Sept. 5, 1880, while visiting her sister in Philadelphia she opens a new volume of the journal as follows:—
Too warm to venture to church. The church in Cincinnati opens to-day. Would I might be one of the congregation! I am, in spirit! In opening this book on Sunday I would dedicate it to a high use, and open it with ascription of praise to the Giver of all good. "Pray for us unto the Lord thy God, ... that the Lord thy God may show us the way wherein we may walk" (Jer. xlii. 2, 3). "Quicken thou me in thy way" (Psalms cxix. 37).
The following prayers are then copied:—
"My Father, may I ever humbly follow in thy way; may I ever trust, with the full assurance of faith, that it does lead to thy heavenly kingdom. It is often narrow and perplexed, and I cannot see where it is leading me; yet, though the guiding light of thy holy word may be half obscured by the mists of the valley, if I fix my eyes steadily upon it, it will become brighter and brighter; I shall see my way clearly in this seemingly intricate road, and discern, even at the end of it, the entrance to thy heavenly mansion."
"O God, may our souls be full of life. Save us from an inanimate and sluggish life.... Inspire our sensibility to good; may we see more and more its loveliness and beauty. And may all the varied experience of life draw us nearer to thee" (Channing).
Then follows "an abstract from Channing's Memoirs, showing how, by self-scrutiny, his character was formed, by many trials and denials." She then copies eighteen pages from Channing's "Rules for Self-Discipline," at the end writing, "All these pages from Channing are written from memory, not copied."
The second rule copied is, "Let me not talk of pains, sicknesses, complaints," etc.
Following the rules is a poem copied from the "Christian Register" of Sept. 4, 1880.
WHAT OF THAT?
"Tired?" Well, what of that?
Didst fancy life was spent on beds of ease,
Fluttering the rose-leaves scattered by the breeze?
Come, rouse thee! work while it is called day!
Coward, arise! Go forth upon thy way.
"Lonely?" And what of that?
Some must be lonely; 'tis not given to all
To feel a heart responsive rise and fall,
To blend another life into its own.
Work may be done in loneliness. Work on!