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WEAKNESS OF CHARACTER. 139

to look over their list of duties, pick out
those which are most agreeable, and perform
them, neglecting or delaying all others ; and
evensin performing duties, we are likely to
do them in the way most agreeable to our-
selves, and often not in the best way.

Now all this is weakness and folly: it is
yeal and practical disobe-
dience; it shows that the
heart is not right, that we
are selfish, self-willed, self-
seeking, rather than ho-
nest, sincere, faithful fol-
lowers of duty.

Let us suppose a case.
Anna is sick, and her mo-
ther wishes her to take
some medicine, and pro-
poses that she shall take
castor oil, ee

“Oh, mother,” observes Anna,
castor oil.”

“So does everybody,” says the mother.
“ But is it not better, my dear child, to take
a little disagreeable physic than to continue
sick, and run the risk of having a fever 2”

 

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