Character and Conduct – 22 February – The Sin of Idleness

THERE is a certain amount of work to be done in this world.   If any of us does not take his full share, he imposes that which he does not take on the shoulders of another;  and the first cause of poverty, of disease, of misery in all States, is the overwork which is imposed on men and women by the idle and indifferent members of the nation.   This is to steal from the human race;  to steal from them joy, leisure, health, comfort and peace, and to impose on them sorrow and overwork, disease and homelessness, bitter anger and fruitless tears.   This is the curse which the selfish dreamer leaves behind him.   Many have been the fierce oppressors and defrauders of the human race, but the evil they have done is less than that done by those who drop by drop and hour by hour drain the blood of mankind by doing no work for the overworked.   This is the crime with which the idle and indifferent will be confronted when the great throne is set in our soul, and the books we have written on men’s lives are opened, and God shall lay judgment to the line and righteousness to the plummet.

‘Lord, what hast Thou to do with it?’ we will say.   ‘I did not neglect Thee;  I took my ease, it is true, but I kept Thy law.   I was never impious, never an atheist.   When was I not religious?’   Then He will answer:  ‘Inasmuch as ye never worked for the least of these My brothers, ye never worked for Me!’

The Gospel of Joy, STOPFORD BROOKE

LET us start up and live:  here come moments that cannot be had again;  some few may yet be filled with imperishable good.

J. MARTINEAU

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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.