The Autobiography of Madame GuyonGuyon, Jeanne Marie Bouvier de la Motte
Religion
The Autobiography of Madame Guyon
Guyon, Jeanne Marie Bouvier de la Motte
Catholics -- France -- Biography; Guyon, Jeanne Marie Bouvier de La Motte, 1648-1717
As we had not yet built the chapel, and were far from any church, I
could not go to prayers or sacrament without the permission of my
husband. He was very reluctant to permit me, except on Sundays and
holidays. I could not go out in the coach, so that I was obliged to
make use of some stratagems, and to get service performed very early in
the morning, to which, feeble as I was, I made an effort to creep on
foot. It was a quarter of a league distant. Really God wrought wonders
for me. Generally, in the mornings when I went to prayers, my husband
did not awake until after I was returned. Often, as I was going out,
the weather was so cloudy, that the girl I took with me told me that I
could not go; or if I did, I should be soaked with the rain. I answered
her with my usual confidence, "God will assist us." I generally reached
the chapel without being wet. While there the rain fell excessively.
When I returned it ceased. When I got home it began again with fresh
violence. During several years that I have acted this way, I have never
been deceived in my confidence. When I was in town, and could find
nobody, I was surprised that there came to me priests to ask me if I
was willing to receive the communion, and that if I was they would give
it to me. I had no mind to refuse the opportunity which Thou thyself
offered me; for I had no doubt of its being Thee who inspired them to
propose it. Before I had contrived to get divine service at the chapel
I have mentioned, I have often suddenly awoke with a strong impulse to
go to prayers. My maid would say, "But, madam, you are going to tire
yourself in vain. There will be no service." For that chapel was not
yet regularly served. I went full of faith and at my arrival have found
them just ready to begin. If I could particularly enumerate the
remarkable providences which were hereupon given in my favor there
would be enough to fill whole volumes.
When I wanted to hear from, or write to Mother Granger, I often felt a
strong propensity to go to the door. There to find a messenger with a
letter from her. This is only a small instance of these kind of
continual providences. She was the only person I could be free to open
my heart to, when I could get to see her, which was with the greatest
difficulty. It was through providential assistance; because prohibited
by my confessor and husband. I placed an extreme confidence in Mother
Granger. I concealed nothing from her either of sins or pains. I did
not now practice any austerities but those she was willing to allow me.
My interior dispositions I was scarcely able to tell because I knew not
how to explain myself, being very ignorant of those matters, having
never read or heard of them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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