“Hold fast, then, to the rudder of
life. Guide thine eye, lest haply at any time through thine eyes
there beat upon thee the vehement wave of lust. Guide ear and
tongue, lest the one receive aught harmful, or the other speak
forbidden words. Let not the tempest of passion overwhelm
thee. Let no blows of despondency beat thee down; no weight of
sorrow drown thee in its depths. Our feelings are waves.
Rise above them, and thou wilt be a safe steersman of life. Fail
to avoid each and all of them skilfully and steadily, and, like some
untrimmed boat, with life’s dangers all round about thee, thou
wilt be sunk in the deep sea of sin. Hear then how thou mayest
acquire the steersman’s skill. Men at sea are wont to lift
up their eyes to heaven. It is from heaven that they get guidance
for their cruise; by day from the sun, and by night from the Bear, or
from some of the ever-shining stars. By these they reckon their
right course. Do thou too keep thine eye fixed on heaven, as the
Psalmist did who said, ‘Unto thee lift I up mine eye, O thou that
dwellest in the heavens.’ Ps. xxiii. 1. Keep
thine eyes on the Sun of righteousness. Directed by the
commandments of the Lord, as by some bright constellations, keep
thine eye ever sleepless. Give not sleep to thine eyes or
slumber to thine eyelids, cf.
Ps. cxxxii.
4. that the guidance
of the commandments may be unceasing. ‘Thy word,’
it is said, ‘is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my
paths.’ Ps. cxix. 105. Never
slumber at the tiller, so long as thou livest here, amid the
unstable circumstances of this world, and thou shalt receive the
help of the Spirit. He shall conduct thee ever onward.
He shall waft thee securely by gentle winds of peace, till thou come
one day safe and sound to yon calm and waveless haven of the will of
God, to Whom be glory and majesty for ever and ever,
Amen.”