"Were you ever under the influence of liquor before?"
"I was."
"Once, or more than once?"
"More than once," said Jim. He would have said "many times" but for a scowl from Higginbotham.
"Oh, ho!" said the deacon. "When was that?"
"Before I was converted."
"Never since?"
"No; except last Saturday."
Here Dr. Jebb interrupted. "It seems to me that we need not follow the subject any further than to inquire into the mental attitude of the brother who fell into the snare. I know it is one of absolute contrition now, especially as the affair was of the nature of an accident during the discharge of his duty. It seems to me, therefore, that we should accept his expression of penitence coupled with a promise to abstain so long as he is here with us."
Jim volunteered to abstain for all time, but Higginbotham's moderate counsels prevailed.