Precept and Practice – JULY 27 – By their Fruits ye shall Know them

Our friendships are often clouded, especially in youth, by want of sympathy from our own people.

Resentment, proceeding from subtle unanalysed jealousy, is shown at affection being given to any one not bound by the ties of family relationship.   It has saddened and puzzled many a young heart, coming with an icy chill just as the dawn of love was revealing new paths of blessedness and illuminating the best side of human nature.   Assuming the friendship to be a right and noble one, – worthy of the name, – it would be wrong to try and shut such a source of inspiration out of our lives, and we are justified in holding fast to our friend.

We must guard against the danger of absorption in friendship, to the neglect of former claims and duties.   And we need tact, and delicate consideration for the feelings of those around us, perhaps especially for those feelings which we cannot understand.

But in the joy of our new possession, we can afford to wait patiently, with a clear conscience, and let our lives bear witness to the value of the love that ‘ever and always uplifts.’ ‘By their fruits ye shall know them.’

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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