The Princeton union., 1900-09-06
CHAPTER NIII-COntinued.

has told me that the whisky men have |
never ceased from the day they were
driven out of Conrad to attempt to
come back in some form and carry on |
their work. At the present time he
tells me that through failure on the |
part Of the officers Of the law to en-
force the law the whisky men have
grown bold and opened several places.
He is right now in the midst of the old
struggle again. This time it is a strug-
gle with state and county officials who
have broken their oaths Of office. 1t Is
the same struggle in another form. At
the bottom Of the whisky business in
any state, whether it has prohibitory
statute or not is the incentive of great
financial returns for a very little real
labor and also the human passion for
drink, two things which Kirk says
must be recognized by the temperance
people and always reckoned upon in
the problem Of temperance.
"It remains therefore to be said that
so far as Kirk and his wife are con-
cerned the contest they began here,
the battle they entered for victory over
the world, still goes on. Is there a
place in the world where Christian
may cease from fighting the good fight
Of the faith? But l am profoundly
touched by the extent Of overcoming
to be seen in this place. | have been
unable to silence the question, What If
every minister as he entered a new
place, no matter how small or dlth-
cult, entered 1t with a passion like
Kinks to redeem the lost part Of it
and bring it back to God?' l know
this much is true Of the work done
here. There has been no unusual eX-
citement and no extraordinary means
employed to produce the astonishing
results. There is no question that Kirk
has certain qualities that have helped
him. His voice is, as it always was,
fine instrument. He knows how to
talk to people, and he writes uncom-
monty we'll. But, on the other hand,
he is still awkward, homely Of appear
ance and by no means always at his
best. He loves people. He longs, as
Paul did, for the salvation of the
world And there lies the secret of his
work 1t is nothing which other men
may not also have.
81 don't know a minister in our
churches anywhere who might not
claim all that Malcom Kirk and his
wife have claimed. They have over
come the world by means Of their love,
by following the plain path Of duty at
the cost of suffering, by not pleasing
themselves They are still engaged in
the struggle. 1t will never cease this
side of death and paradise. But wish
that every pastor and every church
might come here and see what has been
done and what the future seems GER
tain to record. The most malignant
forces of evil have evidently arrayed
themselves against Kirk and his wife,
and so far these two have overcome
them all. Heaven has won the victory
out here, and l do not know why it
should not do so everywhere. Do we
want the world to be saved? Do we
have a passion to save it? Do we put
the kingdom first? If we did, should
we not see the results everywhere that
we see here? l shall return home from
my visit to Malcom Kirk with that
There was one brief allusion in this
letter which meant even more than
Wilson knew. 1t was his allusion tc
what be called Malcom Kinks ''pe
culiar habits Of generosity" Indi
rectly these led to events which have
to do with this history Of the human
conflict against sin and involved i1
that growing conflict all the members
of Kinks family.
A few days after Wilson's departure
Faith and her mother were sitting to
gether in the common room," as Faitl
called it, the room that the famil.
used for dining and sitting room to
gether. Dorothy was sewing, AM
Faith was helping her with some worl
on the boys suits.
1t was about II O'Clock in the morn
ing, and Malcolm Kirk was up stair
in his study. The boys were at schoo
and Faith, who had finished the hig
school, had been staying at home fo
two years helping her mother.
Mother, how does Gilbert manag
to tear his coat across the back lik
that" asked Faith, holding up tha
garment and looking at it with gray
astonishment.
Dorothy could not help smiling, a
though the next instant she sighed
little.
"He said one of the boys pushed hi1
against a wire fence last Saturda
while they were out fishing near TT
Forks"
'Well, the boy that did it ought to /
made to wear it after I have mende
1t. That would be making the punisl
ment fit the crime,'" said Faith @
she stabbed TIE back Of the coat wit
big needle and began turning owe
the basket to tnd some thread.
"Pm sorry Gilbert hasn't a bette
suit" said Dorothy gravely. "He mu
try to get along with it this fall, an
way. Mend it as carefully as you ca
Faith" ill.,
eyes, ma'am," replied Faith. Il a.
trying to find something besides whi
silk. At the same time, mother, don
you think white silk on black bac
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