AN intelligent and sparkling-eyed boy of ten years sat upon the steps of his father’s dwelling, deeply absorbed with a highly embellished but pernicious book, calculated to poison and deprave the young mind. His father, approaching, at a glance discovered the character of the book.
“George, what have you there?”
The little fellow looked up with a confused air, promptly gave the name of the author. The father gently remonstrated, and pointed out to him the danger of reading such books, and left him with the book closed by his side.
In a few moments, the father discovered a light, and on inquiring the cause, it was ascertained that the little fellow had consigned the pernicious book to the flames.
“My son, what have you done?”
“Burnt that book, papa.”
“How came you to do that George?”
“Because, papa, I believe you knew better than I what was for my good.”
“But would it not have been better to have kept the leaves for other purposes, rather than destroy them?”
“Papa, might not others have read and been injured by them?”
Here is a “threefold act” — a trust in his father’s word, evincing “love,” and “obedience,” and care for the good of others. If this child exercised such faith in his earthly parent, how much more should we, like little children, exercise a simple, true-hearted, implicit faith in God, whose word is always to be confided in.
Entertain no thoughts that will blush in words.
Keep thy heart, and then it will be easy for thee to keep thy tongue.