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English Correspondence
St Boniface, tr. Kylie, 1911
Letter 3: Daniel, Bishop of Winchester, Gives the Priest, Wynfrith, a General Letter of…
To the pious and clement kings and to all princes, to the reverend and beloved bishops, to the holy abbots, the priests, and the spiritual children of Christ, Daniel, servant of the servants of God.
The commands of God must be observed by all the faithful with sincere devotion, and the Holy Scriptures show how great is the reward of hospitality and how acceptable it is to God to discharge kind offices to travellers. The holy Abraham, because of bountiful hospitality, deserved to receive the blessed angels and to enjoy converse with them. Even so Lot, through the same discharge of pious offices, was snatched from the flames of Sodom; he was obedient to the commands of Heaven, and the grace of hospitality saved him from doom in the flames. So it will avail to your eternal salvation if you show to the holy priest and servant of the Omnipotent God, Wynfrith, who bears this letter, the love which God himself prizes and enjoins. Receiving the servants of God, you receive Him, for He has promised: “He that receiveth you receiveth Me.”1 Doing this with heartfelt devotion you fulfil the bidding of God, and trusting to the divine promise you will have eternal reward with Him.
May the grace of God protect you.
Notes
- Matt. x. 40.