Page:Anecdotescatechi00spiruoft.djvu/57

 “You are  a good  lad,  for  you  have  the  fear  of  God  before your  eyes. Take as  many  apples  as  you  like;  you are welcome  to  them.”  Had  the  boy  not  resisted  the temptation to  steal,  he  would  probably  have  been punished. How useful  the  remembrance  of  God’s omniscience; it deters  from  sin  and  averts  the  consequences of  sin.

A traveler having  lost  his  way  in  the  desert, wandered about  for  two  days  and  nights  without anything to  eat  or  drink. At length  he  reached  a tree,  beside  which  a clear  spring  welled  up. He quenched his  thirst  with  a draught  of  water,  but  to his  disappointment  there  was  not  a single  fruit  upon the tree. Close to  the  spring,  however,  lay  a small bag; he took  it  up  and  gave  thanks  to  God,  for apparently it  was  full  of  pease  which  some  former traveler had  left  there. But a fresh  disappointment awaited him,  for  on  opening  the  bag  he  found  it  contained a number  of  valuable  pearls  worth  a large sum of  money,  yet  useless  to  him,  as  they  could  not appease his  hunger. Kneeling on  the  ground,  he besought  almighty  God  to  come  to  his  aid. Before long he  descried  a man  mounted  on  a camel,  coming towards him  with  all  speed. This was  the  owner  of the  pearls,  who  had  left  them  lying  beside  the  spring. His joy  at  recovering  his  lost  property  was  indescribable. He took  compassion  on  the  famished  traveler, gave him  bread  and  dates,  and  took  him  upon  his camel. He too  was  a Christian,  for  he  said: Here we see  the  good  providence  of  God. He caused  me