1

It is very necessary to have right knowledge when you are about to
do anything of importance; for so you are less likely to make mistakes,
to fail, or perhaps to do harm by your ignorance. So I wish you to have
a right idea about Confirmation. There are two principal acts in Confirmation;
first in order though not in importance, the person, in this
case you, confirms the promise made in his name by his or her sponsors
in baptism; what that promise was you know from your Catechism. The
second, and most important, part is that the person is next confirmed by
God, who gives to him the gift of the Holy Ghost. If you will look at
the Confirmation service you will find both these made plain. Thus the
Bishop first asks the candidates "do you renew and confirm" your promises;
& also tells the congregation that it is "convenient" (that is,
suitable) that they should "openly before the church confirm the same".
On the other hand they are spoken of as "all that are to be confirmed"
and as those to whom "Confirmation is to be administered"; and at the
end of the baptismal and Confirmation services you will find the same way
of speaking, "to be confirmed", in the rubrics at the end. Doubtless the
most important use of an equivalent expression is in the prayer before the
Bishop lays on his hands; "Strengthen them, we beseech thee, O Lord, with
the Holy Ghost". Strengthen is a pure English word, which means the same
as confirm, which is of Latin origin. You see then there are two who confirm;
the person who confirms his baptismal promise and God who confirms,
strengthens, the person by the gift of the Holy Spirit. Of these the latter
is by far and away the most important, for man is weak and often will
fail in his most honest efforts; but God is All-mighty, "able to save to
the uttermost them that so come to Him"; he cannot fail, neither can His
promiose. Were it otherwise Papa and Mama might hesitate to bring so
young a child to be confirmed; might say: let us wait till she is older
and wiser to confirm her promises. But as it is shall we wait all
those sweetest and best years in your life, those years in which the
Holy Spirit and his grace can most certainly and perfectly enter into you,
strengthening you; shall we keep you back from being confirmed by God.
You are not too young to receive his blessing; *******

Look upon Confirmation therefore in this way, chiefly as God's act
towards you, by which you shall receive a special favor and blessing,
beginning then and daily increasing. on the other hand you have
something to do, *** **** To tend and care for the spiritual life, the
gift of the Holy Ghost, which God gave you when you were baptized and
strengthens when you are confirmed, you must do every day those things
which your sponsors promised ******

Do not be afraid to promise this because you may fail. Your promise
is not that you will never do wrong and always do right, such a promise
would be a lie to begin with. Your promise is that you will not follow
nor be led by" evil. A person does not follow because he falls down, nor
is he led by one who suddenly jerks him out of his road; no more does one
follow evil because he falls into a sin; nor is he led by it, if it on a
sudden overthrows him. Following or being led applies to the daily course
to the direction in which you are moving, not to particular falls

Copied from letter to H. E. M. from A. T. M.
Dec. 31, 1884 -