English Lessons

From the Days When

Meaning Was Conveyed Gracefully

Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.--GAL. iv. 7.

Not by the terrors of a slave
God's sons perform His will,
But with the noblest powers they have
His sweet commands fulfil.

ISAAC WATTS.

Our thoughts, good or bad, are not in our command, but every one of us has at all hours duties to do, and these he can do negligently, like a slave, or faithfully, like a true servant. "Do the duty that is nearest thee"--that first, and that well; all the rest will disclose themselves with increasing clearness, and make their successive demand. Were your duties never so small, I advise you, set yourself with double and treble energy and punctuality, to do them, hour after hour, day after day.

T. CARLYLE.

Whatever we are, high or lowly, learned or unlearned, married or single, in a full house or alone, charged with many affairs or dwelling in quietness, we have our daily round of work, our duties of affection, obedience, love, mercy, industry, and the like; and that which makes one man to differ from another is not so much what things he does, as his manner of doing them.

H. E. MANNING.