human
And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord.
gpt
Father, said Tip, as, after having carefully measured out and given him some cough-drops, he sat down for a chat with him before school,--
human
Yes, said Mr. Lewis.
gpt
Our fathers lived side by side, and we used to walk more than a mile to school together every morning; we were in the same class, too, and the best scholars in school. My! times are changed since that day. My father was considerably better off than his was, and now he's a rich man, and I'm nobody.
human
Was he such a boy as Will Bailey is--or, I mean, as Will used to be?
gpt
I don't know much about Will; but I know his father was a sorry scamp, and many's the scrape he got me into. He took a notion to me. We lived near by, and were always together, and then I was as full of pranks as he was, I suppose. But he was a regular tyrant over the rest of the boys; they were more than half afraid of him; I don't know but what I was myself. Anyhow, I know I've thought I'd have been different, maybe, if I hadn't followed him so close in all his scrapes.
human
Father, did you know Mr. Bailey was different now?
gpt
Different--how? What do you mean?
human
Why, he comes to prayer-meeting, and speaks and prays, and seems to love to.
gpt
The mischief he does! said Mr. Lewis, surprised out of his usual quiet tone.
human
I should think he _was_ different. Why, he used to make great fun of all such things.
gpt
Yes, that's what he says; but I tell you he don't make fun now.
human
When did all that happen?
gpt
A few weeks ago, when the revival was, you know. He got up one night and asked them to pray for him, and now he almost always speaks or prays in the meetings.
human
Well, said Mr. Lewis, after a pause, and with a little sigh,
gpt
I'm sure I ain't sorry. I only hope it will last; he needed it as bad as any one I know of.
human
It will last, Tip said, speaking positively.
gpt
God will look out for that.
human
I thought, last night, that you must have been pretty good friends once, he said presently,
gpt
Did Mr. Bailey pray for _me_?
human
Yes, he did; and he prayed as if he meant it.
gpt
How came he to?
human
Why, I asked 'em to--all the folks in meeting, you know. I wanted you to be a Christian, and prayed for you, and then I asked them if they'd pray, and Mr. Bailey got right up. You don't mind that, do you, father? All the folks down there ask us to pray for their friends.
gpt
answered Mr. Lewis at last, speaking slowly,
human
I don't know that I do. I need praying for, I suppose, if anybody does. I'm going where I can't be prayed for, pretty fast, I guess.
gpt
So you prayed for me too, did you?
human
Yes, and I do every day, father; I _do_ want you to know Jesus.
gpt
Well, Tip, I'm glad that you've got right, gladder than I can tell you. My father was a good man, and tried to make me do what was right; but I went all wrong, wasted my whole life, and brought up my children to do so too; but you're getting on without my help, and I'm glad you'll grow up to be a good man, and be a comfort to your mother when I'm gone. But I don't know that you need ask folks to pray for me; it's too late,--I've gone too far to get back.
human
Father, I don't believe any such thing. God doesn't say anything about it's being too late; and He says if we want anything very much, and pray for it, and it's good to have, He'll give it to us; and I'm bound to believe Him. Once I prayed for Kitty, and prayed and prayed, and it didn't do a bit of good, until at last Mr. Holbrook told me that maybe it was because I didn't really believe any of the time that God was going to do what I wanted Him to; and I found out that was it. Just as soon as I began to think He would hear me, it all came out straight; and now I'm bound to believe Him every time. I've asked Him to make you a Christian, and I'm going to keep on asking, and _He'll do it_. Father, --Tip's voice took a softer tone, for he knew there was one very tender spot in his father's heart,--
gpt
I'm pretty near it, he said at last;
human
Father, do you know more about it than God? Because, you see, it don't say any such thing anywhere in the Bible; I know it don't, for we talked about it in Sunday school once, and Mr. Holbrook said, 'No matter how old a man was, nor what he had done, he could be a Christian.'
gpt
I always thought it looked mean and sneaking in a man to have nothing to do with such things all his life, and then turn around just because he was going to die, and pretend to be very good. God can't be pleased with any such thing as _that_. I've always said that I'd never do it.