Thus did he go on, his old loves gaining strength day by day, and
impelling him to a total disregard of his contract in order to indulge
them, until his master would bear with him no longer, but drove him from
his door.

Having deprived himself of the care of so good a master, he soon fell
into still greater irregularities; and a neighboring shepherd,
suspecting him of committing depredations upon his flock, killed him,
thus terminating his vicious career.

Moral.--Excessive engagedness in worldly labors six days in the week, is
no sufficient excuse for the neglect of public worship on the seventh;
and a vicious love, continually indulged, is quite sure to root out even
our good resolutions.




TAKE CARE OF YOUR BOOKS.


Suppose you loan a book to a friend, would you not consider it his
imperative duty to take the best of care of it, as though it were his
own, and return it in as good condition as it was when taken? Certainly
you would. Then the same duty devolves upon you, as a member of the
Sunday school. The school lends you books, and expects you to take good
care of them, and return them early. This is no trifling duty. If you
have a right to be negligent, every other scholar must have the same
right, and the Library would be speedily ruined. Thus your negligence