II.

CONSCIENTIOUSNESS.

OBEDIENCE to the conscience.

Conscience is the voice of God telling us to do what is good and to shun what is evil.

We are left free to obey or not to obey;-the choice is our own :-freewill. To obey is to be conscientious. But there are degrees of obedience and disobedience. To be wholly faithful to conscience is very difficult. The inner voice often tells us to do things most of all distasteful or terrible to us. (Instances acknowledging a sin or fault:-children especially. Toussaint and Moyse, in "The Hour and the Man," by Harriet Martineau, vol. ii. ch. x. Standing out alone against something, and facing sneers or abuse, etc.) If we are faithful under these circumstances our conscientiousness is of the highest kind: for even if the trials look to others very small, yet if to us they were the most trying or terrible alternative that could present itself at that time, it may often be little less than heroism in us to be faithful to conscience. The claims that conscience makes on us may often be

very small, and fall in with what we wish: but it is necessary to be very careful not to deceive ourselves, and think that what we wish is what conscience demands of us, and not seek further. Easy to soothe ourselves into a sort of quiet by sophistries about our duty, (instances) numbing our consciences and putting them to sleep. If we do this, or if we cease to attend to conscience, it will gradually cease to speak, growing weaker and weaker till it fades altogether away. But if we follow it to the very uttermost that we can see, we shall see more and more clearly.

Following conscience also in things which are private to ourselves, and concern no one else. Claims on us for unselfishness in thought and feeling,--and charity, etc., etc.

Conscientiousness in work;-when no one is looking;-when no one would know who did it, and so we should not be blamed. A great deal of work is done unconscientiously. (Instances: Workmen laying drains badly. Consequences. Children cheating about learning lessons. Consequences of not really learning.)

Conscience forbids us to do wrong, and tells us to do right. We must obey in both these cases before we can be called conscientious.

See in "conscience money" a curious instance of the working of conscience.

III.

EARNESTNESS.

EARNESTNESS implies singleness of purpose in our lives, and that we are capable of pursuing our purpose without regard to self, and without selfconsciousness. A man who is thoroughly earnest throughout all his character and dealings shows that his purpose, which he pursues singly, is the True and Right.

Earnestness manifests itself in many ways. In fearlessness in the pursuit of duty,-in spite of ridicule,―of persecution,-of opposition of various kinds from people,-of hindrances from circumstances (not allowing ourselves to be overcome or defeated by difficulties or dangers) ;—missionaries, -nurses, doctors,-in shipwreck or trouble. In perseverance, under the same circumstances. In patience; readiness to wait long, if need be, for the fulfilment of its desires; patience with others, -patience in overcoming all difficulties; patience even with oneself, most difficult of all. St. Francis de Sales says the question is whether we consent to evils, not whether we slip into them.

In forgetfulness of self:-for no one who has himself in his mind can be really earnest in anything except the gain of some things for himself,which is not what we mean by earnestness in any good sense.

In thoughtfulness for others,-which follows naturally upon the former. It implies a certain deep-heartedness,-for shallow natures can hardly be earnest in any sense.

People may be earnest in a wrong cause as well as a right: earnest in persecution, but then it is not the fault of the earnestness,—it is want of knowledge or sight. (As St. Paul.) The same quality of earnestness turned into an opposite channel may do wonders of good. Every man, whatever his cause or his work, must be a better man and have greater possibilities of good for being an earnest man, even if his earnestness leads him into some errors which he would not commit if he were not earnest. The errors belong to the judgment and not to the inner character. If a man had the same judgment and were not earnest, he would probably be led into even worse errors.

Earnestness in work.

Earnestness in choice of pleasures and amuse

ments.

Earnestness in religious matters, and in worship.

IV.

TENDERNESS.

TENDERNESS shows itself in many different ways. Consideration of others' feelings; never intentionally wound their feelings. We may often think people absurdly sensitive, and think they ought not to be so; but whatever we think, we are bound to be tender to their feelings, since they have them. We may try and help them to be less sensitive. Tenderness does not imply yielding to everything; we may be perfectly tender, and yet lead people away from their over-sensitiveness, as for instance a child that is frightened. To scold the child will not cure the fright, any more than whipping a shying horse will cure it of shying. Show the child that there is nothing to be afraid of, and you lead him away from his fear. Or if he has done wrong, and fears to confess it, a little tenderness and firmness will remove his fear, and make him tell the truth by leading him up to it. All this involves sympathy, -the power to put yourself in the place of another, and (as the word means) suffer with him.

Tenderness towards weakness. The strongest