"'If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.' *
"See that, boy—'If ye abide in Me.' That's the Lord Himself. If ye abide in Him, trust Him, obey Him, love Him, He'll do what ye ask Him. 'Tisn't to them as don't love Him as He says that. An' here again—
"'And whatsoever we ask we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.' †
"D'you keep the commandments o' the holy Jesus, boy? D'you set yourself, heart an' soul, to do all ye can to please Him, eh? An' here again—
"'He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him; He also will hear their cry and will save them.' ‡
"Are ye one o' them that fears Him? If ye are, He'll fulfil your desire, lad. Are ye, eh?"
"Don't see any good in prayin' at all, then," muttered Hor.
* John xv. 7. † 1 John iii. 22. ‡ Psalm cxlv. 19.
"No good! Why, if you're one that fears Him, ye may ask what ye will, an' if ye ain't making some foolish request, like to poison for your soul, He'll give it ye. Don't He love to make us happy? Don't it grieve Him at His heart when He sees one o' His poor sheep bleaten' an' sorrowful, and don't He love to smile an' comfort un? Eh, lad?"
"I don't know nothin' about that," said Hor. "I only knows He lets us live like pigs."