sewhere,
unrecognised by ignorance, or rendered hazy and involved by stupidity.
Adams had his own difficulties in combating the effects of evil in the
hearts of his children, for, as we have said before, they were by no
means perfect, though unusually good.

For instance, one day one of those boys who was passing into the
hobbledehoy stage of life, came with a perplexed air, and said--

"Didn't you tell us in school yesterday, father, that if we were good
Jesus would save us?"

"No, Jack Mills, I told you just the reverse. I told you that if Jesus
saved you you would be good."

"Then why doesn't He save me and make me good?" asked Jack, anxious to
cast the blame of his indecision about his salvation off his own
shoulders.

"Because you refuse to be saved," said Adams, pointedly.

Jack Mills felt and looked somewhat hurt at this. He was one of the
steadiest boys at the school, always learned his tasks well, and was
generally pretty well behaved; but there was in him an ugly, half-hidden
root of selfishness, which he did not himself perceive.

"Do you remember going to the shore yesterday?" asked Adams, replying to
the look,--for the boy did not speak.

"Yes, father."

"And you remember that two little boys had just got into a canoe, and
were pushing off to enjoy themselves, when you ran down, turned them
out, and took the canoe to yourself?"

Jack did not reply; but his flushed face told that he had not forgotten
the incident.

"That's right, dear boy," continued Adam, "Your blood tells the truth
for you, and your tongue don't contradict it. So long's you keep the
unruly member straight you'll get along. Well, now, Jack, that was a
sin of unkindness, and a sort of robbery, too, for the canoe belonged to
the boys while they had possession. Did you want to be saved from that
sin, my boy?"

Jack was still silent. He knew that he had not wished to be saved at
the time, because, if he had, he would have at once returned to the
shore and restored the canoe, with an apology for having taken it by
force.

"But I was sorry afterwards, father," pleaded the boy.

"I know you were, Jack, and your guilty conscience longed for
forgiveness. But Jesus did not come to this world to forgive us. He
came to save us--to save this people from their sins; _His_
people,--_forgiven_ people, my boy,--from their sins. If you had looked
to Jesus, He would have sent His Spirit into you, and brought His Word
to your mind,