HELEN: And they lasted a long time, too. Adam lived in his for over nine hundred years. MOTHER: It is said that men keep building better houses all the time, but the first body-house God made was the best ever seen in this world. AMY: But why are they not made good and lasting now, mother? MOTHER: One reason is because we do not use them well. Many persons would do better in caring for themselves if they knew better how to do it. If I gave you a costly watch, Percy, what is the first thing you would want to know about it? PERCY: How to take care of it. MOTHER: Yes, you would find out how and when to wind it, and just how to use it so it would keep good time. We should be even more careful to learn all we can about our bodies. We should learn for what each part was made, and how to keep it in good order. Men have taken bodies like ours apart, just as a watchmaker takes out all the wheels of a watch, and they have found out many things about them in this way. We should learn all we can about how to keep well and strong. If we are ill we make much trouble for others, and must suffer ourselves. If we are well we shall be a help and blessing to all around us. Not long ago I read this prayer of a little girl for her body:— “Dear God, bless my two little eyes, and make them twinkle happy. Bless my two ears, and help me to hear mother call me. Bless my two lips, and make them speak kind and true. Bless my two hands, and make them good and not touch what they mustn’t. Bless my two feet, and make them go where they ought to. Bless my heart, and make it love God and my father and mother and everybody. Please let ugly sin never get hold of me--never, never!” “The Lord my body did prepare My dwelling-place to be, And still it is a temple where He daily meets with me. “My head, my hands, my heart are His; He knows my being well; And all its many mysteries My Lord alone can tell. “To walk in ways of wickedness My feet can not afford; For all the powers I possess Are holy to the Lord. “I’ll pray to Him from day to day To lead my steps aright, That I along His heavenly way May be a shining light. “And He will keep my temple free From every touch of sin; He truly saves and cleanses me, That He may dwell within. “My eyes must see the good and true; My ears must hear His voice; My hands be ever glad to do My heavenly Father’s choice.” —_C. M. Snow._ THE OUTSIDE OF THE BODY MOTHER Let us look at the outside of our house before we try to see how it is made and furnished inside. I think you know now that when I am talking about a house or temple I mean the body. In some ways our bodies are like trees as well as houses. Look at this picture and tell me what you see. PERCY: A tree with a straight stem or trunk. It also has branches, called limbs, and is covered with bark.