d enough to begin to think of more than a child's
foolishness, to ask yourself what is the meaning of the life which has
been given you, what duties you must set before yourself as you grow up
to be a woman. When once these duties have become clear to you, when
you understand what the end of life is, and how you should seek to gain
it, then many things become sinful which were not so before, and many
duties must be performed which previously you were not ready for."

Miss Bygrave spoke with effort, as if she found it difficult to express
herself in sufficiently simple phraseology. Speaking, she did not look
at the child; and, when the pause came, her eyes were still fixed
absently on the picture above the mantelpiece.

"Keep in mind what I shall tell you," she proceeded with growing
solemnity, "and some day you will better understand its meaning than
you can now. The sin which Christ came to free us from was--fondness
for the world, enjoyment of what we call pleasure, desire for happiness
on earth. He Himself came to set us the example of one to whom the
world was nothing, who could put aside every joy, and make His life a
life of sorrows. Even that was not enough. When the time had come, and
He had finished His teaching of the disciples whom He chose, He
willingly underwent the most cruel of all deaths, to prove that His
teaching had been the truth, and to show us that we must face any most
dreadful suffering rather than desert what we believe to be right."

She pointed to the crucified figure, and Maud followed the direction of
her hand with awed gaze.

"And this," said Miss Bygrave, "is why I think it wrong to make
Christmas a time of merriment. In the true Christian, every enjoyment
which comes from the body is a sin. If you feel you _like_ this or
that, it is a sign that you must renounce it, give it up. If you feel
fond of life, you must force yourself to hate it; for life is sin. Life
is given to us that we may conquer ourselves. We are placed in the
midst of sin that we may struggle against its temptations. There is
temptation in the very breath you draw, since you feel a dread if it is
checked. You must live so as to be ready at any moment to give up your
life with gladness, as a burden which it has been appointed you to bear
for a time. There is temptation in the love you feel for those around
you; it makes you cling to life; you are tempted to grieve if you lose
them, whereas death is the greatest blessing