“‘Yes’—said Squire Darlington. ‘The birth of Christ. ‘Who though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor; that we through his poverty might be made rich.’ There is a motto for Christmas-day!—ay—for one’s whole life.’
“‘Grandfather,’ said Edric, ‘does everybody that loves Christ love all the poor disagreeable people?’
“‘This is what the Bible says, Edric. ‘For if any man seeth that his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of Christ in him?’’
“‘Grandfather,’ said Edric thoughtfully, ‘when I am a man I will take a great deal of care of poor people.’
“It was rather a sad smile that the old man gave him, and yet it was very tender.
“‘My dear Edric,’ he said, ‘never say, when I am a man I will do good. There is hardly any kind of good work that a child may not help forward, or help to keep back. Will you wait till you are a man, Edric, before you begin to love Christ?’
“‘I think I do love him now, grandfather,’ said Edric. ‘I should think everybody would—he has done so much for us.’
“There was the same look of love and sadness for a moment in the old man’s face before he answered.
“‘My motto has another bearing, dear boy, and one which should be first in the heart of every man and every child in this world which Christ died to save,—‘If ye love me, keep my commandments.’’