“I only repeated the commandment. I did not intend it as a reproof of mine. It was God’s command, and must be obeyed.”
“I knew it; but I was vexed. You have forgiven me, Marston, and I hope God has forgiven me. I have not had any Sabbath work done on the place since then, that could possibly be avoided; and I trust that I live nearer my Saviour and am a more consistent Christian than I was before.”
Neither of us said any more on that subject; and before we left, we bowed with clasped hands to seek our Father’s blessing upon the reconciliation and on our future life.
“Henceforth you shall truly stand to me in the light of Willie,” said Mr. Wyman; “and still, had Willie lived, he would have been a minister in the room of a lawyer.”
“By the grace of God, I am to be a minister, Mr. Wyman.”
“Are you, Marston? God be thanked for this. How many times during the last four years have I washed it. But we thought you were fully determined to become a lawyer.”
“So I was; but God has made me feel that it is the highest honor for mortals to serve him, and the highest service to spend and be spent in telling poor sinful men of the Saviour. If I can get through with my theological studies, I trust this will be my work.”
“You can and you shall, Marston. Willie was to have been a minister. You shall be to me as my Willie would have been.”
When we reëntered the farm-house there was great rejoicing, Mrs. Wyman taking me by the hand and telling me how thankful she felt that I had changed my purpose.
“A broad field of usefulness lies before you, Marston; you must, you will fill it nobly.”