AN IMPORTANT ERA. 89

The moral atmosphere of my new home was alto-
gether unlike the one I had left. My parents were
strictly religious. They always acted upon conscien-
tious Christian principles in all their walk and conver-
sation. Although it was not then a very common thing
to address children upon the subject of personal piety,
yet the light of their example was constantly before us,
and we children could not remain ignorant of our duty
or our responsibility to God our Saviour.

Mr. Simpson was an honest and an industrious man,
but the fear of God was not in his heart nor before his
eyes. In pleasant weather he attended public worship
with his family; but a rainy Sabbath was a choice day
to examine his accounts and study his ledger. Three

‘apprentices lived with him, and we were all permitted
to pass the Sabbath as we pleased, provided we inter-
fered with none of the proprieties of the house. How
different was all this from my own home, where the
_ Sabbath was a day remembered and kept holy, and yet
never irksome to me, for my parents always secured for

us a pleasing variety in its duties! _