Produced by Mary Wampler, Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks
and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
THE PASTOR'S SON
BY WILLIAM W. WALTER
DEDICATED TO
F. S. B.
IN GRATEFUL RECOGNITION
OF WORK WELL DONE
PREFACE
My sole reason for writing this book and placing it before the public
is to call the public's attention to _another book_, wherein is
contained the Christ truth, the understanding of which will free you
from all your troubles.
If in sin, it shows the way out; if sick, it will heal you; if
grief-stricken, it will mend your broken heart; if in poverty, it will
give you plenty. I speak from experience, having been sick for more
than seven years, at the edge of the grave, reduced to poverty, and
all earthly hope gone. I was rescued from this inferno on earth, my
health restored, my supply sufficient, my joy complete; surely I can
say, my cup of happiness runneth over. Truly that book sayeth--"Come
all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest."
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I THANKSGIVING MORNING
II THE TURKEY DINNER
III WHAT WALTER FOUND
IV PREPARING FOR THE LESSONS
V THE FIRST LESSON
VI CONFUSION
VII THE SECOND LESSON
VIII THE THIRD LESSON
IX THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE JOURNAL
X HUMANITY'S MISTAKE
XI FALSE INVESTIGATION
XII A FAIR INVESTIGATION
XIII THE UNREALITY OF EVIL
XIV THE DREAM
XV TRUTH BEING MANIFESTED
XVI THE FAREWELL SERMON
A PARTING WORD
CHAPTER I
THANKSGIVING MORNING
"What a beautiful Thanksgiving morning this is," said the Rev. James
A. Williams to his son Walter, as he looked out of the dining-room
window. "There isn't a cloud in the sky, and this soft, balmy breeze
from the south makes one almost believe that it is a June morning
instead of the 30th of November. I know there will be a large attendance
at church this morning, which will please me very much, as I have
prepared an excellent sermon, and feel certain that the congregation
will enjoy it."
He glanced at his son as he finished speaking, and some of the joy and
cheerfulness that had shown in his eyes faded away, for he saw no
return of his joy and happiness on his child's face; all that was
written there was sorrow, pain, and feebleness.
His son, who was nearly seventeen, had always been sickly and feeble
since birth; the best physicians had been employed, change of climate
had been tried, and everything else that promised relief, but of no
avail. The best specialists had been consulted, but they gave little
hope that hereditary consumption could be cured, for the minister's
wife had been similarly afflicted for many years.
The Rev. Williams thought silently for a few moments, then tried to
regain his cheerfulness by changing the subject to something that might
interest his son; so he said, "Well, wife, I suppose that turkey Deacon
Phillips gave us will be done to perfection by dinner time; I am
beginning to feel hungry already, just from thinking of it and it is
two hours to dinner time yet."
Lillian his wife, looked up from her work with a careworn expression
on her face, and said, "Yes, it is a fine large turkey." His wife
always looked worn-out and tired, for not being strong and still
compelled to do all the housework, it fatigued her very much.
It had not always been this way, for the Rev. Williams was a man of
ability, his congregation large, and his salary ample under ordinary
circumstances, but the constant drain of physicians' bills, and the
great expense of sending mother and son to a warm climate each fall,
as the rigors of the northern winters were considered too hard for the
two invalids to bear, had reduced them almost to poverty; consequently
the expense of a maidservant had long since been dispensed with.
Rev. Williams now turned to go to his study, and as he was turning,
said, "I know that I will do justice to that turkey, after delivering
my long sermon, and I am very thankful to Deacon Phillips, and to God,
for having given it to us."
There was silence for a few moments after the father left the room;
then Mrs. Williams said: "Walter, dear, you had better get ready for
church; I will soon have this turkey so I can leave it, then I will
get ready and we will both go to church, there to give thanks to God."
Walter turned to his mother saying, "What have we to be thankful for,
mother?"
His mother looked up, somewhat startled, and answered, "Why for
everything that God gave us." "Everything, mother?" asked Walter.
"Yes dear, everything."
"Oh, mother, I don't see how I am going to do that, father told me
that God gave me this sickness, and I don't see how I can feel thankful
to Him for making me suffer."
The mother anxiously looked at her son, then said, "Remember Walter,
Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, also suffered."
"Yes, I know, but it was not God that made Him suffer, it was the
Pharisees; but father said it was God gave me this sickness and that
I must bear it with love and patience, which I have tried to do, but
I have never been able to understand why a good and loving God should
care to see me suffer."
"I am sure I cannot tell," said his mother, "but it must be for some
good purpose; we will ask your father to explain some time. Now hurry
and get ready."
A few minutes later they both walked to the church, which was only a
short distance away, and entered its wide-open doors.