"Why, that is just what we want you to do, dear boy," said Mabel kindly.
"I know; but what I want to say don't sound quite respectful—that is, I am afraid it won't."
"I understand," interrupted Mabel, smiling, "and I will excuse it. Go on."
"Well, you know the commandment says, 'Honour thy father.' Now is it just right for you to take sides against your father?"
Mabel's cheek flushed, and her voice trembled slightly, as she answered—
"I am glad you put your question, Willy. The Book says, too, 'Children, obey your parents in the Lord;' and also, 'He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.' We must, if we are Christians, put Christ first, and regulate our lives according to the tenor of the gospel, though we may sometimes be obliged in doing so to oppose the will of those in authority. The word of God is our highest authority. But in this matter, my father knows that I take Herbert's view of the right, and he does not try to bind my conscience."
"It seems to me," said Perry Morse—and his position in his great sleepy-looking chair seemed to indicate that he would be glad if somebody would take the trouble of making conscientious decisions for him—"it seems to me that older and more experienced persons should know better than us boys what is right and what is wrong, and that we ought not to set our judgment up against theirs."
But Mabel remembered that Perry had a will of his own when he chose to exercise it, and a quiet smile accompanied her reply.
"Perry, that argument would have more force if it came from a boy who was always willing to listen to the opinions of older people, and ready to heed their counsels."
The boys laughed, and Perry looked a little embarrassed, but she continued, "Suppose we take up one or two of Christ's sayings, and see how it would do to put your conscience in another's keeping. This, for instance, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul, and thy neighbour as thyself.' Who will help you to obey that command? Upon whom can you shift the responsibility, if you fail to fulfil the obligation?