own way, and to seek his own pleasures, and they do not see the
excellence of obeying and pleasing God at all. It seems to me a very
excellent thing for boys to try to please God, but I know very well
that most boys care no more about it than Seizem would for your lily,
Caleb. In respect to God they are insensible and dead; dead in
trespasses and sins, and the only hope for them is, that God will
_quicken_ them; that is, give them _life_ and _feeling_; and then, if I
say just the same things to them, they will listen seriously and
attentively, and will really desire to please God. As it is now with
almost all boys, they are so insensible and dead to all sense of regard
to God, that when we want to influence them to do their duty, we must
appeal to some other motive; something that they have more sensibility
to.

"For example, you remember the other day when you went a strawberrying
with Mary Anna."

"Yes," said Dwight.

"Now, I recollect that I thought there was great danger that you might
be troublesome to Mary Anna, or to some others of the party; and I
wanted to say something to you before you went, to make you a good boy.
The highest and best motive would have been for me to say, 'Now, Dwight,
remember and do what is _right_ to-day. The trees and fields, and
pleasant sunshine; the flowers and the strawberries, your own health and
strength, and joyous feelings, all come from God; the whole scene that
you are going to enjoy to-day, he has contrived for you, and now he will
watch over you all the time, and be pleased if he sees you careful and
conscientious in doing right all day. Now, be a good boy, for the sake
of pleasing him.' Suppose I had said that to you, do you think it would
have made you a good boy?"

Dwight held down his head, and said, hesitatingly, that he did not think
it would.

"That motive would have been piety. If a boy takes pains to do what is
right, and avoid what is wrong, because he is grateful to God, and
wishes to please him, it is piety. But I was afraid that would not have
much influence with you, and so I tried to think of some other motive.
I thought of filial affection next."

"What is that?" said Caleb.

"Filial affection is a boy's love for his father or mother," replied
Madam Rachel. "I said to myself, How will it do to appeal to Dwight's
filial affection, to-day? I can say to him, 'Now, Dwight, be a good boy
to-day, to please me. I shall be very happy to-night if Mary Anna com