The Pastors Son | Page 6

the thoughtful mood of his son.
When they had finished their meal, Walter asked to be excused, and
immediately went to his room.
As soon as he was gone the pastor said, "Lillian, did you notice how
Walter acted to-night? It seemed to me that he was very much more
thoughtful than usual."
"Yes," answered the mother, "he seemed confused, and his eyes were
so bright, but he ate a very hearty supper."
"I also noticed that," said the pastor, then added, "It seems there is a
change, but I hardly know whether to say the change is for better or
worse. I hope it is for the best; it may be that the medicine has just
taken effect."
"God grant that this may be so," reverently said the mother. They were
both silent for some time, then the pastor said, "I never heard Walter
speak as he did this noon. I wonder how he thought of such an absurd
thing, as sending me to jail because some one else stole some
chickens."
"I know, James, that it does seem absurd at first thought, yet it seems to
me to be just as sensible to punish the wrong person for stealing, as it
would be to punish the innocent with sickness because some one else
had sinned. I have been thinking seriously of this all the afternoon, but
have not arrived at a satisfactory conclusion," said Mrs. Williams.
The pastor slowly turned toward his wife and said, "Lillian I am
astonished beyond measure to hear this from you; it was bad enough to
hear it from my own son, but to hear it from you is worse. Don't you
think that Almighty God knows what is best for us, do you dare
question anything He does? Do you think the allwise Creator would
have made him sick if it were not for the best?"

"James, do you really believe God made our boy sick?"
"It must be so," answered James, "for we read in the Bible, that God
made everything that was made."
"If this be true James, it would be a sin to give him medicine, for we
would be trying to undo the work of God."
To say the pastor was astonished would be putting it mildly. Never in
his whole life had he been so shocked as on this day, and each shock
was greater than the preceding one.
He now stood perfectly still for a full minute, then said, "It seems high
time that we begin the study of the Bible in this house, for from what I
have heard to-day it is very apparent to me that my wife and son are
quite ignorant of what the Bible contains." Then turning, he strode from
the room.
The pastor was a good and kind man. He had always been a good
husband and father, always patient and sympathetic with his invalid
wife and son; but this day had been a very trying one to him, first in
hearing his son say things that he considered little less than
blasphemous, then to notice that the mother seemed to indorse what the
son had said, and to make matters worse, to actually hear his wife
questioning the doings of God, as he understood them. This was the
last-straw. He was really angry and out of patience, and somewhat
confused, so he decided to go to his library and think it all over. As
soon as he arrived there he impatiently seated himself in an easy chair
and began to soliloquize after this fashion: "I wonder where Walter got
that idea about sending me to jail, what can that have to do with his
sickness; then to think my wife agreed with him. Let me see, what did
she say? I was so outraged I can scarcely recall what was said. I believe
though she said something about some of the apostles doubting at times.
What has that to do with sending me to jail? I don't seem able to think
clearly to-day. Then this other matter, about giving medicine being a
sin. Why everybody takes medicine; the most pious and devout
Christians that ever lived have taken medicine, and this has been so for
thousands of years. The Bible says that the leaves of the trees are for

the healing of the nations. Then why may not the roots and the bark be
used as well? Of course Jesus Christ did not heal with medicine. He
was the Son of God and was endowed from on high with supernatural
power. He didn't need the medicine. Well, all I can say is that I am glad
we are going to have those Bible lessons, for I know that as soon as we
get to studying them they will get the truth,