that it would pain his father and mother exceedingly if they knew that
he neglected to attend church at least once on the sabbath-day; and he
was, besides, self-convicted of wrong in what seemed to him a violation
of the precept, _Remember the sabbath-day_, &c. as he had been taught to
regard that precept. But once having given way, he felt almost powerless
to resist the influence that now bore upon him.

The next violation of what seemed to him a right course for a young man
to pursue, was in suffering himself to be persuaded to visit frequently
the theatre; although his father had expressly desired that he would
avoid a place where lurked for the young and inexperienced so many
dangers. He was next easily persuaded to visit a favorite eating-house,
in which many hours were spent during the evenings of each week, with
Boyd and others, in eating, drinking, and smoking.

Sometimes dominos and backgammon were introduced, and at length were
played for a slight stake. To participate in this Thomas refused, on
the plea that he did not know enough of the games to risk anything. He
had not the moral courage to declare that he considered it wrong to
gamble.

All these departures from what he had been taught by his father to
consider a right course, were attended by much uneasiness and pain of
mind.--But he had yielded to the tempter, and he could not find the
power within him to resist his influence successfully.

It happened about six months after his introduction to such an entirely
new course of life that he was invited one evening by his companion
Boyd, to call on a friend with him. He had, on that day, received from
his father forty dollars, with which to buy him a new suit of clothes