himself has assigned to me. At my age, and but a girl, subject to the
wishes of my parents, I ought only to desire to do good in proportion to
the means with which the Lord has furnished me. But I must, in so
doing, endeavor to overcome selfishness, idleness, the love of ease,
avarice, hardness of heart, pride, and indifference, and I must love my
neighbor as myself. Oh! what an important undertaking, and how many
excuses and deceits this kind of charity will encounter and overcome.

"But I will look to Jesus, and pray to him; I will implore the
secret guidance of his Spirit; and since he is faithful, he will not
leave me alone, but will lead me, and enable me to walk day by day, I
mean 'to-day,' in his sight, and in communion with him, who is so
full of love and gentleness."

This, my dear Esther, is what I have copied from Amelia's journal.
You see the light in which our friend regarded her life on earth, and
how much importance she attached to one _day_--a single day.

As I read what she had written, I felt my soul humbled before God,
and I trembled to think of the useless way in which I had hitherto
spent my time.

You see in particular what Amelia felt on the subject of piety; what
love her soul had for God! and this is what produced in her that
active, sincere, and constant charity.

You cannot form the least idea of the work, of kindness and
benevolence which she was enabled to accomplish. That passage, "The
memory of the just is blessed," is truly applicable to her.