Has God been kind to dogs? Has he given them bodies?—Yes.

Have they bones, and flesh, and blood, and skin?—Yes.

The dog has a body as well as you. Is the dog’s body like yours?—No.

How many legs have you?—Two.

How many legs has the dog?—Four.

Have you got arms?—Yes, two.

Has the dog got arms?—No, it has no arms, nor hands. But the dog has legs instead. Your skin is smooth, but the dog is covered with hair.

Is the cat’s body like yours?—No; it is covered with fur.

Is a chicken’s body like yours? How many legs has the chicken?—Two.

And so have you. But are its legs like yours?—No; the chicken has very thin, dark legs, and it has claws instead of feet.

Have you feathers on your skin? Have you wings? Is your mouth like a chicken’s beak? Has the chicken any teeth?—No; the chicken’s body is not at all like yours. Yet the chicken has a body—for it has flesh, and bones, and blood, and skin.

Has a fly got a body?—Yes, it has a black body, and six black legs, and two wings like glass. Its body is not at all like yours.

Who gave bodies to dogs, horses, chickens, and flies? Who keeps them alive?

God thinks of all these creatures every moment.

Can a dog thank God. No; dogs and horses, sheep and cows, cannot thank God.

Why can not they thank God? Is is because they cannot talk?

That is not the reason.

The reason is, they cannot think of God. They never heard of God. They cannot understand about God.

Why not?—Because they have no souls, or spirits, like yours.

Have you got a soul?—Yes, in your body there is a soul which will never die. Your soul can think of God.

When God made your body, he put your soul inside. Are you glad of that? When God made the dogs, he put no soul like yours inside their bodies, and they cannot think of God.

Can I see your soul?—No; I cannot see it. No one can see it but God. He knows what you are thinking of now.

Which is the best, your soul or your body?—Your soul is a great deal the best. Why is your soul the best?—Your body can die, but your soul cannot die.

Shall I tell you what your body is made of?—Of dust. God made the dust into flesh and blood.

What is your soul made of?—Your soul, or spirit, is made of the breath of God.

That little dog will die some day. Its body will be thrown away. The dog will be quite gone when its body is dead. But when your body dies, your soul will be alive, and you will not be quite gone.

Where would you be put if you were dead?—Your body would be put in a hole in the ground, but your soul would not be in the hole. Even a baby has a soul, or spirit.

One day as I was walking in the streets, I saw a man carrying a box. Some people were walking behind, crying. There was a dead baby in the box. Was the soul of the baby in the box?—No; its soul was gone up to God.

Will you not thank God for giving you a spirit? Will you not ask Him to take your spirit to live with him when your body dies?

Say to God, “Pray, take my spirit to live with Thee when my body dies and turns into dust.”

What is that part which can’t decay? It is your soul.

Your body will decay; it will turn into dust; but your soul will live forever: it will never decay.