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 in the gift of God. And just because it is so, we
must not snatch at it before our time; it would be a sin to kill
ourselves, since that would be to escape from the tasks set us. Many