Character and Conduct – 19 October – Un-self-consciousness

AN unconscious, easy, selfish person shocks less and is more easily loved than one who is laboriously and egotistically unselfish.   There is at least no fuss about the first;  but the other parades his sacrifices, and so sells his favours too dear.   Selfishness is calm, a force of nature:  you might say the trees are selfish.   But egoism is a piece of vanity;  it must always take you into its confidence;  it is uneasy, troublesome, searching;  it can do good, but not handsomely;  it is uglier, because less dignified, than selfishness itself.

IF A man has self-surrender pressed incessantly upon him, this keeps the idea of self ever before his view.   Christ does not cry down self, but He puts it out of a man’s sight by giving him something better to care for, something which shall take full and rightful possession of his soul.   The Apostles, without ever having any consciousness of sacrificing self, were brought into a habit of self-sacrifice by merging all thoughts for themselves in devotion to a Master and a cause, and in thinking what they could do to serve it themselves.

Pastor Pastorum, HENRY LATHAM

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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.