24. The child took the Bible, turned rapidly to the chapter containing the
commandments, and, pointing to the one which reads, "Thou shalt not bear
false witness against thy neighbor," said, "I learned that before I could
read."
25. "Has anyone talked with you about being a witness in court here
against this man?" inquired the judge.
26. "Yes, sir," she replied, "my mother heard they wanted me to be a
witness; and last night she called me to her room, and asked me to tell
her the Ten Commandments; and then we kneeled down together, and she
prayed that I might understand how wicked it was to bear false witness
against my neighbor, and that God would help me, a little child, to tell
the truth as it was before him.
27. "And when I came up here with father, she kissed me, and told me to
remember the Ninth Commandment, and that God would hear every word that I
said."
28. "Do you believe this?" asked the judge, while a tear glistened in his
eye, and his lip quivered with emotion.
29. "Yes, sir," said the child, with a voice and manner which showed that
her conviction of the truth was perfect.
30. "God bless you, my child," said the judge, "you have a good mother.
The witness is competent," he continued. "Were I on trial for my life, and
innocent of the charge against me, I would pray God for such a witness as
this. Let her be examined."
31. She told her story with the simplicity of a child, as she was; but her
voice and manner carried conviction of her truthfulness to every heart.
32. The lawyers asked her many perplexing questions, but she did not vary
in the least from her first statement.
33. The truth, as spoken by a little child, was sublime. Falsehood and
perjury had preceded her testimony; but before her testimony, falsehood
was scattered like chaff.
34. The little child, for whom a mother had prayed for strength to be
given her to speak the truth as it was before God, broke the cunning
device of matured villainy to pieces, like a potter's vessel. The strength
that her mother prayed for was given her; and the sublime and terrible
simplicity,--terrible to the prisoner and his associates,--was like a
revelation from God himself.
DEFINITIONS.--l. Wit'ness, one who gives testimony. Com--mit'ted, done,
performed. 2. Coun'sel, a lawyer. 4. Re-ject'ed, refused. 6. As-sured',
made bold. Con-fid'ing-ly, with trust. 8. Pro-fane', irreverent, taking
the name of God in vain. 33. Per'ju-ry, the act of willfully making a
false oath. Chaff, the light dry husk of grains or grasses. 34. Ma-tured',
perfected, fully developed. Pot'ter, one whose occupation is to make
earthen vessels. Rev--e-la'tion, the act of disclosing or showing what was
before unknown.
EXERCISES.--What is this story about? Why did the counsel wish to have
Emily refused as a witness? Was she a fit person to be a witness? How was
this shown? Which commandment forbids us to bear false witness? What was
the result of Emily's testimony?