CHAPTER XLIX. MORE VIOLENCE.

Claytonrosethenextmorning,andfoundhisfriendsmuchbetterthanhehadexpectedaftertheagitationandabuseofthenightbefore.Theyseemedcomposedandcheerful. "Iamsurprised,"hesaid,"toseethatyourwifeisabletobeupthismorning." "TheythatwaitontheLordshallrenewtheirstrength,"saidfatherDickson."HowoftenIhavefounditso!WehaveseentimeswhenIandmywifehavebothbeensoillthatwescarcelythoughtwehadstrengthtohelpourselvesandachildhasbeentakenill,orsomeotheremergencyhasoccurredthatcalledforimmediateexertion,andwehavebeentotheLordandfoundstrength.Ourwayhasbeenhedgedupmanyatime—theseabeforeusandtheEgyptiansbehindusbuttheseahasalwaysopenedwhenwehavestretchedourhandstotheLord.IhaveneversoughttheLordinvain.Hehasallowedgreattroublestocomeuponusbuthealwaysdeliversus." Claytonrecalledthesneering,faithless,brilliantFrankRussel,andcomparedhim,inhisownmind,withthesimple,honestmanbeforehim. "No,"hesaidtohimself,"humannatureisnotahumbug,afterall.Therearesomerealmen—somewhowillnotacquiesceinwhatissuccessful,ifitbewrong." Claytonwasinneedofsuchlivingexamplesfor,inregardtoreligion,hewasinthatpositionwhichisoccupiedbytoomanyyoungmenofhighmoralsentimentinthiscountry.Whathehadseenoftheworldlypolicyandtime-servingspiritofmostoftheorganizedbodiesprofessingtorepresenttheChristianfaithandlife,haddeepenedtheshadowofdoubtanddistrustwhichpersonsofstrongindividualityanddiscriminatingmindsareapttofeelincertainstagesoftheirspiritualdevelopment.Greatafflictions—thosewhichtearuptherootsofthesoul—areoftensucceeded,inthecourseoftheman'shistory,byaperiodofscepticism.Thefactis,suchafflictionsaredisenchantingpowerstheygivetothesoulanearnestnessandapowerofdiscriminationwhichnoillusioncanwithstand.Theyteachuswhatweneed,whatwemusthavetorestuponand,inconsequence,thousandsoflittleformalities,andemptyshows,anddryreligiousconventionalities,arescatteredbyitlikechaff.Thesoulrejectsthem,inherindignantanguishand,findingsomuchthatisinsincere,anduntrue,andunreliable,shehassometimeshoursofdoubtingallthings. ClaytonsawagainintheministerwhathehadseeninNina—as