'And I told you right, provided _that_ love is made subservient to a
holier one. But your first duty is, in the words of our Saviour, "to
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." Obedience to this precept
involves a great many other duties, but none of these should interfere
with the great first command.'

'But, father,' inquired Harry, 'if Mrs Gilman should become a Christian,
would she love her baby less.'

'No, she might love it more, but not with the same kind of affection
she bears it now. This is a blind idolatry--her child is her all, and
she cannot bear to part with it, even though it should join her lost
husband, and wear a crown in glory. If she were a Christian, she would
be able to say, "Thy will be done," and to place entire confidence in
the Divine Master, and bow in submission to His requirements, even
though they should call on her to resign this treasure.'

'Oh, how happy we should be, if we loved God better than anything else!'
said Harry.

After they had arrived at home, and while Mrs Maurice was engaged in
preparing some comfortable things for the poor woman, Harry was heard to
whisper in his sister's ear, 'Poor Mrs Gilman makes a god of her baby,
Effie.'




CHAPTER VI.