"Neither would she bear the blame, but cast it upon another. How much better would it have been for them to cast themselves down at the feet of their Maker, and confess their guilt! How unkind for Adam not to try to shield his wife! But such were the early fruits of sin. No doubt after this, there were many unkind words and feelings between the once happy pair. "The next occasion of quarrelling which is recorded in Scripture is the melancholy story of Cain and Abel. The dreadful plague of sin, which they had inherited from their parents, had sprung up in their own hearts, and in Cain it yielded bitter fruit, bringing misery and death into their household." "Who can doubt," remarked Mrs. Dermott, "that the fall brought mankind into a state of sin and misery when he looks around and realizes that but for sin there would be no wars, no armies, no hospitals?" "No prisons, jails nor houses of correction," added her husband. "There would be no physicians, because there would be no sickness nor suffering; no orphan asylums nor houses for the blind; no unhappy marriages; no deeds, nor bonds, nor suits at law; and no divorces, no murders, thefts, nor backbitings; no quarrels between children, nor throwing the blame upon each other. There would have been no need of the spilling of a Saviour's blood, for man would have been at peace with his Maker. No; the world would present one glorious scene of holiness, and happiness, a heaven upon earth, the delight of angels and of God himself. The joy of one would make more complete the bliss of all. The beasts of the field, instead of preying upon each other, would find their appropriate food growing spontaneously upon the earth. The lion would lie down with the lamb, and a little child would lead them." "Our sins, like to our shadows When our day is in its glory, scarce appear; Toward our evening, how great and monstrous They are!" CHAPTER XVIII. MAN'S SINFULNESS; OR, THE DISEASED FAMILY. QUESTION XVIII. _Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?_ ANSWER. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell consists in the guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin, together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it. —————— "I WISH father wouldn't bring me into the lesson," cried Walter, as he was sitting in a large stuffed chair before the fire, waiting for his parents and sisters to be through with their tea. "I'll ask him not to," replied Helen, just then entering to room. "Here, I've brought you a cup of milk and water, and mother says if you relish it, you may eat this toasted cracker. I hope you'll like it," added the sympathizing child, "for I fixed it myself with nice cream and salt." "You're a dear little girl," replied Walter, "and I'll try to eat it just because you have taken so much pains."