him
"Saint," and "Squaretoes" and a dozen hard names, and whispered to him
that his motives would be misunderstood, and he would be left alone with
the new boy; whereas, it was his duty to keep all means of influence, that
he might do good to the largest number.

7. And then came the more subtle temptation, "shall I not be showing
myself braver than others by doing this? Have I any right to begin it now?
Ought I not rather to pray in my own study, letting other boys know that I
do so, and trying to lead them to it, while in public, at least, I should
go on as I have done?" However, his good angel was too strong that night,
and he turned on his side and slept, tired of trying to reason, but
resolved to follow the impulse which had been so strong, and in which he
had found peace.

8. Next morning he was up and washed and dressed, all but his jacket and
waistcoat, just as the ten minutes' bell began to ring, and then in the
face of the whole room he knelt down to pray. Not five words could he
say,--the bell mocked him; he was listening for every whisper in the
room,--what were they all thinking of him?

9. He was ashamed to go on kneeling, ashamed to rise from his knees. At
last, as it were from his inmost heart, a still, small voice seemed to
breathe forth the words of the publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner!"
He repeated them over and over, clinging to them as for his life, and rose
from his knees comforted and humbled, and ready to face the whole world.

10. It was not needed: two other boys besides Arthur had already followed
his example, and he went down to the great school with a glimmering of
another lesson in his heart,--the lesson that he who has conquered his own
coward spirit has conquered the whole outward world; and that other one
which the old prophet learned in the cave at Mount Horeb, when he hid his
face, and the still, small voice asked, "What doest thou here,
Elijah?"--that however we may fancy ourselves alone on the side of good,
the King and Lord of men is nowhere without his witnesses; for in every
society, however seemingly corrupt and godless, there are those who have
not bowed the knee to Baal.

[Transcriber's Footnote: Baal--Various fertility and nature gods of the
ancient Semitic peoples considered to be false gods by the Hebrews.]

11. He found, too, how greatly he had exaggerated the effect to be
produced by his act. For a few nights there was a sneer or a laugh when he
knelt down,