Character and Conduct – 15 September – Bearing Sorrow

SELFISHNESS in Sorrow is another temptation.   One is so apt to become absorbed in one’s Sorrow.

It is quite possible to become almost selfish in one’s spiritual life under the stress of great Sorrow.

To see everything, every lesson, every allusion, solely from one’s own point of view, to grow too fond of thinking of one’s burden…

The hard path of daily duty is the only path to tread, not because one is thinking of oneself, but because one wishes to forget oneself, and to think only of God, and of those that remain.

Self-denial:  to put self last, not out of sight, but last, that is what one is always called to do, and it is a sad bit of disloyalty to God’s grace if one becomes more selfish in Sorrow.

Canon SCOTT HOLLAND

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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 them here readers may be inspired to imitate the example of the authors.