ith some of my wild fellow-students, I
saw among them one of my former school-fellows, named Beta, whom I had
known four years before at Halberstadt, but whom at that time had
despised, because he was so quiet and serious. It now appeared well to me
to choose him as my friend, thinking that if I could but have better
companions, I should by that means improve my own conduct. I entered into
familiar discourse with him, and we were soon much knit to one another.
"Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm."
Jeremiah xvii. 5.

This Beta was a backslider. When formerly he was so quiet at school, I
have reason to believe it was because the Spirit of God was working on his
heart; but now, having departed from the Lord, he tried to put off the
ways of God more and more, and to enjoy the world of which he had known
but little before. I sought his friendship because I thought it would lead
me to a steady life; and he gladly formed an acquaintance with me, as he
told me afterwards, because he thought it would bring him into gay
society. Thus my poor foolish heart was again deceived. And yet, God, in
His abundant mercy, made him, after all, in a way which was never thought
of by me, the instrument of doing me good, not merely for time, but for
eternity.

About this period, June 1825, I was again taken ill in consequence of my
profligate and vicious life. My state of health would therefore no longer
allow me to go on in the same course, but my desires were still unchanged.
About the end of July I recovered. After this, my conduct was outwardly
rather better; but this arose only from want of money. At the commencement
of August, Beta and I with two other students, drove about the country,
for four days. All the money for this expensive pleasure had been obtained
by pledging some of our remaining articles. When we returned, instead of
being truly sorry on account of this sin, we thought of fresh pleasures,
and, as my love for traveling was stronger than ever, through what I had
seen on this last journey, I proposed to my friends to set off for
Switzerland. The obstacles in the way, the want of money, and the want of
the passports, were removed by me. For, through forged letters from our
parents, we procured passports; and through pledging all we could,
particularly our books, we obtained as much money as we thought would be
enough. Beta was one of the party.

On August 18th we left Halle. It will be enough to