quiet boy and spoke to him at different times about giving his heart to
God. Also Austin's Sunday-school teacher, who was organist, was
particularly interested in Austin and often spoke to him of his soul's
need. His place in the choir put him near her, and he was often conscious
of her prayers for him.

Though Austin had always been an obedient boy and was extremely
conscientious in all he did, he had never professed faith in Christ. He had
always been conscious of the will and desire of his mother and had sought
to walk pleasing to her, rather than to acknowledge his allegiance to God.
But in the perplexities of the past year since his mother had been away he
had often blindly called out to God for help and had felt that God did help
and strengthen him. But now, as he sat under the preaching of God's word,
he became conscious of a longing in his soul that only acquaintance with
God could satisfy. He desired with all his heart to be a Christian.

But the same obstacles stood in his way that hinder the spiritual progress
of other boys. He was timid, extremely so, and the thought of going forward
and kneeling with the other seekers at the altar of prayer frightened him.
And he feared he could not hold out if he did start, which would be worse
than not starting at all. There was the possibility of ridicule and mockery
that he might receive at the hands of others, which, made the way look
fearful. So, halting between two opinions, he waited from night to night
before he at last made his decision.

The meeting was the one great subject of conversation in the home where he
lived. Though none of the family were professors, all of them were in
sympathy with the meeting, all respected the pastor and wished him success,
and all honestly believed that it was better for any person to "make a
start," as they expressed it. They were all genuinely pleased when Nell