se care in the selection of our
confidential friends, so, also, should we guard the choice of our
thoughts.

It was Lowell who said:

"Ah! let us hope that to our praise
Good God not only reckons
The moments when we tread His ways,
But when the spirit beckons--
That some slight good is also wrought
Beyond self-satisfaction,
When we are simply good in thought,
Howe'er we fail in action."

The truth that good thoughts must be encouraged every moment of our
lives, if we would really live, is expressed by every great mind that
the earth has known. It is here reviewed once more.

~~The Talk.~~

"I am going to place on the drawing paper today the picture of a young
man of the type which we admire--a young fellow of upright life, good
habits and Christian principles. We want him for our friend. [Draw
Fig. 52, complete.]

[Illustration: Fig. 52]

"But there is another type of man whose character we can well
illustrate by changing the lines in this first portrait. [With the broad
side of your black crayon make the changes needed to produce Fig.
53. Shade the face with a light touch of the broad side of the crayon.]
He is a dishonest man--he is willing to risk his life in taking from
us that which does not belong to him. Do we welcome such a man to our
homes? No. The hand of every man is against a thief and a robber. He
is an outcast. The law seeks to protect us from him by putting him in
prison if he can be caught.

[Illustration: Fig. 53]

"I know that we agree that we should be very careful about the kind of
people whom we welcome to our homes. But, nevertheless the hand of
forgiveness and uplift should be extended to every repentant sinner,
for Christ has so taught us. But if we should be so careful about the
people whom we admit into our homes, why should we not be still more
careful about those other visitors--our thoughts--when we admit them
to our minds? Did you ever think of your thoughts as your visitors?
No, I suppose not; but we are going to consider them as visitors
today.

"Ah, here comes a nice-looking thought that wants to enter into your
head. Fortunately, you have a faithful servant who answers the
doorbell every time a visitor comes. It is your Conscience, and if it
is well trained, it will admit to your mind only the pure thoughts,
and it will slam the door in the face of all harmful intruders. But,
alas! we are the mast