y 9.

I have had that strange woman before me and heard her miserable story.
It is as I thought. The child of a poor but pious mother, (a widow with
six children), she had every advantage of a virtuous, consecrated home.
The mother, earning $6 a week, gave 25 cents of it to foreign missions.
The daughter, at the tender age of 4, was already a regular attendant at
Sabbath-school. The good people of the church took a Christian interest
in the family, and one of them, a gentleman of considerable wealth, and
an earnest, diligent worker for righteousness, made it his special care
to befriend the girl. He took her into his office, treating her almost
as one of his own daughters. She served him in the capacity of
stenographer, receiving therefor the wage of $7.00 a week, a godsend to
that lowly household. How truly, indeed, it has been said: "Verily,
there is a reward for the righteous." (Psalms LVIII, 11.)

And now behold how powerful are the snares of evil. (Genesis VI, 12.)
There was that devout and saintly man, ripe in good works, a deacon and
pillar in the church, a steadfast friend to the needy and erring, a
stalwart supporter of his pastor in all forward-looking enterprises, a
tower of strength for righteousness in his community, the father of four
daughters. And there was that shameless creature, that evil woman, that
sinister temptress. With the noisome details I do not concern myself.
Suffice it to say that the vile arts of the hussy prevailed over that
noble and upright man--that she enticed him, by adroit appeals to his
sympathy, into taking her upon automobile rides, into dining with her
clandestinely in the private rooms of dubious hotels, and finally into
accompanying her upon a despicable, adulterous visit to Atlantic City.
And then, seeking to throw upon him the blame for what she chose to call
her "wrong," she held him up to public disgrace and worked her own
inexorable damnation by taking her miserable life. Well hath the
Preacher warned us against the woman whose "heart is snares and nets,
and her hands as bands." (Eccl. VII, 26.) Well do we know the wreck and
ruin that such agents of destruction can work upon the innocent and
trusting. (Revelations XXI, 8; I Corinthians VI, 18; Job XXXI, 12; Hosea
IV, 11: Proverbs VI, 26.)

January 11.

We have resumed our evening services--an hour of quiet communion in the
failing light. The attendance, alas, is not as gratifying as it might
be, but the brethren who