Precept and Practice – JULY 11 – Personality

There is no training to service apart from the influence of such strong personalities, who are themselves possessed with the passion for human service and the redemption of their fellow-men, who have themselves seen the vision of the new social order 

wherein dwelleth righteousness,’ and who themselves do not think of their culture and wealth as ‘things to be clutched at,’ but have made and are daily making the sacrifice without which there is no salvation for man or for society.   These are the personalities which really move men to goodness, because they touch their imagination and kindle their spirit.   They are like the poet of Sir Philip Sidney, who ‘doth not only show the way, but giveth so sweet a prospect into the way, as will entice any man to enter into it;  nay, he doth, as if your journey should lie through a fair vineyard, at the very first give you a cluster of grapes, that full of that taste you may long to pass farther.’

(J. L. Paton – From a Letter)

Given a book, and anything may happen in the way of inspiration;  given a personality, and some Peter may leave all to follow Him.

(Dr. John Watson – The Potter’s Wheel)

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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