Character and Conduct – 21 October – Love the Destroyer of Sin

IT IS quite idle, by force of will, to seek to empty the angry passions out of our life.   Who has not made a thousand resolutions in this direction, only and with unutterable mortification to behold them dashed to pieces with the-first temptation?   The soul is to be made sweet not by taking the acidulous fluids out, but by putting something in – a great love, God’s great love.   This is to work a chemical change upon them, to renovate and regenerate them, to dissolve them in its own rich fragrant substance.   If a man let this into his life, his cure is complete; if not, it is hopeless.

The Ideal Life, HENRY DRUMMOND

THE secret of success consists not in the habit of making numerous resolutions about various faults and sins, but in one great, absorbing, controlling purpose to serve God and do His will!   If this be the controlling motive of life, all other motives will be swept into the force of its mighty current and guided aright.

oooOOOooo

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.