"
Miss Bygrave spoke with effort, as if she found it difficult to
express herself in sufficiently simple phraseology. Speaking, she
did not look at the child; and, when the pause came, her eyes were
still fixed absently on the picture above the mantelpiece.
"Keep in mind what I shall tell you," she proceeded with growing
solemnity, "and some day you will better understand its meaning than
you can now. The sin which Christ came to free us from was--
fondness for the world, enjoyment of what we call pleasure, desire
for happiness on earth. He Himself came to set us the example of one
to whom the world was nothing, who could put aside every joy, and
make His life a life of sorrows. Even that was not enough. When the
time had come, and He had finished His teaching of the disciples
whom He chose, He willingly underwent the most cruel of all deaths,
to prove that His teaching had been the truth, and to show us that
we must face any most dreadful suffering rather than desert what we
believe to be right."
She pointed to the crucified figure, and Maud followed the direction
of her hand with awed gaze.
"And this," said Miss Bygrave, "is why I think it wrong to make
Christmas a time of merriment.
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