s, some of them brilliant in the extreme, whose
whole attitude toward the Bible and Christ seemed to have an undertone
of flippancy, and who fairly delighted to find an unauthentic portion
over which they might haggle away the precious hours of the class-room.
They lacked the reverent attitude toward their subject which only could
save the higher criticism from being destructive rather than
constructive.

As the year went by he came to know his fellow-students better, and to
find among them a few earnest, thoroughly consecrated fellows, most of
them plain men like Burns, who had turned aside from the world's
allurements to prepare themselves to carry the gospel to those who were
in need. Most of them were poor men also, and of humble birth, with a
rare one now and then of brains and family and wealth, like Courtland,
to whom God had come in some peculiar way. These were a group apart from
others, whom the rest respected and admired, yet laughed at in a gentle,
humoring sort of way, as if they wasted more energy on their calling
than there was any real need to do. Some of them were going to foreign
lands when they were through, had already been assigned to their mission
stations, and were planning with a special view to the needs of the
locality. Courtland felt an idler and drone among them that he did not
yet know what he was to do.

The men, as they came to know him better, predicted great things for
him: wealthy churches falling at his feet, brilliant openings at his
disposal; but Courtland took no part in any such discussions. He had the
attitude of heart that he was to be guided, when he was through his
studies, into the place where he was most needed; it mattered not where
so it was the place God would have him to be.

In February Burns had a farewell service in his church. He had resigned
his pastorate and was going to China. Pat and Courtland went down to the
city to attend the service; and Monday saw him off to San Francisco for
his sea voyage to China.

Courtland, as he stood on the platform watching the train move away with
his friend, wished he could be on that train going with Burns to China.
He was to take up Burns's work around the settlement and in the factory
section; to see some of his friend's plans through to completion. He was
almost sorry he had promised. He felt utterly inadequate to the
necessity!

Spring came, and with it the formal announcement of Tennelly's and
Gila's engagement. Courtlan