The Ouachita telegraph., 1870-11-19
Slsbse 6 fittle *olhs.
The Marks Arc There.

We condense this story from the
Youths Magazine. 1t is we'll worth
reading and remembering:
"Find piece of board, six nails and
a hammer, and bring them to mc,'
said Mr.. Andrews to his son Philip one
Monday morning. Philip brought the
articles and said, 81 thought, father,
that you We're going out this morning for
the whole week"'
s'So I am, my boy, and the board,
the hammer and the nails are for your
mothers use while l am away. There
are six nails-one for each day; the
board is for the nails to be driven into,
and the hammer is to drive them in
with. Now ask your mother to come,
and 1 will explain how the nails and
the board and the hammer are to be
used" The three quietly seated, when
Mr.. Andrews said: ssPhilip, you are so
often unruly when l am away from
home, that my pleasure is spoilt with
the thought that you are giving your
mother SO much trouble. l wish there
fore, to have your conduct written on
this board, with this hammer and these
six nails-one for each day. fyou are
good every day of my absence, the board
will have no nails driven in, but will
be as smooth and clean when it is shown
to me on Saturday night as it is now.
But for every day you misbehtvc your
self a nail will be driven i'll if however,
you should afterward be good, Il nail
will be drawn out for each day"
Philip resolved that the board should
be given i'll on Saturday night, when
his father returned, as smooth as it then
was. But on Monday evening his
mother said in grieving tones,
"Philip, 1 am very sorry, but l really
must drive a nail into that board to
mark this days misconduct
"Ugly nail !" said Philip, when he
saw its black head on one side of the
board, and the point haitian inch through
on the other. On Tuesday and We(nes-
day it was not different, and the board
had three black nails driven into it.
But on Thursday the repentant boy did
better. In the evening his mother took
the board, and with Il smile of joy on
her face, struck one of the nails on the
point, when out it fell to the floor. On
Friday another nail was knocked out,
and on Saturday the last ''ugly nail'
disappeared from the board.
When Mr.. Andrews returned, he gave
each member of the f;lmily an affection
ate greeting, and they sat down to tea.
Philip hung about his fathers chair all
the time, but he did not look happy.
He said that he was glad his father had
come D:tck, sui HlS litct SHOW ''i 'iisti i'
was uneasy about something.
"Now, Philip" said his father, as
the tca-things were carried out of the
room, "lct me see the board.'
Philip carried it to his father.
After looking for some time at the
silent reporter, Mr.. Andrews said:
"Well, my boy, am glad tosee there
are no nails in it. Not a single nail,
eh?''
mo, father" said the weeping boy,
"but there are the marks ~
"Ah, ycs," said his father, "thcrc
are the marks. You have removed
the nails, but the marks remain. So
it is always, my dear son, with sin.
Every sinful word you speak, every
wicked act you commit, you make a
mark on your soul-a spot, stain,
which cannot be removed by any earth
ly means. But if you repent of your
sins, and turn with humble trust to the
Saviour, all your sins shall be removed,
and when you are called to give up
your accounts, you shall give them up
with joy and not with grief