"DEAR FRIEND:—I've done it! A week ago tonight I made a resolve that I would turn square about and serve God the rest of my life. I was quite afraid that he would not have me for his own, I had resisted so long: for he has been calling me almost ever since I can remember, and I have been promising, and putting off, until I began to think that maybe he would just turn around and put me off. But I found out by my Bible that he is always ready to receive any and all that come, and now I know it, I feel it, that he has accepted me, that Christ is my Saviour and Friend. I am very glad that I did not wait any longer.
"If I should live to be an old man, I should not have any too much time to work for Jesus. I want to go right to work for him. I wish you would tell me how. We have a very good minister here, but I do not feel as well acquainted with him, and he does not know or understand me as you do. I want to thank you for your faithfulness when I was with you; and will you forgive me that I was so careless and ungrateful? . . .
"I wish I could see the boys. Tell them from me that I wish they would begin right away to serve Christ. It is not dull or gloomy work. I never was so happy. There are some nice boys here, and we have a pleasant Sunday-school class and a good teacher, but I don't believe I shall ever like any boys quite as well as some of the Westville boys. I pray for them every day. I want them to love Jesus.
"Your friend,
"TOM NICHOLS."
Mr. Nichols and Mr. Earle were old friends, and when the first-named gentleman went abroad with his invalid wife for a protracted stay, Tom came to Westville to stay with Mr. Earle. He had belonged to that troublesome Sunday-school class, and was about the most mischievous boy in it. His fun would out at the most unseasonable times, and the boy-loving Mr. Earle was sometimes troubled and puzzled us to the best way of managing his charge. But the faithful work was accepted, the earnest prayers answered, and on this Sabbath morning, the good pastor came before his people with a new courage, an increased strength, brighter hopes and stronger faith. One more soul saved! The door of another young heart thrown open to Christ! Another young life consecrated to the Lord's work! No wonder that there was an unusual emphasis put upon the selections, more earnestness in the prayers and thanksgiving, and an unwonted vigour thrown into the preaching, so that Deacon Griffin said to his wife, as they rode homeward,—
"I don't understand our pastor's mood to-day. I thought I could detect a sort of an undertone of triumph running through all the services this morning. And for my part, things look very gloomy. The state of religion in our church seems to be at a low ebb."
"I noticed it too," replied Mrs. Griffin. "When he read, 'I will praise the Lord with my whole heart in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation,' it seemed as if he really had something unusual to thank God for; but I haven't heard of any encouraging signs."
"No, I should think not," responded the deacon, sadly. "'Pears to me if Mr. Earle had thought of the big crowd they had up to Wynn's sociable night, and the half dozen we had at prayer-meeting Thursday night, he couldn't have read and preached so jubilant like. Some of the psalms of confession or lamentation would have seemed more suitable in these times. I don't know what he meant."
He found out that evening. A few faithful ones were in the habit of communing together for half an hour before evening service, for a little talk with each other and with God over the interests of the kingdom, and here Mr. Earle told them of the news that had gladdened his heart, and of one or two things that had occurred in their midst, causing him to hope that God was not far from them.
"We will watch more closely, work more diligently and pray more earnestly," said the pastor.
"Yes, we will!" exclaimed Deacon Griffin, whose whole heart—and it was a large one—was warmed by this bit of sunshine; and such a prayer as he then and there offered! Such thanksgiving! Such entreaty! Surely God must have heard.
Meantime a great tumult arose in Herbert Bradford's heart as he read Tom's letter. Tom a Christian! It could not be; and he read the letter over, to make sure that he had taken in its meaning. Yes, it was so.
"That wild boy! And he loved fun so, too! And I was going there next summer. Now we won't ever have any more good times, and he will always be dinging at me about this thing; and Mr. Earle, he wishes, and Miss Wynn, she—well, she don't say much. I suppose she knows a fellow can't stand it; but she means it. I think most every Sunday that she will bring some of us around before long, in spite of ourselves. My! How her face would glow! It would be almost worthwhile, just to see how glad she would be. That was a splendid letter she wrote last week. I almost made up my mind then to do as Tom has—turn right about. Pshaw! I can't. I don't want to, either. There's time enough five years from now.