Being and Doing – 5 May – Good in All

I THINK a person may, by thought, encourage and develop congeniality.   Great men, endowed with high powers of imagination, and large and affectionate sympathies, suffer much less from the real or supposed uncongeniality of those who surround them, than other and commoner people do.   It is the narrow-minded fastidious person who suffers most from uncongeniality.   A Mirabeau, an Alcibiades, a Bacon, a Shakespeare, finds something congenial to him in all those with whom he associates.   Depend upon it, when you find persons difficult to live with, and thoroughly uncongenial to you, it is that you have failed to discover, and to appeal to those primeval and better elements of their character, which would yield pleasant fruits to an intelligent cultivation of congeniality on your part.

A. HELPS

WITH every person he met he instinctively struck some point of contact, found something to appreciate, often it might be some information to ask for, which left the other cheered, self-respected, raised for the moment above himself.

From Life of C. Kingsley

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These quotes are from ‘Being and Doing’ A selection of helpful thoughts from various authors arranged for daily reading.

Collected by Constance M Whishaw and first published in 1908 for members of the Being and Doing Guild whose object is to do all they can for the relief of suffering and misery.

Most of the writers are 19th Century Christians from Britain and Europe who were committed to living their faith through deeds as well as words – Being AND Doing.

For many years these words have kept me company and encouraged me on the journey of faith.  I hope they will encourage others also.