rite held
himself as peculiarly given up to the service of God, pliant to the least
indication of his will, quick to catch the smallest whisper of his voice,
and mighty in his strength.

"Mother, why do I wear my hair so long? You never cut it, as the mothers
of other boys do."

"No, my son," was the proud and glad reply; "you must never cut it as
long as you live: _you are a Nazarite_."

"Mother, why may I not taste the grapes? The boys say they are so nice
and sweet. May I not, next vintage?"

"No, never," his mother would reply; "you must never touch the fruit of
the vine: _you are a Nazarite_."

If, as they walked along the public way, they saw a bone left by some
hungry dog, or a little bird fallen to the earth to die, and the boy
would approach to touch either, the mother would call him back to her
side, saying, "Thou must never touch a dead thing. If thy father were to
die, or I, beside thee, thou must not move us from the spot, but call for
help. Remember always that thou art separated unto God; his vows are
upon thee, and thou must let nothing, either in symbol or reality, steal
away his power from thy young heart and life."

The effect of this would be excellent. It would give a direction and
purpose to the lad's thoughts and anticipations. He realized that he was
set apart for a great mission in life. The brook heard the call of the
sea. Besides which, he would acquire self-restraint, self-mastery.

What is it to be "strong in spirit"? The man who carries everything
before him with the impetuous rush of his nature, before whose outbursts
men tremble, and who insists in all things on asserting his wild,
masterful will--is he the strong man? Nay! most evidently he must be
classed among the weaklings. The strength of a man is in proportion to
the feelings which he curbs and subdues, and not which subdue him. The
man who receives a flagrant insult, and answers quietly; the man who
bears a hopeless daily trial, and remains silent; the man who with strong
passions remains chaste, or with a quick sense of injustice can refrain
himself and remain calm--these are strong men; and John waxed strong,
because, from the earliest dawn of thought, he was taught the necessity
of refusing things which in themselves might have been permissible, but
for him were impossible.

On each of us rests the vow of separation by right of our union with the
Son of God, who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate f