School days were happy days for A. J. This dear boy had many blessings, and not the least of them was having Christian parents. He was brought up in a God-fearing home where the Bible was read regularly. Being very diligent in all of his school work, he made ready progress. He was active and alert, and the years at school passed all too quickly. The time soon came for him to leave home for college.
Here, as at school, success went with him. He readily adapted himself to his new surroundings, winning friends and working studiously. There was a deadly evil prevalent at college, however, from which he had been sheltered in the seclusion of his home. That evil was infidelity, and he soon had to encounter its withering blasts. Both among the students and the faculty there were many who openly scoffed at the Bible as the Word of God.
Infidelity is not new, nor even reasonable; but quite often those who profess to believe it, make a great show of learning and knowledge. Frequently this deadly poison is taken in by very brilliant people. This fact was true in A. J.'s college, for some of the best students were the worst infidels. Among these was a young student whose name was E. D.
It was a sad day for our friend when he began to make a companion of this worldly-wise infidel. He should have been more careful in the choice of a close friend. God warns us in His word,
We are all more or less influenced by the company we keep, and for this reason should avoid companionships with the ungodly, even if they are very pleasing people. A. J. had to learn this sad lesson, for he was soon poisoned by the reasoning of his friend. Little by little he gave up his belief in his father's God, for vain human reasoning. By the time he was ready to leave college, he was among the number of those who talked against the Bible, and professed to believe there is no God.
A new chapter of A. J.'s life was about to open, and at this point he and his close friend were to part company forever. Each went a different way. Our young friend A. J. decided to travel about and see some of the country before settling down.
During his travels, he met an elderly man who was a true Christian and faithful servant of the Lord. This man spoke very earnestly to him about God, His Word, death, and judgment. This conversation made a deep impression on the young man. The truth of God was not like the hollow arguments of infidels, for it reached into his conscience. It made him uneasy and shook his confidence in infidelity. It again seemed real that there was a living God to whom he must give account.
The following night found A. J. seeking lodging in a large home where rooms were rented to travelers. The man of the house explained that there was only one vacant room left, and that it was next to a room which was occupied by a young man who was dying. After thinking it over, the tired young man assured the owner that it would not affect his sleep any, and he would take the room. In spite of his affected indifference, he could not sleep. He was very tired, but sleep went from him. The entire night was spent thinking about the young man in the next room who was dying. None of the foolish arguments of professed infidels could help him sleep. The realities of death and judgment, heaven and hell, pressed upon him, and the words repeatedly spoken to him by that faithful Christian kept ringing in his ears.
In the morning he was not only tired but wretched and miserable as he went down to the living room. There he was informed that the young man whose condition had cost him the night's sleep, had died during the night. This fell like a great weight on his already troubled soul, but a greater shock was yet to come. Out of human interest, he inquired the name of the man who died, only to learn that it was none other than his old college chum, E. D. This was almost too much for him, and he rushed straight back to his room. There for several hours he could think of nothing but those awful words, dead! lost! lost! All of his infidelity fled in the presence of death, and he cried to God for mercy. In anguish of soul he cut his trip short and returned home.
It was not long until he found peace and happiness through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He s a w the folly of his past course, and thanked God for delivering him from that dreadful delusion. He proved the truth of the Word of God, and found lasting joy and peace. From that day on, he sought to warn others to “flee from the wrath to come.” He began and continued to faithfully preach Christ and Him crucified.
Now dear young people, be warned by this experience, and do not choose companions from among those who hate Christ. Be like the Psalmist who said,
And remember that it makes no difference who it is that contradicts the Word of God; he is only doing the devil's work. From the days of the garden of Eden on down, Satan has been calling in question what God said. Do not be carried away in any small measure by the baseless, soul destroying poison of infidelity, even though it be garbed in the name of intellectual wisdom.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” and that is not wisdom which seeks to set aside the Creator for the mere hypothesis of evolution. It matters not how high one may climb in the field of intellectual knowledge; if he denies the truth of God, the day will come when he will see his great folly. It may then be too late, and he will have all eternity to remember with remorse. Remember, that only