so anxious to learn to read his Bible, beganat the foundation and taught him both the English and the German alphabetsand instructed him how to use them in forming words. Until then Edwin hadnot understood the difference in the languages, and, finding that the wordsused in prayer and preaching, were not a heavenly language as he hadsupposed, but were meant for any one to speak, he decided at once to masterthem both. He reasoned that what he could not comprehend in the onelanguage he might in the other, and his progress in the undertaking was sorapid that it was marvelous. 

When he learned that the Bible was in two parts--a New and an OldTestament--and that his little red-covered book was only the New, he longedfor the complete volume and was soon in possession of one. 

"Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Cause me to hear thyloving-kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to knowthe way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee" (Psa. 143:7, 8). 

CHAPTER XIX

DEVOTION AND WORKS

 Faith builds a bridge across the gulf of death, To break the shock blind nature can not shun, And lands thought smoothly on the further shore. 

 --Young. 

During his visit in the Kauffman home, Edwin learned what was meant notonly by prayer but by a life of true devotion, for Mrs. Kauffman was a veryspiritual woman. She was sorry for the decision of the brethren to refuseEdwin even a trial for membership in the church, but she endeavored toencourage him in the belief that all would come out right in the end, andEdwin very courageously said that he was sure it would. And the fact thathe was misunderstood by some did not lessen his confidence in the brethrennor cool his intense love for humanity. Neither did it dampen his desire tobe a blessing to mankind, and so great did the latter longing become thathe began to seek for opportunities of doing good. 

By living in such sweet communion with God he learned a great many lessonsthat were very helpful to him in different ways; and with a little helpfrom his kind friends he learned to read in such a marvelously short timethat it was plain to all that God was truly his teacher. 

One day while Edwin was quietly meditating upon the wonderful things thathe had read within the Bible, he compared them with the experiences throughwhich he had passed, and he marveled at the manner in which theycorresponded. Then, while thinking of what had taken place at the campmeeting, he remembered his mother and his surprize at seeing her at such aplace. "Could it be possible, " he said to Mrs. Kauffman, "that my mother'sreason for attending the meeting was that she was interested in spiritualthings?" His friends thought it was probable, and then Edwin said that ifsuch was the case he would like to tell her about some of the wonderfulthings God had done for him. In this Mrs. Kauffman encouraged him, and shehelped him to find several appropriate passages of Scripture that he couldread to his mother, and when he went she bade him Godspeed. 

Edwin had not visited his mother since the time when her proud heart wascrushed because of the shame and disgrace that had been forced upon herthrough Elmer's actions. Since then many things had taken place in her lifethat had caused her to change some of her ways, but the "faith" that sheclaimed to have taken up and that had encouraged her to attend thecamp-meeting was only a "try to do better" plan. 

When Mrs. Fischer saw her son approaching the house, she at once rememberedhis ignorance at the camp-meeting, the ridicule created by his queeractions, and the hard feelings that, in her embarrassment, she had felttoward him; still, she endeavored to treat him kindly, and at first shepermitted him to talk freely about his experiences before and after themeeting. But when in conclusion, he said, "Mother, can't you see hownecessary it is for any one to be converted, or to be born again into God'sgreat family?" she exclaimed: "Oh, such trash! I won't listen any longer!I've committed no sins that I need to repent of. _My_ 'faith' is goodenough for me, and I don't expect to know everything about heaven in thislife. The church that I have joined teaches that if you do as well as youcan you'll go to heaven anyway, and after you have pledged any church thatyou will stand by it and then you go and join another and take up their'faith, ' you become a shame and disgrace to the church to which you didbelong. "

"Yes, but you may not get to heaven if you do not anxiously seek to knowthe right way, " Edwin said, and the earnestness in his voice could be felt. 

Then opening his Bible, which was already well marked, he read: "Wisdomcrieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: she crieth in thechief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city sheuttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye lovesimplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hateknowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit untoyou, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called and yerefused. . . . I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fearcometh. . . . Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shallseek me early, but they shall not find me: for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord; they would none of my counsel:they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit oftheir own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning awayof the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroythem. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quietfrom fear of evil" (Prov. 1:20-33). 

That his mother was surprized to hear Edwin reading the words was veryplain to be seen, but her spirit was still proud, and she cried: "No, Edwin, I won't listen to any more. Those words are in the Old Testament, Iknow, but they were written for the people who lived at that time, and notfor us. The New Testament is for us. "

"Well, then, Mother, " Edwin said, quickly turning to the third chapter ofSt. John, "let me read to you something from the New Testament, some of thewords of God's own Son to all the world. Jesus was talking to a man who wasa teacher and very wise, but he told him that the only way to get to heavenwas to be born again, for he said: 'That which is born of the flesh isflesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that Isaid unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemusanswered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered. . . . Godso loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoeverbelieveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sentnot his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world throughhim might be saved. ' And now, Mother, " Edwin said, "here is the part that Iwant you to listen to especially: 'He that believeth on him is notcondemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hathnot believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is thecondemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darknessrather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doethevil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds shouldbe reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deedsmay be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. '"

The reading of the last scripture had been more difficult for Edwin, but hehad reviewed the words so often under the direction of Mr. Kauffman, whohad taken a keen interest and delight in the manner in which Edwin waslearning, that he was able to read them both plainly and distinctly. Butstill his mother said:

"That, too, was long ago. Things are different today. You needn't try totell me that what the people did and said at that time were anything likewhat they say and do today. "

Then as Edwin attempted to explain, she said:

"No, Edwin, you must not say anything more to me about these things. I'msatisfied to let well enough alone; and if I'm contented, you ought to be. "

Seeing that his mother was determined to continue in her uncertainty, Edwinnext thought of his own brother and sister in the flesh, whom he had neverseen. Through his mother he had found out where they were living, andalthough it was a long distance to their homes and they were as strangersto him, he decided to visit them and at once set out upon the journey. 

The brother had heard through the mother some things about Edwin'sstupidity, as she called his extreme ignorance (for which she was herselfto blame), and he had also heard of Edwin's willingness to suffer cruelpunishments and unjust blame. "But, " the mother had also said, "with allhis block-headedness, he has never done anything to compare with whatElmer, his cousin, has done to make me ashamed. "

It was therefore with real interest and curiosity that the brother receivedhim into his home, and he was shown much kindness by his brother's wife. When Edwin explained how wondrously he had been led and taught of God, thebrother was astonished, for he could see that all Edwin had said was veryreasonable and sensible, and he wondered why he had never thought to searchout some of the things for himself. The brother's wife as well was greatlyinterested, and when Edwin read and explained the verses from hiswell-marked Bible, they were both convicted and exclaimed:

"O Edwin! what must we do to get this great salvation?"

Immediately Edwin turned to Acts 16: 30, 31, and read the jailer's words toPaul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" and Paul's answer, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved, and thy house. "He then explained that Jesus came to seek and save the people from theirsins and that he went about preaching the glad tidings of salvation, afterwhich he gave his life upon the cross that their salvation might bepossible. 

Next he read Isa. 55: 6, 7: "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, callye upon him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and theunrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he willhave mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. "

"To forsake sin, " Edwin explained, "is to stop doing anything that oneknows to be wrong, like stealing, lying, swearing, " and he named over anumber of other things. "By the power of the will it is possible for anywho have formed such habits to stop doing the things that are wrong, butbefore a person can really be delivered from sin, he must be very sorry forhaving disobeyed God. That sorrow is repentance if the person is sorryenough to ask God to forgive him and to cleanse him from allunrighteousness. "

Edwin did not tell them that it had always been his desire to do to othersas he would be done by, for to him this had been only his privilege andduty to mankind, and he fully realized that before he was converted he was, with all the rest of humanity, in a sense separated from God. Instead hesaid:

"You must think of God's goodness, " and he read: "Come unto me, all ye thatlabor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find restto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. " And then heread Heb. 10:39: "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; butof them that believe to the saving of the soul. "

"O Edwin!" his brother cried, "why is it that we have never heard of thesethings before? Surely God has sent you to us. "

As a large revival was being held in the city at that time, they alldecided to attend, and at the meeting and with Edwin's help the brother andhis wife were gloriously saved. 

When the meeting was over, Edwin was urged to prolong his stay. This hedid, and he spent a few weeks very profitably in helping his relatives tobecome established and to learn how to study the Bible that had so longbeen only an ornament in their home. 

His sister also was deeply impressed with the wonderful things that God haddone for Edwin, but she was the mother of several small children, and herlife was such that she thought that she was unable to make the necessarysacrifices. Edwin read to her from the seventh chapter of Matthew thesewords of Jesus: "Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, Iwill liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and therain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon thathouse; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. " Then he explainedto her about the house that fell, but she only answered: "No, Edwin, it isof no use. I can not live it now, " and thus Edwin left her feeling her needbut unwilling to yield. 

From his sister's home Edwin returned to Mrs. Kauffman's, where he wasagain treated with the greatest affection and respect. As he told of hisexperiences, his kind friends were deeply interested as well as astonishedat the manner in which he had succeeded in his brother's home, and Mrs. Kauffman thanked God for so wonderfully answering prayer. 

Learning that Edwin was again in the neighborhood, the farmers with whom hewas acquainted did their best to engage him to work for them, but to all hesaid: "No, not yet. I have not satisfied my mind. I am still a guest in thehome of Mrs. Kauffman, and since they are satisfied to have me stay, Ithink that there must be more things that God would teach me from his Word, so I will study my Bible for a while longer. "

Baptism was the next subject that bothered him. During his recent visitwith his mother he had learned from her that, as an infant, before he wastaken to the poorhouse, he was baptized; but he had read in his Bible, "Hethat _believeth_ and is baptized, shall be saved" (Mark 16:16). "No infantcould believe or reason anything about the Lord Jesus, " he told Mrs. Kauffman, and he asked her advice about having the work done again. 

"You had better go to your minister and ask him what he thinks, " Mrs. Kauffman said. Edwin improved the very first opportunity, which happened tobe the following Sunday immediately after the morning service. Replying tohim, the minister asked:

"Don't you think the baptism in your infancy amounted to anything?"

"I don't know, " Edwin answered cautiously. "That is what I came to see youabout. The Bible says, 'He that believeth and is baptized, ' and I'm surethat I didn't know enough at that time to 'believe' anything, and the waythat I understand that verse is that I am to be baptized after I amconverted. "

"Well, then, " said the minister, "if you do not feel satisfied, I will, atsome convenient season, attend to the matter. "

For several weeks Edwin anxiously waited for the "convenient season"; thenon entering the chapel one Sunday morning, he noticed on a stand beside thealtar a large bowl of water, and he wondered if it was in any way connectedwith his baptism. He was not kept long in suspense, for immediately afterthe morning exercises he was requested by the minister to come forward andto take his seat upon the altar. Edwin quickly obeyed, and the minister, after a short ceremony, took the bowl in his hand and with his fingerssprinkled a little of the water upon Edwin's head. 

To Edwin it was a very solemn affair, for he was very sincere. At the closeof the ordinance the minister said, "Now, whether you consider that yourother baptism amounted to anything or not, I hope that your doubts will beforever gone. " At the time Edwin thought they were, but later on when heread, "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with himthrough faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead"(Col. 2:12), he thought that to be really baptized meant more than merelyto have a little water sprinkled upon his head; and when he considered thatJohn baptized people in the river Jordan and that Jesus, his example, walked down into the water, saying, "Suffer it to be so now: for thus itbecometh us to fulfil all righteousness, " and that when Jesus came up outof the water the voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom Iam well pleased" (Matt. 3:15, 17), he felt that he should like to go downinto the water as though he had been buried from the sight of the worldjust as his Savior had done. 

As was his custom when perplexed over such problems, he went to Mrs. Kauffman that he might have the benefit of her judgment. She advised him togo to a body of people that believed in immersion and be baptized by theirminister. Edwin followed her direction, and as soon as possible he was putunder the water as a testimony to the world that he was dead to sin. 

Thus, day by day God in his wisdom continued to be Edwin's teacher in thedeep as well as in the simple things of life until the wisdom of thepoorhouse waif was in many things far beyond that of many who professed tobe leaders of men. 

"For his God doth instruct him to discretion and doth teach him" (Isa. 28:26). 

"Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto theend. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observeit with my whole heart. " "Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who isdevoted to thy fear" (Psa. 119: 33, 34, 38). 

CHAPTER XX

CALLED TO SERVICE

 Walk Boldly and wisely in that light thou hast; There is a hand above will help thee on. 

 --Bailey. 

When Edwin heard of the heathen in other lands across the sea, a greatlonging to help them to understand God's love and to bear them the messageof Jesus' mission to the earth came into his heart. So great did thislonging become that he spoke of it to the brethren at the church, but hewas told that it would be better to first prove his calling at home, forthere were plenty of heathen all around him needing his help. 

Without criticism or feelings that he had been dealt with unwisely, heaccepted this judgment as proper and right, and at once began by seekingfor opportunity to talk about his experiences with both neighbors andfriends. In this way he made his efforts for doing good to count, and hebecame personally acquainted with the greater part of the community. Mr. And Mrs. Kauffman, seeing Edwin's zeal and courage, were surprized andpleased, and, taking note of the good he was accomplishing, offered him theprivilege of holding prayer-meetings in their home. Soon others gave himthe same opportunity, and it was evident that God was using him even to thesaving of a few souls. 

As Edwin continued to grasp every opportunity for usefulness, the brethrenwho had refused to accept him as a candidate for membership in theirchurch, became anxious to have him enroll, but Edwin told them: "No, my tenyears are not yet up. You must remember that I told you I wanted that longto prove to you that I could stand and that I am truly converted. "

When Edwin felt that he could spare the time from studying the Bible anddoing spiritual work, to resume his labors as a farm-hand, he found that itrequired no effort to find a place, as all seemed to know of his abilityand willingness to work. There was even contention among the farmers as towho would be so fortunate as to secure his services. 

Finding out the true state of affairs, Edwin was pleased, and he decided todivide his time among them. In this way he was able to enter other homesand lives and to help them spiritually as well as with his labor. Butthrough all this service Edwin was not without various trials and tests;but in everything he was able to give God thanks and to draw usefullessons. "For thou, O Lord, hast proved us: thou hast tried us as silver istried. " (Psa. 16:10). 

After a time Edwin felt that he would like for at least a while to try citylife. Finding a man that was engaged in peddling spring-water, he agreed towork for him for a share of the income. The business did not prove to be aprofitable one for Edwin, but by very careful management he was able tomake both ends meet. But when he had met his necessary expenses, he hadnothing left that he could use for the work of the Lord. 

This soon became a great trial to Edwin, and when one Sunday there was acall (in the new church he was attending in the city) for a liberal amountof money, he felt that he must subscribe twenty-five dollars even though hedid not know how he could ever pay it. He believed that in some way orother he would be able to raise the money even though the time allowed forpaying it was only one month. "God will help me in this thing as he hashelped me through all my other difficulties, " he said as he set out onMonday morning in his covered wagon to dispose of his bottled water. 

At first the sales were as they had been on other days, but along in theafternoon they began to increase, and when night came and he had time tofigure up the amount of the water sold, he found that there was over andabove all his expenses five dollars extra to his credit. For foursuccessive days this increase of sales continued, until he had fourfive-dollar bills laid aside. 

On Friday morning Edwin started with a glad heart; for he thought, "If onlyI succeed today as well as I have been doing all week, by this evening Ishall have the amount I subscribed. " He expressed his gratitude inthanksgiving and praise to God. To his great disappointment, that day theextra amount of water was not sold, and on Saturday and Sunday he did notpeddle. Climbing into his covered wagon filled with bottles, he started outfor his boarding-place; but he was not in the least discouraged, for he wassure that the remainder of the money would be raised in some unexpectedmanner before the month was up. 

Scarcely had Edwin dismissed the matter from his mind when he came to anelectric-car crossing. It was a dangerous place, for a few feet above thecrossing the track was completely hidden from view by a large ledge of rockand a sudden curve. At this place Edwin always listened carefully for asignal. Hearing nothing and knowing that the car had been due fully tenminutes before, he was soon driving upon the track without any thought ofdanger, as he had so often done before. His surprize was therefore completewhen, just as the back wheels of the wagon were dropping heavily over thelast rail, there was a sudden breeze and whiz came the car around thecurve. No warning whatever had been given, and a second later Edwin foundhimself among the legs and hoofs of the faithful animal that he had beendriving. 

It was indeed a narrow escape, and as Edwin crept from his dangerousposition he found that not only his horse but his wagon and load of bottleswere upside down and that the conductor and motorman were by his sideinquiring of him how badly he was hurt. 

Edwin himself was uninjured, and after the harness had been loosened, thehorse was able to rise, and when the wagon and bottles were examined, itwas found that nothing was at all harmed. But before Edwin was again on hisseat in the wagon, the conductor had taken his name and address. 

As he drove away from the scene of the accident Edwin was rejoicing in thefact that he had escaped so well, and with no thought of ever hearing anymore about the affair he was soon putting his things away for the night. Inthe morning, therefore, he was greatly surprized when he was called to thedoor and by the same conductor that had the evening before taken his nameand address was handed an envelope and told that the contents were hisbecause of the accident that had occurred the evening before at thecrossing. Edwin tried to explain that no harm had been done to anything, but the conductor replied that the blame was his because he had given nosignal. "But, " he continued, "it will always be a mystery in my mind howsuch an accident could occur without a single injury to anything. "

Then the conductor went away, and when Edwin opened the envelope, he foundthat it contained just five dollars, the exact amount that he needed tocomplete his purpose-money. One week out of the four had not yet passed, and yet he had the full amount of his obligation. And when, on Sundaymorning, he carried the money to the church and told of the wonderfulmanner in which it had been supplied (for indeed it was wonderful), manymarveled. 

In the city Edwin continued to do all in his power for the Lord as he haddone in the country, and just about two years from the time that heattended his first prayer-meeting in the home of Mrs. Miller, he receivedan urgent invitation from Mr. And Mrs. Kauffman to return to their home andhold a series of revival meetings; "for" said the letter, "our house andall that we possess are turned over to the Lord, and we feel that you haveproved yourself sufficiently to come and be our minister. "

To Edwin the privilege of holding the meeting and the confidence of thesepeople meant very much indeed, but he still felt keenly his inability ofdoing anything in his own strength. To think of himself as a preacher hedid not, for God at that time had not revealed to him his calling in life. Still, he submitted the matter entirely to the Lord, and when the way wasopened for him to go he was glad to accept the opportunity. As a resultthere was a wonderful revival; for Mr. And Mrs. Kauffman did their best tohave the meetings advertised, and as Edwin's present, and early history aswell, was well known throughout the country, the people for miles around, many of them out of curiosity, however, came to see if what they had beenhearing about Edwin as a Christian was true. 

When the meeting closed, Edwin had in the minds of the people provedhimself to be a real minister of the gospel, and arrangements were soonmade to buy a piece of ground and to build a small meeting-house. The ideawas sanctioned by Edwin, and he saw it carried into effect, but when theybegged him to stay as their pastor, he refused. "It is better, " he said, "for you to get some one else to be your leader until I know positivelythat God has set me apart for that work"; and referring them to a certainbrother who claimed to be a minister, he left them in his charge andreturned to the city where he had been peddling water. 

Edwin's object in leaving the community in which he had been holding themeetings was that he might have a better opportunity to know positivelywhether or not God had really called him to preach the gospel. His firstduty, therefore, after arriving in the city was to go to the minister foradvice and counsel. After confiding his desire to work for the Lord and themanner in which he had been used in the meeting, he was told: "There aremany who mistake their calling in life. Sometimes the enemy of souls putssuch feelings in the heart to mislead honest souls, or to get them out ofGod's order. " And the minister related an instance of a young man who hadonce come to him just as Edwin had come for advice. "Seeing hisearnestness, I gave the fellow a chance to prove himself, but it was foundthat he had no gift or ability at all to teach. In fact, he did so poorlyin all public work that he was forced to confess that he was reallymistaken. After that he never wanted to preach again, and it was evendifficult for him to testify. "

"Well, " Edwin answered, "if it is the enemy in my case, I will have notrouble to get rid of this feeling, for I shall only be too glad to knowthat I am misled. All I want to know is what God wants me to do. If hedoesn't want me to preach, that is the last thing I would care to do. "

From that moment Edwin ignored the thought of preaching, and while heapplied himself to his manual labor, he endeavored to forget all about hisusefulness during the revival. And as he was thus striving with himself, the minister in whom Edwin had confided, desiring to know if there wasanything to Edwin's convictions, paid a visit to the community in whichEdwin had held the revival. Several months had passed, but the fire wasstill burning in the hearts of the people (although the one left in chargeof them had done more harm than good), and as the minister listened to theglowing accounts of Edwin's works among them and the good that had beenaccomplished through his labors, he was forced to change his mind. "God'shand must surely be on that man for service, " was his secret thought, andon the Sunday morning following his tour of investigation he brought thematter before the church. 

Nearly the entire congregation with the exception of Edwin were present, and as the minister related carefully and in detail what had taken placerecently in the community where Edwin had been so "strangely" converted andhad formerly made his home, he added that only the wisdom and power of theHoly Spirit could have enabled him to accomplish such a work. "There is nodoubt now in my mind, " he continued, "that God's hand is upon the young manfor the ministry; for his moral character is without spot and blameless inthe eyes of all who know him, and he is well known and respected throughoutthe country for this and because of his unusual conversion. "

In that meeting it was decided that it would be best to have another talkwith Edwin before he was encouraged to preach. When the minister went tohim, it was with these words:

"Edwin, do you still feel your desire to preach the gospel?"

"Oh yes, " Edwin answered. "Since talking with you, I have tried in everyway to get rid of the thought of preaching, if it was not God's will for meto preach, but the burden is only growing heavier. I have submitted thematter to you and the church, however, to decide for me, and I know thatGod knows the same; so I can quietly trust him until you tell me what youthink would be best for me to do. "

"Are you still fully agreed to allow the church to consider the matter foryou?" Edwin was then asked. 

"Oh yes, sir!" he quickly replied. "I have submitted everything into yourhands, for I want to know just what you consider is best. I will beperfectly satisfied either way it may go. I am not anxious; for I know thatif God really wants me to preach he will take care of it all and will workeverything out in his own good time and way. If he does not work it out sothat I am considered capable of preaching, then I shall take it for grantedthat it was a suggestion of the enemy, and I will take a vehement standagainst those feelings as an imposition of the enemy. Now, I consider whatI have said is sufficient, and it will be no trial for me, for I shall feelthat I am in God's order, and I care for nothing else. "

When the minister heard Edwin's humble answer and noted his willingness toallow God to have his perfect way with him and compared his manner with themany remarkable reports to which he had listened concerning hisexperiences, he was more convinced than ever that God's hand for servicewas surely upon this devoted young man. But he felt that since the thinghad been left for the church to decide, he must in Edwin's absence oncemore place the subject before the congregation. 

The time chosen was the following Sunday. When the minister asked for anexpression from the people concerning Edwin's case, with one united votethey said that they were perfectly agreed to accept Edwin as a minister, provided he could prove his gift. It was therefore decided that since theyhad never heard him preach, they would call him in and let him deliver themorning sermon; and severe as was the test, it was carried out. 

When Edwin a few minutes later entered the room and looked over that largeaudience, he had not the faintest idea of preaching to the people. His onlythought was to learn what their decision had been, and his surprize wastherefore complete when the almost painful hush that prevaded the room wasbroken by the request that he take the pulpit and assume full charge of themeeting that morning. 

Had it not been that Edwin already knew the Lord to be an unfailing sourceof strength and an able helper in every time of need, his courage mighthave failed him, for upon the rostrum were several ministers and gospelworkers. Instead, he instantly submitted the matter to the Lord, and, forgetting about his ignorance, he rejoiced that he could have anopportunity to glorify God and took his position between God and poorblighted humanity. 

"Let us pray, " were his first words, and, falling upon his knees, he pouredout his heart in fervent prayer to God, asking him for help and divineguidance in this, his great hour of need. While still upon his knees he wasgiven a text, and, rising to his feet, he opened his Bible, turned to Luke7:47, and read, "Her sins, which were many, are forgiven; for she lovedmuch. "

Then as he explained the meaning of the words, his eyes became blinded bytears. As he lost sight of his audience, the Holy Spirit came to hisrescue, and as the words poured forth from his mouth, it was evident to allthat the sermon was given him by divine power. So lost to himself and theopinions of others did he become that he seemed to be swimming out into thevast ocean of God's boundless love. 

That God was glorified and his name honored it is needless to say, and fromthat time Edwin was accepted without question as a gifted and qualifiedminister of the gospel, and his calls both in his home community and inother places were many. He was even preferred above other able ministersbecause of his strange and wonderful experiences. 

As Edwin continued to preach, he remembered how hard it had been for him tounderstand that there were other languages than his own mother tongue, andhe prepared himself to preach not only in the German and the Englishlanguages, but in Pennsylvania Dutch as well. 

While studying his Bible he found that there was even healing virtue inprayer. In James 5:14, 15, he read, "Is any sick among you? let him callfor the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing himwith oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save thesick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, theyshall be forgiven him. " In his own case he had found this to be true. Godhad not only healed his soul's sickness but also removed his bodilyafflictions. Finding that he could receive such instant relief for himself, he was soon exercising his gift for others, and many were healed throughhis earnest prayers. 

In one place where he was preaching, he made his home with a family inwhich there were two small children, a girl three years old and a boy aboutone year younger. To these children Edwin soon became greatly attached, andtheir love for him was no less than his own. Once when Edwin was away for afew days holding a series of meetings, the little boy became seriously illwith pneumonia. The parents, who knew the worth of prayer in time ofsickness, took his case at once to their Great Physician; but although theyprayed very earnestly, their prayers seemed to be of no avail, for thechild grew constantly worse. A number of the brethren were repeatedlycalled in to pray for little Charley, but the child grew constantly worseuntil it seemed that it would be a question only of a few hours until hewould be called into eternity. Finally the mother said, "If Edwin were onlyhere, I believe that the child would be healed, " but Edwin did not evenknow that little Charley was ill. 

At last the parents, while gazing down upon the little unconscious formburning with fever, gave up all hope of his recovery, consecrated theirchild afresh, and submitted their own wishes in the matter to the One whohad lent them the darling. Then they seemed to see upon the fevered browthe angel touch of death, and the troubled spirit of little Charley, moaning piteously, appeared to be preparing for its upward flight to abetter world. 

Feeling that there was nothing more that they could do, the brethren hadtaken their departure, but only a short distance from the house they metEdwin returning unexpectedly from his trip. Had Edwin endeavored to do so, he could not have told them why he was coming just at that hour, butsomething seemed to bid him hasten, for his presence was needed. From thebrethren he learned of the child's illness, and, hurrying into the house, he was soon beside the parents, who were still weeping over their littleone. 

As Edwin looked down upon the face of the one whom he so dearly loved, thewords, "The prayer of faith shall save the sick" (Jas. 5:16), appeared tobe all that he could see or hear. He went hurriedly to the door and calledloudly to the brethren and bade them return at once. Fortunately, thelatter had been walking slowly, for their hearts were troubled because oftheir neighbor's distress, so they heard the sound of Edwin's voice callingto them, and they immediately retraced their steps. 

The little group, with the addition of Edwin, once more gathered around thechild's crib. As Edwin knelt he clasped his own hands and raised thembefore him; then with upturned face and pleading tones, he asked God, forJesus' sake, to heal little Charley. 

For several minutes he prayed, and in his earnestness his body swayedbackward and forward, and tears flowed freely over his cheeks. When theprayer was ended, and Edwin opened his eyes to look about him, to his greatsurprize and joy he saw before him upon the floor the little child with hishands clasped and raised as Edwin's had been and his large blue eyes turnedheavenward. He too was praying, trying to imitate Edwin's example. At thevery first of the prayer when Edwin's voice arose, the child regainedconsciousness and, seeing his friend upon his knees beside him, he hadbegged his mother to allow him to "pway" too. Lifting him tenderly from thecrib, the mother had placed him carefully upon the floor. From that momentlittle Charley was well, and soon called for some food. 

At another time, when Edwin was holding a meeting about seventy-five milesfrom this home, the little girl became seriously ill. "Have Edwin pway!have Edwin pway!" was all they could hear from little Charley; so a letterbearing the news and telling the nature of the child's illness was postedas soon as possible. When the word reached Edwin, he went to his room andthere remained before the Lord until he felt that his little friend washealed. When another letter came from the mother, it brought the word thatthe little girl was healed, and the day and hour that the work was doneagreed perfectly with the time when God had witnessed to Edwin in his roomthat the child was healed. 

A few days after the healing of the little girl Edwin received stillanother letter. This time it was from the wife of a certain man for whomEdwin had worked and whose confidence he had won before God called him topreach. "Please pray for my husband, " the letter ran. "He is in thehospital with a cancerous sore upon his right leg. The doctors give him nohopes that he will recover, but we have not forgotten how often God hasheard your prayers, and we believe that if you will pray for him he willrecover. There is no earthly remedy that can help him. "

Edwin remembered the old gentleman well, and he went out in the woods wherehe could be alone and prayed earnestly a long time for the man, but hereceived no answer or impression that the work was done. For threesuccessive days Edwin went alone to the woods to pray. On the third day hefelt that the man would recover, and immediately he mailed a letter to thelady to that effect. 

When the message was received and read to the sick husband, the faith ofboth him and his wife were increased and strengthened, and they toobelieved that he would soon be well. From that very hour there was a changein the man's condition, and the sore began at once to heal. When the nursescame to dress the sore, they were astonished at the change, and the doctorsconfessed that it was a mystery too deep for them to fathom, but to Edwinit was only another blessing from the Lord. 

"And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them poweragainst unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner ofsickness and all manner of disease" (Matt. 10: 1). 

"For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lordover all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call uponthe name of the Lord shall be saved. . . . How beautiful are the feet of themthat preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"(Rom. 10:11-15). 

CHAPTER XXI

DISCOVERS GOD'S CHURCH

 O Church of God, thou spotless bride. On Jesus' breast secure! No stains of sin in thee abide. Thy garments all are pure; Of unity and holiness Thy gentle voice doth sing, Of purity and lowliness Thy songs of triumph ring. 

 --Clara M. Brooks. 

A number of years had passed since Edwin began preaching, and in thesuburbs of a large city where the houses were numbered in groups of twosand threes, there was a certain quiet dwelling that could not helpattracting the notice of the passerby; for the place, surrounded as it wasby a pretty grassy lawn with a few choice flowers scattered here and there, disclosed the fact that the occupants of the cottage were lovers of thebeautiful. 

Through an open window a song of praise was floating, and upon the face ofthe fair and noble young woman within could be read happiness, contentment, and love. She was busying herself about the stove, for she was Edwin'swife, and she was preparing her husband's evening meal. God not only hadraised the poorhouse waif above his difficulties, but had given him inaddition a good Christian companion to comfort and encourage him. 

A smile and a cheerful word were Edwin's greeting when he returned from thepost-office. Seating himself in the large comfortable chair that had beenplaced by loving hands close beside the window, he began at once to examinethe mail. There were several letters, which were each read in turn; butwhen Edwin came to the paper, his face wore a puzzled expression, for thelatter was not his own. 

"I guess a mistake has been made somehow at the post-office, " he said, "forthis paper belongs to another person; but I see that the wrapper is loose, and I suppose it will be all right for me to slip it off and look the paperover, for that's what I hope the other fellow will do with mine. " Then ashe proceeded to unfold the large religious periodical, he remarked, "Ihaven't yet found a paper that can come up to our own, and we can rejoicetonight because whoever has it will have something good to read. "

At the very beginning of their home life, Edwin, feeling that some goodreligious paper ought to come regularly to their home, had chosen from abundle of sample copies the paper he considered best suited for theirpurpose, and for some time it had been making its weekly visits to theirhome. Since then it had been his custom to read aloud either from it or theBible while his wife was busy about her household duties. In this way theycould talk over together the subjects that puzzled them while these werestill fresh in their minds. 

As Edwin's eyes fell upon the title of the new paper that he had justbrought and found that the name of the paper contained three words and thatthe middle word was Gospel, he said, "Well, it at least has a good name, and now we'll see if it teaches what its title indicates. "

The heading of an article that read, "God's Word as Our Guide, " nextattracted his attention; and when he began reading, his wife left herpartly prepared supper to come and look over his shoulder. 

"As trusting children of God, we naturally look to him for guidance; for hehas said, 'I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shaltgo: I will guide thee with mine eye. ' When two paths lie before us and weknow not which one to take, we ask God to make known to us the way that hewould have us take. God is willing to do this. He is glad to have us followwhere he leads. "

"That is very good, " Edwin's wife remarked. 

Drawing a chair beside his own for her, Edwin said:

"Never mind the supper. Sit down, and we will eat later. "

Then he read: "In Exod. 19:5 God says that his people will be a peculiartreasure unto him above all people. This great favor is bestowed upon allthose who obey his voice. When we see how much people have cost him, we cancomprehend, in a measure, how precious we must be in his sight. Naturallywe value anything by its cost. If this rule be applied here, truly God mustplace great value upon his people; for he spared not his own Son, butdelivered him up for us all. He must therefore estimate our value by hisSon. "

Next he read under the heading God's Church: "No one thing on earth iscomplete enough in its nature to fully represent the church of God. Neitheris the human mind able to grasp singly a name that would express everyfeature of the church. For this reason God has made use of many relativenames, such as kingdom, Zion, holy city, house, body of Christ, bride ofChrist, family, sheepfold, vine and its branches, and other similarillustrations. 

"First, let us consider the word 'church. ' It means a congregation ofpeople separated from the world (John 15:19). Next, God's church ischaracterized by being separate from the world and all its evils (2 Cor. 6:14), and Christ is the head (Eph. 1:22), the door (John 10:9), thefoundation (1 Cor. 3:11), and the chief corner-stone (Eph. 2:19, 20). "

For a moment the paper dropped idly in Edwin's hands, for the truth of Godwas streaming down into his heart. Ever since his talk in thesummer-kitchen with Mrs. Miller, when she said that she was converted atthe time when she joined church and in answer to Edwin's question as towhat the church was replied that the church was the little building wherethe roads met, he had felt that there was such a thing as "the church, " buthe could not get it settled that it was the building on the corner, as Mrs. Miller had told him that it was. But whenever so situated that he could doso, he had continued to be a regular attendant of every religious serviceeither at that place or in some adjoining community. In his heart he feltthat as the meaning of eternity, prayer, and conversion had been revealedto his entire satisfaction, God would in his own good time help him todiscover the true meaning of the word "church. "

Presently he read under another heading: "The gospel of salvation thatChrist preached penetrated the dark places of sin and idolatry like sunrays driving back the darkness of night. Wickedness in the hearts and livesof men gave way to grace and truth. Christ then established his church. True holiness adorned her fair brow. Unity and purity were her chiefcharacteristics. Of her it is said, 'Thou art all fair, my love; there isno spot in thee' (S. Of Sol. 4:7). And again, 'My dove, my undefiled, isbut one' (S. Of Sol. 6:9). 'He [Christ] is the head of the body, the church. . . That in all things he might have preeminence' (Col. 1:18). 

"Having purchased, founded, and built the church, God claims exclusiveright to the government. She is not 'our church, ' but 'God's building, 'owned by God alone. All her members are the sons of God and bear his holyimage. 'God hath set the members every one of them in the body, as it hathpleased him' (1 Cor. 12:18), for 'ye are the body of Christ, and members inparticular. '"

For a moment Edwin paused to meditate upon what he had read; then hecontinued:

"It is God himself that assigns each member his place in the church, or thebody of Christ, and makes known to him what his line of spiritual work isto be--'Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And Godhath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdlyteachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, ' etc. (1 Cor. 12:27, 28). 

"The origin of the church is the immediate result of conversion and isinseparable from it. 'I pray not for the world, but for them which thouhast given me; for they are thine. Neither pray I for these alone, but forthem also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all maybe one; as thou, Father, art in me . . . That the world may believe that thouhast sent me' (John 17:9, 20, 21). 'As new-born babes, desire the sinceremilk of the word, that ye may grow thereby . . . Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritualsacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. But ye are a chosengeneration, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that yeshould show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darknessinto his marvelous light: which in time past were not a people, but are nowthe people of God. ' (1 Pet. 2:2, 5, 9, 10). "

Again Edwin paused, and as the wonderful beauty and completeness of God'splan concerning his people dawned upon his mind, his large brown eyes werebrightened with tears of joy, and he said to his wife:

"I believe I understand at last what is meant by 'the church. ' Allconverted souls, both dead and alive, and of every nation or race of peoplein the world, make up God's church, and to become a member of the church isto be converted, or born into God's family. "

"Read on, " his wife said eagerly, and Edwin continued:

"God's people are not to forsake the assembling of themselves together toworship him (Heb. 10:25); 'for where two or three are gathered together inmy name there am I in the midst of them. ' (Matt. 18:20). 

"It may be a mystery in the mind of some why we read in the Bible ofchurches, when God has but one church. A little attention to the word willconvince any honest mind that the church of God is plural only in regard toits geographical location. The people in the different communities couldnot go up to Jerusalem in order to assemble themselves together in worship, for the distance in some instances would have been too great. Thus, itbecame necessary for many to form home congregations. But although theywere often widely separated, the same sweet fellowship was flowing in thehearts of all, and God looked upon them all together as his church, or thebody of his beloved Son. The idea in referring to the church, or the divinecongregation, as a bride and wife in relation to Christ was to teach theirclose relationship. 'And I will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I willbetroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and inloving-kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me infaithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord' (Hosea 2:19, 20). 'For I amjealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to onehusband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ' (2 Cor. 11:2). 'He that hath the bride is the bridegroom' (John 3:29). 'For thymaker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer theHoly One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called' (Isa. 54:5). 'Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriageof the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her wasgranted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for thefine linen is the righteousness of saints' (Rev. 19:7, 8). Since no man canrightly have more than one wife, God has but one church, and Christ is herhusband. "

"Wife, " Edwin said, "this truly is wonderful. I see it all clearly now. Godhas had a purpose in keeping me from joining the little church on thecorner, for I was already born into God's church when I was converted. Heunderstood my ignorance; and although they have long since changed theirminds concerning me, the ten years that I requested to prove my sincerityhave shielded me from making a mistake, and my name has long ago beenenrolled in heaven. "

As they continued to glance over the pages of the paper, they came to alarge advertisement of a camp-meeting to be held in an adjoining State. After reading the urgent invitation to all who could to come to thespiritual feast, Edwin said that he would like very much to attend thatmeeting. It was impossible for them to both leave at the same time, butEdwin's wife urged him to go while she remained to take care of things athome. 

Before retiring that night Edwin told his companion about the firstcamp-meeting that he ever attended. "I know, " he said, "that I was lookedupon by many as a lunatic, but I'm glad that God realized and understoodall about the difficulties that had surrounded my early life. And, Wife, ifI had it all to do over again, I could never know more perfectly how toconsecrate myself to God and to realize the completeness of his love withinmy heart. " And thus their talk continued long into the night. Their supperhad been forgotten, for they were feasting on heavenly manna. 

When the time for the meeting arrived, Edwin bade his wife farewell at thestation; and as it was but a few hours' ride, he was soon at hisdestination. His general appearance as well as his understanding of thethree languages helped him to make a far better impression than he had madeat the time of him conversion, but his same innocence regarding sinfulpleasures was still very noticeable. From his earliest recollections in thepoorhouse his desire to do right for principle's sake had never left him. This desire and God's wonderful protection had guarded him against manyevils that might in later years have entangled his feet and obstructed hispathway. 

What he saw and heard in the meeting was in such harmony with all that Godhad taught him and with what he had read in the Bible that he said, "Of atruth I have found God's church, and his people shall henceforth be mypeople. "

He was still of the same humble, teachable spirit, and when he returned tohis home, he carried many rich morsels of truth to his loving and faithfulwife. 

"One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in youall" (Eph. 4: 6). "He will guide you into all truth" (John 16: 13). 

CHAPTER XXII

VISITS THE POORHOUSE

 I am not old--though time has set His signet on my brow, And some faint furrows there have met, Which care may deepen now-- For in my heart a fountain flows, And round it pleasant thoughts repose, And sympathies and feelings high Spring like the stars on evening sky. 

 --Benjamin. 

It was evening in the late summer, and Edwin was sitting upon the porch. Hehad been reading, but the paper had fallen carelessly by his side. In thewestern sky the beautiful tints of gold were rapidly changing to the deepershades of lavender and crimson, and as he gazed upward among the driftingclouds he seemed lost to his earthly surroundings. So enraptured andcarried away with his meditation had he become that he did not notice theapproach of his faithful wife as she came to take her place beside him. 

"Edwin, your thoughts tonight seem to be very far away indeed, " she said. "I hope that you are thinking of things that are pleasant"

With a smile and a word of welcome, Edwin awoke from his reverie and said:

"Yes, Wife, my thoughts were pleasant. In imagination I was living overagain some of my early experiences. "

"If that is the case, my dear, I greatly fear that a part of your thoughtswere not as cheerful as they might have been, " his wife said as her chairwas drawn closer. Taking the hand that was scarred and disfigured inseveral places by abuse in his childhood, she continued: "I fear that manythings concerning your childhood would be very hard indeed if you wereforced to live them over again even in thought. "

"Yes, Wife, that is true. There were many hard and bitter things, which areindeed painful to recall, especially those pertaining to my mother. To knowthat she has left this life without any hope for the future world, feelingthat such was unnecessary, is hard, but it was not of her nor of herattitude toward me that I was thinking altogether. I was meditating upon mylife as a whole. You see, more than fifty summers and winters have passedsince I left the poorhouse in my boyhood days, and I have passed well overthe best part of my life. I am now on the downward slope of life's mountainof years, and it will not be long until I shall be entering the valley ofthe shadow of death. "

The soft fingers of the gentle wife closed more tightly over the hand theyheld, as she said:

"Yes, dear, neither of us is young any more, for the silvery threads arealready in our hair; but whether our years on earth are few or many, Ibelieve that we both are ready to enter into the presence of our Lord atany moment that he should call for us. "

"I have no fears on those lines, Wife, " Edwin said, while his eyes werestill upon the beautiful horizon; "for I have the sweet assurance within mysoul that I am a child of God and that I am on the road that leads toeternal bliss and glory for all who are faithful unto the end. But thisevening as I sat here gazing upon the beautiful handiwork of God, Iwondered what could be awaiting us in that brighter and better world beyondthe grave. "

"That is not for us to know now, Edwin, but some day the curtain will bedrawn aside, and I am sure that the scene will be all the brighter for ourhaving had to await God's time to reveal to us the mysteries that he hasfor a time thought best to veil. "

The silence that followed seemed too sacred to be broken, and the gatheringdarkness crept slowly about them. When the last shade of crimson had leftthe sky, Edwin said:

"I have been thinking of the many good things that have come to me in thislife, and the manner in which they have come. It seems that God's hand hasbeen over me ever since I can remember, and as I look back now I can seethat God has always been my guide ever since I chose to do the rightbecause it was right to do it, and that even in my extreme ignorance, whenI knew nothing of God's existence, he guided my steps and enabled me tolive a life that was upright and consistent in the eyes of the world. Then, when I had no earthly friend who was able to unfold the mysteries of thefuture world to my entire satisfaction, he became my teacher and taught mehow to be born into his heavenly family. Surely it was only through hisdivine protection that I have been brought through all my perplexities tothe present time. Then as I was thinking about my childhood home at thepoorhouse, a great desire to visit the place again crept into my heart. Itseems to me that it would be a comfort to stand once more upon the sameground and to see the scenes that I beheld at the time when I was ahelpless waif. "

"Fifty years, Edwin, have probably made many changes, and nothing wouldseem the same to you now. It could not be as it was when you were a child. "

"That may all be true, " Edwin replied, "and yet the more I think about it, the greater becomes my desire to go and visit the place again. If you couldgive your consent, I should be glad to go at once. "

"That you certainly have, " his wife said earnestly, adding, "I will gladlydo all in my power. Edwin, to help you to prepare for the journey. "

Three days later Edwin kissed his wife good-by and with his handbag in hishand started for the railway station. After boarding the train he had along and tiresome journey, but at last it was at an end. Alighting from thetrain, he stood for a moment upon the platform, trying to think which wayto go. Noticing a man standing near, Edwin inquired the way to thepoorhouse, and finding that the distance was not too great to walk, he wassoon wending his way in that direction. 

In that section of the country the land was quite level, and long beforeEdwin reached the place, he could see the large brick building that duringhis stay there was the quarters of the vicious and insane. He wondered ifit was still used for the same purpose and if the same sights and soundscould be seen and heard. In a little while he was in front of the placethat was his home half a century before. 

Leaving the highway, he passed through the open gateway, and a picture ofhis uncle in the buggy with the little forlorn poorhouse waif sittingbeside him arose in his mind. Looking about, he wondered if either Mr. Engler or the chore-boy Jim were in sight; but he was not long indiscovering that a new manager (or "steward" as he was called) by the nameof Blohm had taken Mr. Engler's place and that no one could tell him thewhereabouts of Jim. He was beginning to reah'ze that what his wife had saidconcerning the changes of fifty years was true, but the greatest surprizewas before him. 

The room in which he had been left by his heartless mother was still freshin his memory as he had left it to go to his mother's home. When a momentlater he stepped inside the up-to-date office that was in the mainbuilding, he could scarcely believe that the apartment was the same that hehad known years before. Nothing, not even the couch upon which thecruel-hearted woman had laid her helpless babe, was there, for all thefurniture was bright and new. 

Here he met Mr. Blohm, and after introducing himself as one who hadformerly been an inmate of the home, and relating some of the Lord'sdealings with him, he told a little about his checkered experiences andended the story by telling of his divine commission to preach the gospel. After all this explanation he was shown every possible favor and lookedupon as an honorable guest. In fact, he was taken by Mr. Blohm himself allover the establishment. 

A few of the inmates whom Edwin had known in his childhood were stillliving, and although they were greatly changed in appearance, he recognizedthem as the same persons. When he passed through the long hall, he thoughtof the time that he had followed Mr. Engler on his way to meet his uncle inthe office, and he took a special look at the very spot where he wasstanding when the steward gave him the order to come. 

Passing outside, he was told to examine a large marble stone that had beenplaced in the side of the building, and he found that all the names of thedifferent managers, including August Engler's, were there. In another largebuilding he found the bakery, and in this busy place the greater part ofthe cooking was still done. As he passed through the large double doorsthat divided the two apartments, everything seemed for a moment as it hadbeen fifty years before, for just outside he could see the spot where hewith other children had stood looking down into the bakery hoping toreceive from some one a crust of bread or a stale biscuit. 

At dinner-time he was conducted into the large dining-room. There he foundmany tables neatly spread with food that was good and wholesome, and it wasplain to be seen that the needs of all had been taken into consideration. One special table had been assigned to the management and special workers, and it was there that Edwin was offered the seat of honor. It is needlessto say that he greatly enjoyed the good, substantial meal, for he was veryhungry after all his exertions. 

After dinner he continued his investigations, and as he went about fromplace to place, he seemed to be living over again a part of the past. Herecognized the place in which the old lady had taught him the words, "Now Ilay me down to sleep, " and as he remembered the comfort that he hadrealized while repeating them, his heart throbbed with gratitude to the Onewho knew and understood his childish desire to live right. At night he wasshown to a clean and comfortable bed, and there he fell asleep with thepast as a sacred dream. 

In the morning Edwin arose feeling greatly refreshed and ready to enjoyanother day in the county poorhouse, but before noon he reentered the mainoffice and wrote a letter home to his beloved wife. It read:

"Dear Wife: Greeting in Jesus' name. I am sure that you will be anxious tohear from me and of my eventful journey. To me this has been a wonderfulexperience, and although it is true that everything is greatly changed, there are certain associations with every place that bring a flood ofremembrances. The changes are principally in the people, however, and theirmanner of living, for very few buildings have been added or torn away. 

"From the window where I am sitting I can see the old well where wechildren used to pump the cold water on our dry bread. I can also see thepath leading down to the large turnip-patch, and as I watch the wavingtops, I can imagine myself a child again eating the round white balls, dirtand all. I have also taken a stroll about the yard and stood upon the veryspot where I used to stand when watching the queer actions of the insaneand listening to their horrible sayings. The large brick building for theinsane of which I have told you in the past is still as I remember it, except that it is no longer needed for the insane and the gratings from thedoors and windows have all been removed. That part of the work is takencare of by the State asylum, and this building is now used for the weak andfeeble-minded women. There is also another building where the men of thisclass are cared for by special workers. 

"When it became known that a former inmate of the infirmary was a Christianand a minister of the gospel, it was considered a great honor to theestablishment, and I have been requested to take charge of the morningservice in the chapel next Sunday. I have already had the privilege ofexplaining some verses to a few, and some who knew of my earlydisadvantages confess with shame their own lack and wish for an experiencelike mine. 

"Do pray for me that I may be the greatest blessing possible while I amhere, and with the prayer that God will bless and keep you until we meetagain, I will close. "

That Edwin's visit at the poorhouse was profitable, both to himself and toothers, it is needless to say. On Sunday he preached to a large audience, and he was privileged also to visit and pray for many who were unable tomeet in the chapel. Thus, he who was once a poor waif in this institutionwas enabled to be a help and a blessing to those who were stillunfortunate. 

On Edwin's return home, he and his wife were in the cozy living-room untila late hour talking over the events of the past few days. Before retiringhe reached for the Bible, and after he had read a chapter, they knelttogether in prayer. In earnest, fervent supplication and praise he openedhis heart to the One to whom he was so greatly indebted. 

"O Lord, " he prayed, "thou hast been so merciful to me all my days! Thyhand of love and protection hath been over me wherever I have been. Thineeye hath guided my feet past many pitfalls that I could not see. In myweakness thou hast been my strength. In my ignorance thou hast been mywisdom and teacher. When friends forsook me thou wast mindful of my needs. When others misunderstood thou hast been my Comforter. To thee, O God, Irender thanks for all thy benefits, for thy saving and keeping grace thathath reached even to one so unfortunate as I. And now, O Lord, grant thatall the remainder of my days, be they few or many, may be spent for theeand for others who have not yet learned to love thee and to know of thygreat goodness. To thee we commit ourselves for the night and place ourhands in thine for future service, knowing that when our work on earth isended, thou wilt gather us home to live among the faithful forever. Amen. "

There is little else to say of Edwin's life except that his determinationis still on the increase to help men and women to understand their need ofa Savior and to instruct them in the ways of the Lord. As we draw thecurtain over the life of the unfortunate poorhouse waif, we should notrejoice alone because he has been able to rise above his difficulties butalso because his divine Teacher will instruct all who will be taught. 

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ofwhom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grantyou, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might bythe Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend withall saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and toknow the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filledwith all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceedingabundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power thatworketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughoutall ages, world without end. Amen. "