"Had he family prayer, the evening you refer to, _before_ or _after_ the games were introduced?" "O! it was omitted that evening." "And why, Emma," here interposed Miss Holmes, "was it omitted? Was it not because he was ashamed to place the Bible on the same table with the cards; and because, after enticing others to a conformity to the customs of the world, he could not, in their presence, go and pray, that they might be renewed in the spirit of their mind? Do you recollect the remark which you made on your return home?" "It has escaped my recollection." "That he wanted only one thing to finish his character." "And did I say what that one thing was?" "Yes; you said, and said very justly, it was consistency." "O! I recollect, that was the opinion I then entertained." "And have you changed your opinion? Do you not think that religious people ought to abstain from the appearance of evil? Does your moral sense, dear Emma, receive no offence, when you see a person, who makes a profession of personal piety, acting like a worldling?" "Yes, it does. I remember that droll creature, Bessie Lane, came and whispered in my ear, just as we began a fresh game,--'Make haste, as Mr. Ridout has just rung the bell for prayers!' This remark was heard by all our party; and I must confess that I was hurt by some of the observations which were made." "I don't know," said Miss Orme, "why the most religious people may not indulge themselves in these amusements as well as others; but certainly we think it strange when they do so." "I love consistency," replied Miss Holmes. "If a family have prayer, they ought not, in my opinion, to spend the evenings in games which certainly have not a religious tendency; and if they have these games, they had better leave off prayer, as they cannot be prepared for it. I knew a young friend, the daughter of pious parents, who once had her mind very deeply impressed by a sense of the vanity of the world and the importance of religion; but in consequence of paying a visit to the house of a professor, who in the temple was grave, and in the parlour gay--who alternately played and prayed, sang songs or psalms, as fancy dictated--she lost all her pious impressions, and from that time she became inveterately averse to religion; and in a conversation which passed between us only a few days since, a reference being made to it, she frankly said she could not conquer her aversion, and she thought she never should. Example has a powerful influence, especially in doing moral injury; but the most pernicious and dangerous, is the example of a religious man who acts in opposition to the obligations of his profession--who, while he professes to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, displays a spirit that is at variance with the sacredness of that character--and retains his religious habits, even while he conforms to the customs of the world."