DEAR little doggie up on the back of his little mistress, his paws about her neck and held tight by her hands, and his face laid against her cheek! What happy companions they seem to be! No doubt they play and have many a frolic together, and they will be very fond of each other.
Dogs love those Who are kind to them, and often they make most desirable companions, for they will follow their friends and watch over them, and in many instances, they have been the means of preserving their lives. I once read of a dog that was sleeping with his master one night, in an old, untenanted house. Along in the night the dog began to bark furiously and to pull at his master’s clothes. After a time, the man, seeing the dog was much distressed, got up and went out of the house. He had scarcely got well out when the whole ceiling, under which he had been lying, fell down with a great crash. His faithful dog was, in this instance, the means of preserving his life.
I will give you another little incident in which a dog was the means of preserving life. A little boy was out on the hills one bleak, wintry afternoon, attending his grandfather’s sheep; by his side ran his almost constant companion, his faithful shepherd dog. A blinding snow storm came on and the little boy while attempting to get his sheep together, in order to take them home, fell into a deep hole, and, already benumbed with the cold, he was unable to get out. The dog seemed to understand the situation, and away he ran for help, over the hills, as fast as he could go, to where the grandfather lived. When he got there he whined and barked so piteously that the grandfather understood there was something the matter with his little boy. He was not able himself to go out on the hills in the storm, but he wrapped his Scotch plaid about him and went out to a neighbor’s and asked him if he would not go in search of the lost child. The kind neighbor was very willing to go and was soon following the faithful dog who ran, barking, before, to show the way. At last the boy was found, almost buried in the snow, and quite unconscious. The kind, strong man got him out and put him on his shoulder and carried him home, where they succeeded in restoring him to consciousness, and then gave him some warm supper and put him to bed. In this case, if the good dog had not been with his little master, the child must have perished.
But there are other companions beside dogs, dear children, and it is of these I wish specially to speak, for you will all, perhaps, have such companions; I mean boys and girls. Have you ever thought how important it is that you should be very, very careful in choosing your companions? Perhaps you have often heard this old saying, “Evil communications corrupt good manners.” Now this is very true. If you go with those who use naughty words, you will soon be using naughty words, too; or if you do not allow them to come from your mouth they will be in your mind and will thus have a defiling effect on you. If you go with those who do naughty things you will learn from them to do naughty things also.
If you will put a good sound apple beside a rotten one you will find that the sound one will soon begin to rot, too. The good apple will never make the bad one good, but the bad apple will soon make the good one bad. And the same principle is true as to our companionships. We must keep away from evil if we do not wish to be defiled.
I hope you will all heed God’s word. He says,
Sometimes those we would not claim as companions come and seek to lead us in a wrong way. Here again God’s word directs our action. “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” Prov. 1:1010My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. (Proverbs 1:10). R.
ML 09/09/1900