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A short method of prayer, and Spiritual torrents, tr. by A.W. Marston

75

 
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A SHORT METHOD OF PRAYER. 75

ministers of sacraments ! establish His kingdom ; and, in order to establish it truly, make it reign over HEARTS. For as it is the heart alone which can oppose His empire, it is by the subjection of the heart that His sovereignty is most honoured. Alas ! we seek to make studied prayers ; and by wishing to arrange them too much, we render them impossible. We have alienated children from the best of Fathers, in seeking to teach them a polished language. Go, poor children, and speak to your Heavenly Father in your natural' language : however uncultivated it may be, it is not so to Him. A father loves best the speech which is put in disorder by love and respect, because he sees that it comes from the heart : it is more to him than a dry harangue, vain and unfruitful though well studied. Oh, how certain glances of love charm and ravish Him ! They express infi-nitely more than all language and reason. By wishing to teach how to love Love Himself with method, much of this love has been lost. Oh I it is not necessary to teach the art of loving. The language of love is barbarous to him who does not