She had a very hard life to make both ends meet. And one day, the
person who was lodging with her left her purse on the table.
The woman would never have thought of opening the purse and taking out
her neighbour's money! Oh no!
Satan was too wary to suggest that!
The dear woman went to move the purse to a place of safety, and it was
very full of money, and fell open, and the contents in a moment lay
scattered on the floor: shillings, sixpences, half-crowns!
Then Satan saw his opportunity. As the dear woman stooped to gather
the money, the thought crossed her heart: "She would never miss one of
these coins! And I do need them so—"
And then the dreadfulness of the temptation came upon her, and she fell
on her knees.
"Dear Lord, forgive me!" she murmured, and hurried to gather up the
money, and to restore the purse to its owner. God had helped her to be
brave!
What made Judas betray his Lord?
Was it not that he was a thief, and had the bag, and carried about with
him what was in it?
He thought if the chief priests would give him those thirty pieces of
silver, he would be a rich man all his days instead of a poor man!
Did he ever enjoy those thirty pieces of silver?
There was a boy I heard of lately, who was tempted: and he took an
orange from a greengrocer's shop. But his heart smote him; and that
evening he wrote this letter to the greengrocer's wife in a round,
boyish hand:—
"Dear Madam,—I am very sorry for stealing an orange from you
yesterday, while in your shop. I must apologize as I am a Christian,
but was tempted."
Signed . . .
"I enclose a penny stamp for the cost of same."
That confession must have cost that boy a great deal to do! But he was
"more than conqueror through Him who loved him!"
_IX. "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour."_
How did the wicked queen Jezebel manage to get Naboth's vineyard for
her husband? It was by means of false witnesses!
She sent letters sealed with the king's seal to the nobles and elders
who were in the city where Naboth lived, and ordered them to proclaim a
fast, to set him up on high where all the people could see him, and to
get two wicked men to give false witness against him, to accuse him of
blaspheming God and the king. Then he was to be carried out of the city
and stoned.
So the elders did as Jezebel told them, and poor Naboth, who had done
no wrong, was cruelly killed.
And now I am going to tell you the story of the sin which brought this
about.