This gave them a
feeling of responsibility and overcame to a great extent the possibility of
inattention or irreverence on their part. He thought it gave him a better
chance of winning them for Christ, and that was his special aim in the
meetings, the winning of souls for Christ.
Austin was interested in the meeting from the first, and was a regular
attendant. And when he was invited to join the choir, he accepted, though
he confessed himself a poor singer. Pastor Bennet was interested in this
quiet boy and spoke to him at different times about giving his heart to
God. Also Austin's Sunday-school teacher, who was organist, was
particularly interested in Austin and often spoke to him of his soul's
need. His place in the choir put him near her, and he was often conscious
of her prayers for him.
Though Austin had always been an obedient boy and was extremely
conscientious in all he did, he had never professed faith in Christ. He had
always been conscious of the will and desire of his mother and had sought
to walk pleasing to her, rather than to acknowledge his allegiance to God.
But in the perplexities of the past year since his mother had been away he
had often blindly called out to God for help and had felt that God did help
and strengthen him. But now, as he sat under the preaching of God's word,
he became conscious of a longing in his soul that only acquaintance with
God could satisfy. He desired with all his heart to be a Christian.
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