The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-02-21
no. SIR. I don't suppose I am

mo. SIR. don't suppose am"
What Is your motive for conduct?"
Il believe In doing right and in tell
Ing the TRUTH" replied Edward with
considerable pride.
But you do not think you are q
Christian?"
mo, sir; make no claim to be-"
Don't You think you ought 10 be?"
Again Edward paused before he an
swered.
"fes, sir; suppose ! ought"
Your father and mother
Father was not q member OF any
church. My mother and sister belong
to the Methodist church In Randall"
DO you go to any OF the college
prayer meetlngsT
YES, sir. once In awhile; not regu-
larly." replied Edward, with his ac-
customed frankness.
Are there any Christian students In
your class or in the college that help
you In any way?"
NO, Sir; don't know that there are"
do any Of your teachers ever speak
to you about the Christian life? Does
the subject ever come up in the class
room%
mo, sir; ! can't recall any word on
the subject by any of the teachers"
And yet" continued the president
In the meditative way that he some
times had, as If he were talking entire
ly alone-'and yet most OF the teach
q hriC 4
church members. Are we so busy In
our Christian colleges in this country
that we can't find time from the teach
ing OF languages and sciences and even
ethics itself to do any personal work
In our classrooms with the plastic
hearts and minds of our students?
What are we here for in this Christian
college if not to bring these young men
and women into live Christian con.
sciousness Of their place in the king
dom OF God? Are we here primarily
to educate scholars for the professions
and business and literary men and wo-
men for success in money making and
accomplishments, or is it our primary
object to train up devout Christian
through their professions and their
powers 70 build up the kfngdNm Of God
on earth?"
He stopped suddenly and looked at
Blake with great thoughtfulness.
my boy" he said at last, with the
earnestness that Edward felt came
from Il deep personal interest, my
prayer and wish for you will daily be-
that you may become q Christian stu.
dent-not merely n moral being, but Il
Christian being-and as you live Ion
ger in the world you Will notice q very
wide difference between the two. If
am not mistaken, you have so far prd-
ed yourself on your morality and have
more OF less contempt and criticism for
others. Am l right about that?"
Eyes, sir; l think So" said Edward
in low voice.
The president paused again, and
then, as some one knocked on the door,
he said simply:
81 shall pray for you, Blake, and hope
to see you a Christian man through and
through before you leave Hope col.
lege."
THANK you. SIR" said Edward as he
went out.
He was really agitated more than he
was willing to confess by the uneXpect-
ed review
In the first place, he was unusually
stirred by the fact that the president
had spoken to him in such q personal
civ 40
dent had taken charge Of college affairs
Edward had been obliged to add to the
feeling Of respect for bim that was
now rapidly filling the minds of all
the students. The president was in
spring enthusiasm for the best ideals
of scholarship. He was becoming
noted for several contributions he had
made within the year to educational
reviews. He was much more than an
average teacher. His scholarship and
classroom abilities were Of q very high
order. That this man, at the head of
q growing and famous school, should
care anything personally for raw, in
experienced, undeveloped student like
himself, struck Edward forcibly and
cOuupeileu uilu W give speCitti Weight "
what the president said about the
Christian life.
And still, in spite of all that, Edward
was deeply proud of one thing in his
life, and that was his morality. AS he
looked back on the incidents that al
ready marked his college life he found
himself complacently pattlng himself on
the back for his moral conduct in the
matter of the paper route. the football
episode, the theatcr temptation and his
escape from it, And even as he went
out from his interview with the presi
don't he was praising himself for his
decision In regard to the football. trips
and congratulating himself that he had
to nr.Int mod Cor