cal and moral world,
all which offends and makes a lie; and that into that fire the Son will
surely cast all shams, lies, hypocrisies, tyrannies, false doctrines. Is
it not good news that _that_ fire is unquenchable, that _that_ worm will
not die? The fire may be kindled for us--the worm may seize our hearts.
God grant that in that day we may have courage to let the fire and the
worm do their work--to say to Christ, "These too are Thine, and out of
Thine infinite love they have come. Thou requirest truth in the inward
parts, and I will thank Thee for any means, however bitter, which Thou
usest to make me true. I want to be an honest man and a right man! And,
O joy! Thou wantest me to be so also. O joy! that though I long
cowardly to quench Thy fire, I cannot do it. Purge me therefore, O Lord,
though it be with fire. Burn up the chaff of vanity and self-indulgence,
of hasty prejudices, second-hand dogmas,--husks which do not feed my
soul, with which I cannot be content, of which I feel ashamed daily--and
if there be any grains of wheat in me, any word or thought or power of
action which may be of use as seed for my nation after me, gather it, O
Lord, into Thy garner." Amen.

_Letters and Memories_.

The Fire of God hardens a man and softens him at the same time. He comes
out of it hardened to that hardness of which it is written, "Do thou
endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ;" and again, "I have
fought a good fight, I have kept the faith, I have finished my
course;"--yet softened to that softness of which it is written, "Be ye
tender-hearted, compassionate, forgiving one another, even as God, for
Christ's sake, has forgiven you;" and again, "We have a High Priest who
can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, seeing that He has
been tempted in all things like as we are."

Happy, thrice happy, are they who have thus walked through the Valley of
the Shadow of Death, and found it a path that leads to everlasting life.
Happy are they who have writhed awhile in the fierce fire of God, and
have had burned out of them the chaff, and the dross, and all which
offends and makes them vain and light, yet makes them dull, and drags
them down at the same time; till only the pure gold of God's
righteousness is left, seven times tried in the fire, incorruptible,
precious in the sight of God and man. Such need not regret, will not
regret, all that they have gone through. It has made them brave, sober,