One
passage ran: "I am now going towards Christ; the greater number of my
college friends are, I fear, going away from Him; we must pray for them
that they may find the peace that is in Christ even as I have myself
found it." Ernest covered his face with his hands for shame as he read
this extract from the bundle of letters he had put into my hands--they
had been returned to him by his father on his mother's death, his mother
having carefully preserved them.
"Shall I cut it out?" said I, "I will if you like."
"Certainly not," he answered, "and if good-natured friends have kept more
records of my follies, pick out any plums that may amuse the reader, and
let him have his laugh over them." But fancy what effect a letter like
this--so unled up to--must have produced at Battersby! Even Christina
refrained from ecstasy over her son's having discovered the power of
Christ's word, while Theobald was frightened out of his wits. It was
well his son was not going to have any doubts or difficulties, and that
he would be ordained without making a fuss over it, but he smelt mischief
in this sudden conversion of one who had never yet shown any inclination
towards religion.
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