Never give up! if adversity presses, Providence wisely has mingled the cup; "Never give up! 'tis the secret of glory; Nothing so wise can philosophy preach: Think on the names that are famous in story; Never give up! 'tis the lesson they teach. How have men compass'd immortal achievements? How have they molded the world to their will? 'Tis that, midst dangers, and woes, and bereavements, Never give up! was their principle still." Sixth Step- Piety. By humility, and the fear of the Lord, are riches, and honor, and life. Prov. xxii, 4. O my young readers know what piety is? Let me illustrate it. Mr. A. and Mr. B. are neighbors. People say one is a very pious man, and the other is not. What do they mean? Why is Mr. A. a pious man? "O," says William, "I can tell what makes Mr. A. pious." Well, what is it? "He prays!" Very well, Mr. A. does pray. He prays many times every day. When he rises in the morning he does just as you should do, kneels down beside his bed, and thanks God for having taken care of him through the night, and prays for his care and blessing through the coming day. He prays again with his family. After they have eaten their morning meal, he opens the old family Bible, and reads a chapter from its holy pages, and then the family all kneel down, and the father prays for God's blessing upon them. Yes, Mr. A. prays. But that is not what makes him pious. Did you never read about the Pharisees? You remember how one of them went up into the temple and prayed; and I presume he thought he made a very beautiful prayer; but he was not pious, and God would not listen to nor answer his prayer. "But," says John, "Mr. A. is pious because he reads the Bible." Yes, Mr. A. reads his Bible. He loves to read it better than he loves to read any other book. He studies it very carefully, and endeavors to understand its sacred truths. But this is not what makes him a pious man. I have known wicked men who studied the Bible, studied it daily; but they were very far from being pious. Mr. A. attends Church on the Sabbath also. His pew is always full when sickness does not keep any of the family away. He is very devout too in the house of God, and his children are taught to behave properly, and to be very attentive to all that is said; even little rosy Ella, who is only two years old, sits quietly by her mother's side. But this does not make Mr. A. pious. Mr. B.'s pew is the next behind his, and it is just as well filled, and the parents and chil dren are just as quiet and well-behaved as those in Mr. A.'s pew; still Mr. B. is not a pious man. Mr. A. is also very good to the poor. He carries them food, visits them in sickness, comforts them in affliction, and they all love him very much. This is very kind in Mr. A.; and those poor people ought to love him for his kindness, just as we ought to love God, because he has been so good to us. But, again we say, all this does not make Mr. A. a pious man; and so we might go on and say many other fine things of Mr. A. We might tell you how kind he is as a father; how carefully he trains his children, and how well he provides for all their wants. But all this would not answer the question. But what does make Mr. A. a pious man? I will tell you. He fears God; He fears God; and you know the "The fear of the Lord is the begin Bible says, |