Boys of the Old Sea Bed: Tales of Nature and Adventure

by Charles Allen McConnell

After several trials and failures Rob sought the kind-hearted professor and requested the privilege of reciting privately to him in his room, telling him of his confusion and its cause. The professor, with kindly tact and Christly love, soon had the boy at his ease, and drew from him the story of his aspirations and purposes. Then, instead of granting his request, he said, “Robert, you prepare your lesson and come to the class room as usual, and when you are called upon to recite, look into my eyes, and remember that you are speaking to a friend who knows and understands.”

It was not long before the personal sympathy of the young professor made itself felt in greater confidence, and the boy was able to hold his place in the class.

In the winter term a revival meeting was held in the college church. Rob had never become a Christian, though often he had wished he might be. He had been well reared, morally, and his life knew nothing of the grosser sins common to so many of our young men and boys. Swearing, Sabbath-breaking, drinking, smoking, and card-playing were evils of which he had no experimental knowledge; but he knew that he was not a Christian; that he had not been born of the Spirit. While his roommate, Tom Wright, made sport of the preacher, and would bring in his set of rough boys for a “high time” after the services, Rob was thoughtful and serious. One night Professor Jackson, his Latin teacher, walked home with him from the meeting and in an earnest, friendly way urged Rob to become a Christian; adding the assurance that he was praying for him.

Rob thanked the professor and walked up to his room. One time, at least, Satan helped, for Tom Wright and his fellows remained out nearly all night upon a wild lark. Rob, his heart strangely stirred, felt that he could not sleep, and at last flung himself at the side of his bed crying, “O God, I want to be a Christian. I don’t know how, but You know how to make me one, and I’ll never leave this bedside until I am saved.”

Rob prayed on in his stumbling way until it seemed that he could do no more, when all at once there came into his heart a beautiful stillness. He felt as light as a feather, and as happy as a bird. He could not stay in his room; and throwing open the door he ran down the corridor to Professor Jackson’s room and awoke him with the glorious tidings that his prayer had been answered and he was saved.

Rob’s first real test came the following night at bedtime. When he was ready for bed there were two or three of Tom Wright’s gang in the room with him, and when Rob, with the courage of a genuine hero, knelt by the bedside and began to thank God for His goodness, and claim His promise for future help and guidance, the boys were, for the moment, dumbfounded. Then they broke out into cursing and reviling. They declared they would have no pious hypocrite around there, even if they had to throw him down stairs.

Night after night the persecution kept up, whenever one of the others would be in the room at bedtime. They would tie Rob to the bedpost as he prayed; they drenched him with ice water; and, harder than all to bear, they followed his praying with vile and hideous blasphemy. But Rob had enlisted under the banner of Jesus Christ, Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again, and Who blessed when He was cursed; so the fierce trial but deepened his real experience of grace. He became an active worker for his Master among his college mates, and had the joy of seeing several converted through his efforts.

Serious breaches of discipline had occurred in the dormitory some two months after Robert’s conversion, and one Sunday night Professor Jackson was deputized by the Faculty to stay in his room during the church service and endeavor to get some clue to the transgressors. After church had well begun, Tom Wright and his crowd, who were all supposed to be at the service, got out an old fiddle, and with some rough characters from the town, proceeded to have a dance in the halls, all unconscious of the presence of the professor in the adjoining room. The “fun” became furious, and one of the boys undertook to act the character of “pious Bob Allen” for the amusement of the strangers, the others using the name of Robert as if he were really present.

As the other students began to return from the service, the uproar subsided, and when Rob reached his room his roommate was already there, apparently having just returned from church. The next day, with a very grave face, Professor Jackson called Rob into his room. Rob went in smilingly, but his smile faded quickly at the stern look of his friend.

“Where were you last night, Robert? I want to give you a chance to confess.”