Letter CVI.631    Placed in 372.

To a soldier.

I have many reasons for thanking God for mercies vouchsafed to me in my journey, but I count no blessing greater than the knowledge of your excellency, which has been permitted me by our good Lord’s mercy.  I have learnt to know one who proves that even in a soldier’s life it is possible to preserve the perfection of love to God,632    Among others, conspicuous instances of the statement in the text are Cornelius, St. Martin, John de Joinville, Peter du Terreil, Sieur de Bayard, Henry Havelock, and Charles Gordon. and that we must mark a Christian not by the style of his dress, but by the disposition of his soul.  It was a great delight to me to meet you; and now, whenever I remember you, I feel very glad.  Play the man; be strong; strive to nourish and multiply love to God, that there may be given you by Him yet greater boons of blessing.  I need no further proof that you remember me; I have evidence in what you have done.

ΣΤΡΑΤΙΩΤῌ

[1] Ὑπὲρ πολλῶν ἔχοντες εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὧν καὶ ἠξιώθημεν παρ' αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς ἐπιδημίας ἡμῶν, μέγιστον ἀγαθὸν ἐκρίναμεν τὴν γνῶσιν τῆς σῆς τιμιότητος, τὴν παρὰ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ Δεσπότου παρασχεθεῖσαν ἡμῖν. Ἔγνωμεν γὰρ ἄνδρα δεικνύντα ὅτι καὶ ἐν τῷ στρατιωτικῷ βίῳ δυνατὸν τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν ἀγάπης τὸ τέλειον διασῶσαι, καὶ ὅτι οὐκ ἐν τῇ περιβολῇ τῆς ἐσθῆτος, ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ διαθέσει τῆς ψυχῆς ὁ χριστιανὸς ὀφείλει χαρακτηρίζεσθαι. Καὶ τότε οὖν μετὰ πάσης ἐπιθυμίας συνετύχομέν σοι καὶ νῦν, ὁσάκις ἂν εἰς μνήμην ἔλθωμεν, μεγίστης ἀπολαύομεν εὐφροσύνης. Ἀνδρίζου τοίνυν καὶ ἴσχυε καὶ τὴν πρὸς Θεὸν ἀγάπην τρέφειν καὶ πολυπλασιάζειν ἀεὶ σπούδαζε, ἵνα σοι καὶ ἡ τῶν ἀγαθῶν παρ' αὐτοῦ χορηγία ἐπὶ μεῖζον προΐῃ. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἡμῶν μέμνησαι οὐδεμιᾶς ἑτέρας ἀποδείξεως προσδεόμεθα, τὴν ἐκ τῶν πραγμάτων ἔχοντες μαρτυρίαν.