SEPTEMBER TWENTY-FIRST

Girolamo Savonarola born 1452.

Emperor Charles V died 1558.

Sir Walter Scott died 1832.

    It is the secret sympathy,
    The silver link, the silken tie,
    Which heart to heart and mind to mind
    In body and in soul can bind.

    —­Sir Walter Scott.

    No action, whether foul or fair,
    Is ever done, but it carves somewhere
    A record, written by fingers ghostly,
    As a blessing or a curse, and mostly
    In the greater weakness or greater strength
    Of the acts which follow it.

    —­Henry W. Longfellow.

    And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise:  and, behold,
    when I come to the outermost part of the camp, it shall be that, as
    I do, so shall ye do.

    —­Judges 7. 17.

Loving Father, may I remember that from the beginning, all things were created beautiful and were given for love.  I pray that I may be willing to be guided to the beautiful things of life and receive from them the delight of thy love.  Amen.

SEPTEMBER TWENTY-SECOND

Peter Simon Pallas born 1741.

Michael Faraday born 1791.

Theodore Edward Hook born 1788.

Man learns to swim by being tossed into life’s maelstrom and left to make his way ashore.  No youth can learn to sail his life-craft in a lake sequestered and sheltered from all the storms, where other vessels never come.  Skill comes through sailing one’s craft amidst rocks and bars and opposing fleets, amidst storms and whirls and counter currents.

    —­Newell Dwight Hillis.

    O, a trouble’s a ton or a trouble’s an ounce,
      Or a trouble is what you make it! 
    And it isn’t the fact that you’re hurt that counts,
      But only—­how did you take it?

    —­Edmund C. Vance.

    And thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

    —­Hebrews 6. 15.

Tender Father, may I not encourage the disposition to enlarge and make much of the troubles and disappointments of life, and make light of the joys and privileges.  I pray that I may keep a large place for happiness.  Amen.

SEPTEMBER TWENTY-THIRD

Karl Theodore Koerner born 1791.

Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen born 1848.

Wilkie Collins died 1889.

M.F.H.  De Haas died 1895.

    When over the fair fame of friend or foe
      The shadow of disgrace shall fall; instead
    Of words to blame, or reproof of thus and so,
      Let something good be said.

    Forget not that no fellow-being yet
      May fall so low but love may lift his head;
    Even the cheek of shame with tears is wet
      If something good be said.