Wisdom of the Ages

Here are some of the verities of life which are eternally true. Let us take one for cogitation each day and try to reflect the truth of it in our life. We have, of course, to guard against making an alloy of it by a subtle admixture, traducing it to suit our own commonplace convenience.

December:

1. Love never claims, it ever gives. Love ever suffers, never resents, never revenges itself.

2. Your life is fulfilled in meditation, compassion and service.

3. Set thine house in order for thou shall die.

4. Be wiser than other people if you can, but do not tell them so.

5. The highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognise that we ought to control our thoughts.

6. The remedy for weakness is not brooding over weakness, but thinking of strength. Teach men of strength that is already within them.

7. Idleness is only the refuge of weak minds.

8. A man without faith is like a drop thrown out of ocean bound to perish.

9. No young man believes he shall ever die.

10. God helps when one feels oneself humbler than the very dust under one’s feet.

11. Do well and right and let the world sink.

12. Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

13. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

14. A man of few words will rarely be thoughtless in his speech; he will measure every word.

15. The Truth shall make you free.

16. A merry heart maketh a cheerful continuance.

17. It is with our passions as it is with fire and water, they are good servants, but bad masters.

18. One should eat not in order to please the palate, but just to keep the body going.

19. And help us, this and every day, to live more nearly as we pray.

20. Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed.

21. Take no heaviness to heart: drive it away and remember the last end.

22. Wisdom denotes the pursuing of the best ends by the best means.

23. Confession of error is like a broom that sweeps away dirt and leaves the surface cleaner than before.

24. Put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life.

25. For dust thou art, and unto dust shall thou return.

26. Without prayer there is no innward peace.

27. A man who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears.

28. If we had no faults we should not take so much pleasure in noticing them in others.

29. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto our wisdom.

30. Have Mercy on us worms of earth.

31. The pursuit of Truth is True Bhakti (devotion).