a greater one.  As the Santa Maria entered the harbor of the little island of San Salvador and the crews of the three vessels, numbering 120 in all, knelt and thanked God for His great mercies, Columbus believed he had reached a distant coast of India. [Draw the ground and trees, Fig. 51.] But, in truth, it was infinitely more than that—­he had found A NEW WORLD! [Add “A New World,” completing Fig. 51.] Such was the blessing which God gave to Christopher Columbus.  Such is the blessing he will give to all who trust Him and love Him.  Always does the true Christian receive more than that for which he asks, for the human mind cannot know the thoughts of God or of His love for those who give their lives wholly into His keeping.”

[Illustration:  Fig. 51]

THE THIEF OF CHARACTER
    —­Meditation
    —­Conscience

The Unholy Thought Robs Life of Its Choicest Treasures—­The Voice of Conscience.

THE LESSON—­That as we use care in the selection of our confidential friends, so, also, should we guard the choice of our thoughts.

It was Lowell who said: 

       “Ah! let us hope that to our praise
          Good God not only reckons
        The moments when we tread His ways,
          But when the spirit beckons—­
        That some slight good is also wrought
          Beyond self-satisfaction,
        When we are simply good in thought,
          Howe’er we fail in action.”

The truth that good thoughts must be encouraged every moment of our lives, if we would really live, is expressed by every great mind that the earth has known.  It is here reviewed once more.

The Talk.

“I am going to place on the drawing paper today the picture of a young man of the type which we admire—­a young fellow of upright life, good habits and Christian principles.  We want him for our friend. [Draw Fig. 52, complete.]

[Illustration:  Fig. 52]

“But there is another type of man whose character we can well illustrate by changing the lines in this first portrait. [With the broad side of your black crayon make the changes needed to produce Fig. 53.  Shade the face with a light touch of the broad side of the crayon.] He is a dishonest man—­he is willing to risk his life in taking from us that which does not belong to him.  Do we welcome such a man to our homes?  No.  The hand of every man is against a thief and a robber.  He is an outcast.  The law seeks to protect us from him by putting him in prison if he can be caught.

[Illustration:  Fig. 53]

“I know that we agree that we should be very careful about the kind of people whom we welcome to our homes.  But, nevertheless the hand of forgiveness and uplift should be extended to every repentant sinner, for Christ has so taught us.  But if we should be so careful about the people whom we admit into our homes, why should we not be still more careful about those other visitors—­our thoughts—­when we admit them to our minds?  Did you ever think of your thoughts as your visitors?  No, I suppose not; but we are going to consider them as visitors today.