The Golden Epistle of Abbot William of St. Thierry to the Carthusians of Mont Dieu

A CONGRATULATION ON THE RENEWING OF THE FERVOUR OF ANCIENT RELIGION

т. То the brethren of the Mount of God,” by whom the eastern light and ancient Egyptian fervour of religion? are brought into this western darkness and cold of France, namely the pattern of solitary life and form of heavenly conversation—to them go forth, O my soul, yea and join with them in the joy of the Holy Spirit, in merriment of the heart, in fervour of piety, and in all service of devout will. Yea, for we ought to feast in the Lord and to be joyful because that most glorious part of Christian devotion and teligion, which seemed to touch heaven most nearly, was dead and is alive again, was lost from the world and is found.? With the hearing of the ear we had heard, and we believed not; we read in books, and marvelled at the glory that was of old in the solitary life, and the great grace of God therein; but suddenly we found it in the fields of the wood, in the mountain of God, in a fat mountain; where now the pleasant places of the desert are fat with it, and the hills are girded with exultation. For there, even through you, it appeareth manifestly unto all men, and showeth itself in you; and being unknown till now, findeth fame in few men and simple, since He planteth it in you who by few and simple did once subdue the whole world unto Himself, the world itself being astonished. For although those were great and altogether divine miracles which the Lord did on eatth, yet this one thing shone forth above all, this gawe light unto all the rest, that by few and simple, as hath been said, He subdued the whole world, and all the height of the wisdom of it, unto Himself; which deed He now beginneth to work in you also. Even so, Father, even so; because so it seemeth good before Thee. For Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent of this world, and hast revealed them unto babes ‘Therefore fear not, little flock, saith the Lord, but be altogether believing, because it hath pleased God the Father to give a kingdom unto you.”