AN Indian once begged some tobacco from a white man to fill his pipe. The white man put his hand into his pocket and gave him a handful. The next day the red skin was searching everywhere for the white man.
“What do you want?” some asked him. “I found money in the tobacco,” said the Indian.
“Well, keep it—it was given to you,” advised the standers-by.
But the Indian shook his head and said, “I have here (striking his breast) good man and bad man. Good say, ‘Money not yours, give it back.’ Bad say, ‘Money yours, given-to you.’ Good say, ‘Not true, tobacco yours; money not yours.’ Bad say, `Don’t trouble, nobody knows; buy rum.’ Good say, ‘Nothing of the kind.’ Poor Indian not know what to do; lies down to sleep, but no sleep. Good man and bad man talk all, night, and make much trouble; so, now, money bring back. Poor Indian happy again.”
The Indian’s conscience troubled him, when he was tempted to keep what did not belong to him, and he was not happy, till he did that which was right.
It is well for us, dear children, to cultivate a tender conscience, in accordance with the Word of God.
If we do that which is wrong in little things, soon our conscience becomes hardened, and we do not feel as we should about greater evils, when they are put before us; and we have a bad conscience, and end with sad results.
“Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.” (Prow. 23:17.)
Messages of God’s Love 2/1/1914