the　Bar。　—　H。　R。　H。＇　more　in　your　line　than　developing　ostrich　plumes。　I　suppose　at　the　Cape　there　is　only　a　step　between　law　and　politics。　I　wish　you　all　success　and　prosperity。　Many　thanks　for　your　interest　in　me；　I　still　continue　content　in　my　position；　and　I　look　forward　to　making　my　final　vows　about　this　time　next　year。　I　am　satisfied　that　this　is　a　high　vocation　and　that　I　personally　am　called　to　it。　I　should　like　to　know　how　you　account　for　the　fact　that　I；　being　what　I　am；　not　given　to　virtue　nor　enthusiasm；　should　have　conceived　the　idea　of　ing　to　such　a　place；　that　I　should　have　executed　it；　not　without　sacrifice；　that　I　should　have　persevered　in　it；　and　that　now　after　four　years’　trial　I　should　have　no　greater　hope　than　to　pass　the　rest　of　my　life　here。　It　is　a　marvel　even　to　myself；　there　is　but　one　explanation　—　the　inprehensible　mercy　of　God。　You　may　prefer　the　vocation　of　St。　Paul　to　that　of　St。　John　Baptist；　but　it　is　safer　to　remend　both。　Anyhow　it　is　more　modest　not　to　condemn　a　way　of　life　which　has　been　followed　by　so　many；　so　great；　so　holy　men　now　these　fourteen　centuries。　There　is　no　country　that　owes　more　to　St。　Benedict　and　his　rule　than　England。　No　one　that　I　am　aware　of　says　that　it　is　necessary　for　everyone　to　bee　a　monk　in　order　to　be　saved；　but　some　are　called；　and　if　they　are　faithful　they　will　have　an　easier　and　better　salvation。　Everyone　who　believes　the　truth　faith　and　keeps　the　mandments　is　safe。　All　this　is　the　penny　Catechism　（I　wish　you　would　buy　one）；　for　as　yet　my　theological　science　extends　little　further。

One　reason　why　people　have　a　difficulty　in　understanding　such　a　life　as　ours　is　that　they　forget　original　sin。　They　say；　God　created　the　good　things　of　life　in　order　to　be　used；　etc。　But　we　are　fallen　and　corrupt；　an