Two Voices.


I knew a dear child who, at an early age

loved to hear about the silent voices. His dark

eyes would sparkle with intense delight when I

asked him what voice he heard in his heart.

I had told him that when disposed to do any

thing Wrong, if he would stop, and listen and

think, he would always hear something that

would say in his heart that he must not do it:

and that was his conscience, which was God’s

voice, and which he must always be sure, to

obey, wherever he might be. And when he

heard another voice, tempting him to do wrong,

and urging him to disobey, it was the wicked

spirit, and he must not listen for a moment. I

was truly gratified with the influence which a

knowledge of conscience seemed to have over

him, and could not but rejoice that such voices

were given to us, that we may ever know the

right way.

I was very busy one afternoon, and had not

seen the children for some time, but thought

that they were still in the yard at their play, as

they had never left it without permission. Very

soon Willie made his appearance, looking as if

he had something of great interest to tell me.

I called him, and he instantly began: "Mother

Mother, I ran away this afternoon, and never 

stopped to ask my conscience. I did not think of

it till I got almost there, and then I heard it

say, 'You have done wrong; you must not go

from home without asking and getting leave;'

and mother, I turned right about, and minded

the voice, and came home as soon as I could."

I kissed his dear cheek, and commended his

returning, with tears of joy that God's voice had

been heard amid strong temptation, and been

obeyed by my little child. 





Selected.