Page:Historical and biographical sketches.djvu/135

Rh instruct them in one form of the Catechism. This I have not been compelled to do, but when they were sufficiently advanced in reading, writing and similar school exercises, the parents at home have themselves taught the children the Catechism. But the freedom has been given to me, in singing, to sing hymns and psalms. So I have then sung with them both hynms and psalms, since of both kinds, viz.: of spiritual hymns and psalms, the Holy Ghost is the master builder.

Together with this exercise, I have labored to bring it about that the New Testament might be well known to them by searching and looking through the chapters, and it has been very successfully accomplished, so that when I use a quotation for their instruction and information, they themselves, without being shown, can read this quotation. When this door has been opened for them I have endeavored to bring them further, so that they might collect richly the little flowers in this noble garden of paradise, the Holy Scriptures, not only because of their beauty, but also because of their lovely odor, and I have shown to them so much as I, according to my little ability, have been able, what an odor of life to life they have in themselves, if we so use them as they are offered to us, according to their strength and value. Also, what an odor of death to death the opposite has in itself, and that they may see and have a knowledge of both facts from the Holy Scriptures; since, just as the truth has life in itself, and there is an odor of life to life when we follow the truth, so, on the other hand, falsehood has death in itself, and is an odor of death to death, and leads to death when we follow falsehood. The part and reward of the liar is the fiery pool, which is the other death. Rev. xxi, 8. But the truth makes him who follows it free therefrom. See hereupon in the Gospel of St. John, ch. viii,