To one in religious doubt:—
‘(Undated.)
‘ ... How I wish some one abler and better than I could help you now, but as God has given you to me, and something of a mother’s heart with my children, I must try.
‘First: I would resolve to take some fixed time each day, say ten minutes on first rising, just to plume one’s feathers for some short flights above the earth.
‘Secondly: I would think of some of the blessings and thank God for them.
‘Thirdly: Then I would plead for light; “Show me Thy glory; but I would ask in humility, being content to wait till the third or even the fourth watch.” I would ask, “Show me the Father and it sufficeth; let me know Thy love, if I cannot bear Thy glory.” And I would utter the prayer not only in aspiration in spoken words, or only in feeling (which is the music of prayer), but I would utter it in act, by reading in a childlike spirit some Scripture—climbing as it were the Delectable Mountains with the shepherds, and trying to make out something through their glasses. Ask that same Spirit, which has taught the spirit of man, and which I believe taught you specially,—not for your own, but for the Church’s sake, to show to you spiritual truths.
‘Fourthly: Then I would see if there was some selfishness, some “Evil Eye” preventing my seeing, and ask deliverance from any besetting sin.
‘Fifthly: I would ask God to let me offer some sacrifice, permit me to join with Him, to hold communion with Him in blessing another, and try to look for some to whom I might give some cup of refreshment, some way of entering into His joy, and of crucifying self.
‘Sixthly: I would place myself under such influences as have lifted the souls of others. I would join in common worship as much as possible in our prayers here and at Church.
‘Seventhly: I would receive the teaching of Jesus, and through the bread and wine of earth ask God to feed me with the Heavenly Manna.