Miscellaneous Writings, 1883-1896

A certain apothegm of a Talmudical philosopher [1] suits my sense of doing good. It reads thus: "The noblest charity is to prevent a man from accepting charity; and the best alms are to show and to enable a man to dispense with alms." [5]
In the early history of Christian Science, among my thousands of students few were wealthy. Now, Christian Scientists are not indigent; and their comfortable fortunes are acquired by healing mankind morally, physically, spiritually. The easel of time presents pictures--once [10] fragmentary and faint--now rejuvenated by the touch of God's right hand. Where joy, sorrow, hope, disap- pointment, sigh, and smile commingled, now hope sits dove-like.
To preserve a long course of years still and uniform, [15] amid the uniform darkness of storm and cloud and tempest, requires strength from above,--deep draughts from the fount of divine Love. Truly may it be said: There is an old age of the heart, and a youth that never grows old; a Love that is a boy, and a Psyche who is [20] ever a girl. The fleeting freshness of youth, however, is not the evergreen of Soul; the coloring glory of