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204 LETTERS.
cies, this it was that from my earliest youth drew me to the
gospel, already before I understood all the depth, all the
happiness, contained in its “joyful message.” You see,
dearest friend, that it is thts which makes the poor fisher-
mian, the simple peasant’s wife, quell what is evil in their
propensities and in their nature, in order to follow Christ’s
teachings, and thus stand nearer God than the greatest
philosopher and the most distinguished scientific man in
the intellectual circles of London or Paris, if these do not
also overcome their sinful nature, their pride, or other evil
passions which may possess them. If now we contemplate
wonian’s position in our Swedish homes, we shall find it
brightening more and more, when we consider that the
practical life in the same, the relation between parents,
children and servants and others, tends more to develop
people’s moral virtues than books and all the intellectual
education in the world. From this, however, I except
Christian knowledge, which comprises the wisest doctrines
of the past and present times relating to God and man,
and which knowledge we stand in need of in order to live
as we ought to do. ‘This knowledge we all gain, in the civ-
ilized world, directly or indirectly through the gospel ; for
all the state, society, literature, etc., etc., is now founded
upon Cliristianity, and almost all of us know what we
ought to do. But these moral duties are not easy to fulfill;
moral goodness and nobleness is difficult to attain, sur-
rounded as we are by sinful fellow-creatures, and in our
contest with them and with our own faults and weaknesses.
How deeply have I not felt and do I not feel this in my own
weak and restless soul! It is only Christianity’s doctrine
of God; of His love to us; of what He has done for us
and intends doing with us ; it is only the love for Him, which
is a result thereof in our hearts; only prayer, through
which we approach Him and experience the affinity of His
spirit with ours ;—it is this only, which can strengthen
our desire to practice what is really pure and good; which
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