‘Lovers are blind, and cannot see
The petty faults themselves commit.’
But I could see that Miss Clara would not suit you at all. She has as few qualifications for a minister’s wife as any lady of my acquaintance.”
“Minister’s wife!” exclaimed Ernest. “She would not have been a minister’s wife.”
“I see you are still disposed to disobey the Divine call; but you would better yield, or your present trouble will be only the beginning of sorrows. I have no doubt that it is foreordained that you shall be a preacher of the gospel.”
“Look here, Mr. Hillston,” cried Ernest suddenly, “I have been reading my Bible to discover if that doctrine of predestination is taught.”
“Well, do you find it in God’s Word?” quietly asked Mr. Hillston.
“I think not, sir. On the contrary, I find all through it that man is a free agent.”
“My dear boy, who denies that man is a free agent? I am sure that I will endorse every passage which you can cite that teaches human responsibility.”
“Why, I do not see, Mr. Hillston, how you can possibly reconcile predestination with man’s free moral agency.”