l into the company of
gamblers, because he could not refuse their solicitations. He thus
became a gambler himself, and went on from step to step, never having
resolution to say no, till he ruined himself, and planted within him
the seeds of disease, which hurried him to a premature grave. He died
the miserable victim of his own irresolution.

Thousands have been thus ruined. They are amiable in disposition, and
in general mean well, but have not courage to do their duty. They fear
that others will laugh at them. Now, unless you are sufficiently brave
not to care if others do laugh at you; unless you have sufficient
courage to say no, when others tempt you to do wrong, you will be
always in difficulty: such a person never can be happy or respected.
You must not expect it will be always easy to do your duty. At times
it will require a great mental struggle, and call into exercise all
the resolution you possess. It is best that it should be so, that you
may acquire firmness of character and strength of integrity. Near a
school-house in the country, there was an apple-tree. One summer it
was covered with hard, and sour, and green apples, and the little
girls who went to that school could hardly resist the temptation of
eating those apples, though they knew there was danger of its making
them sick. One girl, who went to that school, was expressly forbidden
by her mother from eating them. But when all her playmates were
around her, with the apples in their hands, and urging her to eat,
telling her that her mother never would know it, she wickedly yielded
to their solicitation. She felt guilty, as, in disobedience to her
mother's commands, she ate the forbidden fruit. But she tried to
appease her conscience by thinking that it could do no harm. Having
thus commenced disobedience, she could every day eat more freely, and
with less reluctance. At last she was taken sick. Her mother asked
her if she had been eating any of the green apples at school. Here
came another temptation to sin. When we once commence doing wrong,
it is impossible to tell where we shall stop. She was afraid to
acknowledge to her mother her disobedience; and to hide the fault she
told a lie. She declared that she had not eaten any of the apples.
Unhappy girl! she had first disobeyed her mother, and then told a lie
to conceal her sin. But she continually grew more sick, and it became
necessary to send for the physician. He came, and when he had looked
upon h