Page:Withgodbookofpra00las.djvu/118

 form but  one  family. Unfortunately, one  not seldom finds  in  the  present  day  Christians  who commit sin  boldly,  and  even  with  a  sort  of pride;  but  there  are,  thank  God,  other  Christians, who  dread  nothing  so  much  as  sin.

Whence arises  this  difference? In the  case of the  latter,  from  the  practice  of  mental prayer, in  that  of  the  former,  from  the  thoughtless manner  in  which  they  live  their  daily  life, and never  reflect  upon  higher  and  eternal things. Truly it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  if a  man  who  lives  in  this  manner  veers  about like a  weathercock  with  every  wind  that  blows. He does  not  live  quite  like  a  Christian,  nor quite like  a  heathen;  he  indeed  believes  in heaven  and  hell,  but  in  a  cold  and  careless manner.

How does  it  happen,  on  the  other  hand, that the  true,  earnest  Christian  stands  as  firm amid evil  examples  as  an  oak  which  has braved a  hundred  winters? Let us  discover his secret,  a  secret  more  valuable  by  far  than the secret  of  the  alchemist. The true  Christian also  has  his  temptations;  he  has  to  fight with his  own  concupiscence,  with  the  world, with the  devil. But he  is  not  careless  and thoughtless; on  the  contrary,  he  is  watchful and serious;  in  prayer  he  meditates  upon religious truths  and  by  the  grace  of  God  his