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James Freeman Clarke

James Freeman Clarke Books

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“All boys wish to be manly; but they often try to become so by copying the vices of men rather than their virtues. They see men drinking, smoking, swearing; so these poor little fellows sedulously imitate such bad habits, thinking they are making themselves more like men. They mistake rudeness for strength, disrespect to parents for independence. They read wretched stories about boy brigands and boy detectives, and fancy themselves heroes when they break the laws, and become troublesome and mischievous. Out of such false influences the criminal classes are recruited. Many a little boy who only wishes to be manly, becomes corrupted and debased by the bad examples around him and the bad literature which he reads. The cure for this is to give him good books, show him truly noble examples from life and history, and make him understand how infinitely above this mock-manliness is the true courage which ennobles human nature.”

BoysCrimeManhoodNobility
Book:Every-Day Religion
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“In the irresistible logic of guilt, one evil leads to another, one sin is developed out of another. There is nothing abrupt, nothing casual in the process. The road to sin is smooth, because an army of transgressions has passed over it. When such a development takes place, the community is filled with consternation. Men meet each other and say, "Have you heard what has happened? Mr. A. has turned out a defaulter. Mr. B. has been robbing his bank. How could he have done it?" Alas! he did it long ago, when he took the first step, when he diverged a very little way from the path of right. After that, every other step was easy, natural, and logical.”

SinConsequencesSlippery Slope
Book:Every-Day Religion
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“If you will only consider, you will remember many a person of whom the world never heard and will never hear, whose years have been as full of generosity, loyalty to duty, faith in God, fidelity to every day's work, as those of Franklin or Garfield, Lincoln or Emerson. They, also, have put their hands to the plough and have not looked back. Having made up their minds to what ought to be done, they did not hesitate, did not procrastinate, did not worry or grow anxious, but faithfully performed the duty of the hour. They had faith in Providence, and so did with their might what their hands found to do. They gave, and it was given to them again, "full measure, pressed down and running over." They did good, hoping for nothing again, and the reward came in lives full of content; in cheerfulness, peace, and satisfaction.”

HumilityGenerosityService
Book:Every-Day Religion
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“Let us not torment each other because we are not all alike, but believe that God knew best what He was doing in making us so different. So will the best harmony come out of seeming discords, the best affection out of differences, the best life out of struggle, and the best work will be done when each does his own work, and lets every one else do and be what God made him for.”

BelieveDoeMadeDifferentDoneDifferencesStruggleHarmonyAffectionTormentBest WorkSeemingDiscord
Book:Self-culture, lectures
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“All the strength and force of man comes from his faith in things unseen. He who believes is strong; he who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions. The man strongly possessed of an idea is the master of all who are uncertain or wavering. Clear, deep, living convictions rule the world.”

MenWorldBelieveIdeasActionFaithStrongForceClearDoubtHe ManMastersWeakConvictionPossessedUncertainUnseenWavering
Book:Common-sense in Religion: A Series of Essays
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“Progress, in the sense of acquisition, is something; but progress in the sense of being, is a great deal more. To grow higher, deeper, wider, as the years go on; to conquer difficulties, and acquire more and more power; to feel all one's faculties unfolding, and truth descending into the soul,--this makes life worth living.”

FeelsYearsSoulSpiritualityGrowsDealsProgressGoes OnHigherDifficultyDeeperConquerAcquireFacultyWorth LivingAcquisitionUnfoldingLife Worth LivingDescending
Book:Self-culture, lectures
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“As the days of spring arouse all nature to a green and growing vitality, so when hope enters the soul it makes all things new. It insures the progress which it predicts. Rooted in faith, growing up into love; these make the three immortal graces of the Gospel, whose intertwined arms and concurrent voices shed joy and peace over our human life.”

HumansSoulJoyThreeHopeVoiceGrowing UpGraceGrowingProgressArmsSpringAll ThingsGreenHuman LifeImmortalRootedShedVitalityIntertwinedAll Things New
Book:Self-culture, lectures
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“When I consider what some books have done for the world, and what they are doing, how they keep up our hope, awaken new courage and faith, soothe pain, give an ideal life those whose hours are cold and hard, bind together distant ages and foreign lands, create new worlds of beauty, bring down truth from heaven; I give eternal blessings for this gift, and thank God for books.”

WorldLifeGivingBookHardDoneTruthAgePainTogetherHeavenHoursCourageLandColdBlessingEternalIdealsEternityThank GodNew WorldForeign LandsIdeal Life
Book:Self-culture: Physical, Intellectual, Moral, and Spiritual : a Course of Lectures
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“Amid all change, we desire something permanent; amid all variety, something stable; amid all progress, some central unity of life; something which deepens as we ascend; which roots itself as we advance; which grows more and more tenacious of the old, while becoming more and more open to the new.”

DesireGrowsProgressBecomingRootsUnityVarietyPermanentStableBecoming MoreTenacious
Book:the hour whic conveth and now is sermons preached in indiana place chapel boston
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