human
And snow Miss Cunningham in,
gpt
To be sure, answered Dora,
human
So was I too, said Amy;
gpt
As for that, said Dora,
human
But then, said Amy,
gpt
I cannot understand why you are always talking of baptism, Amy, said Dora;
human
According to mamma's notions, you mean; she reminds me of it so often that I cannot possibly forget it.
gpt
But there is no one in the world who has kept the promise, said Dora;
human
I do not think I understand it quite, replied Amy,
gpt
And what is that?
human
Mamma says, answered Amy,
gpt
Then what are we to do? said Dora;
human
Mamma says we are, replied Amy;
gpt
But, said Dora,
human
I cannot see why people should be baptized, if it only makes them worse off than they were before.
gpt
Oh! but indeed, Dora, exclaimed Amy, looking rather shocked,
human
I do not understand it, said Dora;
gpt
I did not understand it half as well, replied Amy,
human
But how can we tell that we have a good nature given us at our baptism? said Dora;
gpt
I never feel it; I don't think I do anything that is right all day long; you may have a good nature, Amy, and I think you have, but I know I have not.
human
Mamma says, answered Amy,
gpt
I wish, she said,
human
she continued, with a sudden impulse to be unreserved, which she had occasionally felt when talking to her cousin since their little disagreement;
gpt
I do try sometimes, though I daresay you will not believe it, because I am so cross. I meant to have tried this morning, only Lucy Cunningham made me so angry by the way she twisted her head about, and the nonsense she talked at breakfast, that I could not help becoming out of humour with every one; and when once I am annoyed in the morning, I go on so all day; but you cannot understand that, it is so unlike you.
human
I can, though, replied Amy,
gpt
I cannot do that, said Dora;
human
Then you will not be uncomfortable long,
gpt
But, said Dora,
human
I know very well that it is no use feeling properly only when everything goes as you like; what I wish is to have the power of being good always. There are some people who are never put out of humour--aunt Herbert for one; I long to be like her.
gpt
So do I, exclaimed Amy, eagerly;
human
That is what disheartens me; good people are so up in the clouds, where one can never get at them.
gpt
I suppose, though, answered Amy,
human
I wish she would tell me what made her better, then, said Dora.
gpt
Did she ever tell you?
human
No, replied Amy;
gpt
No one will ever promise that for me,
human
But mamma will, I am sure, exclaimed Amy, eagerly;
gpt
Why do you stop?
human
Mamma tells me to mention all your names in my prayers, replied Amy;
gpt
I cannot see what difference that can make. I should like very much to think you did it always for me; but it must be such a trouble to remember.
human
Oh no, Dora, it would seem so unkind not to do it; and if I thought you cared, I never could forget; but some day or other, when I am quite good, it will be of much more use.
gpt
Does aunt Herbert think that no one must pray for others but those who never do anything wrong?
human
No; she says we all ought to pray for each other, and that it is quite our duty. But we are told in the Bible that very good persons' prayers are heard particularly; and so mamma says that is one reason for trying to conquer our faults; because God will be more likely to attend to us then.
gpt
I cannot think you ever had any faults to cure; you never could have been ill-tempered.
human
Oh Dora! pray don't say so; it makes me think I must be so deceitful, for I am often ill-tempered, and I used to be so every day at my lessons.
gpt
Then, said Dora,
human
I used to talk about it to mamma, replied Amy;
gpt
But, said Dora,
human
Oh! replied Amy,
gpt
It is right for people to say their prayers every morning and evening, of course, said Dora;
human
I thought a great many people did; at least I know I have read in the old times of some who said them seven times, and in the Bible it is mentioned. Don't you remember one of the lessons they read in the church about Daniel, and how he prayed three times every day?
gpt
Ah, yes! in the Bible; but then in the Bible every one does what is right. I never think the persons we read of there could be like us.
human
They did not always do right, though, answered Amy,
gpt
I cannot say I ever thought much about it, said Dora.
human
One hears it all in church; but I always am so sleepy on a Sunday, that I cannot attend.
gpt
But I suppose you are not always sleepy when you read at home.
human
I never do read at home now; we used to do it when we were children, for mamma taught us to read like every one else out of the Bible, but I thought of nothing but the hard words, and it always appeared a lesson book, and so I never looked at it afterwards. I forgot, though, on a Sunday we were accustomed to read a chapter, but we have left off that lately--I don't quite know why, except that we are too old.
gpt
Too old to read the Bible!
human
I don't mean too old to read it at all, replied Dora,
gpt
Mamma does not force me to do it, said Amy;
human
Do you mean to say that you read it every day, or only on Sundays?
gpt
Every day, replied Amy.
human
We always read the psalms and lessons the first thing after breakfast, except on Wednesdays and Fridays, and Saints' days, when we go to church.
gpt
Go to church on the week-days! exclaimed Dora;
human
I thought it was what almost every one did, replied Amy;
gpt
I cannot imagine what the good of it all is,
human
But it is ordered, replied Amy,
gpt
I do not see that is any reason for it; its being ordered does not make it good.
human
I once asked mamma some questions about it, said Amy,
gpt
Every one does not attend to it, though, replied Dora;
human
I believe, said Amy,
gpt
Perhaps so; but I am sure if people were to go to church as often as you say, there would be no time for anything else.
human
We generally manage to do very much the same on Wednesdays and Fridays as on other days; it is merely doing things at different hours.
gpt
If I could only see the good of it, I should not care, said Dora;
human
You would not be tired if you were accustomed to it, because it would come to you naturally, like eating, and drinking, and sleeping; and, besides, it prevents one from going on wrong all day.
gpt
How do you mean?
human
Don't you know, replied Amy,
gpt
Well, yes! said Dora, rather impatiently;
human
Then, continued Amy,
gpt
That is the reason, I suppose, said Dora,
human
No, replied Amy,
gpt
But still you must be tired of it, persisted Dora;
human
I don't like it always, replied Amy, while the colour mounted to her cheek;