CHAPTER IX.

The next day was Sunday, and Susy and Robbie went to church and sat in the pew with their papa. Susy observed that a plate was handed to every one, and that when it came to her papa he put in some money. So when they were walking home together, she said:

"Papa! who was that money for that you put into the plate, at church?"

"It was for God," said her papa.

"How will they get it up to Him?" asked Robbie in great surprise, and looking up to the sky.

His papa smiled, and even Susy knew better than that.

"When Jesus was here on this earth," said their papa, "he sent good men, two and two at a time, to go about teaching people about God, and about heaven. And such good men keep going, even to this day. And that money was to help feed and clothe them while they are preaching, and so I said it was money given to God."

"I wish I had some money to give to God," said Susy. "But I haven't a bit."

"God does not expect you to give him what you have not," said her papa. "But you have other things, besides money."

"I've got some _dolls_," said Susy.

"No, I don't mean dolls. When we get home I will read something to you which will make you see plainly what you can give to God."

So after dinner they went to the library and Susy's papa took down a large book and began to turn over the leaves, as if in search of something. Before long he came to the place he was looking for, and he lifted Susy into his lap and showed her where to read.

"Read it aloud," said he, and Susy read.

"I have this day been before God, and have given myself--all that I am and have--to God; so that I am in no respect my own. I have no right to this body, or any of its members; no right to this tongue, these hands, these feet, these eyes, these ears; I have given myself clean away."

"These are the words of a great and good man, who is now in heaven. Now you see what you have to give to God, my darling little Susy."

Susy looked at her hands and at her feet, and was silent. At last she said, in a low voice, half to herself:

"I don't believe God wants them."

Her papa heard her. "He does want them, and He is looking at you, now, to see whether you will give them to Him, or keep them for yourself. If you give them to Him you will be careful never to let them do any thing naughty, and will teach them to do every good thing they can. And if you keep them for yourself, they will be likely to do wrong, and to get into mischief."

"Have you given yours to Him, papa?"

"Yes, indeed, long ago."

"Are you glad?"

"Yes, very glad."

Susy sat still silent. She did not quite understand what it all meant.

"If you give your tongue to God," said her papa, "you never will let it speak angry, unkind words. Or tell tales. Or speak an untruth."

"I guess I'll give Him my tongue," said Susy.

"And if you give God your hands, you will watch them and keep them from touching things that do not belong to them. You will not let them be idle, but will keep them busy about something, either work or play--"

"Oh! will God let them _play_!" cried Susy in a joyful voice. "Well! then I'll give Him my hands."

"And if you give Him your feet, you never will let them carry you where you ought not to go, but teach them to run quickly when mamma calls; and when you are old enough, they will carry you to visit and comfort poor and sick people."

"Yes, that will be nice!" said Susy. "God shall have my feet."

"If you give Him your eyes, you will never, never let them look at any thing you know _He_ would not like to look at if He were here by your side. Not to read a book you would not read if He were looking over the page with you. And to use them wisely and with great care."

"Could I cry with them?"

"Why, certainly."

"Mamma says I cry too much."

"I did not say you might cry _too much_ with them."

"Well!--I'll give God my eyes some of the time, and some of the time I'll keep them."

"Oh! no! God will not like that, at all."

"Well, I might want to--let me see--I might want to look at something--and I couldn't. And I should want to be naughty _sometimes_."

"A little girl who loves God want to be naughty!"

"I love Him, I do love Him," said Susy. "And He may have my eyes. I guess I shan't want to look at any thing naughty."

"I dare say you will, Susy, but if you give your eyes to God, you know He will help them not to do wrong."

"Then I _will_ give them to Him and _welcome_," said Susy.

"And as to your ears, after you have given them to God you will not let them listen to a _word_ that you think He would not like them to hear. And you will take care to make them listen to people who try to teach you. They have behaved very well to-day, and I am sure you will give them to God."

"Yes papa, I will."

Then they knelt down together and Susy's papa prayed to God to hear all they had been saying and to be so good as to accept all Susy had now promised to give Him, and to keep her from ever forgetting her promise, but to make it her rule in all she said and all she did, all she saw and all she heard, to remember,

"I am not my own."

And then he taught her the lines you will find at the end of this book. They were written nearly two hundred years ago, but are just as good now as they were then; and may God help every child who reads about little Susy, to live according to this prayer.

"Oh! that mine eyes might closed be To what concerns me not to see; That deafness might possess mine ear To what concerns me not to hear; That truth my tongue might ever tie From ever speaking foolishly; That no vain thought might ever rest, Or be conceived in my breast; That by each word, and deed, and thought, Glory may to my God be brought! But what are wishes! Lord, mine eye On Thee is fixed, to Thee I cry-- Wash, Lord, and purify my heart And make it clean in every part; And when 'tis done, Lord, keep it so, For that is more than I can do!"

End of Project Gutenberg's Little Susy's Little Servants, by E. Prentiss