Poor Julia was quite grieved that her mother should record the
unpleasant and unsisterly words which fell from her lips. She did not
like to have any memorial of her ill-nature preserved. Perhaps she
would never have thought of those words again in this life; but had
she never read this passage of fearful import, the language of Jesus
Christ: "But I say unto you that for every idle word that men shall
speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment"? Julia
thought that the careless words which had passed her lips would be
forgotten, but she should have known that every word and act of our
lives is to be recorded and brought to our remembrance.

I have known children to be very much interested, and to be influenced
to make a great effort to do right, by an account-book which was kept
by their mothers. When such a book is kept at school, and every act is
recorded, the pupils are much more likely to make an effort to perform
the duties required of them. So it is in Sabbath-schools. I recently
heard a Sabbath-school superintendent remark that the school could not
be well sustained unless accounts were kept of the attendance, etc.,
of the pupils.

Many years ago a man, brought before a tribunal, was told to relate
his story freely without fear, as it should not be used against him.
He commenced to do so, but had not proceeded far before he heard the
scratching of a pen behind a curtain. In an instant he was on his
guard, for by that sound he knew that, notwithstanding their promise,
a record was being taken of what he said.

Silently and unseen by us the angel secretaries are taking a faithful
record of our words and actions, and even of our thoughts. Do we