Character and Conduct – 5 January – The Power of the Holy Spirit

WE are haunted by an ideal life, and it is because we have within us the beginning and the possibility of it.

PHILLIPS BROOKS

THE power of the Holy Spirit! – an everlasting spiritual presence among men.   What but that is the thing we want?   That is what the old oracles were dreaming of, what the modern Spiritualists tonight are fumbling after.   The power of the Holy Ghost, by which every man who is in doubt may know what is right, every man whose soul is sick may be made spiritually whole, every weak man may be made a strong man, – that is God’s one sufficient answer to the endless appeal of man’s spiritual life;  that is God’s one great response to the unconscious need of spiritual guidance, which He hears crying out of the deep heart of every man. –  I hope that I have made clear to you what I mean.  I would that we might understand ourselves, see what we might be;  nay, see what we are.   While you are living a worldly and a wicked life, letting all sacred things go, caring for no duty, serving no God, there is another self, your possibility, the thing that you might be, the thing that God gave you a chance to be.

PHILLIPS BROOKS

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

Collected by Constance M Whishaw and first published in 1905 as a follow up to her volume of Daily Readings for members of the Being and Doing Guild who asked for an additional volume

In her preface Whishaw writes:

‘This collection of noble thoughts expressed by men and women of past and present ages who have endeavoured to leave the world a little better than they found it.’

It is my hope in publishing the her readers may be inspired to imitate the example of the authors.