o
resist temptation. Now, boys, some people think that young chaps like
you don't have many temptations. That you have to wait until you grow up
for that. But it's a tremendous mistake, isn't it? You all have your
temptations, and lots of them, too. And they are not all alike, by any
means, either. Every boy has his own peculiar difficulties, and finds
his own obstacles in the way of right doing. But the cure is the same in
all cases. It is to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His
might. That is the best way of all in which to be strong, boys. When the
Philistines were hard pressed by the Israelites, they said one to
another, 'Be strong and quit yourselves like men ... quit yourselves
like men, and fight.' And they fought so well that Israel was smitten
before them, and the ark of God was taken. And so, boys, whenever, at
home, at school, or at play, you feel tempted to do what is wrong, I ask
you to remember these words, 'Quit yourselves like men, be strong, and
fight.' If you do, so sure as there is a God in heaven who loves you
all, you will come off conquerors."

Mr. Silver's words made a deep impression upon Bert. The great ambition
of his boyish heart was to be esteemed manly. Nor was he entirely free
from the mistaken notions about manliness to which his teacher had
referred. He had more than once been sneered at, by some of the boys at
Mr. Garrison's, for refusing to do what seemed to him wrong. They had
called him "Softy," and hinted at his being tied to his mother's
apron-strings. Then, big, coarse Bob Brandon, always on the look-out to
vent his spite, had nicknamed him "Sugar-mouth" one day, because he had
exclaimed to one of the boys who was pouring out oaths:

"Oh, Tom! how can you swear so? Don't you know how wicked it is to take
God's name in vain?"

These and other incidents like them had troubled Bert a good deal. He
dreaded being thought a "softy," and had even at times felt a kind of
envy of the boys whose consciences did not trouble them if they swore,
or indulged in sly smokes, or defiled their mouths with filthy quids.
Mr. Silver's words now came in good time to give a changed current to
these thoughts. They presented to his mind a very different idea of
manliness from the confused conception which had been his hitherto.

"That's a good motto for a fellow, Shorty," said he, as the two friends
walked home together from the school. "Mother asked me the other day to
take a text for a mott