“I have thought much and often, during my long illness, how entirely we are dependent upon God for every power we possess, both of mind and body. We can work only by His permission. In a moment, if He sees fit, He can withdraw from us all our powers; and we are perfectly helpless until it pleases Him to restore them to us. To those who really love God, and are His children, it is a delightful thought that He controls everything. It is the happiest thing in the world to know, that a wisdom which cannot err, and a love which cannot fail, are conducting us through the journey of life, instead of our own erring judgment. I wish we could all _feel_ this, as well as know it. It is God’s great gift that He is willing to bestow upon us all, if we constantly and earnestly seek it from Him. The highest earthly station, and all that wealth can purchase, will bring no happiness compared with having our wills made one with God’s will. If you obtain this, my dear friends, poor as some of you are, you might be objects of envy to many of the great ones of the earth, who are wearied in the greatness of their way, not having yet learned the great lesson of submission. “There is much, just now, which makes us fear we are entering upon a winter of peculiar trial and difficulty. The high prices of provisions must occasion many of you great anxiety; and much care and economy will, I am sure, be required to make you at all comfortable. Though _all_ departures from God’s law must be followed by suffering, it seems that _war_—which cannot be engaged in without breaking most of the commandments of God, and setting aside entirely the precepts of love and forgiveness of injuries—must be attended with great suffering to any nation that engages in it. God, who made the world, knows exactly by what laws it ought to be governed; and we cannot set aside those laws, without bringing great sorrow upon ourselves.