y to dissuade them. You can
speak to your bosom friend, upon the Savior's goodness, and endeavor
to excite in his heart the feelings which are in yours. Thus you may
be exerting a good influence upon all around you. Your life will not
be spent in vain. God will smile upon you, and give joy in a dying
hour.

Some children appear to think that if they are Christians, they cannot
be so happy as they may be if they are not Christians. They think that
to love God, and to pray, and to do their duty, is gloomy work. But
God tells us that none can be happy but those who love him. And
every one who has repented of sin, and loves the Savior, says that
there is more happiness in this mode of life than in any other. We
may indeed be happy a little while without piety. But misfortunes and
sorrows will come. Your hopes of pleasure will be disappointed. You
will be called to weep; to suffer pain; to die. And there is nothing
but religion which can give you a happy life and a peaceful death. It
is that you may be happy, not unhappy, that God wishes you to be a
Christian.

It is true that at times it requires a very great struggle to take a
decided stand as a Christian. The proud heart is reluctant to yield.
The worldly spirit clings to worldly pleasure. It requires bravery
and resolution to meet the obstacles which will be thrown in your
way. You may be opposed. You may be ridiculed. But, notwithstanding
all this, the only way to ensure happiness is to love and serve your
Maker. Many children know that they ought to love God, and wish that
they had resolution to do their duty. But they are afraid of the
ridicule of their companions. Henry, who would not rob the orchard,
was a brave boy. He knew that they would laugh at him. But what did
he care? He meant to do his duty without being frightened if others
did laugh. And the consciousness of doing his duty afforded him much
greater enjoyment than he could possibly have received from eating
the stolen fruit. Others of the boys went and robbed the orchard,
because they had not courage to refuse to do as their companions did.
They knew it was wrong, but they were afraid of being laughed at. But
which is the most easy to be borne, the ridicule of the wicked, or a
condemning conscience, and the displeasure of God? It is so with all
the duties of the Christian. If you will conscientiously do that
which God approves, he will give you peace of mind, and prepare you
for eternal joy.

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