To his wife he
said:--
"I tell you, Flossy, I believe a consecrated life will be honored by the
Lord, in whatever channel he gives it talents to develop. 'Whatsoever he
doth shall prosper.' That young man is going to have a career in
business. I shouldn't be surprised if the Master meant him to show the
world how a Christian can use money to his glory."
It is early yet to prophesy what Mr. Colson will do. Doubtless he will
be a merchant; certainly he will be a Christian; possibly he will be an
orator, of whom the world will yet hear,--a temperance orator, for
instance. I know you would like to hear him read a poem. He is not
confined to Will Carleton's style now, though he still reads with power
some of those inimitable delineations of life; but Gracie Dennis offers
no more criticisms when he reads. In fact, I have heard her defer to
him, when a question arose, as one who had probably studied the passage,
and caught its best. I am willing to confess that my poor black Dirk was
a bit of a genius. The thought I desire you to catch is that so many of
those poor fellows, who of necessity live by their wits in the city
slums, are diamonds which could be fitted to shine. You take a diamond
and throw it down in the dirt and filth, and put your foot on it and
grind it in, and leave it there, sinking and soiling, day after day,
year after year, and when somebody comes along and picks it out, how
much will it gleam for him at first? Yet the diamond is there.
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