Life in London | Page 7

Mr. Compton; with what
success we have seen in the first chapter.
CHAPTER III.
STARTING WELL.
Never did days drag along more heavily than those which elapsed
between the interview with Mr. Compton, and the morning when
George was to enter upon his new duties. Every day the office was a
subject of much conversation; and neither George nor his mother ever
seemed to weary in talking over his plans and purposes. George wrote a
long letter to Mr. Brunton, telling him of the successful issue of his
application to Mr. Compton, and thanking him in the most hearty way
for all his kindness. The next day Mr. Brunton replied to George's letter
as follows:--
"MY DEAR NEPHEW,
"I am delighted to hear that you have obtained an appointment, and that
you seem so well satisfied with your prospects. May you find it to be
for your good in every way. Remember, you are going into new scenes,
and will be surrounded with many dangers and temptations to which
you have hitherto been a stranger. Seek to be strong against everything
that is evil; aim at the highest mark, and press towards it. Much of your
future depends upon how you begin--therefore begin well; hold
yourself aloof from everything with which your conscience tells you
you should not be associated, and then all your bright dreams may, I
hope, be fully realized.

"I shall hope to be with you for an hour or two on Sunday evening.
"You will have some unavoidable expenses to incur before entering
upon your duties, and will require a little pocket-money. Accept the
enclosed cheque, with the love of
"Your affectionate Uncle,
"HENRY BRUNTON."
George's eyes sparkled with delight as he read the letter; and found the
enclosure to be a cheque for five pounds. This was a great treasure and
relief to him, for he had thought many times about his boots, which
were down at heel, and his best coat, which shone a good deal about the
elbows, and showed symptoms of decay in the neighbourhood of the
button-holes.
A new suit of clothes and a pair of boots were therefore purchased at
once, and when Sunday morning came, and George dressed himself in
them, and stood ready to accompany his mother to the house of God,
she thought (although, of course, she did not say so) that she had never
seen a more handsome and gentlemanly-looking youth than her son.
"Mother," said George, as they walked along, "what a treat the Sunday
will always be now, after being pent up in the office all the week. I
shall look forward to it with such pleasure, not only for the sake of its
rest, but because I shall have a whole day with you."
"The Sabbath is, indeed, a boon," replied Mrs. Weston, "when it is
made a rest-day for the soul, as well as for the body. You remember
those lines I taught you, when you were quite another fellow, before
you went to school, do you not?--
"'A Sunday well spent brings a week of content And health for the toils
of the morrow; But a Sabbath profaned, whatsoe'er may be gained, Is a
certain forerunner of sorrow.'"
"Yes, mother, I remember them; and capital lines they are. Dr. Seaward

once said, 'Strike the key-note of your tune incorrectly, and the whole
song will be inharmonious;' so, if the Sabbath is improperly spent, the
week will generally be like it."
That morning the preacher took for his text the beautiful words in
Isaiah xli. 10, "Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed, for I
am thy God: I will strengthen thee--yea, I will help thee yea, I will
uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." These words
came like the sound of heavenly music into the soul of the widow; and
she prayed, with the fervency a mother alone can pray for a beloved
and only son, that the time might speedily come when he would be able
to appropriate these words, and realize, in the true sense of the term,
God as his Father. For George, although he had from early infancy
been brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and had
learnt to love holiness from so constantly seeing its beauty exemplified
by his parents, had not yet undergone that one great change which
creates the soul anew in Christ Jesus.
Mr. Brunton arrived in the evening, just as Mrs. Weston and George
were starting out to the second service, and so they all went together to
the same place. The minister, an excellent man, who felt the
responsibility of his office, and took every opportunity of doing good,
was in the habit of giving four sermons a year especially to young