When David heard this story he was very angry with the rich man, and told Nathan he ought to be punished. And then Nathan said to the king: "Thou art the man!" "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? Thou hast killed Uriah with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife." "Therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house." Then David was dreadfully sorry. He saw his great sin in the sight of the Lord, and he earnestly asked to be forgiven. If you read the fifty-first Psalm you will see how sorry he was. And the Lord did forgive him; but David had to bear the effects of his sin the whole of his life afterwards. [Illustration] XV. THREE COMMANDMENTS ABOUT OUR HANDS—OUR TONGUES—AND OUR HEARTS _VIII. "Thou shalt not steal."_ PERHAPS you draw back, and say, "Steal! Surely no one would think I would steal!" But when we come to think it over, there are a good many ways of stealing; or being tempted to steal. There are little unfairnesses that many practise, without in the least realizing that they lead to dishonesty. A boy who cheats over his lessons goes very near the mark! A girl who borrows from her class-mate a sixpence to buy a hair ribbon, and does not return it, goes very near the mark too! Satan is so wary, and we are so un-wary! I heard of a dear, good woman the other day. She had a very hard life to make both ends meet. And one day, the person who was lodging with her left her purse on the table. The woman would never have thought of opening the purse and taking out her neighbour's money! Oh no! Satan was too wary to suggest that! The dear woman went to move the purse to a place of safety, and it was very full of money, and fell open, and the contents in a moment lay scattered on the floor: shillings, sixpences, half-crowns! Then Satan saw his opportunity. As the dear woman stooped to gather the money, the thought crossed her heart: "She would never miss one of these coins! And I do need them so—" And then the dreadfulness of the temptation came upon her, and she fell on her knees. "Dear Lord, forgive me!" she murmured, and hurried to gather up the money, and to restore the purse to its owner. God had helped her to be brave! What made Judas betray his Lord? Was it not that he was a thief, and had the bag, and carried about with him what was in it? He thought if the chief priests would give him those thirty pieces of silver, he would be a rich man all his days instead of a poor man! Did he ever enjoy those thirty pieces of silver? There was a boy I heard of lately, who was tempted: and he took an orange from a greengrocer's shop. But his heart smote him; and that evening he wrote this letter to the greengrocer's wife in a round, boyish hand:— "Dear Madam,—I am very sorry for stealing an orange from you yesterday, while in your shop. I must apologize as I am a Christian, but was tempted." Signed . . .