"To do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly before him; he
requires nothing more," was the calmly spoken reply.
A light broke into Mr. Ridley's face.
"You cannot be just and merciful if you touch the accursed thing,
for that would destroy your power to be so. To touch it, then, will
be to sin against God and hurt your neighbor. Just here, then, must
your religious life be in. For you to taste any kind of intoxicating
drink would be a sin. God cannot help you, unless you shun this evil
as a sin against him, and he will give you the power to shun it if,
whenever you feel the desire to drink, you resist that desire and
pray for strength by which to gain a victory.
"Every time you do this you will receive new spiritual strength, and
be so much nearer the ark of safety. So resisting day by day, always
in a humble acknowledgment that every good gift comes from a loving
Father in heaven, the time is not far distant when your feet will be
on the neck of the enemy that has ruled over you so long. God, even
our God, will surely bring you off conqueror."
Mr. Ridley on whose calmer face the light of a new confidence now
rested, drew his arm closely about Ethel, who was leaning against
him, and said:
"Take heart, darling. If God is for us, who shall be against us?
Henceforth I will trust in him."
Ethel put her arms about his neck, weeping silently. The matron and
lady manager went out and left them alone.
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