Page:The Praises of Amida, 1907.djvu/87

 salvation bravely and thoroughly. There is absolutely no need for you to hesitate on the ground of your sinfulness or incompetency. The Gate of Self-Help should open for a man like you. Or again, if you examine your own heart, and find yourself to be neither a good man, nor one capable of exertion, you had better not try to conceal the fact, you had better make an open avowal of your wickedness and incompetency. For a man like you there is always the Gate of "Salvation-through-the-help-of-Another." But if, knowing yourself to be weak and sinful, you make a false estimation of your own powers, and try to save yourself by your own exertions, as though you had the strength and virtue to do so, you may be sure that you will never succeed. You will see, therefore, that he that would save his soul must before all things make a correct estimate of his own powers. 14. And now, which of these two alternatives shall we choose? Shall we look upon ourselves as being capable of the exertion