92 Darkne/s and Light.

him by night as well as by day; in the dark as
well as in light, for ** the darknefs and light are
‘ both alike to him.”

“© Oh yes,” cried poor Roderick, with great
animation, ‘¢ and I can tell you a ftory about
that. ‘There was, once upon a time, a little Boy
and a Nurfe who went out walking, and they
walked fo long they got benighted in a very dark
wood, and becaufe it was fo dark the Nurfe
{creamed and was very much frightened ; and the
little boy faid, ‘ Nurfe, why are you frightened ?
Don’t be frightened ; I am not frightened. God
can take care of us in the dark as well as in the
light.’ ”

“Oh Roderick! what a pretty ftory,” cried
his Mamma.

And fo thought Roderick ; for his eye gliftened
and his cheek flufhed as he came to the conclu-
fion.

And here, dear readers, was the worft difficulty
of all; for though Roderick’s reafon was quite
convinced that God could take care of him in the
dark, he ftill could not bear to be in the dark
without the help of candles befides, though he
quite knew they could not take care of him at all.
So you fee by this that Reafon, though it may
convince a perfon he is wrong, cannot put him
right. There wants fome other help for that.
And here let me juft ftop a moment to beg you
to beware of bad habits; for you fee they become
at laft more powerful than reafon itfelf.