"Water is an element used for cleansing. Parents who carry their children to this ordinance realize that they have inherited corruption, and are unholy and unclean; therefore they desire them to be washed, or purified. But I shall explain this more fully to you under another question." CHAPTER XIX. MAN'S MISERY; OR, THE BATTLE FIELD. QUESTION XIX. _What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?_ ANSWER. All mankind by the fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever. —————— IT was now the last week in March; and the children were looking forward with great delight to the making of their gardens. The last year, Mr. Dermott selected from his grounds a pleasant, sunny spot, had it ploughed and enriched, and then divided it into four small lots for his children. They were allowed to plant just what they chose, and to take the entire care of their own enclosure. This plan succeeded so well, and afforded so much innocent and healthful amusement to the little ones, that their father was induced to repeat the experiment. These pleasant anticipations, however, did not detract from their interest in the catechisings; and on the evening of Thursday they were in their places, eager as ever for the exercise to begin. "We learn," commenced Mr. Dermott, "in the third chapter of Genesis, that when God first created man, he allowed him to have free communion with himself. Adam and Eve expressed no surprise when they heard the voice of the Lord in the garden. It seems to have been an event of frequent occurrence; but after they had sinned, they were afraid to come into his presence, and hid themselves; just as a child who has disobeyed the commands of his father is afraid to meet his eye. "All communion between them was lost, and they fell under his wrath. He told Eve that, in consequence of her disobedience, she should have sickness and sorrow; and that, instead of the confiding love with which her husband had heretofore regarded her, as she had so wickedly misused her influence, she should henceforth become subject to his rule. To Adam he said,— "'Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground.' "Just see what misery the first married pair brought upon themselves by their rash defiance of God's commands. Into how many parts does the answer divide this misery?" Walter glanced at the answer in the book, and replied, "Into six." "And do all Adam's descendants come under the same?" "Yes, sir, just as the children of Edward inherited their father's sickness and poverty."