He doubted, first of all, the honesty of the men who had promised him
more than he found himself the possessor of. We always begin by
doubting some fellow-mortal. As the process progresses, it leads us,
ultimately, to doubt God.

But these men had meant to be honest--there is no doubt about that.
They had told the young sinner of that which they believed would help
him. They knew, of course, that he would have trouble with his old
habits, after a while. Perhaps they hoped that he would get over them
somehow. Perhaps they did not think very much about it. In either
case, they said nothing. The patient was suffering. They gave him
medicine that would afford him the quickest relief, without regard to
the permanency of the apparent cure. What an amount of such doctoring
has been done through the ages. Stand up in your graves, you armies of
dead men that have thus been dealt with, and nod a "yes" with your
grinning skulls!

The clouds grew thicker. "Dodd" went to his newly formed friends and
told them frankly of his condition. The minister advised him to be
much alone and in prayer. The young man told him that there was no
need of his suffering from such appetites, because, he himself--the
young man aforesaid--could keep from such evil practices easily enough,
and if he could, "Dodd" could.

Certainly!

"Dodd" acted on the advice of the minister, and went home and shut
himself up alone in his room to pray. He tried, but the words seemed
to go no higher than his head. Did you ever think that when the Master
received his severest temptation it was when he was alone? Let a man