Installment Five

Last time we saw Harold Wilson he decided to solve
his problems by throwing his Bible down into the
ocean waters. He thought that would be a good way
to put an end to this inconvenient business of
Christianity.
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Installment five:

For many years Harold Wilson continued to work
on the ship. Then it was time to return home. His
ship made a stop in Honolulu. There Harold received
a letter with very sad news.
Friend Harold:
"We have been hoping for several weeks for your
return home. We had heard indirectly that you were
on the way home, and we were encouraged to believe
you might come in time to be a support to your mother
during her last illness. Several weeks ago she had a
hard fall, superinducing pneumonia. She made a brave
fight; but her anxiety over you, coupled with financial
reverses, proved too much for her, and she passed
away last Thursday. Her last request was that I
should write to you, and urge you not to forget the
gift she placed in your box the day you left home.
You will know, of course, to what she referred. She
did not tell me its nature, but she did say that it took
all she had in the world to get it for you. By the way,
my boy, since you left us, I have changed my whole
course of life. No more drinking, gambling, or profanity
for me. I am a Christian now and am enjoying life
wonderfully. God Bless You! Don't be discouraged
over your great loss. Live for Christ, and you will
meet her again. I am sending you this to Honolulu
at a venture.
Your one-time friend in booze, but now free,
Howard Huffman."

'Oh, Mother, mother!! Harold exclaimed when he
read the letter. For many years he had been absent
and now he was working his way homeward. It is
true that he had continue his hard life of drinking
and profanity, but he was planning to do better
when he saw his mother again. He had thrown
overboard his beautiful Bible to silence the voice
of the Reprover; but never once had he seen a
day of peace. Somehow the heartless ingratitude
of that moment when his anger caused him to
destroy his mother's gift, had become a nemesis,
which seemed to trail his every step and to bring
him only defeat and failure in all he undertook.
When the ship stopped at Honolulu he was
already beginning to enjoy a foretaste of the
blessed reunion with his mother. Like the prodigal
son of the Scripture he had formulated his
confession; and he was confident that he could make
good once he was restored to his mother.

One may easily understand therefore, what where
his feelings as the letter from home was placed in
his hands - feelings of deep heart satisfaction.
But how cruel was the disappointment! The words
"she passed away last Thursday," fell upon his soul
as a bolt of lightning from out the blue. He was
stunned. 'Oh, Mother, mother,' he cried, forgetting
that all around him were strangers. And then he
said: 'You wanted to help me. You could have helped
me,but now you're gone, g-o-n-e!'
He picked up the letter and hurried into the street
and down to the harbor. 'Harold Wilson, what will
you do now? Will you be a man as you ought to be,
or will you absolutely and forever throw yourself
away?' Such were the questions that something
seemed to whisper in his ear as he boarded the
ship, which was to sail the next day.
The answer was always dictated by his lower nature.
As with many others, the inability on Harold's part
to carry out his plans made him desperate and often
times irresponsible. He had been acknowledging the
existence of God, and he had planned that when he
came to his mother he would lead a better life. But the
disruption of his plans by the death of his mother had
angered him, and he now determined to go deeper
into wickedness than ever before.
'There is no God. If there is, He is only a brute, and I
hate Him. He hates me because he robs me of my mother
when I need her the most. Oh, I'll show him, if he lives,
that Harold Wilson can outdo him. If he won't let me do
right, I'll do wrong."
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to be continued tomorrow....