265
THE KING’S BUSINESS
The Call of a College Man’s Transformed Life By His Friend—HENRY W . FROST.
[William W hiting Borden w as born in Chicago, November 1, 1887; his father was W illiam BordenT” his mother, Mar de Garmo W hiting Borden. He a tte n d ed as preparatory schools, in Chicago, University School, L atin School, Man ual T raining School; and “The H ill School” in Pottstow n. He w as gradu ated from T ale University in 1909, and from Princeton Sem inary in 1912. H is death occurred a t Cairo, Egypt, on April 9, 1913.—Editors.] A T CAIRO, Egypt, on April 9 after a two weeks’ struggle against the disease of cerebro
was a man among a million.” An equally well-known seminary profes sor writes, “Dear, dear William—be loved and longed for.” Gray-haired ministers mourn as if they had lost a son. And already not a few friends are saying that a book must be writ ten which will tell the story of the life spent out and now laid down. Sitting here in William Borden’s room in his home in New York City, in the chair in which he so often sat, before the desk where he so long wrote aifd studied, surrounded by the books which indicate his educational attainments and missionary tastes, in the place made hallowed by his pres ence and devotions, and also by the last sacred experiences of his more intimate farwell to friends, sister and mother as he turned outward upon a path from which he was never to re turn, I ask myself how it is that this life, which stood at but the threshold of its service, has become so widely known and so universally and deeply mourned. Had he died “an old man and full of years,” we should easily understand. But he died at twenty- five, not much beyond boyhood, and— as some of us thought of him in spite of a dignified presence—still a lad! All this is an unusual experience, and the explanation of it must be unusual. How may we explaiq ?
spinal meningitis, William Whiting Borden fell asleep in Christ. The news of his death was cabled home to America, it was repeated by cable to England and China, it was published with headlines and accompanying por trait by the daily press, it is being commented upon sorrowfully by the religious press, it was spoken of in prayers and sermons by prominent pastors, it was made the occasion of memorial services in Cairo, Prince ton, New Haven, Chicago, Philadel phia, and New York, and it has cast hearts into mourning in the four quarters of the earth. Moreover, these tidings of death have affected many different classes of persons. My little nine-year-old- boy—who speaks of his friend tender ly as “Billy”—wonders why Jesus took him home when he loved him so much. His mother’s maid—who lived beside him for seventeen years and describes him as the “purest, truest and tenderest man” she ever knew—goes about her work with tear- dimmed eyes. His school, college and seminary companions speak of him with hushed tones of voice, and won der when they shall see his like again. A well-known secretary of a promi nent mission board declares that “he
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker