Produced by Sandra Laythorpe  HTML version by Al HainesABBEYCHURCHORSELFCONTROL AND SELFCONCEITBYCHARLOTTE M YONGETHE AUTHOR OF THE HEIR OF REDCLYFFESecond EditionThe Original Printed Text of this work is in the possession of TheCharlotte M Yonge FellowshipNever think yourself safe because you do your duty in ninetyninepoints it is the hundredth which is to be the ground of yourselfdenial which must evidence or rather instance and realize yourfaith     Newmans SermonsPREFACERechauffes are proverbially dangerous but everyone runs into themsooner or later and the world has done me the kindness so often toinquire after my first crude attempt that after it has lain for manyyears out of print I have ventured to launch it oncemoreimperfections and allthough it is guilty of the error ofpointing rather to a transient phase of difficulty than to a generalprinciple  The wheels of this world go so quickly round that I havelived to see that it would have been wiser in the clergyman to havedirected rather than obstructed the socalled march of intellect Ihave lived also to be somewhat ashamed of the exuberant outpouring ofhistorical allusions which however were perfectly natural among theset of girls from whom my experience was taken but these defects aswell as the more serious one of tyrannical aversion to vulgarity aretoo inherent in this tale to be removed and the real lesson intendedto be conveyed of obedience and sincerity of course remains unchangedThe later story was a rather hasty attempt to parody the modernsensation novel as Northanger Abbey did the Radclyffe school but itmakes the mistake of having too real a mystery  However such as theyare the two stories go forth in company trusting that they may notprove too utterly wearisome to be brought forward this second time                                    May 9th 1872ABBEYCHURCHORSELFCONTROL AND SELFCONCEITCHAPTER IOne summer afternoon Helen Woodbourne returned from her daily walkwith her sisters and immediately repaired to the schoolroom in orderto put the finishing touches to a drawing with which she had beenengaged during the greater part of the morning  She had not been longestablished there before her sister Katherine came in and taking herfavourite station leaning against the window shutter so as to commanda good view of the street she began Helen do you know that theConsecration is to be on Thursday the twentyeighth instead of theTuesday afterI know Lizzie wished that it could be so said Helen because thetwentyeighth is St Augustines day but I thought that the Bishop hadappointed TuesdayBut Papa wrote to him and he has altered the day as Papa wished Iheard Mamma and Mr Somerville talking about it just now when I wentinto the drawingroom answered KatherineWill everything be ready in time said HelenDear me cried Katherine I wonder if it will  What is to be doneif that tiresome Miss Dighten does not send home our dresses in timeWe must go and hurry her tomorrow  And I must get Mamma to go toBaysmouth this week to get our ribbons  I looked over all Mr Greenson Monday and he has not one bit of pink satin ribbon wide enough orfit to be seenOh but I meant the things in the churchthe cushions and the carvingon the Font said HelenOh dear yes the Font is very nearly done we saw today you knowand as to the cushions Mrs Webbe may have Sarah to help her and thenthey will certainly be finished  I wonder whether there will be anyfun said KatherineIs a Consecration an occasion for fun asked Helen very gravelyWhy no I do not exactly mean that replied Katherine but therewill be a great many people and the Mertons staying here and Rupertis always so full of funHmm said Helen I do not suppose he will be come back fromScotlandAnd Mrs Turner says continued Katherine that of course as theBishop is coming to luncheon after Church Mamma must give an elegantdejeuner a la fourchette to everybody  Next time I go to St MartinsStreet Mrs Turner is going to give me a receipt for makingblancmanger with some cheap stuff which looks quite as well asisinglass  It is made on chemical principles she says for she heardit all explained at the Mechanics Institute  And Aunt Anne will besure to bring us some of their grand fruit from Merton Hall What asetout it will be  The old Vicarage will not know itself howdelightful it will beSo you think the happiness of the Consecration day depends upon theparty and the luncheon said HelenNo no of course I do not said Katherine but we must think aboutthat too or we should not do what is properSomeone must said Helen but it is happy for us that we are notcalled upon to do so yetWhy we must help Mamma said Katherine I am sure that is our dutyCertainly said Helen but we need not dwell upon such thoughts forour own pleasureNo I do not I am sure said Katherine I do not care about thegrand dejeuner I am sure I think a great deal more about the Churchand the BishopI wonder whether he will come by the railroadAt this moment the door was thrown back hastily and Elizabeth theelder sister of Katherine and Helen darted in looking full ofindignation which she only wanted to pour forth without much caringwhether it was listened to with sympathy or notSo have you heard she began these Hazlebys are coming  Did youever hear of such a nuisance  Anything so preposterous  Mrs Hazlebyat a ConsecrationI should as soon think of asking Gillespie GrumachIt is for the Majors sake of course said Helen he will like tocomeAy but he is not coming he cannot get leave said Elizabeth if hewas I should not mind it so much but it is only Mrs Hazleby and thegirls for