Chroniques de N. D. du Lac
Additions or Reminiscences (1880)
. . . amounted to and resulted in a complete failure, if God
had not blessed their puny exertions in the undeniable manner he
did, making of us so many living witnesses to the truth of his
apostle's solemn declaration, that the weakness of God is stronger
than men; that the foolish things of the world God hath chosen
that he may confound the wise; that he hath chosen the weak things
to confound the strong; and the base things and the things that
are contemptible hath God chosen, and the things that are not,
that he might bring to nought the things that are, that no flesh
should glory in his sight -- I Cor., 1, 27-29. This precious and
most consoling text is familiar to all missionaries. I learned it
by heart, or rather took it to my heart long since. God alone
knows how well it has served me.
Hence I repeat without a particle of shame, but with a
readiness equalled only by an absolute conviction, that if there
is anything praiseworthy in the rapid growth of the mustard seed
brought over from the old world and planted by us in this new one,
it is to the abundant dew, the incessant and ever increasing
blessing from above that it is due. Non nobis Domine, non nobis,
sed Nomini . . .
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