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The modern Christian does not retire into a cell to pray, but goes about doing good. He thus avoids the risk of narrowness, which attends the man who desires only to do the " nearest duty." But there is a danger here also,— that of shallowness. The man who is always giving, never receiving; always helping others, and never feeding his own soul, is in danger of becoming empty.

— James Freeman Clarke Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895)

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More quotes by James Freeman Clarke

He who believes in goodness has the essence of all faith. He is a man "of cheerful yesterdays and confident to-morrows."

Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895)

Take thy self-denials gaily and cheerfully, and let the sunshine of thy gladness fall on dark things and bright alike, like the sunshine of the Almighty.

Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895)

We are either progressing or retrograding all the while; there is no such thing as remaining stationary in this life.

Edge-Tools of Speech (1886)

Submission to duty and God gives the highest energy. He, who has done the greatest work on earth, said that He came down from heaven, not to do His own will, but the will of Him who sent Him, Whoever allies himself with God is armed with all the forces of the invisible world.

Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895)

If we desire to do what will please God, and what will help men, we presently find ourselves taken out of our narrow habits of thought and action; we f1nd new elements of our nature called into activity; we are no longer running along a narrow track of selfish habit.

Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895)

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