wearied of the
continuous effort; he will not avoid temptation; he will lose heart in
the battle unless he has a higher motive than his own deliverance to
urge him on. Why, sirs, what would you expect from the soldier who, in
battle, thought of nothing but himself and his own safety, his own
deliverance from the dangers around him? Is it not those men who boldly
face the enemy with the love of Queen and country and comrades and duty
strong in their breasts, who are most likely to conquer? In the matter
of drink the man who trusts to remedies alone will surely fail, because
the disease is moral as well as physical. The physical remedy will not
cure the soul's disease, but the moral remedy--the acceptance of Jesus--
will not only cure the soul, but will secure to us that spiritual
influence which will enable us to `persevere to the end' with the
physical. Thus Jesus will save both soul and body--`it is God who
giveth us the victory.'"

They parted from the colporteur at this point.

"What think you of that?" asked Bones.

"It is strange, if true--but I don't believe it," replied Aspel.

"Well now, it appears to me," rejoined Bones, "that the man seems pretty
sure of what he believes, and very reasonable in what he says, but I
don't know enough about the subject to hold an opinion as to whether
it's true or false."

It might have been well for Aspel if he had taken as modest a view of
the matter as his companion, but he had been educated--that is to say,
he had received an average elementary training at an ordinary school,--
and on the strength of that, although he had never before given a
serious thought to religion, and certainly nothing worthy of the name of
study, he held himself competent to judge and to disbelieve!

While they walked towards the City, evening was spreading her grey
mantle over the sky. The lamps had been lighted, and the enticing blaze
from gin-palaces and beer-shops streamed frequently across their path.

At the corner of a narrow street they were arrested by the sound of
music in quick time, and energetically sung.

"A penny gaff," remarked Bones, referring to a low music-hall; "what
d'ee say to go in?"

Aspel was so depressed just then that he welcomed any sort of
excitement, and willingly went.

"What's to pay?" he asked of the man at the door.

"Nothing; it's free."

"That's liberal anyhow," observed Bones, as they pushed in.

The room was crowded by people of the lowest or