rivilege, to possess instead, the unsatisfying pleasures of earth.
Consider, to be a Christian, is to have God for your father, to have all
that is glorious and excellent in his perfections engaged for your good.
It is to have Jesus for an ever-present, almighty friend, ready to
forgive your sins, to save you from sin, to bear your sorrows, to
heighten your joys, to lead and bless you in all the scenes of life, to
guide and assist you while you engage in his blessed service, to be with
you in the hour of death, and to admit you to the realms of eternal joy.
I can scarcely commence telling you of all the benefits he bestows on
His people."

"What must we do, Fanny?" inquired Annie.

"The first thing of all, dear Annie," she replied, "is to go to the
Savior, at His feet ask for repentance and true faith in Him. Consecrate
yourself to Him, and resolve that you will from this time serve the
Lord. Then, Annie, you will have done what you could, and 'He giveth the
Holy Spirit to them that obey Him.' That Spirit will convince you of
sin, and you will be surprised and grieved that you could ever have
thought of yourself as other than the chief of sinners, and while you
shed tears of sorrow and repentance, He will lead you to Christ, the
Lamb of God, whose precious blood will prevail with God for the pardon
of your sins; in it you can wash away your sins, and be made pure and
holy in his sight. Do what you know how to do, and then shall you know
if you follow on to know the Lord; will you not?"

Annie. "I will try."

Fanny. "I think the sin of procrastination must be very displeasing to
God, as it is to our earthly parents, when we defer obeying their
commands. It is solemn to think that He against whom we thus sin, is He
in whose hands our breath is, and who can at any time take it away. If
He were not so slow to anger, what would become of us? Dear Clara, and
each of you, you are only making cause for sorrow and shame in thus
neglecting to do what you know you ought to do. 'Enter in at the strait
gate and walk in the narrow way that leadeth unto life,' and you will
find that every step in that way is pleasure. Not such pleasure as the
world gives, Alice, but more like the happiness of angels. Religion
takes away no real pleasures, nor the buoyancy and happiness of the
youthful spirit. It only sanctifies and leads its possessor to do
nothing but what a kind heavenly Father will approve, Alice."

"But, Fanny, all Christians