gious in the common mixed way, partly human and partly divine, partly from earth and partly from heaven. Consequently, so much of their actions as were not from God were from that which is the opposite of God, namely, Satan. At this time I suppose it may not be inconsistent with charity to say, that the good element, or God in them, seems to have been kept in abeyance; and that the evil element, or Satan in them, reigned. And this was particularly the case in their treatment of the pious girls, who have been mentioned. These girls, being poor and obliged to work continually, formed little neighborhood associations; prosecuting in this way their work together, and those who were strong helping the weak. The eldest one presided at these little meetings; and the one who was best qualified for that task was appointed reader. They employed themselves in spinning, weaving ribbons, and other feminine occupations. Prayer and religious love made all pleasant. Such assemblies are not uncommon among Protestants. But the prevalent religious party at Thonon considered them inconsistent with the Catholic methods. And, accordingly, being in the mixed life, which permits the human to mingle with and sometimes to control the divine, and Satan being at this time inwardly in the ascendant, they separated these poor but happy girls from each other, deprived them, as a punishment, of their usual church privileges, and drove some of them from the place.

39. It is painful to speak of these things. I do not suppose that aspersions, cruelties, persecutions, are limited altogether to Catholics. Some will say, that conduct of this kind is the natural result of that interest in religious institutions which is implied in true faith. This may, perhaps, be true in a certain sense. But add more faith; and then the evil will not be likely to result. A little faith makes us love the cause of religion; but it leaves us in fear; which would

not be the case if we had more faith. We tremble for the Ark of God, as if not God, but some son of Obededom, or other weak and human agent, were the keeper of it. Faith and fear are the opposites of each other, both mentally and theologically. When priests, whether Catholic or others, have opposed and persecuted those who differed from them in opinion or who undertook some reform, I would not in all cases, nor generally, attribute it to their self-interest, and to the fact, or the supposed fact, of "their craft being in danger." Self-interest, especially among those who have felt the influences of religion, is not the only principle of human action. Persecutions have been practised by those, who verily thought they were doing God service. And these good people of Thonon, (undoubtedly some of them were good people,) opposed and injured those who were God's people equally with themselves, and perhaps much more than themselves, like those disciples of Christ, who, in their premature zeal, were for calling down fire from heaven to destroy their adversaries, simply because they did not know what manner of spirit they were of.

40. They had confounded the church with the ceremonies of the church; and when Madame Guyon felt it her duty to indicate the difference between the substance and the shadow, between the spirit and the letter, touching the ceremonial it is true, but still with the gentleness of a woman's hand, then the good Catholics, to whom the ceremonial was undoubtedly very dear, were all in arms. Their consternation was real, not affected. They forgot that God is able to take care of the church without employing Satan's instrumentality. Hence their injustice; hence their cruelty; not because they had faith, but because they had not more faith; not because they loved the church, but because they had forgotten, in too great a degree, the mighty power and the pledged promise of the God of the church.

But that day has passed. They acted undoubtedly according to the light which they had; which was not a greater light, because "the light shone in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not." She acted according to hers. They had their reward; she had hers. Of those who do evil, Christ, who is the true light, has said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Of those who do good, but are persecuted for it, the same Christ has said, in language which gives courage to the fainting heart, Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

CHAPTER XXV.

Conversion of a physician. Further instances of persecution. Some of those who had been opposers become subjects of the work of God. Some striking instances of the care of Providence in relation to her. Visit to Lausanne. Establishment of a Hospital at Thonon. Removal from the House of the Ursulines to a small cottage a few miles distant from the lake. Return of La Combe. Her opposers make their appeal to Bishop d'Aranthon. He requires Madame Guyon and La Combe to leave his diocese. Rude and fierce attacks made upon her in her solitary residence. Decides to leave Thonon. Her feelings at this time. La Combe. His letter to d'Aranthon. Remarks of Madame Guyon on some forms of religious experience. On living by the moment.

SHE mentions a number of incidents, some of them of considerable interest, which took place in connection with this revival of God's work. "One day," she remarks, "I was sick. A physician of some eminence in his profession, hearing that I was ill, called in to see me, and gave me medicines proper for my disorder. I embraced the opportunity of entering into conversation with him on the subject of religion. He acknowledged that he had known something of the power of religion, but that the religious life had been stifled in him by the multitude of his occupations. I endeavored to make him comprehend, that the love of God is not inconsistent with the duties of humanity; and that therefore the employments, which God in his providence assigns us, are no excuse for irreligion, or for any state of mind

short of a strong and consistent piety. He received what I said. The conversation was greatly blessed to him. And he became afterwards a decided Christian."

2. She relates of those persons, who made the opposition to this divine work, of which we have given some account in the last chapter, that, among their other acts of cruelty, they seized upon a person of considerable distinction and merit, and beat him with rods in the open street. The crime which was charged against him, was, that, instead of confining himself to the common forms of prayer, he prayed extemporaneously in the evenings. The man was a priest, of the Congregation of the Oratory. It was alleged also, that he was in the practice of uttering a short, fervent prayer, in the same manner, on Sabbath days, which had the effect gradually and insensibly to lead others to the use and practice of the like.

Speaking of the persons who thus violently, and in a public manner, beat this good man, and of others who were in the like hostile dispositions and practices, she says, "they greatly troubled and afflicted all the good souls, who had sincerely dedicated themselves to God; disturbing them to a degree which it is difficult to conceive; burning all their books which treated of inward submission and of the prayer of the heart, in distinction from mere outward and formal prayer; refusing absolution to such as were in the practice of it, and driving them by their threats into consternation and almost into despair."

3. But this state of things, which had the appearance of crushing religion, gave occasion for a remarkable exhibition of God's power and grace. Even some of these men, those of them who were obviously without religion, led to reflect upon their own characters by the sad lesson of the violence which they themselves had exhibited, became, after a short time, humbled in heart. Through divine grace they not only