Character and Conduct Part 11

'Twill soon be dark; Up! mind thine own aim, and G.o.d speed the mark!"

EMERSON.

Work--Effective Reforms

MARCH 6

"We must be careful not to undermine independence in our anxiety to relieve distress. There is always the initial difficulty that whatever is done for men takes from them a great stimulus to work, and weakens the feeling of independence; all creatures which depend on others tend to become mere parasites. It is important therefore, as far as possible, not so much to give a man bread, as to put him in the way of earning it for himself; not to give direct aid, but to help others to help themselves. The world is so complex that we must all inevitably owe much to our neighbours; but, as far as possible, every man should stand on his own feet."

Lord AVEBURY.

"We are now generally agreed upon our aims: n.o.bility of character and not only outward prosperity; victory over evil at its source, and not in its consequences; reforms which shall regard the welfare of future generations, who are 'the greatest number.'"

Bishop WESTCOTT.

"We fall under the temptation of seeking material solutions for spiritual problems; material remedies for spiritual maladies. The thought of spiritual poverty, of spiritual dest.i.tution, is crowded out.

We treat the symptoms and neglect the disease itself."

Bishop WESTCOTT.

Work--Effective Reforms

MARCH 7

"If you are moved with a vague desire to help men be better men, you must know that you can do it not by belabouring the evil but by training the good that there is in them."

PHILLIPS BROOKS.

"The Christian, therefore, I repeat, as Christian, will take his full part in preparing for the amelioration of the conditions of men no less than for their conversion. He will in due measure strive to follow, under the limitations of his own labour, the whole example of his Lord, who removed outward distresses and satisfied outward wants, even as He brought spiritual strength and rest to the weak and weary. Moreover, this effort based upon resolute thought, belongs to the completeness of the religious life of the Christian."

Bishop WESTCOTT.

"Reforms which are effective must develop and strengthen character."

Bishop WESTCOTT.

Work--"To cure is the Voice of the Past"

MARCH 8

"All measures of reformation are effective in exact proportion to their timeliness. Partial decay may be cut away and cleansed, incipient error corrected: but there is a point at which corruption can no more be stayed, nor wandering recalled. It has been the manner of modern philanthropy to remain pa.s.sive until that precise period, and to leave the sick to perish, and the foolish to stray, while it spent itself in frantic exertions to raise the dead, and reform the dust."

_The Queen of the Air_, JOHN RUSKIN.

"THE real work of charity is not to afford facilities to the poor to lower their standard, but to step in when calamity threatens and prevent it from falling."

_The Standard of Life_, MRS. BERNARD BOSANQUET.

"To cure is the voice of the past; to prevent, the divine whisper of to-day."

_Children's Rights_, KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN.

Satan's Opportunities

MARCH 9

"Physiologists know as much about morality as ministers of the gospel.

The vices which drag men and women into crime spring as often from unhealthy bodies as from weak wills and callous consciences. Vile fancies and sensual appet.i.tes grow stronger and more terrible when a feeble physique and low vitality offer no opposing force. Deadly vices are nourished in the weak diseased bodies that are penned, day after day, in filthy crowded tenements of great cities."

_Children's Rights_, KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN.

"Man's unpitied misery is Satan's opportunity."

"Mould conditions aright, and men will grow good to fit them."

HORACE FLETCHER.

"Evil is Wrought by want of Thought"

MARCH 10

"But evil is wrought by want of thought, As well as want of heart."

THOMAS HOOD.

"It is clear that in whatever it is our duty to act, those matters also it is our duty to study."

DR. ARNOLD.

"No alms-giving of money is so helpful as alms-giving of care and thought; the giving of money without thought is indeed continually mischievous; but the invective of the economist against indiscriminate charity is idle if it be not coupled with pleading for discriminate charity, and above all, for that charity which discerns the uses that people may be put to, and helps them by setting them to work in those services. That is the help beyond all others; find out how to make useless people useful, and let them earn their money instead of begging it."

_Arrows of the Chace_, JOHN RUSKIN.

(From a letter published in the _Daily Telegraph_ of December 20, 1868.)

The Hallowing of Work