Precept and Practice – OCTOBER 31 – The Pure in Heart Shall see God

Amid the clamour of dissonant theologies, let us sit then, with a composed love, at the feet of him who pointed to the way – which no doubt can darken and no knowledge close – of seeing God through purity of heart.   That clear and single eye, filling the soul with light;- what is it but the open Thought and Conscience by which the truth of heaven streams in?   And does not Jesus appeal to this as our only rescue from utter darkness and spiritual eclipse?   If so, then men can see for themselves in things divine.   They are not required to take on trust a rule of life and faith, in which they would discern no authority and feel no confidence, were it not for the seal it professes to carry, and the affidavit with which it is superscribed…..   Till it touches us with its internal sanctity and excellence, and we can no longer neglect it without shame and duty to persons who have a conscience, but which are no duty to us.

James Martineau

Let him crush self, purify his inmost spirit, driving Deity, to which all else shall bow;  let him follow it as his sole aim, careless whither the quest may lead him, and round him shall circle the Messengers of the Most High, and in his inmost soul he shall see light.

Imperator

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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