第86部分(第3/7 頁)

sin；　because　Nature　has　no　laws　except　her　own；　and　her　ancient　rule　is　not　that　revealed　by　Christ　in　the　latter　days。

So　it　is　with　almost　everything：　even　true　affection　or　any　other　virtue　exaggerated　can　turn　to　vice。　It　would　seem　as　though　a　man’s　trials　here　were　purposely　made　as　hard　as　may　be；　so　hard　that　at　times　we　may　perhaps　be　forgiven　if　we　wonder　whether　this　world；　at　any　rate　for　some；　is　not　in　truth　one　of　the　chambers　of　the　house　of　hell；　or　at　least　of　that　purgatory　preached　—　so　far　as　I　know　without　warrant　—　as　a　doctrine　of　the　Roman　faith。　By　prayer；　then；　we　can　be　purged　and　helped；　prayer　for　ourselves；　prayer　for　others；　for　the　living；　yes；　and　for　the　dead；　for　who　will　dare　to　say　that　even　the　dead　are　beyond　the　reach　of　benefit　from　our　feeble　crying　in　the　night　to　the　Ruler　of　that　night？　Prayer；　I　repeat；　is　heard；　prayer；　if　it　be　directed　to　lawful　ends；　is　answered　sometimes　when　it　seems　to　be　made　most　in　vain。　If　only　we　had　faith　enough　no　right　thing　would　be　refused　to　us。　Who　knows　the　harvest　that　we　sow　by　means　of　earnest；　faithful　prayer；　and；　though　its　seed　lie　buried　for　a　season；　shall　one　day　reap？　But　most　of　all；　I　think；　should　we　pray　for　knowledge　how　to　pray！

Now　the　road　to　this　goal　of　faith；　which　must　be　found　and　kept　open　by　prayer；　still　remains　full　of　obstacles　and　apt　to　vanish　quite　away；　leaving　the　weary　wanderer　in　a　desert　where　no　water　is。　Light　fails；　dark　grows　the　sky；　again　and　yet　again　cold　winds　of　doubt　freeze　him　to　the　marrow；　sins　overtake　and　conquer　him；　voices　mock　him　from　the　gloom。　They　bid　him　look　back　to　the　warm　world　he　left　upon　his　foolish　quest　to　find　a　star　whither　no　path　leads　that　mortal　can　follow。　They　point　to　the　bones　of　those　who　have