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ceit, shall not dwell within my [God's] house; he that telleth lies, shall not tarry in my sight." Ps. ci. 7.

LESSON III.

Lying.

[As this Lesson is connected with the preceding one, one of the pupils should be required to repeat the substance of Lesson II. before the class commences to read the fol lowing.]

28. As soon as Frank had contrived how he should deceive his uncle, he went down stairs as softly as he could.

29. He went into the parlor, but nobody was there.

30. Frank then went back into the kitchen, where he found his aunt cooking dinner. 31. "Do you know where the boys are?" said he.

32. " They have just been looking for you," said his aunt. "I suppose they are in the yard. Was it you that came down stairs just now?"

33. Frank was frightened at this question. He was at a loss what to answer. If he told the truth, he was afraid that his aunt would know that he had spilt the ink.

34. So at last he said, "No."

35. Frank felt his cheek burn with blushes as he told this lie. For he was not a hardened liar. His chief fault was, that he had not the courage to confess that he had done wrong.

36. My dear readers, I hope, will act differently from Frank.

37. I hope they will try not to do wrong

at all.

38. But if ever they should be disobedient, or do any thing that is wrong, let me beg of them instantly to confess the fault to their parents, and not to try to hide it, for this will only be adding sin to sin.

39. Well, Frank now went out to seek his cousins, feeling badly enough, I can assure you.

40. He felt much worse than if he had been whipt, for the pain of that is soon over.

41. But poor Frank had been in trouble ever since he touched the ink-pot, and he did not know when his trouble would end; how many more lies he would have to tell to hide the first.

42. One lie almost always leads to many. 43. As Frank opened the door, he saw his two cousins, each with a hoop in his hand, going out to the road.

44. Come, Frank," cried John; "get your hoop, and let us have a run.”

45. So Frank took his hoop, and they began to play.

46. You can see them in the picture, at the beginning of the last lesson.

47. But, somehow or other, Frank could not enjoy his play as he used to do.

48. He was very fond of driving hoop; but the thought of the lie that he had told, and

of the lies that he yet would have to tell, troubled him.

49. Bad boys are very much to be pitied. They never can be so happy as those that are good. They may run, and laugh, and play, and have every thing that they could wish for. But they never can feel cheerful

and pleasant.

50. Poor Frank!

Let one of the class repeat the substance of as much as he can of this lesson; then let the other make additions ; and if the whole be not thus brought out, let the remainder be elicited by questions. Why did Frank go down stairs softly? Was this deceit, or not? Can we deceive by actions as well as by words? Would Frank have walked so softly, if he had recollected that God was looking on? Was it a sin against God, then? Why was Frank frightened by being asked a simple question by his aunt? How is it best for children to act after they have done wrong? (See 38th par.) When we tell a lie, can we know how many more will be necessary to hide it? Who are the happiest, the good or the bad? Will fruit, or toys, or play make a child feel happy, when he has been doing wrong? What does the Bible say about lying? "Lie not one to another." Col. iii. 9. "Wherefore, putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor." Eph. iv. 28. "Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speak. eth the truth in his heart." Ps. xv. 1, 2.

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[Let the substance of the last two lessons be repeated by the class, before the following one is read.]

51. I TOLD you in the last lesson how dull Frank found his play, when he was in trouble.

52. So presently he stopt, and sat down on a bank.

53. " Why, what's the matter, Frank?" said James, "you can't be tired already, surely?"

54. "I am afraid you are sick," said John.

55. "No; I ain't sick; I am only tired," said Frank.

56. "Oh! if that's all," said John, "let's go home."

57. So Frank picked up his hoop, and they all went home.

58. In the afternoon, Mrs. Elton saw the ink-spot on the floor, and the broken pot.

59. She felt very much concerned. Not on account of the loss of the ink and the pot, and the damage done to the floor. No. These were trifles.

60. But, as she knew it must have been done by one of the boys, she was afraid that this was but the beginning of a course of disobedience and deceit, which might end in their becoming wicked men.

61. In the evening, the boys were called into the parlor, and, after they had been told what had been done, Mr. Elton warned them of the danger of lying about it, and so making the affair worse.

62. Frank could stand it no longer. He burst into tears, and confessed that it was he that had done it.

63. Mr. Elton sent John and James out of the way, and then Frank confessed every thing as I have related it to you, and asked his uncle and aunt to forgive him.

64. We freely forgive you," said Mr. Elton. "But there is another whose forgiveness you should ask."

65. "Yes, I know," said Frank, "I have offended God."

66. "Ask his forgiveness, in the name of Christ," said Mr. Elton, "and you may be sure of receiving it, if you really feel sor

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