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St. Augustine  says  that  whoever  does  not  shun  dangerous conversations  will  soon  fall  into  a  precipice: "He that  will  not  avoid  suspected  familiarity  soon  falls into  ruin." The example  of  the  unhappy  Solomon should make  us  all  tremble. At first  he  was  most  dear to God,  and  even  the  inspired  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  by the  love  of  strange  women  he  was  in  his  old  age  led into idolatry. Nor should  his  fall  be  a  subject  of  wonder; for,  as  St.  Cyprian  says,  to  stand  in  the  midst  of flames  and  not  to  burn  is  impossible.

Be assured,  O  blessed  spouse  of  the  Lord,  that  for  religious the  atmosphere  of  the  parlor,  where  conversations are  held  with  seculars,  is  pestiferous. As in  the choir religious  breathe  the  salubrious  air  of  paradise, so in  the  parlor  they  may  inhale  the  pestilential  vapors of hell. A religious,  were  she  in  her  father's  house, would certainly  not  dare  to  spend  an  hour  or  two  in conversation  with  persons  of  every  age  and  of  both sexes, and  will  she  not  scruple  to  do  so  in  God's  own dwelling? Is the  house  of  the  Lord  to  be  treated  with less respect  than  the  house  of  a  secular?

But you  will  say:  By  the  grace  of  God  such  conversations are  harmless. Let those  that  speak  thus  remember, that  all  friendships  founded  on  a  sensible  affection for external  objects,  if  not  productive  of  other  evils,  are at least  great  obstacles  to  perfection. They certainly