TH E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
August 1925
353
RC
3 3
F I N E G O L D ^ OR TH E P E A R L OF G R E A T P R I C E JO SEPH INE HOPE WESTERVELT I r
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D. „ . T * e 3 toJ y^ ° —vF11? I B S st.a r i s off w ith th e frie n d s h ip o f B illie B ob a n d B lu eb ird , h is little n e x t-d o o r n eig h b o r. B illie B ob s f a th e r f e lt c a lle d to th e m issio n field, b u t h is w ife w o u ld n o t go. H e b ecam e p a s to r of a fa sh io n a b le B ro o k ly n c h u rch , ■because o f m s w ife s e x tr a v a g a n t ta s te s , h e liv e d f a r b ey o n d h is incom e, b ecam e d isc o u rag ed , w e n t o u t in a b o a t a n d w a s n e v e r se en a g a in . M rs. M o reh o u se se lls e v e ry th in g sh e h a s to p a y off d eb ts, th e n g o es to liv e w ith h e r f a th e r. B illie B ob r u n s w ild, g e ts lo st, m s m o th e r g e ts th o ro u g h ly frig h te n e d . B illie B ob is fo u n d la te r, b u t h is m o th e r b ecom es ill a n d dies. B illie B ob is £r™P „ 2 ; i >i!r ? IS £athA r ? ™ ,i.rlen CHAPTER 8 WILLIAM'S REBUFF own life in my own way.” She was evidently much irritated a t his persistence. "You can’t expect to make me over to su it your work, to fit in w ith your plans. You’ll eith er take me for myself alone, or do not tak e me.” “But Louise, I love you too much to be w illing th a t you should miss th e highest and best of life.” “Oh, I don’t know th a t being your wife will be th e high est or best thing th a t can come into my life,” she replied contrarily. “ I didn’t mean th at, dear, and you know it. I mean belonging to Jesus is the best and biggest thing in life.- As JHILE W illiam was walking home, he pondered much over his ta lk w ith Louise. Why did not, could not, Louise see the joy th a t was in Chris tian ity? Why could she not see w hat was in life fo r her, higher th an augh t she had dreamed of, if only she yielded her life to God? As he pondered over these things, a resolve began to take shape in his m ind as to his near future.. Would it not be b etter to urge Louise to m arry him soon, and tru st to the closer associa tion to win h er to Christ? He felt a doubt creep into his mind, bu t so sub tly th a t he scarcely recognized it as a w arning; yet it was clear enough to cause, him to say to iiimself, “ I ’ll not decide tonight, I ’ll w ait another day.” Upon reaching his room, he found a le tte r from Uncle Jack on his desk and sat down to read it. It was filled w ith news of his business, of the books he was reading, of Aunt F anny and others of his friends, bu t a t th e end one p ara graph stood out so vividly from the re st th a t W illiam could scarcely con vince him self th a t it had not been w rit ten w ith his own though ts spread out before th e w riter. “Remember, W ill iam ,” it said, “ let nothing s t a n d between you and your fulfillment of you live your life now, you are of no more value th an a w eather vane, which tu rn s as th e wind blows, bu t accom plishes nothing; yielded to God your life becomes an in strum en t of valúe,“A messenger of blessing. Think w hat it would mean to those poor sin-stricken women and children in P eru to have you come to them as a messenger of ligh t.” “Well, William, I w ant you to under stand once for all, th a t I ’ll never go to P eru or any other heathenish place w ith you. When you m arry me, you’ll lay aside all those foolish notions and enter into a m an’s business here a t home. Dad said if I was bound to m arry you h e’d try and see you got a job th a t would keep me as I ought to be kept. You don’t honestly th ink for one m in u te I would give up fine clothes, home, It is so very, v e r y easy to stumble and fall, but very, very difficult to r e g a i n one’s original footing. The only safe way is to commit one’s life into the hands of Him Who is able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless before the presence of H is g l o r y w i t h exceeding joy. God’s call; nothing, a t least, of your own making; all else God will remove; b u t add nothing; th a t will in any way hinder your go ing 'to the field when God says, ‘Go.’ ” W illiam kn elt by his bed, and sought guidance in his trying hour. He felt as he rose from his knees th a t he must first win Louise to Christ, and th en tog ether they would go forth, for he felt she would realize then the wonderful privilege th ere is to be found in going fo rth as an ambassa dor for th e Most High God. friends and all pleasures, and go out to P eru and be the h ard working, saintly, poverty-stricken m issionary’s wife you have been holding up before me? Let me sáy once for all I will not go, and never w ill.” Louise was too angry to care w hat she said. “Louise, I love you more th an I can tell, b u t I love and fear God more. I d are not m arry anyone if it means giving up my life’s work,” sadly replied her lover. “You mean, th a t you will refuse to m arry me, if I don’t accede to your wishes? Well, then, here is your ring ,” as she flung it on th e table between them. “Dad said you were not likely to have much sense of honor, and I suppose he was right. But I told him you were honorable, for I thought th en you were.” H er anger flamed anew as she felt she was unable to do w hat she had boasted to her many friends th a t she would do, in draw ing him away from his The next afternoon he called again on Louise, not, as she had, suggested the n igh t before, to arrang e m atters w ith her father, bu t to urge her again to accept Christ as her Saviour. “Louise, I w ant to have you let me ta lk this afternoon, and not tu rn me off as you have so m any-tim es. Please give your h ea rt to the Lord, and let Him control your life today,” was his deeply earn est and ' heart-yearning plea. ! “No, W illiam, not now or any o th er day. I ’ll not yield my life to you, or God, or any other person. I ’ll lead my religion to h er worldly way.
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