are of it, to spiritual
things; and yet he could not say that it had been forced. He began
another subject, and a third, but still it always came presently again
to spiritual things.

At last the baron came, who received young T. in the most affectionate
and familiar manner, as if he had been his equal, and as if young T.
bestowed a favor on him, rather than that he was favored by the baron.
The baron offered him a room in his own house, and a place at his own
table, while he should be studying in Berlin, which young T. accepted.
He now sought in every way to treat the young student in the most kind
and affectionate way, and as much as possible to serve him, and to show
him the power of the gospel in his own life, without arguing with him,
yea, without speaking to him directly about his soul. For, discovering
in young T. a most reasoning and sceptical mind, he avoided in every
possible way getting into any argument with him, while the young student
again and again said to himself, "I wish I could get into an argument
with this old fool; I would show him his folly." But the baron avoided
it. When the young student used to come home in the evening, and the
baron heard him come, he would himself go to meet him on entering the
house, would light his candle, would assist and serve him, in any way he
could, even to the fetching the bootjack for him, and helping him to
take off his boots. Thus this lowly aged disciple went on for some time,
whilst the young student still sought an opportunity for arguing with
him, but wondered nevertheless how the baron could thus serve him. One
evening, on the return of young T. to the baron's house, when the baron
was making himself his servant as usual, he could refrain himself no
longer, but burst out thus: "Baron, how can you do all this? You see I
do not care about you, and how are you able to continue to be so kind to
me, and thus to serve me?" The baron replied, "My dear young friend, I
have learned it from the Lord Jesus. I wish you would read through the
Gospel of John. Good night." The student now for the first time in his
life sat down and read the word of God in a disposition of mind to be
willing to learn, whilst up to that time he had never read the Holy
Scriptures but with the view of wishing to find out arguments against
them. It pleased God to bless him. From that time he became himself a
follower of the Lord Jesus, and has been so ever since.

May 7. It has recently pleased