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"Mamma, I gave a penny to a poor man this morning. Was I a good boy for
so doing?"--"It depends upon the motive you had in view. Did you give it
to him because you thought I should call you a good boy?"--"Because I
thought you would call me a good boy, mamma."--"I am sorry to hear it,
my dear; tell me just what you thought when you gave the penny to the
man."--"Well, mamma, he was sitting by the road-side, and when I
passed him, he held out his hat, and begged for a trifle to get him
something to eat. So I just thought of a penny I had in my pocket, and I
said to myself, 'Now if I give this penny, mamma will call me a good
boy, and then I shall be glad:' and so I gave it to him."--"Now, my
dear, this is what you should have said: 'This old man is very poor, and
I have a penny to spare that will do him good, and he shall have
it.'"--"Ah! mamma, I wish I had thought of that, but I am sure I did not
intend to do wrong. You know, mamma, I love you so dearly, that I strive
to please you in all things."--"Yes, my dear, I know you love me, and I
believe you did not intend to do wrong; but, my dear child, we are so
apt to do things that we may be praised of men, instead of doing all
things to the glory of God. Do you know, my love, that our Lord said in
his sermon on the mount, 'Take heed that ye do not your alms before men,
to be seen of them! otherwise ye have no reward of your Father, which is
in heaven!' You will try to think of this, will you, love?"--"Oh!
dearest mamma, I am sure I will, and I hope that God
'Will grant me pardon for the past
And strength for time to come.'"
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