第4部分(第1/7 页)

ncere　young　people；dedicate　to　the　service　of　the　Lord—it　was　only　that；　since　they　were　young；　they　did　not　know　thepitfall　Satan　laid　for　the　unwary。　He　knew　that　sin　was　not　in　their　minds—not　yet；　yet　sin　was　inthe　flesh；　and　should　they　continue　with　their　walking　out　alone　together；　their　secrets　andlaughter；　and　touching　of　hands；　they　would　surely　sin　a　sin　beyond　all　forgiveness。　And　Johnwondered　what　Elisha　was　thinking—Elisha　；　who　was　tall　and　handsome；　who　played　basket…ball；and　who　had　been　saved　at　the　age　of　eleven　in　the　improbable　fields　down　south。　Had　he　sinned？

Had　he　been　tempted？　And　the　girl　beside　him；　whose　white　robes　now　seemed　the　merest；thinnest　covering　for　the　nakedness　of　breasts　and　insistent　thighs—what　was　her　face　like　whenshe　was　alone　with　Elisha；　with　no　singing；　when　they　were　not　surrounded　by　the　saints？　He　wasafraid　to　think　of　it；　yet　he　could　think　of　nothing　else；　and　the　fever　of　which　they　stood　accusedbegan　also　to　rage　him。

After　this　Sunday　Elisha　and　Ella　Mae　no　longer　met　each　other　each　day　after　school；　nolonger　spent　Saturday　afternoons　wandering　through　Central　Park；　or　lying　on　the　beach。　All　thatwas　over　for　them。　If　they　came　together　again　it　would　be　in　wedlock。　They　would　have　childrenand　raise　them　in　the　church。

This　was　what　was　meant　by　a　holy　life；　this　was　what　the　way　of　the　cross　demanded。　Itwas　somehow　on　that　Sunday；　a　Sunday　shortly　before　his　birthday；　that　John　first　realized　thatthis　was　the　life　awaiting　him—realized　it　consciously；　as　something　no　longer　far　off；　butimminent；　ing　closer　day　by　day。

John’s　birthday　fell　on　a　Sunday　in　March；　in　1935。　He　awoke　on　this　birthday　morning　with　thefeeling　that　there　was　menace　in　the　air　around　him—that　something　irr