Letter 144. To a Lady

My Dear Daughter,

Keep your soul in an attitude of heartfelt trust in God, and the more you are encompassed with troubles and infirmities, hope the more stedfastly in Him.

Be very humble: it is the virtue of virtues, but let it be a generous, restful humility. Be very faithful in serving our Master, but let your service be child-like and loving, free from all that is harsh and repulsive. Strive to maintain a holy gladness, which may shine forth in your words and actions, and be attractive to those around you, leading them to glorify God— our only aim. And since you cannot practise any bodily mortification or hardness, as indeed it is quite unfit for you to think of so doing, according to what we settled before, keep your heart ready for your Saviour, and strive as far as possible that all you do may be done with a will to please Him, and let what of suffering comes to you in this life be accepted in a like spirit So doing God will dwell wholly in you, and some day He will give you grace to dwell for ever with Him, for which I devoutly pray, and am ever, most heartily yours, &C.

[809.] CXLIX.