Finger Marks


  FINGER Marks


SOME time since, 

a gentleman residing at  Cambridge employed a

 mason to do some work  for him, and among 

other things to thin-whiten the walls

 of one of his chambers. This thin whitening is

 almost colorless till dried. The gentleman was

 much surprised, on the morning after the 

chamber was finished, to find on the drawer of

 his bureau, standing in the room, white finger-

marks. Opening the drawer, he found the same

 marks on the articles in it, and also on a pocket-

book. An examination revealed the same finger-

marks on the contents of the wallet, proving 

conclusively, that the mason with his wet hands,

 had opened the drawer without once thinking 

any one would ever know it. The thin whitening,

 which chanced to be on his hand, did not show

 at first, and he probably had no idea that twelve

 hours drying would reveal his attempt at 

depredation. As the job was concluded on the

 afternoon the drawer was opened, the man did

 not come again, and to this day does not know 

that his acts are known to his employer.

Children, beware of evil thoughts and deeds!

They have all finger-marks, which will be 

revealed at some time. If you disobey your 

parents, or tell a falsehood, or take what is not

 your own, you make sad finger-marks on your 

character. And so it is with any and all sin. It 

defiles the character. It betrays all those who 

may engage in it by the marks it makes on them.

 These marks may be almost if not quite 

colorless at first. But even if they should not be

 seen during any of your days on earth, which is

 not at all likely, yet there is a day coming in

 which all finger-marks or sin stains on the

 character will be made manifest."

Never suppose that you can do what is wrong

without having a stain on your character. It is

impossible. If you injure another, you, by that

very deed, injure your own self. If you disregard

a Law of God, the injury is sadly your own. Think

of it, ever bear it in mind, children, that every sin

you commit leaves a sure mark upon yourselves.

Your characters should bear a coating of pure

truth. Let truthfulness ever be manifest; beware

of sin "and be sure your sin will find you out;"

for it makes finger-marks which, even should

 they not be seen by those around you on earth,

 will be seen by God.




YI