Precept & Practice – MAY 10 – Unselfishness

What was the secret of such a one’s power?   What had she done?   Absolutely nothing;  but radiant smiles, beaming good-humour, the tact of divining what every one felt and every one wanted, told that she had got out of self and learned to think of others;  so that at one time it showed itself in deprecating the quarrel, which lowering brows and raised tones already showed to be impending, by sweet words;  at another, by soothing a sobbing child;  at another, by humouring and softening a father who had returned weary and ill-tempered from the irritating cares of business.   None but she saw these things.   None but a loving heart could see them.   That was the secret of her heavenly power.

The one who will be found in trial capable of great acts of love, is ever the one who is always doing considerate small ones.

The Reverend F. W. Robertson

Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts.

Dickens

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From the Introduction to Precept and Practice

The kindly welcome given to my other little books, ‘Being and Doing’ and ‘Character and Conduct,’ must be my excuse for adding another collection of extracts to the number now in circulation.

The quotations are gathered from the books of many earnest thinkers, and deal with Life in all its length and breadth, with ourselves, our characters, our plain unvarnished faults and weaknesses, our often untoward circumstances, and with all that drags us down;-  with our purposes, our religion, our love and friendships, and with all that uplifts us;-  with our relation to others, our influence and responsibilities, and finally with those stages of our journey which bring us to the Road’s Last Turn and to the Silent Land.

CONSTANCE  M. WHISHAW