Precept and Practice – SEPTEMBER 21 – Brethren

The sympathy of Jesus was fellow-feeling for all that is human.   He did not condole with Zacchaeus upon his trials, – He did not talk to him ‘about his soul,’.  He did not preach to him about his sins, He did not force His way into his house to lecture him, – He simply said, ‘I will abide at thy house:’  thereby identifying himself with a publican:  thereby acknowledging a publican for a brother.   Zacchaeus a publican?   Zacchaeus a sinner?   Yes; but Zacchaeus is a man.   His heart throbs at cutting words.   He has a sense of human honour.   He feels the burning shame of the world’s disgrace.   Lost?   Yes:-  but the Son of Man, with the blood of the human race in His veins, is a Brother to the lost.

(The Reverend F. W. Robertson)

(Keble – The Christian Year)

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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