BROKEN-HEARTED FRIENDS. AN INSTANCE. 133 thus have already broken the hearts of their parents and guardians. The very thought recalls to my mind many trying scenes that I have witnessed of mothers weeping for ruined sons, or sisters for lost brothers. I had thought in this place of relating some of them, but they will probably occur in abundance to everybody's recollection. Where is there a village which is not full of tales of woe of this kind? one instance in my own experience, while passing several years since from Geneva to Auburn, very deeply impressed me After crossing the Cayuga lake on the afternoon of a beautiful May-day, having strayed out of my course, I had knocked at the door of a retired cottage, to obtain some refreshment. I was most cordially received by a widow woman and her daughter of about sixteen years of age, and heartily welcomed to whatever I wanted. Nay more, I was entertained with an interest for which I could not account, and had questions put to me about my mother and myself as if they felt the deepest interest in our mutual welfare. On my arising to come away, the daughter had withdrawn. The mother, after having urged me to spend the night at her house, accompanied me to the door. Here stood the daughter; who seeing me about to leave them, burst into a flood of tears, exclaiming, "0 you make me think of my brother, you look so much like my brother." Here the riddle was solved. The woman's only son had left her, a lonely widow, during the last war, and gone into the army. For some time she had heard from him incidentally, or in other ways. At length she ceased to hear from him any more. Years had now elapsed, and yet neither his mother nor his sister had forgotten him. When they saw me coming towards the cottage gate over the field, my resemblance to him deceived N them, and made them think for a few moments that he had returned; and, though it was painful to find that it was not so, the same resemblance made them afterwards take a deep interest in me, and wish to detain me. I left them, putting up a prayer to heaven in their behalf, and feeling that a mother's and a sister's love is too sacred to be trifled with or disregarded. If any such wayward youth should happen to catch sight of these lines, let him read the parable of the lost son, and look carefully into his own heart, reflecting how bad he has been. It may be too late for him now, even if he repents, to undo all the injury he has done to his parents and friends; but by repenting he can obtain the forgiveness of God, a good share of happiness even in this life, and above all things, happiness beyond the grave. This, in such cases, is the only way in which we can repair the injuries we have done our friends. PRAYER. Blessed Father in heaven, suffer not the wicked pleasures of youth to have power over me. Let me be guided all my life long by wisdom and godly fear, in order that it may go well with me, both in this world, and in that which is to come. So govern me, and others young like me, by thy good Spirit, that none of us may fall into the follies and dissipations of youth, as did the lost son, and bring ourselves into misery. O God, thou knowest how many things there are to allure us to sinful pleasures, in the world, and how many there are who would gladly seduce others to become their companions in wickedness. My heart is still weak. Like other children, I am often indifferent to the truth, and A PRAYER. THE DIFFERENT TALENTS. 135 very thoughtless. I pray thee, suffer me not to be led astray by any wicked examples, and drawn into vicious practices. Sustain me in all the temptations and allurements I meet with to sin, and bring me safely to heaven at last. Blessed Father in heaven, I have often sinned grievously against my parents and against thee. I am not worthy to be called thine; yet, for the sake of Jesus, forgive all the sins of my youth. Help me, from this time onward, to be more careful to please thee, and to fill my parents and teachers with joy, by my good and pious conduct. Hear my prayer, for the sake of Jesus, in whose name it is offered. SECTION IV. THE SERVANTS WITH DIFFERENT SUMS OF MONEY. A RICH man in the course of his business, travelled into a foreign country. Before he left home, he called together his servants or the managers of his affairs, and presented them with certain sums of money. To one he gave a thousand dollars, to another five hundred, and to a third, three hundred. To them all he said: "Use the sums which I have now put into your hands, in such a way as to gain something by them, until I come again and call for a reckoning with you. When he returned and held a reckoning with them, he found that the first had gained a thousand dollars, and the second five hundred. He was well satisfied with them, and returned to them what he had put into their hands at first, together with what they had gained, promising to entrust them with still more. The third one, however, had been too idle to gain any thing by the money with which he had been entrusted. He had suffered it, indeed, to lie wholly unemployed. His lord, therefore, with justice, gave him a sharp rebuke, dealt with him as an idle and wicked servant; took his money from him, and gave it to him who had originally received the most, and who had at the same time gained the most, and thereby shown that he would also know how well to employ a larger sum. In addition to this, he also condemned the slothful servant to severe punishment, for his unfaithfulness. This little narrative or parable, my dear readers, is also full of important instruction. God has not given you equal powers of body or mind; nor furnished you with equally favourable means and opportunities for obtaining useful science, knowledge, and skill. To some he has given more in this respect, and to others less. Now all that is required of any child, is, that he make a faithful use of the gifts or talents which have been loaned to him. Whatever you have received from God, whether more or less, you are under obligation to employ for his glory and the benefit of the world. He who has received much good from God is called upon to exhibit much diligence, in turning this good to a careful purpose. Know, therefore, that those children who have good powers of mind and have property, are far more deserving of punishment and are far more odious in the sight of God and man, for being ignorant and useless, than poor and simple children are, for remaining in their stupidity and wickedness; for the latter are destitute of those capacities and encouragements to become useful in whatever is good, of which the former are possessed. In the mean time, however, poor and simple children are also deserving THE RICH MAN AND POOR LAZARUS. 137 of punishment and contempt, if they do not employ the little time opportunity and power they have, in endeavouring to become wiser, more pious, and more skilful. Carefully avoid, therefore, on the one hand, every thing like envy or hatred towards others, who may have more in this world than yourselves. On the other hand, be diligent in your youth, in every thing that is good; for you do so, you will receive far more from God when you are old, than he has now given you; and in heaven, God will reward you with unspeakable honour as having been pious and faithful. if Let not thy heart be sad or grieved, That meagre is thy store; Improve the gifts thou hast received; SECTION V. THE RICH MAN AND POOR LAZARUS. You will find this little narrative in the 16th chapter of Luke. You must have heard it and read it. It is one of the most solemn and awful ones there is in all the New Testament. It teaches us, that wicked men often prosper in this world, spending all their days in splendour and joy, and flourishing like a green tree planted by the water brooks; while the pious, on the other hand, are often obliged to suffer poverty and every manner of disease. You will experience the truth of this when you grow up to be men, and become better acquainted with the world. Think not, however, on this account, that the wicked fare |