Many Thoughts of Many Minds | Page 8

in tongue, but in deed and in truth. It is

a business with men as they are, and with human life as drawn by the
rough hand of experience. It is a duty which you must perform at the
call of principle; though there be no voice of eloquence to give
splendor to your exertions, and no music of poetry to lead your willing
footsteps through the bowers of enchantment. It is not the impulse of
high and ecstatic emotion. It is an exertion of principle. You must go to
the poor man's cottage, though no verdure flourish around it, and no
rivulet be nigh to delight you by the gentleness of its murmurs. If you
look for the romantic simplicity of fiction you will be disappointed; but
it is your duty to persevere, in spite of every discouragement.
Benevolence is not merely a feeling but a principle; not a dream of
rapture for the fancy to indulge in, but a business for the hand to
execute.--CHALMERS.
The only way to be loved, is to be and to appear lovely; to possess and
display kindness, benevolence, tenderness; to be free from selfishness
and to be alive to the welfare of others.--JAY.
Beneficence is a duty. He who frequently practices it, and sees his
benevolent intentions realized, at length comes really to love him to
whom he has done good. When, therefore, it is said, "Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thyself," it is not meant, thou shalt love him first and do
him good in consequence of that love, but, thou shalt do good to thy
neighbor; and this thy beneficence will engender in thee that love to
mankind which is the fulness and consummation of the inclination to
do good.--KANT.
The lessons of prudence have charms, And slighted, may lead to
distress; But the man whom benevolence warms Is an angel who lives
but to bless. --BLOOMFIELD.
Every virtue carries with it its own reward, but none in so distinguished
and pre-eminent a degree as benevolence.
BIBLE.--The Bible begins gloriously with Paradise, the symbol of
youth, and ends with the everlasting kingdom, with the holy city. The
history of every man should be a Bible.--NOVALIS.

The Scriptures teach us the best way of living, the noblest way of
suffering, and the most comfortable way of dying.--FLAVEL.
Within that awful volume lies The mystery of mysteries! Happiest they
of human race, To whom God has granted grace To read, to fear, to
hope, to pray, To lift the latch and force the way; And better had they
ne'er been born, Who read to doubt, or read to scorn. --SCOTT.
Like the needle to the North Pole, the Bible points to heaven. --R.B.
NICHOL.
There are two books laid before us to study, to prevent our falling into
error: first, the volume of the Scriptures, which reveal the will of God;
then the volume of the Creatures, which express His power. --BACON.
Men cannot be well educated without the Bible. It ought, therefore, to
hold the chief place in every situation of learning throughout
Christendom; and I do not know of a higher service that could be
rendered to this republic than the bringing about this desirable
result.--DR. NUTT.
What is the Bible in your house? It is not the Old Testament, it is not
the New Testament, it is not the gospel according to Matthew, or Mark,
or Luke, or John; it is the Gospel according to William, it is the Gospel
according to Mary, it is the Gospel according to Henry and James, it is
the Gospel according to your name. You write your own
Bible.--BEECHER.
A single book has saved me; but that book is not of human origin. Long
had I despised it; long had I deemed it a class-book for the credulous
and ignorant; until, having investigated the Gospel of Christ, with an
ardent desire to ascertain its truth or falsity, its pages proffered to my
inquiries the simplest knowledge of man and nature, and the simplest,
and at the same time the most exalted system of moral ethics. Faith,
hope and charity were enkindled in my bosom; and every advancing
step strengthened me in the conviction that the morals of this book are
as infinitely superior to human morals as its oracles are superior to
human opinions.--M.L. BAUTIN.

Whence but from Heaven, could men unskill'd in arts, In several ages
born, in several parts, Weave such agreeing truths? or how, or why
Should all conspire to cheat us with a lie? --DRYDEN.
Good, the more communicated, more abundant grows.--MILTON.
I will answer for it, the longer you read the Bible, the more you will
like it; it will grow sweeter and sweeter; and the more you get into the
spirit of it, the more you will get into