“To-day let me put in practice the two above-mentioned duties:  silence, and less thought upon my friends.

“And now, O God!  If Thou helpest not I shall be worse than before.  Heavenly Father, as the lower depends on the light and warmth of the sun for its grace and beauty, so, and much more, do I depend on Thee for life and progress.  O Lord! from the depths of my heart I would implore Thee to aid me in all good intentions.  My heart overflows with its fulness of gratitude for what Thou hast done for me, and I know Thou wilt not shorten Thy hand.  Thy beauty, Thy loveliness, O God! is beyond our finite vision, far above our expression.  Lord, all I can utter is, Help my weakness.”

“December 2, 1843.—­My heart, these two days back, has been filled with love.  Oh, had I some one to whom I could unbosom myself!  There is a something that affects my heart which is invisible, and to me strange.”

Here he seems to intend the literal, physical heart, making it the scene, at the same time, of a spiritual emotion.  On the same day he writes: 

“I will not feed my body with impure food—­is it not of infinitely more importance that I should not feed my spirit with deeds of impurity?  By this I mean my gaining a living by making and selling articles which, in my judgment, are injurious, being luxurious and altogether unnecessary.  Should I cease from doing that which is contrary to my spirit, what else should I do?  O Lord, enlighten Thou my path!”

With what zeal he still persisted in the practice of bodily mortification this entry bears witness: 

“December 6.—­Day before yesterday I fasted and took a cold shower-bath.  My diet is apples, potatoes, nuts, and unleavened bread.  No water—­scarcely a mouthful a week.”

Then follow some thoughts on the solidarity of humanity, which retards individual progress by weighting each with the burdens of all others.  He finds in this an explanation of the truth that our Lord took all the sins of men upon Himself and suffered for them on the cross.  The blind ingratitude with which this sacrifice has been repaid cuts him with anguish, from which he rises into this cry of love and adoration: 

“O Lord! my heart is choked from the utterance of its depth of thankfulness.  O dear Christ!  O sweet Christ!  O loving Christ! oh, more than brother, friend! oh, more than any other being can be!  O Son of God! oh, Thou who showest forth the pure love of God! oh, Thou inexpressible Love! draw me nearer Thee, let me feel more of Thy purity, Thy love!  Oh, baptize me with Thy Spirit and loosen my tongue that I may speak of Thy love to men!  Oh, it cannot be spoken of, nor can our hearts feel its greatness.  God! what is Thy mercy that Thou sufferest us to live?  Our ingratitude is too great to be uttered.  Lord, I am silent, for who can speak in Thy presence?  O Father!  O Love!  O Loving-kindness!  My heart could fly away!”