At the request of the Cheerfull the Little Academy is called to an unexpected meeting some time between the third and fourth Sundays in Advent 1632. The Cheerfull expresses grave doubts that the great festival of Christmas is appropriately celebrated by special food and over-indulgence. When the Moderator protests mildly, the Cheerfull insists that true joy can be found only in the Lord and never in sensual pleasures. The Mother upholds the Cheerfull in her condemnation of taking food for delight as opposed to taking delight in food and points out that the motive determines the true goodness of an action. The Moderator agrees that those who would keep a spiritual and godly Christmas would be scorned by the world, but she does not join in a wholehearted acceptance of the Cheerfull's strictures. The Patient and the Mother make spirited attacks on the immorality of contemporary Christmas-keeping, and cite Biblical passages—especially the Propers for Advent and the holy days which follow Christmas—to emphasize the solemn nature of the great Christian festival. The Guardian cites Pico della Mirandola, and the Mother (relying on Foxe's Book of Martyrs) expresses her special admiration for Pico because of his contempt for worldly possessions and preferment. The Cheerfull, eager to get to her point, suggests that they cease examining holy examples and begin practising holy ways, and that they preach to the world by their actions rather than to themselves by their words. She is eager, nevertheless, that the Little Academy be persuaded of the beauties of abstinence and be won over to the practice of everlasting temperance.