HIS BOYHOOD. 
15 
I should be if any of them would take this great 
purpose into their hearts. Comber has told me more 
than once, that there and then he said to himself and 
to God that if the Lord would have him as a mission- 
ary, he would go. And I believe that there also he 
felt the conscious light and love of the Saviour in his 
soul. I believe, as far as his purpose and effort were 
concerned, he had been a Christian since his child- 
hood, but the realisation and joy of it only came to 
him in response to his offer of himself to God as His 
servant among the heathen. 
‘‘During the succeeding months (how many I can- 
not recollect) he had to meet with discouragement 
from many to whom he mentioned his purpose. He 
made me his confidant in all these matters. I gave 
him two pieces of advice, on both of which he acted. 
The first was ‘ Keep your purpose warm before God 
in prayer every day of your life. Let nothing prevent 
your talking with Him about it. If He wants you for 
a missionary, He will make the way for you.’ The 
second was, ‘ If you want to be a missionary, you 
must work hard for it. Even God Himself cannot 
employ you, if you are not fit for it. These great 
positions in God’s army do come to us from heaven, 
but they cortie to those who are ready for them.’ 
“ An incident during his school life may be men- 
tioned. It was in connection with a neglected lad 
in the Sunday school, who, having behaved himself 
badly in more than one class, was threatened with 
expulsion. The question was simply expulsion or 
would we try him in our class ? This was a question 
wLich, as their teacher, I thought it best for the lads 
to settle among themselves. When the appeal was 
made, they all voted for his reception, Comber being 
among the first and most earnest to recommend that 
course. It is interesting to know that not long after- 
wards, when that poor lad had removed from the 
class and the school, he laid hold of the Saviour as 
his own, and wrote to his teacher thanking him for 
