that I am teaching you now is not mine, nor yours; it is only a tiny stream flowing from the fountains of His infinite wisdom, and would be the truth, all the same, if we had never been born, or never learned to see it.  The good and joyous feelings in your heart, too, are also from God, just as the truth is, though they seem to you more as if they were your own.  You must never think of them as your own, never; but thank God for them very gratefully and humbly, for they are His fruits that grow in the garden of your father, the Garden of Eden.”

“Why do you call it the Garden of Eden?”

“Because, by the Garden of Eden, is signified the state of those who live in obedience to God; and by the beauty and pleasantness of the garden we are taught that, when we receive goodness and truth from God, we, at the same time, receive happiness from Him, because He is infinitely happy, as well as infinitely good, and when His spirit fills our hearts, we are happy too.  Happiness comes with goodness, just as the flowers and songs of birds come with summer.”

“Then are all good people happy?  I thought not.”

“It is true, there are many trials in this world, but do you not see that if we were good we should acknowledge that God sent them as blessings, and should be willing to accept them from him, and should, therefore, not be made very unhappy by them.  You may be sure that people are really, in their heart of hearts, happy exactly in proportion as they are good.  I have known persons who had suffered a great deal in many ways, and who yet said that nothing had been so bitter to them as the consciousness of their own sins.  Good people see a thousand things to love and enjoy which the wicked world find no pleasure in; they are sure to make friends, and, what is far better, sure to love and do good to all about them.  They take delight in everything beautiful that God has created.  They think of Him, and all His goodness, and, in the midst of sorrow, their hearts are comforted, and filled with heavenly peace.”

“Why did you say the road was rough and long to that beautiful garden?—­is it so very, very hard to be good?—­and does it take so very long?”

“You must not feel sad because it is not easy to be good; you must think of it bravely, and joyfully.  Why, my Alice! did you not say you never felt tired when you were going to a pleasant place?  It is not always easy to do right; sometimes we are sorely tempted, and then it seems very difficult; but what of that?  It is possible, always, for God never requires of us what we cannot do.  When you feel discouraged, remember that angels in heaven were little children once, and that some of them found it as hard as you do to be good and true, but they tried over and over again, and are blessed angels now.  They love to acknowledge that it was not by their own strength they overcame evil, but that all the good and truth and happiness they have are from God.  He does not love you less than He did them, for His love is infinite to all His children, and if you are willing He will lead you also into His Garden of Eden.”