The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-05-23
CHAPTER XII-Continued.

DE, SELFISH lOOi, anu WouAu WiSSh
her life If she should put 1t into my
keeping. i know as l sit here that !
shall go to the devil through drink, no
matter what happens. I've had the
tortures of hell to fight all these weeks.
do you know when your sister told me
finally that her refusal was absolute
and that had not the slightest hope
had horrible feeling Of something like
relief to think that now l had an ex-
cuse to go to drinking again. Just as
sure as l sit here, Ned, I'm certain
that l shall drink myself crazy drunk
in less than ten years. And yet grand
father always said drink never hurt
him any. He was one Of these per-
sonal liberty fellows. He never thought
of the possibility that might go to the
devil even If he didn't. It's possible,
though, that we shall meet In hell
Maybe in Gods sight he's as much to
blame as am"
"Don'tv' cried Edward, shocked at
the reckless, savage manner in which
Willis spoke. The sight of the miser-
able face and the thought Of Willis
possible future haunted him all the
rest of his college course.
God keep you from knowing any
thing about this feeling" said Willis
more gently, and then he rose suddenly
and came over to Edward.
Med, old boy, Pm going away, and
/ may never see you again. owe you
lot for the way you've borne with
me, and I'll never forget 1t. You and
Freeda have prompted the best feel
ings l ever had. Don't think too hard
Of me, will you? l wish you'd write to
me once in awhile. Don't give me up,
even IL | do seem to be past hope.
Maybe Wheaton's prayers will save me
yet"
Oh, Edward Blake, college student,
when the judgment day reveals the
secrets Of the universe will you see
were not a Christian? What might
you have said or done at this time to
save this poor soul If you had really
had some higher standard Of life than
your cold, moral standard. that never
warmed your heart or fired your soul
to help save another soul? The Lord
open your eyes to see not only the
great opportunity you missed, but also
the great sin Of daring to live always
with no better purpose than the one
that has so far ruled you.
So he let Willis go, and go out of his
life, at least for the time being, with
a kindly and even q self reproachful
feeling, that In time became vague
sort of hope that he might not turn out
quite so bad as he himself said he
would. And yet If the clutch of his
grandfather's sins was on him, how Is
1t that even then you do not yet re-
alize, either of you, that there is
power even greater than hereditary
faint in the blood and that the blood
of Jesus Christ the Son Of God can
cleanse even that faint Of that other
blood? For he Is able to save to the
uttermost those that put their trust in
him.
And now the commencement season
was on, and Edward realized that he
was through his junior year. and in
few days, as soon as the graduating
class had received their diplomas, his
own class would be entitled to the dig
nified name Of seniors. He was not so
devoid of Imagination as not to be
quite deeply moved at the thought.
He and Freeda were now classified to-
gether, for, although she had entered
six months earlier, Edward had ar.
ranged his course so as to make up
certain studies, and Freeda had drop
ped back part Of year In order to
be with him and take a special course
in music. So they were glad to think
Of the comradeship still possible for
them another year.
AS they sat together that commence
ment day and heard the charge to the
outgoing class they realized as never
before the value of their college life.
The president never said very much at
commencement. Perhaps that Is one
reason why the class that graduated
remembered a good many things and
carried them away with them.
at would not be fair nor true to say
to you" continued the president after
giving the diplomas. "that you had all
done the very best you knew how dur
Ing your entire college course. You
yourselves know that you have neg
lected many opportunities and wasted
many important hours. You cannot
now help this. and | am not going TO
use this occasion to blame you for not
having made better use Of your ad
vantages.
'"The question for you to ask now Is
What can I do with what | have gain
ed in Hope college? AS you go out In
TO the world you will find great many
temptations to use your intelligence
selflshly. A college bred man or wo
man always Is strongly tempted to be
more or less exclusive, growing farther
and farther from a knowledge Of and
sympathy for the people. Will you let
me urge every one Of you to use your
powers developed here to get nearer
the people who have not bad your ad.
vantages? II education does not mean
a brotherhood, II It does not mean the
strong bearing the infirmities Of the
weak, then It Ii not Christian; 1t Is
pagan in its selhshness and narrow.
ness.
There Is Just one other thing I want
ynu tn feel at this TINA ADD that Ia thA