—­John H. Newman.

    Think truly, and thy thoughts
      Shall the world’s famine feed;
    Speak truly, and each word of thine
      Shall be a fruitful seed;
    Live truly, and thy life shall be
      A great and noble creed.

    —­Horatio Bonar.

    We ought to love everybody and make everybody love us.  Then
    everything else is easy.

    —­Alice Freeman Palmer.

    Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy healing
    shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before
    thee; the glory of Jehovah shall be thy rearward.

    —­Isaiah 58. 8.

Almighty God, look upon me with pity; so often I have obeyed the thoughts that have been misleading and profitless.  Make me more careful of what I think and say, and may I learn from my mistakes the forbidden paths.  Help me to keep my mind in unity with thy will.  Amen.

FEBRUARY TWENTY-SECOND

George Washington, Virginia, first President United
States, born 1732.

James Russell Lowell born 1819.

Margaret E. Sangster born 1838.

    Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial
    fire called conscience.

    —­George Washington.

    Life is a sheet of paper white
    Whereon each one of us may write
    His word or two, and then comes night. 
    Greatly begin! though thou hast time
    But for a line, be that sublime. 
    Not failure, but low aim is crime.

    —­James Russell Lowell.

    God keep us through the common days,
      The level stretches white with dust,
    When thought is tired, and hands upraise
      Their burdens feebly since they must;
    In days of slowly fretting care
    Then most we need the strength of prayer.

    —­Margaret E. Sangster.

    Make level the path of thy feet,
    And let all thy ways be established.

    —­Proverbs 4. 26.

Lord God, help me to realize the influence of the individual life.  And as I would care for my own, may I seek to do for others; and may I not criticize, but help all who are trying to make the world better.  Amen.

FEBRUARY TWENTY-THIRD

Samuel Pepys born 1633.

George F. Handel born 1685.

George Frederick Watts born 1817.

John Keats died 1821.

Margaret Deland born 1857.

    Labor is life! ’tis the still water faileth;
    Idleness ever despaireth, bewaileth: 
    Keep the watch wound, or the dark rust assaileth;
      Flowers droop and die in the stillness of noon. 
    Labor is glory! the flying cloud lightens;
    Only the waving wing changes and brightens,
    Idle hearts only the dark future frightens,
      Play the sweet keys, wouldst thou keep them in tune.