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her but with admiration, in seeing the devotedness with which she
watched every movement of her mother. How many wealthy parents would
give all they possess, to be blessed with such a child! For months
this devoted girl had watched around her mother by night and by day,
with a care which seemed never to be weary. You could see by the
movement of her eye, and by the expression of her countenance, how
full her heart was of sympathy. She did not wait for her mother to
tell her what to do, but was upon the watch all the time to find out
what would be a comfort to her. This is what I call obedience. It is
that obedience which God in heaven approves and loves.

I called often upon this poor widow, and always with increasing
admiration of this devoted child, One morning, as I entered the room,
I saw the mother lying upon the bed on the floor, with her head in
the lap of her daughter. She was breathing short and heavy in the
struggles of death. The tears were rolling down the pale cheeks of
her daughter, as she pressed her hand upon the brow of her dying
mother. The hour of death had just arrived, and the poor mother, in
the triumphs of Christian faith, with faint and faltering accents,
was imploring God's blessing upon her dear daughter. It was a most
affecting farewell. The mother, while thus expressing her gratitude
to God for the kindness of her beloved child, breathed her last. And
angels must have looked upon that humble abode, and upon that
affecting scene, with emotions of pleasure, which could hardly be
exceeded by any thing else which the world could present. O that all
children would feel the gratitude which this girl felt for a mother's
early love! Then would the world be divested of half its sorrows, and
of half its sins. This is the kind of obedience which every child
should cultivate. You should not only do whatever your parents tell
you to do, with cheerfulness and alacrity, but you should be obedient
to their wishes. You should be watching for opportunities to give
them pleasure. You should, at all times, and under all circumstances,
do every thing in your power to relieve them from anxiety and to make
them happy. Then can you hope for the approbation of your God, and
your heart will be filled with a joy which the ungrateful child can
never feel. You can reflect with pleasure upon your conduct. When
your parents are in the grave, you will feel no remorse of conscience
harrowing your soul for your past unkind