Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ACTIVITY IN KIGHTEOUSNESS ONE'S life should not be measured by time, but by service. Its history should not be so much a record of his words as of his acts. Its influence is not in proportion to his years, but to his righteousness. He has been of service to his fellows to the extent that his deeds have been constructive. It is not so much the evil things one has refrained from doing as the good things he has done. Positiveness on the side of right gets him somewhere. It builds, it lifts, it pulls, it purifies and ennobles. Quiescent good is not a force for right. It does no more good than it does harm—not as much. Action is as imperatively demanded in mental and spiritual things as in material. It is not he who offers no discouraging words who cheers and comforts, but he who speaks the word of encouragement. Keeping silent when one's friend is overwhelmed with grief does not comfort him. It is the friendly hand upon his shoulder, the sympathetic word in his ear, the act of helpfulness in his behalf that means something to him. It is he who gives the " cup of cold water " who earns the gratitude of the thirsty, and not he who simply does not prevent the thirsty from getting it himself. Itis he who warns of danger, and not he who sits idly by and says, " It is not my fault if he gets hurt," who receives the thanks of the prospective victim. The negative man is a failure. He may not pull back, but those who pull forward have to carry his weight. He is a burden that is not worth the energy that would take him a mile. He is a consumer, but not a producer. He uses the light, but creates none. He slakes his thirst, but refuses to go to the well for water. The inactive man may take no part in persecution, but he holds the coats of those who would stone Ste...