"For whom should I look? or for what do I live? My boy! I
would die to know that you loved Christ; -- that my dear Master
was yours too!"

The gently-spoken words tied his tongue. He was mute; till she
had unloosed her arms from about him and sat with her face in
her hands. Then his head sought her shoulder.

"Mamma, I know you are right. I will do anything to please you
-- anything that I can," he said with a great force upon
himself.

"What _can_ you do, Winthrop?"

He did not answer again, and she looked up and looked into his
face.

"Can you take God for your God? and give your heart and your
life, -- all the knowledge you will ever get and all the power
it will ever give you, -- to be used for him?"

"For him, mamma? --"

"In doing his work -- in doing his pleasure?"

"Mamma -- I am not a Christian," he said hesitatingly and his
eye falling.

"And now you know what a Christian is. Till you can do this,