ASSISTING WORTHY STUDENTS.
By C. C. Lewis
When I meet with a young person who could go to college as well as not, whose parents are anxious to have him go and are ready to meet the expenses, but who is either too indifferent or too greedy for gain, or too worldly-minded even to accept the advantages within his reach, I feel almost too indignant to say anything except, “Ephraim is joined to his idols, let him alone.” But when I talk with others who are thirsting for an education, and whose eyes fill with tears of mingled desire and disappointment as they acknowledge their lack of money to go to school, my heart goes out to them in sympathy. To some I would cry, Stand firm, brave heart! You can win an education by your own efforts and the blessing of God! God has given you health, strength, ability. Consecrate these to the task of gaining your heart’s desire, that you may honor God and bless humanity. Work at any honest employment; take the job nearest you; work hard. Study how to serve the interests of your employers. Be saving. Shun pleasures which scatter your earnings as the sun scatters mist. You will succeed, and will be all the stronger for your exercise of self-reliance. Others there are, just as earnest, just as deserving, just as able to work out their education; but circumstances bind them to other objects. They have aged parents to sustain, or afflicted friends to care for. Never mind; you will never do anything nobler, even if you should gain the best education the schools can afford. Love and duty are the highest motives. Your duty is not in two places at the same time. Your lot needs a sublimer courage, a more patient faith, than that of the other. But the dear Lord has promised you strength for your day, grace for your need. He will help you to wait for His salvation. Do not give up, circumstances will change, the way will yet open for you to attend one of our training-schools. To my brethren and sisters, let me say: Are you watching to help these persons? They are in all our churches. We are prone to overlook them because we know them. Merit and need seem great when far removed from us. Let us search out these cases and aid them judiciously. Some one has said that such work is planting seed-corn for eternity.