Seekers after God by Frederic William Farrar
page 233 of 279 (83%)
page 233 of 279 (83%)
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4. That we are ourselves feeble, and by no means immaculate; and that often our very abstinence from faults is due more to cowardice and a care for our reputation than to any freedom from the disposition to commit them. 5. That our judgments are apt to be very rash and premature. "And in short a man must learn a great deal to enable him to pass a correct judgment on another man's acts." 6. When thou art much vexed or grieved, consider that man's life is only a moment, and after a short time we are all laid out dead. 7. That no wrongful act of another can bring shame on us, and that it is not men's acts which disturb us, but our own opinions of them. 8. That our own anger hurts us more than the acts themselves. 9. That _benevolence is invincible, if it be not an affected smile,_ nor acting a part. "For what will the most violent man do to thee if thou continuest benevolent to him? gently and calmly correcting him, admonishing him when he is trying to do thee harm, saying, '_Not so, my child: we are constituted by nature for something else: I shall certainly not be injured, but thou art injuring thyself, my child_' And show him with gentle tact and by general principles that this is so, and that even bees do not do as he does, nor any gregarious animal. And this you must do simply, unreproachfully, affectionately; without rancour, and if possible when you and he are alone." (xi. 18.) "_Not so, my child_; thou art injuring thyself, my child." Can all |
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