[Bishop William Lawrence, as quoted in the Traveler, Boston, Massachusetts]

Think what the spirit of appreciation was to Jacob and what it was to Jesus. Not many years ago many boys used to run away from boarding schools here in New England. We don't find so much of this to-day. I believe the trouble was that the boys did n't think they were being appreciated. Of course there is such a thing as overdoing appreciation, but nevertheless a little of it will sometimes bring out the element of love and character in a person that otherwise would not show. I am sure a child will respond to an appreciative parent. Often we are disturbed by our young people to-day. But they are only reacting from the conventionalities of the last generation. Sometimes they are wrong, but they have in them the elements of hope and the desire to do right. We should try to gain their confidence. We ought to create in them a desire for finer things. Let us do our best to lead them into the next generation with liberties and individualism, but without evils. We must remember that Christ [Jesus] is the proponent, above all others, of the right of individual opinion. Another thing we should remember is the appreciation of those we disagree with. They believe they are right just the same as we do. Don't stand from a distance and shout charges at people. Perhaps if you get closer and talk things over with them you will find they are right. And about the offenders against the law? How are we going to bring them back and make them good citizens? Put them in prison? What comes after that? We should be careful how we punish offenders. Of course they should be made to realize the wrong they have done, but we want them to become good citizens again. There is more of a danger to the state when they come out of prison and are not good citizens.

[From the Age, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia]

There is a world-wide society which has never been organized, is without formal constitution and rules, never has a meeting, keeps no roll, has existed from the beginning of time, and is assured of immortality. It never adjourns or goes into recess, has no secret signs, no ritual, yet its membership is continually increasing, and its work thrives under all skies and in every race and creed under heaven. Among ourselves some of the members are known as Big Brothers, Rotarians, Scouts, Girl Guides, and by scores of other names. The title of the universal society is not official, but merely descriptive, and, as it exists for the sole purpose of cheering the sad, the disappointed, the troubled, the sick, and the aged, it may be spoken of as the society of encouragers. There is no need to give it the honor of capital letters. It never advertises, never sends a paragraph to the newspapers, but has so captured the hearts of men that the press finds it necessary to publish some of the proceedings of related and organized societies. The parent guild, the all-inclusive one, is the glorious company of those who are in some way seeking to make life brighter for the less fortunate of the human family. The unofficial operations flow in a continuous stream, which keeps the world sweet, and has many a time staved off a social cataclysm. The deep of human need calls to the deep of human sympathy, and not in vain. The cynical saying of Rochefoucauld, that in the misfortunes of our best friends there is something not absolutely unpleasing to us, has the edge taken off by the increasing help given so willingly to the distressed. It would be no exaggeration to say that the benevolence more or less publicly exhibited is repeated over and over again by those who do good by stealth, and would blush to find it fame. The encouragers who let their gifts be blazoned abroad are not necessarily seeking applause: they hope to stimulate others to follow their example. But the encouragers who cannot give much money are often able to speak the word of cheer and extend the sympathy that changes life for many a weary son of man. ... "If I had my ministry to begin over again," said Ian Maclaren, "I would make it a ministry of comfort. Most men are fighting a hard battle." The battle is infinitely harder if one has no friend to hearten him. ... It is a sure sign of greatness when a person sets himself deliberately to warn others who, by dint of circumstances, are in danger of following a course which can only be fraught with mischief, and if the warning is accompanied with inspiring exhortation and example it cannot fail of effect. ... Sometimes the kind of encouragement given requires to be particularly penetrative and discriminating. ... The encourager emphasizes the possibilities, fixes the mind of the disappointed on them, stresses the hopefulness of the outlook, and thus braces the man for another effort. There are hearts aching ... for a word of appreciation, and he who utters it has a great reward. ... Our influence, conscious and unconscious, is far-reaching, and we cannot ever bury it with us. It goes on for good or evil. Our opportunities to encourage others, to cheer them with a kind word and a gracious deed, bring with them a challenge and a destiny. We may or may not succeed in what we aim at, but we are the gainers by the effort. We are repaid an hundredfold, whether our work prospers or not. It is always open to us to help others by pointing out that they possess qualities which, if developed, would bring them to the success they covet. Kind words are worth much. ... It is related that on a winter day that great preacher Henry Ward Beecher said to a newsboy, "Are you not cold?" "I was, sir," said the boy, "till I saw you." A kind smile, a kind word, a kind heart will change a winter into summer.

[J. C. Penney, in the Christian Herald, New York, New York]

The gospel of commendation is a wonderful gospel to preach, for three important reasons: First, there are so many who like to hear it—indeed, most of us frail mortals like it. Second, it evidences a magnanimous nature on the part of the one who expresses it. Third, it generally assures a functioning cooperation that cements men together with links of steel. There is a mental attitude that waddles around with the silly idea that to commend another for work done, or a worth-while service rendered, is an evidence of effeminacy on the part of the bestower. There is also sometimes expressed the thought that it should not be necessary to commend a man for doing his duty, and the further thought that to do so may make him swell up with egotism.

It requires a bigger, a more unselfish man to express a commendation than it does to receive one. Nor is it any evidence of stupidity or effeminacy either to do so or to desire it. If some fellow wants to swell up and "bust" because some one speaks well of his work to him, let it be even so, since the man of the first part has only done his duty. I say "has done his duty" advisedly, for I cite the Master of men who one day said, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

Have you ever stopped to consider that all the real satisfaction most people receive for their fidelity is a word of commendation? Have you ever pondered what it means to the humble toiler in the hundreds of out-of-way places to say "Thank you" to him? Did it not sweeten his cup and lighten his load to have you express your appreciation to him for the thing he did or tried to do? There are hearts that are hungry to hear us tell them they are doing well. I like to hear it sometimes myself. I like to practice it in my family and among my associates. Suppose we all try it out on a larger scale in our homes, in our social relations, and in our business activities for the next thirty days. It surely will not cost us any spiritual impoverishment or humiliation of soul, except that which is always the precursor of exaltation. To be able to appreciate the work and worth of another is a fine mental balance, and to bestow that appreciation is normal to the unfolding of a magnanimous and generous spirit.

[From the Herald, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada]

Perfect love, we are told, casteth out fear. "Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." When it comes to the commandments it is to be noted that what they impose upon us can be easily carried out in a spirit of love, without being in the nature of impositions. If there is what is known as brotherly love it is impossible for a man to do hurt to his neighbor. It is an influence which must guide every word and action. There can be no mean thing begotten of love, for love has a divine source, in the truth that "God is love." Love is the antithesis of fear, for "perfect love casteth out fear." It makes all the difference, when it comes to the virtue of what we do, whether our actions are governed by love or fear. He who does right for fear of being punished is a moral coward. He is far removed from the individual who does right because he loves right. If our actions are governed by love they are actuated by noble and sincere motives. If they are impelled by fear they are base, for the impulse by which we are guided is the cowardly one of fear. The law of love is the new dispensation which Christ [Jesus] came into the world to reveal, and with it to give us a new conception of the Deity, the God of love, the God to be loved and not to be feared. It makes all the difference in our conception of Christianity in the way we regard this. There is not a doubt that love means joy. That is to say that it brings joy into life, a spiritual tonic. If we are ruled by the law of love in what we do and what we think, then it can be truly said we bring ourselves into a happy state. It brings us figuratively into the open and happy glades of life, into the warmth of the sunshine of life; whereas fear causes us to slink, figuratively, into the dark places.

All nature reacts to love, for love means kindness. Fear begets a feeling of dread, the dread of cruelty. We may apply this to the human life and contrast the emotions which love stirs up as opposed to fear. There can be no faith unless there is love. Unless we are of loving natures it is impossible to believe in a God of love, for, not having the spirit of love in ourselves, we cannot imagine what a God identified with love is. How often is a good action, the doing something which we feel and know is right, checked by fear, the fear of becoming unpopular and the many considerations which we take into account and which have their source in fear. If our thoughts and actions are governed by love we shall not consider the sordid consequences which fear, of the kind referred to, forces upon us; thereby our every action will gain in sincerity. We shall be true and not hypocrites.

[The Rev. A. Grant Evans, as quoted in the Morning Press, Santa Barbara, California]

Forgiveness that stops with remitting the penalty for an offense is a questionable good—perfect forgiveness does away with the offense itself.