They tell the story that on one occasion, while the blessed Anthony [St. Anthony the Great] was dwelling in the desert, thoughts of dejection and despair rose up in his mind, and he was in deep gloom of thought, and said to God, "Lord, I wish to live, but my thoughts will not permit me to do so. What will I do in my tribulations to be saved?" And he came a little nearer [to the town] from the place where he was, and he saw a man who was like to himself, and was in his own form, and he was sitting down and twisting palm leaves into ropes ; and this man rose up from his work, and prayed, and afterwards he sat down again and continued his work, and then he stood up once more, and prayed. Now the man was an angel who had been sent from God to correct and to admonish the blessed Anthony, who afterwards heard him say to him, "O Anthony, do you also do this and live"; and when Anthony heard this, the blessed man had great joy, and afterwards he did as the angel had done, and lived.

from Sayings of the Holy Desert Fathers