EXECUTION OF GOD'S PURPOSE; OR, THE POOR MINISTER.
QUESTION VIII.How doth God execute his decrees?ANSWER. God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence.
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AFTER being absent three days, Mr. Dermott wrote his wife that he hoped to be with them before the close of the week, and if they chose to put off the catechising until Saturday night, he should be most happy to go through the exercise with them. When the lady read the letter to the children, they unanimously requested that the lesson be postponed until their father returned.
Mrs. Dermott was much pleased to see that the questions which had been explained were frequently talked of during the day, and the illustrations repeated. The account of little Lotty, and of the boy who prized his Bible, were commented upon again and again.
Saturday evening arrived, and great was the disappointment that their father had not yet returned. It was now quite dark, and as Ruth was bringing in the tea, their mother called them to drop the curtains, and take their places at the table. They were scarcely seated, however, when they heard a firm step on the piazza, and all sprang toward the door to welcome the traveller.
"You see I have kept my word," he said, as an hour later they were seated around the cheerful fire. "We have another lesson on the decrees, or plan, of God; and I wished to study it with you. Are we sure that God's plan will not fail?"
"Yes, sir," cried Helen.
"Why so? I made a plan of this house, but I might have died long before it was finished; or I might have changed my mind, and concluded not to build at all; or I might have lost all my property, and not been able to finish it."
"But God can't die, nor lose his property," exclaimed Walter; "and in one of our lessons we learned that he is unchangeable. So we know that he will act according to his plan, or will do as he planned to do."
"Very true, my son," said his father, affectionately patting his shoulder. "He will certainly execute his plan or purpose. Is there any way in which we can learn what his plan, or any part of his plan, is?"
"I should think not, sir," replied the boy.
"But does not the Bible reveal to us his plan for saving sinners?"
Walter blushed as he replied, "Yes, sir; I didn't think of that."
"Yes, the Bible reveals to us the gift of a Saviour.
"To refer once more to my plan. While the building was in progress, I used to hear men talking with the carpenter, curious to know whether the house was to have an L, or a piazza, or an observatory. He smiled pleasantly as he told them to wait and see. We know that God made the world in six days, and that he executed the work of creation according to his plan, previously conceived and adopted. He is still carrying on this work by the creation of human beings.
"God reveals his decree, or purpose, also in his providence, in which the great plan of redemption may be considered as included. The choosing of the Israelites to be his peculiar people—their exodus from Egypt, their rejection of and wicked crucifixion of the Saviour, are parts of his government, or providence, the leaves of which are unfolding every hour.
"'What his soul desireth, even that he doeth.'"
"Nearly a hundred years ago, there was an eminent clergyman by the name of Thoroughgood. He was an exceedingly pious, amiable man; but during a persecution, he was imprisoned and cruelly treated. After his release, he suffered from poverty. One day he and his family were reduced to their last scanty mouthful of food. The children were hanging about their mother crying for bread, which she was unable to give them. With streaming eyes she turned to her husband and asked, 'What shall I do for my poor children?'
"The good man had been greatly moved by the scene. His chin quivered; but gazing at his beloved one, he inquired, in a touching voice, 'Can you not trust in God?'
"Soon after he persuaded his wife to take a walk. A robin was perched upon a bough singing a merry song. He stopped and gazed at it, saying, 'Let us learn a lesson from this bird, who sings his praises to God and trusts him, though he knows not where he shall get his next meal. Let us, my dear wife, trust to the providence of God, who counts us of more value than many sparrows.'
"As they drew near the house on their return, they heard sounds of joy, where so lately there had been only cries of distress; and upon entering, a happy sight awaited them. In the centre of the room, a table was loaded with provisions sufficient to last for many days, while Martha, the faithful serving woman, tearfully pointed to the corner of the room, where stood sack of corn and a bag of flour. The children could scarcely restrain their joy, as their father gratefully raised his hands and eyes to heaven, saying, in a trembling voice, 'They who trust in the Lord shall not want any good thing.'
"Thus you see, dear children, it is safe to trust in the providence of God."
THE CREATION OF THE WORLD; OR, THE PATENT OFFICE.
QUESTION IX.What is the work of creation?ANSWER. The work of creation is God's making all things out of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good.
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EARLY in the week following the return of Mr. Dermott, Mrs. Lang, a sister of Mrs. Dermott, arrived at their residence to make a short visit. She was accompanied by her twin daughters, who were near Walter's age. Thursday was the evening appointed for the catechisings, and during Mrs. Lang's visit, she so often heard the children refer to these occasions, as possessing great interest, that she was induced to accept her sister's urgent invitation, and remain to witness, what now seemed to her so incomprehensible, how children could be made to understand the doctrines of the Catechism.
Helen joyfully clapped her hands as Louise and Lucia made known their mother's decision, and exclaimed, "O, I'm so glad! You'll hear such a nice story; and then you'll always understand the answer when you've heard father and mother explain it!"
The little girls thought otherwise, but they wisely said nothing, and looked forward to the evening, with feelings of curiosity, rather than with anticipations of pleasure.
Mr. Dermott was still at home, and, at his wife's earnest request, had consented to act once more in the capacity of teacher. Anna having passed him the Catechism, and promptly repeated the answer to the question, he asked, "Who made the world, Isabelle?"
"God."
"Yes, my dear, God made the world and all things that are therein."
The gentleman arose from his seat, and paced the room two or three times without speaking.
At length he stopped opposite the chair of his sister-in-law, and said, "That was a delightful winter we passed in Washington together."
"Yes," she replied, in a low voice, as if she were speaking in meeting.
"That was a sensible arrangement."
"To what do you refer?" asked his wife.
"Why, to your plan of being married on the same evening as your sister, instead of a month in advance, so that we could be together at Washington during the honeymoon."
The sisters smiled; but Helen asked, rather abruptly, "Papa, have you forgotten the catechising?"
Mr. Dermott smiled archly, but did not reply to the child. "I recalled our visit to the capital of our Union, as I have been thinking to-day of the Patent Office. What a remarkable institution that is!"
"Yes, I was more interested in it than in any other place we visited. One might spend weeks there with profit."
"Will you please, uncle, to tell us about it some time?" timidly urged Anna.
"I will tell you now, my dear," he said, patting her head affectionately. "In the first place, we went to examine the models of machinery, telegraphs, lightning rods, and agricultural implements. There were miniature steam engines, cotton gins, spinning gins, weaving looms, and carding machines. Then there were ploughs, and harrows, and cultivators, and seed sowers, and hay cutters, and corn shellers, and churns, and household utensils, together with every conceivable variety of implement in agriculture, beside a great many things which seemed to be of no possible use. The room was thronged with visitors, and there was some difficulty in getting near enough to examine the various articles. Then we went on to the patented articles for catching fish, of which there was a great variety; then for trapping game, and from that to the ordnance department. Here were pistols of every size and capacity, guns, firelocks, field pieces, and batteries; models of weapons offensive and defensive.
"As I stood gazing at one article after another, I thought, 'What a wonderful power there is in the human brain! How it has contrived and fashioned things, new and old, great and small, curious, ingenious, and useful, for every conceivable purpose of art or industry.'
"Upon some of these inventions men have labored their whole lives, and have expended vast fortunes to bring them to that state of perfection which we here witness. But, after all, what are these models of human skill, to the wisdom and power of God in the work of creation! These are made from material already existing. God created the world from nothing. The inventors of these articles passed, in many cases, their whole lives in toiling to attain their prize. God spoke the world into being by the word of his power.
"'He spake and it was done. He commanded, and it stood fast.'
"Can you tell me, Walter, how many days God was in making the world?"
"Six days."
"For whom did God create all things?"
"I suppose he made them at first for Adam and Eve."
"Solomon says in the Proverbs,—
"'The Lord hath made all things for himself.'
"Can you tell me for what purpose?"
Walter shook his head, and his father, taking a small Bible from the table, turned to the first verse of the nineteenth psalm, and gave it to him to read.
"'The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork.'"
"How important, then, that when we view the hills and vales, the moon and stars shining in their splendor, the trees and flowers, the birds and beasts, and every other work of creation, we should remember God, the Maker and Giver of all these blessings, and that our hearts should flow out toward him in gratitude and praise!"
"We sing of God, the mighty sourceOf all things, the stupendous forceOn which all things depend;From whose right arm, beneath whose eyes,All period, power, and enterprise,Commence, and reign, and end."
THE CREATION OF MAN; OR, THE WAX DOLL.
QUESTION X.How did God create man?ANSWER. God created man, male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over his creatures.
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IT so happened that Helen's birthday, which was on the twelfth of February, occurred on Thursday following her aunt's visit. When she came down to breakfast in the morning, a high chair, which had in turn been used by all the children, was drawn up to the table, and in it was seated a beautiful wax doll. It had long, flaxen ringlets, and blue eyes, which could be made to open and shut, beautiful red cheeks, a white neck and arms, and taper fingers. It was dressed in a sky-blue merino, with a dainty silk apron, with tiny pockets, while its feet were covered with pink silk stockings and gaiter boots. This was papa's birthday present to his little daughter; and what a shout of joy rung through the house, as he took it from the high chair, and placed it in her arms! There was little breakfast eaten that morning by either of the children, for Helen's excitement communicated itself to the others, and the time was consumed in asking and answering questions.
Helen understood now why it was her mother had so often, within a few days, requested her to play in another room. She was making the dresses for Dolly, and wished to give her little girl a pleasant surprise.
"O, what a good time we will have!" cried the happy miss, as they rose from the table. "You shall play with it half the time, Anna, and I'll take yours. Perhaps mamma will let us take your birthday present of cups and saucers, and play 'come and see.'"
Her little cousin's cheeks were as rosy, and her smile as bright, as if the doll had been presented to her.
After Helen had given her father and mother another kiss, and thanked them for making her so happy, Anna followed her to their chamber, where, with the little Isabelle, they passed an hour in the happy sports of childhood.
In the evening, when they were drawn up in a circle around the fire, Dolly had her seat between the cousins, Isabelle having pulled an ottoman to her mother's side, where she could see if the beautiful stranger conducted herself with steadiness and decorum.
"Isabelle," said her father, "what was the name of the first man?"
"Adam."
"What was the name of his wife, Anna?"
"Eve."
"Who was created first?"
"Adam," replied Helen.
"Out of what did God create him?"
"Out of dust," answered Walter.
"In whose image was Adam created, my son?"
"God created man in his own image."
"Over what was he to have dominion?"
"Over all other creatures."
"On what day were they created?"
"The sixth."
"Can you tell me the meaning of the word Adam?"
"No, sir."
"It signifies red earth. All along on the banks of the river, where the garden of Eden is supposed to have been, the earth is red; and being created from that, he was called Adam, or the red man. It is said,—
"'The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden.'
"I suppose it is hardly possible for us to conceive the luxuriant beauty of the place.
"It was the sixth day of God's work of creation. The beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, fresh from his forming hand, had appeared before their Maker, who pronounced them 'very good.' And God said,—
"'Let us make man in our image,'—
"And behold 'earth into flesh transformed, and clay to man.'
"'Adam, arise, since I to thee impartA spirit warm from my benignant breathArise, arise, first man,And joyous let the worldEmbrace its living miniature in thee!'"* * * * * *"'Man, be thou lord of all that now the sunWarms, or the ocean laves; impose a nameOn every thing that flies, or runs, or swims.'" *
* Gio. Battista Andreini, Italian poet, from whom Milton drew for his "Paradise Lost."
"'God brought every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, unto Adam, to see what he would call them; and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.' 'But for Adam, there was not found a helpmeet for him.'
"And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and from one of his ribs made fair woman's lovely form. And Adam awoke from his sleep, and beheld that 'marvel most sublime.' We can imagine with what rapture of delight he pressed this new and cherished being to his breast, exclaiming,—
"'O Eve,Sole partner and sole part of all these joys,Dearer thyself than all.Under a tuft of shade, that on a greenStood whispering soft, by a fresh fountain's side,They sat them down; and to their supper fruits they fell.Nectarine fruits, which the compliant boughsYielded them, sidelong as they sat recline.On the soft, downy bank damasked with flowers,The savory pulp they chew, and in the rind,Still as they thirsted, scoop the brimming stream.'"* * * "'About them frisking played.Sporting the lion ramped, and in his pawDandled the kid: bears, tigers, ounces, pards,Gambolled before them; the unwieldy elephant,To make them mirth, used all his might, and wreathedHis lithe proboscis.'" *
* Milton's "Paradise Lost."
"Thus, dear children, were formed the parents of our race, made in the image of their Creator, and endowed with knowledge, righteousness, and holiness. How different would have been our condition had they never fallen from that high estate!"
PROVIDENCE; OR, THE ILL-FATED BOAT.
QUESTION XI.What are God's works of providence?ANSWER. God's works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures and all their actions.
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THE morning of Thursday dawned clear and bright, and at the breakfast table the children eagerly reminded their father of his promise to improve the first fine day by teaching them to skate. At the distance of one quarter of a mile from their house, there was a large pond, which was now covered with firm, smooth ice. Mr. Dermott told them that he would endeavor to return from the city to take an early dinner with them, after which, provided their lessons had been well learned, he would accompany them to the pond.
Every thing was propitious; the children studied diligently, and, of course, recited correctly. The weather continued fine, and their father arrived in ample season for dinner. A merry party that was, consisting of father, mother, and four happy children; and a delightful afternoon they passed, filling their lungs with the clear, bracing air, as they lightly skimmed over the pond, making the woods, which lined the banks, ring with their cheerful tones and merry laughter.
"I don't believe any body in the world is as happy as I am," exclaimed the enthusiastic Helen, as she sat by the fire after tea, waiting for her parents to be ready for the catechising.
"Come, my daughter, I should like to have you tell me why you are so happy," remarked Mr. Dermott, after Walter had repeated the answer for the evening.
"Is it in the lesson, papa?" asked the child, glancing merrily into his face.
"Yes, if you choose to have it so."
"Well, it is because I have such dear, kind parents, who do every thing to make me happy; and such a darling brother, and cousin, and little sister; and O, there are ever so many reasons!"
"Go on, my dear, let us hear them all." Mr. and Mrs. Dermott gazed into her glowing countenance, radiant with life and hope, and thought, "We, too, are happy in having such a child."
"Well, then," continued Helen, "I have such a pleasant home, and plenty to eat and drink, and pretty clothes, all ready for me to wear, and nice playthings to amuse myself with. O, I can't help being very happy."
"Then you are thankful to your parents for providing for your wants?"
"Yes, indeed, papa."
"It is right you should be so, my daughter. Children seldom realize how much their parents do for them. Your mother knows, for instance, that in an hour or two from this time, your eyes will begin to grow heavy with sleep; and she has provided each of you with a comfortable bed. She is sure that when you awake in the morning, you will be hungry; and she has provided breakfast. She knows that if you are not warmly clad on such a day as this, you can take no comfort in your walks or plays; and see how carefully she has arranged for you! Each little one with a warm hood, tippet, and mittens, made by her own hands! This is only a small part of what she does, even for your physical wants. And then we endeavor to provide for your moral and intellectual improvement. We teach you, provide you healthful amusements, give you books to read, and do all in our power to fulfil aright our duty as parents.
"But what is all we do compared with the loving care of Him who giveth us life, and breath, and all things? This constant, tender, overruling care of our heavenly Father, is called his providence, and extends to the very meanest of his creatures. He watches over us, guards us from dangers often unseen by us, gives us food to eat and clothes to wear, preserves and governs us. What does the Catechism say of God's providence?"
"That it is holy, wise, and powerful," replied Walter.
"Over whom is it extended?"
"To all his creatures and all their actions."
"Yes, there is not a thought in our hearts, nor a word upon our lips, nor all action of our lives, but he notices it. David has most beautifully and comprehensively expressed his sense of the government and providence of God in these words:
"'O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my down-sitting, and mine up-rising; thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.'
"God's providence extends, also, to the angels, to the birds of the air, the fishes of the sea, the beasts of the field, and oven the little insects; over the clouds, winds, and storms; over the waves of the sea; and over the sun, moon, and stars. To each he extends his powerful protection, and has only to speak to have them perform his holy will.
"Our dear Helen acknowledged, to-night, her indebtedness to her parents for their watchful care of her. How thankful, then, ought she, and all of us, to be to that Merciful Being whose tender love watches us with more than any earthly father's solicitude, who numbers even the hairs of our heads, and whose power is able to protect us from all harm!"
"More than a dozen years ago, a gentleman by the name of Norcross was visiting Now York city upon important business. He had nearly completed it, when he received a letter from his daughter, living near Boston, saying that her little sister was ill, and her mother hoped he would return at once. He looked at his card stating the hour when the steamboat left the wharf, and found that by using despatch, he should have just time to conclude his business, and return by the first boat.
"He hurried to the store where he had made large purchases, and by great exertion, both on his own part and that of the clerks, had his goods packed, marked, and delivered to the truckman, promising to meet him at the wharf. He delayed only long enough to pass a check to the merchant in payment for the goods, and, congratulating himself that his business was so satisfactorily performed, hastened on foot to the boat.
"In consequence of his watch being too slow, he reached the wharf just fire minutes after she had started. Disappointed more than he could express, he congratulated himself that his goods were safely on board; when, hearing a sound behind him, he recognized the truckman who had them in charge. With an impatient expression, he rebuked the man for his delay. But it had been a necessary one. In passing through one of the narrow streets, it became so crowded with trucks, that for some minutes he was obliged to stand entirely still.
"Now mark the overruling providence of God. He had determined that this child of his should be spared to his family, and all these circumstances, as the not keeping his watch up to the time, and the crowd of carriages in the street, were the means by which God saved both the life and property of Mr. Norcross. That boat was the ill-fated Lexington, which was burned on her passage from New York to Providence. Had he arrived in season, no doubt he would have perished."
"Just as a mother, with sweet, pious face,Yearns toward her children from her seat,Given one a kiss, another an embrace,Takes this upon her knee, that on her feet;And while from actions, looks, complaints, pretences,She learns their feelings and their various will,To this a look, to that a word dispenses,And whether stern or smiling, loves them still;—So Providence for us, high, infinite,Makes our necessities its watchful task,Hearkens to all our prayers, helps all our wants;And even if it denies what seems our right,Either denies because 'twould have us ask,Or seems but to deny, or in denying grants."
THE COVENANT OF WORKS; OR, THE FIRST WEDDING.
QUESTION XII.What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?ANSWER. When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience, forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, upon pain of death.
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WALTER DERMOTT was, as I have said, a boy of remarkable intelligence for one of his years. He had naturally a quick and somewhat passionate temper; but this had been so controlled by his parents, that at the present time he was a conscientious, amiable youth.
He was exceedingly fond of his sisters and cousin, especially of Isabelle, who was, indeed, a pet of the whole family. Helen was more nearly like himself—active, enthusiastic, and energetic. Belle was quiet, and though affectionate, yet not demonstrative. She rarely lost her temper, and gained many friends by her readiness to oblige all who were in need of her services. She was very fond of hearing stories, especially those contained in the Bible; and Walter could at any time attach her to himself by the promise of story.
Since the lessons in the Catechism had commenced, he had often been called upon to repeat the stories which had illustrated them. She had been particularly interested in the narrative of the creation, and was delighted to learn that there would be a continuation of this account.
"Isabelle," called her father, when her mother had read the answer for her, "have you ever been to a wedding?"
"No, sir."
"O, yes, you have!" cried Helen. "Only you didn't know what it was. You remember when cousin James stood up with Sarah Churchill?"
"And she cried so when they were bidding her good by?"
"Yes, that was a wedding."
"Once I was a boy like Walter," added Mr. Dermott, "and lived at home with my father and mother. Your mother was younger than you are, and lived nearly a mile distant. By and by, as I grew up, I wanted some young lady, who knew about housekeeping, to come and take care of me. There were a great many young ladies in the town, and a great many more in the city where I was doing business; but somehow I liked your mother the best, and thought, if she would consent to leave her parents, brothers, and sisters, I would purchase a house, and we would have a home of our own."
"And did she?" eagerly asked the child, fixing upon her father a pair of bright blue eyes.
Mr. Dermott gave his wife a glance of affection; and Helen exclaimed, "Why, yes, we know she did, or else she would not have been here now."
"I hope no one will ask me to go away," said Isabelle with a deep sigh. "I should not like to go away from home."
"Of course they won't while you are a little girl," remarked Walter in a comforting tone.
"I was very glad that she said yes," continued the gentleman; "indeed, I don't know what would have become of me if she had refused, for I could think of no one else, among all my friends, who would do as well."
Helen caught her mother's hand, and pressed it enthusiastically to her lips.
"Then I went to her father's house," added the gentleman, "and we stood up together and were married, and that was called a wedding. We promised to love and cherish each other as long as we lived. The Bible has rules for persons who live together as we intended to, and we promised to try to live according to them. Now, Walter, can you tell me what relation Adam was to Eve?"
"He was her husband."
"Where was their wedding?"
"In Eden."
"Who married them?
"God."
"There was a great and glorious company present; can you tell me who they were?"
"I suppose," replied Mrs. Dermott, "you refer to the angels, as the Bible says,—
"'The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.'"
"Then God entered into a covenant, here called a covenant of life,—perhaps you would call it an agreement,—with the newly married pair, that if they would render perfect obedience to his one command, and not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they might enjoy all the pleasures of the beautiful garden, and a whole eternity of joy and bliss. But if they disobeyed his command, and ate the forbidden fruit, they would be cast out of the garden, and becoming sinful, would be made miserable forever."
"I think it was real mean in them to eat the forbidden fruit," cried Walter, indignantly, "when God had done so much to make them happy."
"Yes, my dear, those who commit sin are always guilty of meanness. But is it any less mean and foolish in us to sin than it was in them?"
"It seems to me it would have been very easy for them to obey in just one thing," added the boy.
"Yes, to us it does seem so, especially as they had not the temptation of wicked hearts prompting them to sin. Their only temptation was from Satan, who, from the moment they were placed in paradise, watched for an opportunity to destroy their happiness. Remember, children, he is just as busy now as he was then. He is constantly whispering in the ear of some little boy or girl, that it would be no harm for them to disobey their father or their mother—no harm to break the laws of God.
"To impress this answer upon your minds, I shall illustrate it by a story which is not true; but which I shall invent for this occasion. It is called a parable, and is like what the Saviour used, to illustrate and enforce the truths which he taught."
"There was once a boy by the name of Edward. He had a father, mother, and one sister. He had also a rich uncle, named Mr. Tudor, who had lived for many years in India, and brought home a great many curious things. Some of these were placed for safe keeping with his sister, who was the mother of Edward. The boy had amused himself for hours in examining them. But there was in the attic a small, curiously-shaped box, which very much excited his attention. There must be something very wonderful in it. Edward longed to see it opened. When his uncle visited them, Mrs. Rowe told him of the boy's desire, and he immediately sent for his nephew to come into the room.
"'Edward,' said he, 'your mother says you are curious to know what is in that foreign box up stairs.'
"The boy looked rather confused, but answered, 'Yes, sir.'
"'Well, I sent for you to tell you that on no account must you touch it. Remember if you are ever so curious, don't go near it, for you might be seriously hurt, and perhaps killed. But I will make a covenant, or agreement with you, that if you will not go near it until my return, which will be in one month, I will give you all that it contains, which will be a very valuable present.'
"'I will be sure to remember,' exclaimed Edward, in an animated tone.
"The next day, when his uncle left, he said, 'Remember our agreement, my boy, and be sure not to go near the box.'
"This was said in an impressive voice, and deepened Edward's determination to fulfil his part of the agreement. In order to do this, he promised himself that he would not go into the attic, for fear it would be a temptation to open the forbidden box, as the key, he found, was attached to the trunk by a string. But in two or three days he found himself sitting again by its side, and wondering at its contents. He began to reason, as Eve did, that his uncle really meant nothing by the threat. He thought about the box, and dreamed about it, until he lost his appetite, and grew thin and pale.
"In Milton's 'Paradise Lost,' he says that Eve dreamed of eating the fruit; then she persuaded Adam that they should accomplish more in tending their garden, if they were separated for a season, as it took up too much time to talk, and bestow glances of affection. So she went to a distance from him, where the tempter found her; and we know too well the sad consequences. We must defer the conclusion of our story until the next lesson."
THE FALL OF MAN; OR, THE MYSTERIOUS BOX.
QUESTION XIII.Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created?ANSWER. Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the state wherein they were created, by sinning against God.
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VERY many times, during the week following the story of Edward, did the children discuss the probabilities of his obtaining the prize.
"I do wonder what was in the box," exclaimed Helen.
"I can't think, or even guess," responded Walter; "but I could hold on for one month, I know. Just think how silly 'twould be to go and look when he was certain of knowing so soon, and of having such a reward besides."
"I hope he kept the agreement," said Anna, "because his uncle said if he opened the box, he would be very much hurt."
"Perhaps it was a spring lock," suggested Walter, "that would catch his fingers and tear them right off."
On Thursday evening the little ones were punctually in their places, which, as Mrs. Dermott remarked, was a proof of Walter's great interest in the lesson, as it was bright moonlight night, and he had been enjoying a fine skate in front of the house.
Anna repeated the answer in course, and then Mrs. Dermott asked, "Who were our first parents, my dear?"
"Adam and Eve."
Mr. Dermott having taken his seat, said, "Walter, what is it to be left to the freedom of one's will?"
"I always thought," replied the boy, "that it meant you might do a thing or not, just as you chose."
"A very good definition, my boy! When God had placed Adam and Eve in their beautiful home, he said,—
"'Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat. But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.'
"Would God have told Adam not to eat of it, and threatened him with death provided he did, if he was not left free to act in any way he chose?"
"No, sir. If God knew he would be obliged to eat it, I don't believe he would have told him not to."
"Do you suppose Edward, about whom I told you, had the freedom of his will?"
"Yes, sir."
"It would have been foolish for his uncle to tell him to be sure not to touch the box, and to offer him a reward for not touching it, if he knew that he could not act according to his own choice. Satan evidently thought that our first parents could eat of the forbidden fruit, or abstain from eating, as they chose; for he presented many arguments to induce them to partake of it. These would have been breath spent in vain, if he was sure they would eat of it. Poor Eve yielded to his wicked solicitations; and when—
"'She saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave unto her husband with her, and he did eat.'
"By what arguments she prevailed upon him to disobey the only command of their Maker, the Bible does not inform us. Having eaten the forbidden fruit, the covenant of life was forfeited; they fell from the state of purity and holiness, wherein they were created, by sinning against God."
"We will now return to the history of Edward. One, two, three weeks of the month had passed away, and Mrs. Rowe had entirely forgotten the conversation about the box; but she had noticed that for a day or two her son had not appeared well. She determined to question him upon the subject.
"She was sitting after dinner with her husband, who had not yet left the house, when they were startled by a loud scream of distress. Starting to their feet, they knew not which way to run, when there came another prolonged, agonizing cry. Rushing up stairs in the direction in which the sound seemed to proceed, they distinctly heard dreadful groans from the attic.
"There lay poor Edward upon the floor, his hands pressed convulsively to his side, from which the blood was oozing through the clothes. The fatal box was opened, and a pistol, which had been so arranged as to protect the contents, had gone off when the boy lifted the lid."
image007
Edward opening the fatal box.
"Mr. Rowe tore open his clothes and tried to stanch the blood, while the almost distracted mother flew down stairs to send for a physician. For weeks Edward lay in bed after the ball had been extracted, suffering the most acute pain, and tortured by bitter remorse for his conduct. The physician at length told his mother that he feared her poor boy would never again be perfectly well.
"After two months, he was able to sit bolstered up in a large chair, when his uncle came to visit him. Upon talking with him for an hour, the gentleman went to the attic and brought from thence the box which had occasioned his young nephew so much trouble. He told him that while he was in India, a young man assisted him in packing his goods for his return home. He had a quantity of gold which he wished to bring, and this young man begged his acceptance of this box with the pistol, which he thought would betray any robbers who might approach it. He, then, without loading the fire-arms, explained to the boy how it had been arranged; after which, he took out a false bottom to the box, and displayed to the gaze of the astonished youth a greater number of gold pieces than he had ever seen together.
"'Perhaps,' added the gentleman, addressing his sister, 'it would have been better for me to have told Edward what consequences would certainly follow if he disobeyed my orders, and persisted in gratifying his curiosity. I intended to make him a present, and thought it would be a pleasant and profitable lesson to him. But I calculated too much upon the strength of his moral principle.'"
"But, father," cried Walter eagerly, "didn't his uncle give him any of the gold?"
Mr. Dermott smiled as he replied, "You know, my boy, I told you that this was not a true story, but a parable."
"O, I'm glad," said Anna, with a sigh of relief. "I thought Edward would have to be sick all his life."
"'Tis fearful building upon any sin;One mischief entered, brings another in;The second pulls a third, the third draws more,And they for all the rest set ope the door:Till custom take away the judging sense,That to offend we think it no offence."
THE NATURE OF SIN; OR, THE CONVICT.
QUESTION XIV.What is sin?ANSWER. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.
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THE account of Edward made a deep impression upon the minds of the children, although well aware it was only an imaginary sketch. They prayed more earnestly to be assisted to do what was right, and were more conscientious in the performance of their duties.
Mr. Dermott one day overheard Walter and Anna talking about Edward.
Walter said, "I bet I wouldn't have opened that box; and I think he was real silly for doing it."
"Don't you ever do wrong?" asked Anna, simply.
"Yes, of course I do," replied the boy, in an embarrassed tone; "but if I was tried in that way, I wouldn't."
"I'm afraid I should," replied Anna, humbly. "I did want to know so much what was in the box."
"What is conformity to any thing, Helen?" asked her father, after the answer had been correctly repeated.
"I don't know, sir."
"Walter, do you remember, when I took you to the academy, I requested the teacher to give you a list of the rules or laws of the school? And when he did so, I told him that I hoped you would always conform to them. What did I mean by that?"
"I suppose you meant that you hoped I should comply with the rules, or do every thing the laws required."
"Just so. Well, whose laws must we conform to?"
"The laws of God."
"In what book are these laws written?"
"In the Bible," replied Helen.
"What is breaking God's law called?"
"Transgression of it," said Walter.
"And what other word denotes nearly the same idea as transgression of God's holy law?"
"Sin."
"Yes, and it is equally sin if we do not conform to the law. Suppose God had commanded Adam and Eve to eat of the fruit of a particular tree, and they had not done it, would they not have sinned just as much as by eating the forbidden fruit?"
"Yes, sir."
"But for a long time after the creation of the world, God's law was not written down in the Bible; your mother will tell you where it was written."
"Paul says it was written in the hearts of men,—
"'their conscience also bearing witness.'"
"Before the Bible was completed, God wrote his commands upon two tables of stone. Do you know what became of them?"
"Moses broke them in pieces, because he was so angry that the Israelites worshipped the golden calf; but God wrote them again, and afterward they were put into the ark."
"In what part of the Bible do we find them?"
"In the twentieth chapter of Exodus, and also in Deuteronomy."
"Has any one ever lived in perfect conformity to the law of God?"
"Jesus Christ did."
"Now for a story, father," said Helen.
Mr. Dermott smiled, and commenced.
"Very late one evening, a good clergyman was called upon to go to a house in the outskirts of his parish to visit a poor woman, who, the messenger said, was nigh unto death. The night was extremely cold, and the minister was by no means young; but he hesitated not one minute in the performance of this duty. He set out, in company with his guide, who was a lad apparently just entering his teens; and, by walking at a rapid pace, reached the spot in about twenty minutes. The boy seemed averse to conversation, and only said he was the son of a neighbor of the poor woman who was sick.
"The house, or rather hovel, seemed to be filled with people, as they approached. But the clergyman made his way inside the door, where his footsteps were arrested by the most distressing sounds he had ever heard. They seemed to be the wailings of a broken heart; and so, indeed, they were. Lying on a cot bed, in the centre of the apartment, was a poor woman, her hair pushed back from her head, and lying loosely upon the pillow. Her face was thin, while a paleness, like that of death, was spread over it. Her eyes were closed; but the rigid features and the pinched nostrils disclosed the fact that she was conscious of her sufferings. Close by her, and grasping her tightly by the hand, sat a young girl, with her face buried in the pillow; but her convulsed form and long-drawn sighs showed that she was in the deepest affliction.
"It was a long time before the minister could ascertain the circumstances connected with these poor suffering persons. The woman lying before him was a widow. Her only son had that day been convicted of forgery, and condemned to the state prison for a long course of years. He had transgressed the laws of his country, and now he must pay the penalty. The young woman, clinging so tightly to the pale sufferer, was betrothed to the son. But now her light was turned into darkness, her joy into the deepest sorrow. One of the neighbors, returning from the city, had brought the fatal news; and, ever since she heard it, the poor broken-hearted mother had seemed more dead than alive.
"'If she would only cry, now, as Malissy does,' said one of the women, 'I should have more hopes of her; but she does nothing but moan, moan, as if her heart was breaking.'
"Mr. Lawson, having requested the women to retire to the farther part of the room, drew near the couch, and placed his hand on the cold, damp forehead. There was no answering sign. He then kneeled by the side of the bed, and, in words the most compassionate and tender, he besought the mercy of God for the poor guilty son. He was a father; and he well knew how a parent's heart was wounded by the ill-doing of a child.
"The moanings ceased, and presently the features relaxed. The mother whispered a feeble response. The young girl raised her head to listen. But her grief was net wholly unselfish. The guilty man was lost to her forever. The clergyman increased in fervor. He besieged the mercy-seat, and would not be denied a blessing. A bright, red spot, on either cheek of the mother, proved that hope for her son was once more springing up in her breast.
"'O my God, be merciful to my sinful boy!' burst from her lips, as the prayer ceased. 'Let me die, if, by that means, his soul may be saved.'
"'God in heaven grant him forgiveness,' said Mr. Lawson, his voice trembling with emotion.
"But I must cut short my story. The good clergyman became so much interested in these poor afflicted ones, that he visited the prison, and, through the kindness of the chaplain, was allowed free access to the culprit. At first the young man was stubborn, and declined talking with a stranger. But at length, moved by the account of his mother's heart-rending grief, his proud heart was softened, and he wept like a grieved child. When Mr. Lawson gave him Malissy's last farewell, he said, 'I supposed it would come to that,' but presently added, 'Tell me more about my mother.'
"From time to time, Mr. Lawson visited the youth; and at length, he had the happiness to soothe the dying moments of the mother with the tidings that her poor, guilty boy had cast himself at the feet of the Saviour, with the prayer of the publican upon his lips,—
"'God be merciful to me a sinner.'
"But what a dreadful thing that for his transgression he must remain shut up from the light of day, or from any intercourse with his race, until his heart was chilled, and his hair white with premature old age!
"Dear children, though I hope you have never been guilty of any outward transgression, such as this poor youth committed, yet have you not often, yea, every hour of your lives, been guilty of sins of omission, such as the neglect of prayer, and of choosing Christ to be your Saviour; cherishing a carnal mind, which is enmity against God, not subject to his law, neither indeed can be; and, also, want of conformity to his laws, such as a disinclination to obey him and all his requirements?"
THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT; OR, THE BROKEN RULE.
QUESTION XV.What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?ANSWER. The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit.
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ON Thursday, the very day of the next exercise, Mr. and Mrs. Dermott were suddenly called away to attend the funeral of an aged relative. They were absent until Saturday; and much to the children's disappointment, they concluded to postpone the lesson until Thursday of the next week.
When the answer had been repeated, Mr. Dermott asked his wife to give an account of the trees in the garden of Eden.
"We read in Genesis," she said, "that God created every tree that is pleasant to the sight, which I suppose means beautiful plants or flowering shrubs, such as roses, magnolias, and jessamines; or those that emit fragrance, or in any other way delight the senses. He created also every tree that was good for food, whether of the pulpy fruits, such as oranges, lemons, and apples; or of the kernel and nut kind, such as dates and nuts of different sorts. I suppose these also include all running vines, bearing melons, &c., and all esculent vegetables.
"Walter, can you tell me the names of two trees which stood in the midst of the garden?"
"Yes, sir. The tree of life, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil."
"Which tree was forbidden to our first parents?"
"The latter one."
"Among all the fruits which they had eaten, had they ever tasted of the tree of life?"
"I don't know, sir."
"Probably not; for after they had eaten of the tree of knowledge, God said, 'Behold, the man has become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever; therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken,' and he placed 'a flaming sword, which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life.'
"Many writers consider this tree an emblem of that life which man should ever live, provided he continued in obedience to his Maker. And probably the use of this tree was intended as the means of preserving the body of man in a state of continual vital energy, and an antidote against death.
"What other command did God give respecting the tree of knowledge, beside forbidding them to eat of it?"
"He forbade them to touch it," answered Helen.
"Why did God forbid them to eat of it, or even to touch it?"
"To try them, and see whether they would obey him."
"Do you not think there was some other reason?" asked Mrs. Dermott, of her husband. "It would seem God thought man really had acquired undue knowledge."
"It is exceedingly difficult to understand exactly how much is here meant. Some writers think the sight of the tree was always to remind man that there was a bound set to his knowledge; that there was one thing God had seen proper to deprive him of. Others think that the tree possessed a particular property of increasing knowledge, a physical influence, having a tendency to strengthen the understanding, and invigorate the faculties.
"Who tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit?"
"The serpent."
"By what other names is he called in the Bible?"
"Satan."
"Yes, and Apollyon or Abaddon. He is also called the father of lies, and the roaring lion who goeth about seeking whom he may devour. By what arguments did he prevail with her to eat?"
"In the first place," answered Mrs. Dermott, "he charged God with a lie. She had said, 'God has given us every tree but this. If we eat of this tree, he says, we shall die.' But Satan said, 'That is not true, and God knows it is not. He wishes to keep you ignorant. I am sincerely your friend, and I tell you that if you eat of this tree, you will become as gods, knowing good and evil.'
"O, what a wicked serpent!" cried Walter. "I should have thought Eve would have known better than to believe him."
"What three reasons induced her to disobey God, and to eat of the tree? You may read, Anna, from the Bible."
"'And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.'"
"Alas! How many children are tempted to their ruin by the appeal to their senses! Some become intemperate and gluttons from their inordinate love of eating; others, from their overweening fondness for dress and display, are carried into the vanities of the world, and thus lose their souls."
"I once heard," continued the gentleman, "of a poor peasant in England, who, on one occasion, met with a company of persons that disbelieved the Bible and the sacred truths it contained.
"'They argued and reasoned,' said the poor man, 'until they shook my belief. But all the time I knew I was in error, only I was so ignorant I could not answer their objections.
"'At length one of them asked me, "How can you be so foolish as to suppose that God would destroy Adam and all his descendants just for eating an apple?"
"'I had often reflected upon this weak objection raised by unbelievers; and I instantly answered, "It was not that our first parents ate a particular kind of fruit; it was, that they had disobeyed God. It was, sir, that they broke the rule."'"
THE BROKEN COVENANT; OR, THE FAMILY OF THIEVES.
QUESTION XVI.Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression?ANSWER. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity, all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in his first transgression.
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"I HOPE we shall have a long story this time," exclaimed Isabelle, as they were seated around the fire, waiting for their father and mother, who were engaged with company.
"That was a good story last time," rejoined Walter. "Don't you remember father told us about the trees in the garden, and how the serpent talked with Eve? I wonder if the serpent looked like the great snakes we have now."
At this moment Mrs. Dermott returned to the room, and, having heard her son's remark, took from the library a volume of Milton's Paradise Lost, and read,—
"His headCrested aloft, and carbuncle his eyes;With burnished neck of verdant gold, erectAmidst his circling spires, that on the grassFloated redundant; pleasing was his shape and lovely."
"I shouldn't want to see him," cried Helen, with an air of disgust; "I hate snakes."
Mr. Dermott having come into the room, Helen repeated the answer, when he continued, "You will remember that God made a bargain or agreement with Adam and Eve, that if they would yield obedience to his command about the forbidden fruit, they should live forever. This I told you was called a covenant of life, or of works. They forfeited the reward by their disobedience; and now they must pay the penalty. They were driven out of that pleasant home, and were condemned to eternal death. Was this covenant, Walter, made for themselves alone?"
"It was made for all mankind."
"Where do we learn this?"
Mrs. Dermott turned to Paul's Epistle to the Romans, and read,—
"'For as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.'
"Is it common for God to join children with their parents in his covenants?"
"He does in the second commandment."
"Yes, and he did with Noah, and also with Abraham.
"'And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you.'"
"What is the meaning, father, of 'ordinary generation'?"
"It means, Helen, that children follow their parents; then they grow up and have families; and thus one generation follows another. Do you remember that very old gentleman we saw at your grandfather's? He said he had lived to see married members of four generations—himself and wife, his son with his wife, his grandson with his wife, and now he has a great-granddaughter, who is just married.
"Adam lived to be nine hundred and thirty years old, so that he must have seen many generations of his posterity. How sad must his life have been to think that by his disobedience he had not only forfeited the favor of God, the delightful pleasures of paradise, and the joys of eternal life, but that all who would descend from him must participate in the consequences of his first transgression! They fell with him from his high estate, just as when a man who is immensely wealthy fails. He does not suffer alone. His children and his children's children must become sharers in his poverty. Or as a man who is executed upon the gallows does not suffer alone; his children, to the latest generation, suffer with him. They can never get rid of the disgrace.
"Or suppose a man, like our neighbor, Mr. Morse, is dreadfully deformed by scrofula, and has suffered from it all his life, as his father did before him. Now, look at his children. Every one of them is tainted with the same disease. Lydia has it in the form of consumption, Esther in sore eyes, while the little boys, James and Joseph, are always breaking out in great sores upon their bodies.
"So it is in the case of Adam. He sinned, and all his race are infected with the plague of sin. In one it shows itself by unbounded ambition; in another by pride; in another by selfishness. In one little girl we see vanity; in another disobedience to her parents. One boy tells lies; another steals; another swears. Some do all these; but every one of the race has inherited the fatal taint, and is neither morally nor physically sound."
"In a town situated near the centre of the State of Connecticut there lived a man who, in early life, was often detected in stealing small articles from his playmates. As he grew older, he became more hardened in crime. He married, and had four sons and three daughters. But during this time he had been sentenced twice to the state prison once to serve out a term of three years, the other of two.
"As soon as his sons were old enough, each one of them became addicted to pilfering, so that they were considered a nuisance to the whole neighborhood. One by one they left home to seek their fortune in a wider sphere; and the first news of them that came back was, that they had been convicted of this crime, and were sentenced to prison for a longer or shorter period.
"The daughters were all younger. One of them was taken into the service of a lady at the age of thirteen: In a few months her mistress detected her in purloining articles of clothing from her wardrobe. She was dismissed from service after a trial of several months, during which she often repeated her offence.
"The second daughter was a very handsome girl. She went to the city to learn the trade of a milliner, and was soon after sent to jail for what was called shoplifting. She was shopping for her employer, saw an elegant lace cape which she coveted, and while the clerk was waiting upon another customer, endeavored to hide it beneath her shawl. The article was missed, she was pursued, the cape discovered, and she was punished for her theft.
"The youngest daughter was taken from her mother's arms by a benevolent lady who believed the sad fate of the children to be the consequence of their early training. She began very early to teach the little one the difference between mine and thine, and through all the years when the young mind is so susceptible to outward influence, endeavored to impress upon her, both by precept and example, that it was sin to appropriate to one's self the property of another; but it was in vain. The seeds of sin were planted at her birth; and though she knew not even of the existence of her relatives, yet she followed in the same footsteps, and brought sorrow and disgrace into the family of her kind benefactress.
"A few years since, the father, now a white-haired old man, and his four sons, were confined together in the state prison. In the father's case, as in the second son's, it was an aggravated one; and they were condemned to pass the rest of their lives within the prison walls. The others would be released in a few years, but would probably return to spend their days in confinement."
"O Sin, what hast thou done to this fair earth!""Sin hath broken the world's sweet peace—unstrungThe harmonious chords to which the angels sung."
MAN'S FALLEN STATE; OR, THE DEPOSED MINISTER.
QUESTION XVII.Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?ANSWER. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery.
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IT was a rare event in the family of Mr. Dermott for the children to disagree to such an extent as to use unkind words. They had early been taught the beauty of yielding to each other's wishes, and thus gaining a conquest over themselves. With Isabelle's quiet temperament, this was comparatively easy; but with Walter and Helen it was far more difficult, as they were naturally hasty and impulsive, often reminding their father of his own youth by their striking similarity to himself.
On the very afternoon of the catechising, however, Walter came in from his play somewhat out of temper, and, taking a book from Anna's hands, sat down to read. The tears quickly filled the eyes of the little girl; but Helen loudly remonstrated, "How unkind you are, Walter, when Anna is just in the midst of a story!"
"So am I," replied the boy, petulantly, "and it's my book."
"I lent you my new one before I had read it myself," sobbed Anna.
"Here, take it, then!" exclaimed Walter, angrily. "Such a fuss when a boy sits down to read his own book!" And he threw the volume into the lap of the weeping girl.
"You're an ugly boy," cried his sister. "Anna and I were having a real nice time, when you came in—and spoiled it all. Mother says she wishes you would govern your temper."
Walter got up, and was walking angrily out of the room, when he met his mother. She saw at once that there had been trouble, and, taking him gently by the hand, requested him to return. With a few judicious words, she soon succeeded in quieting the ruffled waves, and in fifteen minutes the children were sitting lovingly together—the boy with his arm thrown around his cousin's neck, and reading from the same page.
In the evening, when they had seated themselves for their favorite exercise, Mrs. Dermott asked, "Helen, can you tell me, my dear, where was the first quarrel?"
The little girl arched her eyebrows and shook her head.
"It was in the garden of Eden, my child, immediately after the first pair had partaken of the forbidden fruit."
Helen's face was crimson, and she quickly replied, "I didn't begin the quarrel, mother."
"Well, you called me names," replied Walter, looking very much ashamed.
"Stop at once!" exclaimed Mr. Dermott. "Or we will discontinue the lesson."
"Do you understand, Anna," inquired Mrs. Dermott, "what is meant by the fall?"
"No, aunt, not exactly."
"You know Adam and Eve were created in the image of their Maker, in knowledge, righteousness and holiness. By their disobedience they were cast down from their high estate; and this is called the fall. Milton and Beaumont thus graphically describe it:—
"'Her rash hand in evil hourForth reaching to the fruit, she plucked, she ate;Earth felt the wound, and Nature, from her seatSighing through all her works, gave signs of woeThat all was lost.'"'Up went her desperate hand, and reached awayAll the world's bliss, when she the apple took;When, lo, the earth did move, the heavens did stay,Beasts and birds shivered, absent Adam shook.'"
"I remember well," remarked Mr. Dermott, "that there was a great excitement about a minister who had for many years been settled in the town adjoining the one where your mother and I lived. For a year he had been absent from his people, soliciting funds from the churches for some charitable object. At length it was ascertained that he had appropriated almost all the money he had raised to his own use, and thus been guilty of breaking the eighth commandment. A council of ministers was called, who took away his license, and deposed him from the pastoral office. This was called his fall; and I remember afterwards hearing my father ask,—
"'Where is Mr. Monson?'
"The gentleman replied, 'After his fall, he removed his family from town, and for months we have heard nothing from him.'"
"By what was the fall of Adam followed?"
"By additional sin and misery."
"Do these always go together?"
"Yes, sir," replied Helen.
"How did sin and misery first exhibit themselves?"
"I don't know, sir," answered Walter; "but I should think when Cain killed Abel."