p. 237 | Good and Bad Apples

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 10, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 15.

Good and Bad Apples.

ONE day Robert's father saw him playing with some boys who were rude and boisterous. He had observed for some time a change for the worse in his son, and now he knew the cause. He was very sorry, but he said nothing to Robert at the time. In the evening he brought from the garden six beautiful, rosy-cheeked apples, put them on a plate, and presented them to Robert, who was much pleased at his father's kindness and thanked him. "You must lay them aside a few days, that they may become mellow," said the father. And Robert cheerfully placed the plate with the apples in his mother's store-room.

Just as he was putting them aside, his father laid on the plate a seventh apple, which was quite decayed, and desired him to let it remain there.

"But, father," said Robert, "the decayed apples will spoil all the others."

"Do you think so? Why should not the fresh apples rather make the bad ones fresh?" And with these words he shut the door of the room.

Eight days afterward he asked his son to open the door of the room, and take out the apples. But what a sight presented itself! The six apples which had been so sound and good spread a bad smell through the room.

"O, papa!" cried he, "did I not tell you that the decayed apple would spoil the good ones?"

"My boy," said his father, "have I not told you often that the company of bad children will make you bad? yet you do not listen to me. I want you to learn a lesson from these apples. If you keep company with wicked boys, you will soon be like them."

Robert did not forget the lesson. When any of his former playfellows asked him to join in their sports, he thought of the decayed apples, and prayed to be kept from evil.