The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-18

wonderful in the eyes of my children, for /
afterwards overheard conversation between
them relating to my wisdom.
Mamma knows everything said Alice" She
knows when / am going to tell q story, and l
shall never tell her another
"How can mamma know everythingp ~ asked
sturdy Dick. "She can't tell what | am doing
now"
Mamma does know everything that we do"
said Dot, 'tor she asks God, and he tells her.
Unseen, l took view of Master Richards en-
poyment; he was deliberately notching the gar
den seat with a knife taken from the kitchen.
Soon after / came down stairs into the chill
dren's room, where they were all assembled /
had some fruit TO divide between them. All
were served but Richard, who seemed instinct
lively to feel that something unpleasant was
about to happen to him.
''Come here, my child, )" said 1, as placed the
empty plate on the table. do you think you
deserve any fruitW / asked, as he came to me
very pale, ana every muscle OF his face ready to
relax with the tears which were filing his eyes.
"I do not think you have obeyed papa who told
you never to cut the garden seat Do you not
remember that he took away the knife nurse
gave you, because you used it mischievously?
Yet you have taken one out Of the kitchen, and
you have injured the arm of the seat. Now, /
cannot reward you for this conduct, and am
very sorry to have to punish you"
"But, mamma, how did you know t?" he sob
bingly asked, his spirit OF curiosity getting the
better OF his veXation and disgrace.
''Thut, my boy shall not tell you. Neither
of yonr brothers or sisters as you well know
could have told me: but yet / know it, and be
sure that God also sees, hears, ard knows OF
every act, whether good or bad. Now tell me-
do you think that he looks down on such an act
Of disobedience with pleasure? And do you
suppose that you are walking in his steps, so as
TO receive his blessing, when you are dishonor-
ing your parentsfn
''But it was only cutting the chair, mamma"
only committing an act of dlso0edlence,
Richard When God placed Adam and Eve IN
the Garden OF Eden, he told them not TO eat OF
the fruit of a certain tree Do you not recollect
this2"
"Yes, mamma"
''Then do you not see that 1t was neither the
act of eating the fruit by our first parents, nor
the act of cutting the chair by you, which
makes the sin, and you fit subject for punish
ment? But it is the act of disoDedlence which
is sin; and during your Lifetime, my darling
child, il you disobey Gods command you Will
fin that some punishment will surely follow"
Here the little fellow slipped his haud in
mine, and laid his face in my lap, sobbing, while
all the rest looked on, awe.stricken.
II will never do so any more, mamma. DO,
mamma, forgive me-" he sobbed.
81 do forgive you, my boy; but you have
sinned against God, broken one of his COM
mandments."
Here the little culprit suddenly looked up
inqUringly, as l went on:-'Are you not en-
joined in the fifth commandment to honor your
father and mother 2"
"Yes, mammal
wen, IQlS means bldb you DBSJ uOnOE J0enl
when you obey their lawful commands; and
when you disobey them you break one of the
commandments; and my child, very little sin
unrepented of frequently leads TO those crimes
Tor which men are punished, even in this world,
by being put INTO prison, and sometims, even,
they are put TO death. l forgive you, my boy"
and here kissed him; "but there is one you
must ask forgiveness of besides myself Come
with me into my room, and let us pray that
God will pardon my Richards disobedience."
And so saying we went upstairs, where in
the quletness of my bedroom, the little fellow
kneeed down by my SIDE, put up his little
hands, and with quivering lips asked:-
What must l say, mamma?"
"Repeat after me: o Lord, pray to be for
given tor my disobedlence to my parents, for the
Saviour's sake, who, while on earth, took up
little children in his arms and blessed them"
] rested my lips for moment on his upturned
forehead, and said, softly, amen" He sprang
on my lap, and put his arms around my neck,
saymg:-
play any more; and you will undress me-
please, mamma, do.n
| readily acquiesced in this request, for |
thought the effect of the conversation and sub
sequent prayer would not so readily pass away.
| early taught my children to reverence the
Holy Name, as well as assiduously endedvored
to represent him as especially God OF love
one never to be feared, excepting when sin had
been committed. Children understand love
very readily; hence their faith. They are quick
"discerners of spirits, ~ and even an infants eye
Will assume grave questonlng look at
stranger, till assured of the spirit withln-by
what mental process is not to be known-and
then the quick respiration and joyful crow an
nounce that il is satisfied
| studied to make them understand that the
influence of God surrounded them-that he was,
indeed, a very present help in time of trouble
and TO verify these teachings | read from the
Bible such passages as bore reference to our
frequent conversations upon the subject and
they were taught, young as they were, the bene-
fits of prayer-prayerS neither long nor ceremo-
nious, but suited to the engencY of the moment,
for living in life without prayer is very like
endeavoring to steer vessel without rudder.