[Rev. John Bevan, M.A. in the Christian World, London, England]

Is it not true that in our life there are men and women whose nearness draws the best out of us? We work better because they are with us. By some subtle influence which we do not try to understand, but simply to obey, they incite us to good thought and good action. In their presence we want to be at our best....

Such people keep the moral spaces about them fresh and sweet, and all who are in their immediate neighborhood grow better through breathing an air free from infection. In the crew or team, in the office or workshop, there is often one man before whom evil speech is silent. He does not preach; he says little or nothing. He is simply himself....

Men instantly recognize those who have this influence, and instinctively respond to its appeal. I know of a large bank, the staff of which have for some years voluntarily supported as a foreign missionary one who was formerly one of themselves. There are very few of those bank clerks who care two hoots about foreign missions, but they love and admire this man. They believe in him, and when he and his work are under consideration all that is noblest and most unselfish in them comes uppermost.

[Rev. G. Campbell Morgan, D.D., as quoted in the Boston Evening Transcript, Massachusetts]

It is remarkable how afraid people are of the word "saint." If I were to ask everyone in the audience who is a Christian to rise, many of you—all of you perhaps—would be on your feet. But if I were to ask all the saints in the audience to rise, there would probably be muffled laughter, and I doubt if anyone would get to his feet. If he did, he would probably be laughed at.

I believe that this is a great disadvantage to Christianity, and that the distaste for the word is partly due to mediævalism and partly to certain modern attitudes. I say that if you are not a saint, you are not a Christian. That does not necessarily mean that you are living the life of a saint, but it means that you are striving to be a saint. And if you do not consider yourself one, you cannot consider yourself a follower of Jesus Christ....

Paul wrote that these saints should live "as becometh saints." ... He said, "We are his workmanship." He stated, "Ye also are builded together for an habitation of God." ... And I—as well as you—can only lead the full Christian life by dedicating it to a saintship for Him. Therein lies the true Christianity.

[M. Elmore Turner, in the Christian Evangelist, St. Louis, Missouri]

Only transfigured men can set hearts on fire with holy love. Whenever Jesus prayed, things were transfigured! His countenance was changed. Other men had new life. The realm of God was set forward. The world was brought closer to the purposes of the Father.

What about it to-day? How powerful are your prayers? What good does it do for me to enter the chamber and shut the door? Are we walking with Jesus in the way of transfiguration? When we pray, does anything happen—in our own lives, in the lives of others through us? If nothing happens when a man prays, he may be sure that he is not paying the price. The path of transfiguration is costly. It is the path in which men pay the price of effort. Jesus paid that price on the mountain, in the market place, in the garden, and in many a situation when others did not know that he was at prayer. It was not easy to continue "all night in prayer to God." It was not easy to pray in the garden until the sweat came out upon his body. ... The price of effort lay back of every transfiguration.

Let no one in our modern world believe that prayer is easy. Prayer is hard. It makes demand upon body, mind, and heart. There are still Christians saying, "Now I lay me down to sleep," and wondering why nothing seems to happen when they pray. The prayer that transfigures is not as easy as that. It means effort; it means growth; it means nights on the mountain.

Do we lack the radiance which makes men whole? Do we lack courage to drink the cup? Is life moving on for us in the same old way, without change, day after day? Is the kingdom of God suffering because of the quality of our prayers? Are we losing out on the thrill of adventure because of the static nature of our contacts with the Infinite? We need the devotion which led Jesus to pay the price of radiance. We need the daring which led him to adventure in tapping the resources of God. We need to walk the way of transfiguration, of purpose, and of vision with Christ in prayer.

[Editorial in the Morning Press, Santa Barbara, California]

More eloquent and appealing than any sermon in words is the walking, living epistle, the consecrated, regenerated, helpful, unselfish, beautiful life. The humblest member of the church is privileged to live such a life, in the church and outside of it. ... Let no one despair because he feels that his work is not equal in importance to that of another. The spiritual song, the smile, the word of love and cheer, the visit to the sick, the ministration to the neighbor who is afflicted or in need, the honest, upright, beautiful life, even the janitor's task—all these may be as necessary as the sermon.

The poet truthfully says, "They also serve who only stand and wait"—wait for the baptism of the spirit. This is sometimes the hardest task of all, though it may be necessary in order to prepare one for a really spiritual work. Nothing done as a spiritual duty is trivial or unimportant. Each has its place in the work of the perfect whole....

"Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation." It is "the pure in heart" who "shall see God" and have His spirit abide in him. Are these only words, empty promises? No, they are true, and they are made to us.

[From the Times, London, England]

No definition of kindness can prove satisfactory. It depends on a quality of character springing from the consciousness of man's dignity and high potentialities, making those who share it eager to help their fellows to pass on their way in a joyous discharge of life's duties. The kindly man by intuitive perception conveys to his fellows, not necessarily in word or deed, but in what he is, an assurance of his sympathetic understanding of their joys and sorrows, their successes and failures, their hopes and fears. He refuses to believe that the world is an evil place to live in, but knowing men's difficulties and trials he is eager to bid them carry themselves bravely in the times of their perplexity. To those whom he meets, whatever may be their fortunes, he gives a pleasing rhythm to life which becomes a song in their hearts, carrying them on life's way with added zest and the glow of a great hope.

Let no man think little of this virtue. Kindness is one of the most mighty agents in the moral progress of mankind, and many a man has acquired a renewed purpose in life and found in himself sources of the highest happiness, otherwise unsuspected, through the inspiration of a kindly word or deed. ... It is to be observed that in the Gospels little is said of justice, but much about forgiveness; little about gain, but much about self-sacrifice; little about rights, but much about love. ... Throughout the New Testament the dominant theme is the supremacy of that love of which kindness is a fruit.

[W. G. Sibley, in the Chicago Journal of Commerce and La Salle Street Journal, Illinois]

It is just as easy to think goodness of one's fellows as evil, and much more charitable. A man who avoids speaking evil of others is seldom assailed by others. There is good in all of us. Even a mean fellow, when somebody speaks well of some good point he has, is bettered by it. The way to encourage good behavior is to practice it and laud it. The habit of thinking goodness of others increases the goodness of the thinker, and that is always a thing devoutly to be wished. It is, also, the best shield against the evil thinking of others.

[Rev. W. H. Weigle, Jr., in the Sentinel, Roberts, Idaho]

The truth and hope of any time must always be sought in minorities. All history, whether in the field of religion or art, is a record of the power of minorities. There needs but one wise man in a company and all become wise, so rapid is the contagion. Great men exist that there may be greater men. As Christians we were never meant to be lost in a crowd. We are to speak, act, and live differently than the multitudes.

[Rev. Joseph Johnston, as quoted in the Hampstead and Highgate Express, London, England]

We believe that we cannot love the Lord our God without loving our neighbor also. And that implies the cultivation of a social conscience that prompts to social service. If Christianity had no social program, and if it transferred all the interest to a life beyond, if it declared earthly blessings to be valueless ... then it would be an offense to all true natures. For certain we are that the world is given to us to be made the best of, that we are our brothers' keeper, and that we have to stand in our lot and redeem it until the kingdom of God comes among us....

This faith sends an urgent call to those who profess it in these terms: "Do something to spread the light that has come to you in the face of Jesus Christ. Let your faith and confidence and energy go out of you, to some purpose, into other lives around you. The world needs the convictions you have, the impulses you can transmit, and even the denunciations you can pass on false practices round about. Keep your salvation to yourself and it will go bad, but mix the leaven in the sodden lump and it will raise the level of the community."

[From the Montreal Daily Star, as quoted in the New Outlook, Toronto, Ontario, Canada]

If you want to achieve a Christlike character, to combine courage with gentleness, strength with meekness, love with righteousness, self-respect with humility, then nothing that happens outside of you can prevent your achievement.