News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1900-11-28
turned back to the library walk and

pans. 1Ou huOW We SOU Iue route
to Rawlins in order to get Barnes
route. It's nearer college and prac.
tically as good as the avenue route"
81 mean what he was saying to you
as he leaned over and spoke to you all
alone? l was just coming up and had
to wait a minute"
HE spoke to me about being a Chris
tian. That's the third person who has
spoken to me about that today"
Freeda was silent a moment, and
then she said quietly: LET me be the
fourth person, Ned. Why aren't you a
Christian? I've had good many anx-
ious thoughts about you this year.
Mother would be so glad too. Some
times | think it's the only thing you
need to make you perfect"
'One thing thou lackest,' ehF' said
Edward, with unaccustomed levity,
and then he lapsed into silence, which
was unbroken until they reached the
ladies' hall.
AS he said good night to Freeda he
added, 81 don't want to disappoint you
and mother, Freeda."
81 hope you won't, Ned" she replied
gently as she went up the steps.
He walked slowly back to his room
and went in and for few minutes sat
down by his window in darkness.
thinking over the events of the day.
Then he got up and lighted his lamp.
AS he turned from the table he hap
pened to think of his letter box that he
had not looked into since noon.
He went over to the door and found
one letter there. He was glad it was
from his mother. He sat down at the
table at once and opened the letter.
His mother did not write to him very
often. She was not college bred wo-
man and had lived a life of hard phys
zeal labor, but there was no one in all
the world who had more influence
over Edward, and he always read her
letters with a reverence and respect
that he never felt for any other person.
The letter contained a short account
of affairs on the farm. then went on to
speak of Edwards uncle and aunt and
finally referred to Edwards and Free
da's college course:
It has been Joy to me, Edward to think Of
you and Freeda receiving an education. In your
last letter you spoke Of feeling of regret your
part that was Shaving so hard on the farm, while
you and your sister were having such an easy
time in college, but you ought to know, dear son,
that I count no hardship of any account by the
side of the love l have for you. You may be
wondering why I am writing this letter now, SO
near your home coming and at time while you
must be so busy at commencement time, but
two nights ago as lay awake, toward morning,
l had experience that prompted this letter. I
seemed to hear voice say to me: "Your son
Edward is a good boy truthful honest, unsefsh
in most things, free from coarse vices, but he is
not professed disciple of Christ and has never
Joined a church tasted OF the communion.
One thing he lacks and that is the greatest Of
ALL He needs to repent and believe in order to
be saved
You know am not imaginative in the least
and simply believe that what heard was the
Spirit speaking to me in your behalf And could
not resist the feeling that | ought to write you
and urge you to give yourself to Christ Why
should you stand outside the kingdom, my son,
looking on at the struggle of the ages and posi-
bly, criticising it because you feel as good as any
one? Give your heart to him who gave us ALL
Enter the kingdom like little child Edward
You have a great work to do in Gods world, if
he shall spare you. You wrote in your last letter
that you might decide to give up being doctor
and become public speaker and write for a liv-
ing 1t makes little difference to me what par
ticular thing you do in the world, but it makes
all the difference in the world whether you are
Christian not That is the main thing, after
ALL Seek first the kingdom, my son. Ii you sue
coed in all worldly affairs and know all know-
edge and do not know and love God supremely, it
will not profit you anything.
You do not doubt my~love for YOU do you /?
Why should you doubt the love of God for you /?
He gave his Son for your salvation Why
should you be careless in the face OF that great
atonement? He died for you, Ned the same as
for me. Oh, my dear son, your mother is grow
ing older and more feeble every year! | shall
soon pass over to the other side. But it will be
the best day of my whole life when you tell me
that you have decided to give your heart to God
and believe in his redemption through Christ
May the Holy Spirit as he pleads with you be
allowed to enter your heart and will and lead you
by his almighty power to the feet of Jesus. Your
loving MOTHER.
Edward finished the letter aal let 1t
lie open on the table. First Wheaton
and then Professor Clark, then the
president and Freeda, and now this
eliminating letter from his mother
And all these appeals on one subject,
as if all the persons making them had
been consulting together.
Why was he not q Christian? He
believed in everything that was good
and true and pure. Why did he not
believe in Christ? The question drove
all the other memories out of his mind
He had thought good deal during the
first part of the day about Willis, Won
dering what his future would be. He
had thought about Miss Seton and
wondered If he would ever gather up
courage enough to tell her what he
felt. He had thought of his own fu-
ture and had more than once specu-
lated on the ambition he was beginning
to have for authorship and the public
platform. But now, near the close of
the day, near the midnight hour, alone
in his room, with that sacred appeal of
his mothers lying before him. he could
not shut out this one thought, Why
was he not a Christian man? What
was keeping him back? Was this
question of the age, what think We of
the Christi going to face him contin-
ually? What difference would 1t make