dinner." In a thoughtless moment I did so with my hand, and immediately
he rose from his devotions; but, instead of threatening and swearing at
me, as some might have done who belong to another religion, he only
looked reproachfully, and said, "Ah, Master William!" and then emptying
out the rice which was on the fire, he began his ceremony all over
again. It was quite dark before he had finished his "poojah," or
worship, and his meal. This man's religious self-possession made a
greater impression on me than if he had abused or even struck me, for
hindering his dinner. I thought to myself, "I will be a Hindoo when I
grow up!" And truly I kept my word, though not in the same form; for
what else was I in my earnest, religious days!

This is an important question to settle, and, therefore, I will give
three examples from Scripture.

No one can doubt the zeal of Saul of Tarsus. This was no easy-going,
charitable creed, which supposes all good men are right. He was sure
that if he was right, as a natural consequence Stephen was wrong, even
blasphemous, and as such worthy of death. Therefore, he had no scruples
about instigating the death of such a one. Notwithstanding all this
uncompromising and straightforward religiousness, he needed to be
brought from death to life.

Again: look at Cornelius, who was "a devout man that feared God with all
his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway"
(Acts 10:2). There can be no mistake about this man with such a
testimony; and yet he also needed to hear words whereby he and all his
house should be saved (Acts 11:14). Next: Nicodemus, I suppose it will
be admitted, was an earnest and religious man. Evidently, he was one of
those who "believed in the name of Jesus, because he saw the miracles