hful to the spirit of St. Teresa, and
had received from Heaven the mission to restore the Carmel to its
primitive perfection. Having founded three convents of the Reform
in Spain, she established one in France, and another in Belgium.
She died in the odor of sanctity in the Carmel of Brussels on
March 4, 1621. On May 3, 1878, His Holiness Pope Leo XIII signed
the Decree introducing the Cause of her Beatification.

[10] Matt. 8:10.

[11] St. Francis of Assisi, out of humility, refused to accept the
sublime dignity of the Priesthood, and remained a Deacon until his
death. [Ed.]

[12] An allusion to the beautiful words of the martyr St. Ignatius
of Antioch, uttered when he heard the roar of the lions in the
Roman arena. "I am the wheat of Christ; let me be ground by the
teeth of the wild beasts, that I may become clean bread." [Ed.]

[13] St. John of the Cross.

[14] 1 Cor. 12:31.

[15] St. John of the Cross.

[16] Cf. Luke 16:9.

[17] Luke 16:8.

[18] St. John of the Cross.

[19] Isa. 38:14.

[20] Matt. 9:15.

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END OF THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY

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EPILOGUE: A VICTIM OF DIVINE LOVE

"Many pages of this story"--said its writer--"will never be read
upon earth." It is necessary to repeat and emphasize her words.
There are sufferings which are not to be disclosed here below; Our
Lord has jealously reserved to Himself the right to reveal their
merit and glory, in the clear vision where all veils shall be
removed. "My God," she cried on the day of her religious
profession, "give me martyrdom of soul or body . . . or rather
give me both the one and the other!" And Our Lord Who, as she
herself avowed, fulfilled all her desires, granted this one also,
and in more abundant measure than the rest. He caused "the floods
of infinite tenderness pent up in His Divine Heart to overflow
into the soul of His little Spouse." This was the "Martyrdom of
Love," so well described in her melodious song. But it was her own
doctrine that, "to dedicate oneself as a Victim of Love is not to
be dedicated to sweetness and consolations; it is to offer oneself
to all that is painful and bitter, because Love lives only by
sacrifice . . . and the more we would surrender ourselves to Love,
the more we must surrender ourselves to suffering."

Therefore, because she desired to attain "the loftiest height of
Love," the Divine Master led her thither by the rugged path of
sorrow, and