Character and Conduct – 28 February – Responsibility

THOUSANDs live and die in the dim borderland of destitution;  that little children wail, and starve, and perish, and soak and blacken soul and sense, in our streets;  that there are hundreds and thousands of the unemployed, not all of whom, as some would persuade us, are lazy impostors;  that the demon of drink still causes among us daily horrors which would disgrace Dahomey or Ashantee,  and rakes into his coffers millions of pounds which are wet with tears and red with blood;  these are facts patent to every eye.   Now, God will work no miracle to mend these miseries.   If we neglect them they will be left uncured, but He will hold us responsible for the neglect.   It is vain for us to ask, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’   In spite of all the political economists, in spite of all superfine theories of chilly and purse-saving wisdom, in spite of all the critiques of the irreligious – still more of the semi-religious, and the religious press, He will say to the callous and the slǒthful, with such a glance ‘as struck Gehazi with leprosy, and Simon Magus with a curse,

‘What hast thou done?   Smooth religionist, orthodox Churchman, scrupulous Levite, befringed and bephylacteried Pharisee, thy brother’s blood crieth to Me from the ground!’

F. W. FARRAR

BAYARD TAYLOR

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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.