at them when they had been guilty of a fault, they did not lie
to him to conceal it, and thereby make one fault two. But though he
was very kind, he was very watchful also, for he did not think
neglect any part of kindness. He brought them to adopt one very
pretty method, which was, on a Sunday evening to divert themselves
with writing out half a dozen texts of Scripture in a neat copy-book
with gilt covers. You have the same at any of the stationers; they
do not cost above fourpence and will last nearly a year.

When the boys carried him their books, he justly commended him whose
texts were written in the fairest hand. "And now, my boys," said he,
"let us see which of you will learn your texts best in the course of
the week; he who does this shall choose for next Sunday." Thus the
boys soon got many psalms and chapters by heart, almost without
knowing how they came by them. He taught them how to make a
practical use of what they learned: "for," said he, "it will answer
little purpose to learn texts if we do not try to live up to them."
One of the boys being apt to play in his absence, and to run back
again to his work when he heard his master's step, he brought him to
a sense of his fault by the last Sunday's text, which happened to be
the sixth of Ephesians. He showed him what was meant by _being
obedient to his master in singleness of heart as unto Christ_, and
explained to him with so much kindness what it was, _not to work
with eye-service as men-pleasers, but doing the will of God from the
heart_, that the lad said he should never forget it, and it did
more toward curing him of idleness than the soundest horse-whipping
would have done.

HOW MR. STOCK GOT OUT OF DEBT.

Stock's behavior was very regular, and he was much beloved for his
kind and peaceable temper. He had also a good reputation for skill
in his trade, and his industry was talked of through the whole town,
so that he had soon more work than he could possibly do. He paid all
his dealers to the very day, and took care to carry his interest
money to the creditors the moment it became due. In two or three
years he was able to begin to pay off a small part of the principal.
His reason for being so eager to pay money as soon as it became due,
was this: he had observed tradesmen, and especially his old master,
put off the day of payment as long as they could, even though they
had the means of paying in their power. This deceived them: for
having money i