THINGS THOUGHTFUL

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16848, 26 September 1922, Page 3

THINGS THOUGHTFUL

So all dear and tender hearts abide in the counsel of God.—E. Burroughs. KIND WORDS. Kind words cost no more than unkind ones. Kind words produce kind actions, not only on tho part of those to whom they are addressed, but on, the part of those by whom they are employed ; and this habitually in virtue of the principle of association.—Jeremy Bent-ham. DESTINIES. Like warp and woof all destinies Are woven fast, Linked in sympathy like the keys Of an organ vast. Pluck one thread, and the web ye mar; Break but one Of a thousand keys, and the paining jar Through all will run. —Whittier. This learned I from the shadow of the tree. ■Which to and fro did sway upon. a wall : Our shadow lives, our influence may fall Where we can never he —A. E. Hamilton. HOPE. The clouds dispel, the darkness flees away, and athwart the clear grey sky a rainbow of loveliest hues i& thrown, and in its glowing colours i read one word—Hope. And blue grows the heavens, lend in their midst a star is shining, so bright that the sun’s light dims it not. Shine on. O star of Faith, shine for ever through my life, through grief A through joy, in time ot adversity, in time of wealth, through dark night watches, and through fair bright days, until thou lightest me to the sure haven wherein I may find tho* everlasting Yea. wherein all contradiction is solved, and wherein whoso walks and works it is well with him.—Carlyle. For thou hast but fallen to gather the last of the secrets of power; The beauty that breathes iu thy spirit shall shape of thy sorrow a flower, The pale bud of pity shall open the bloom of its tendereat rays, The heart of whoso shining is bright with the light of the Ancient ot Days. —A.E. THE EYES OF LOVE. The praise that comes from the lips of love does not make for vanity, but for humility in every noble spirit. Love does not see through judicial glasses, but through a rosy haze that makes the one commended long to be all that he is supposed to be, and shrink from disappointing the affection that expects so much of him. The sharpest criticism has, to a clear brain and true heart, no such inspiration as love’s dear, exaggerated concept . He is master and lord of his. brothers Who is worthier and wiser than they. Him only, flint surely shall others, Else equal, observe and obey. —A. C. Swinburne. SUCCESS. It is said that success lies as much in endeavour as in achievement. The root of the matter is in the will that purposes and the faith that undertakes. These and only these, build up the character that* makes for success. LEARNED BY SUFFERING. I have suffered for love possibly more than any man has ever suffered. Hell itself can hold no torments greater than it has inflicted on me. It has caused me more misery, more agony, than 1 should have thought the human heart capable of. And yet l would not have had it otherwise; for I. owe to it such glimpses of licawn, such an exultation of happiness as might well compensate me for an eternity of pain.—Keats. LIFE 8 DUTIES. One by one thy duties- wait thee. Let thy whole strength go to each. —Adelaide Procter. To be everywhere and in everything’ in sympathy, and yet coiftent to remain where and what you are- is not this to know both wisdom and virtue, and ro dwell with happiness? THE FIGHT FOR TRACE. The religion of peace cannot hold its ground unless it is prepared, when occasion arises, to transform itself into the religion of strife. That such occasions do arise is a fact written large in all moral experience. They are the moments, familiar, I suppose, to most of us. when a man must say to his soul : “ Fight now r , fight to the uttermost, resisting, it may be, even unto blood, or peace shall never visit thee any more.” —L. P. Jacks. OUR MAN OF LETTERS. Our man of letters wears no gown, Nor learned mortar board. No massive brow nor 'abstract frown Tell of deep knowledge stored. But man of letters*none the less Our man e?f letters is; And proud as proud can be, 1 guess, Because they are his l The Postman brought his letters here From Gran and Auntie May ; Addressed to “ Master Jackie clear, 'Who’s four years old to-day!” —J. H. Stein. ,The thought of the love of God cannot be grasped in the slightest degree, even as a working hypothesis, by a

who does not know human love. Elbert Hubbard. CON SCIENCE TRAININ' G . The training ot the conscience becomes a primal duty. It is wonderful to what _ perfection the eye can be educated. Rersehel thought that the work- i ers on the mosaics of the Vatican could I distinguish at least thirty thousand ! different shades of colour. It is equally surprising to what perfection the ear may be trained. Weber said that mmi- : ciaus can distinguish notes separated in i the scale of sound by only one-s4xtieth ' part of a musical tone. To what perfec- i tion, then, may not the conscience be I raised!—Rev \V. L. Watkinson. Any man may be a king in that life ! in which ho is placed if so be he mzv i draw forth the sword of success from j out of the iron of circumstance ' Howard Pyle.