WISDOM. – Dwight Lyman Moody
—I remember a gentleman of Boston, a man high in life, a Congressman, who was accustomed to carry with him little cards and distribute them wherever he went, and on some of these cards were words like these: “I expect to pass through this world but once, and therefore if there be any kindness I can show, if there is anything I can do to make men happy, I shall do it, for I may not pass this way again.
—A man was asked what his persuasion was. He said it was the same as Paul’s. I don’t know what Paul’s persuasion was. All persuasions claim him. Sankey says he is a Methodist. Listen: “I am not ashamed, for I know whom I believe, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him.” That is Paul’s persuasion. You may call it what you have a mind to, it is a good persuasion.
—If we are going to be successful, we have got to take our stand for God, and let the world and every one know we are on the Lord’s side. I have great respect for the woman that started out during the war with a poker. She heard the enemy were coming and went to resist them. When some one asked her what she could do with the poker, she said she would at least let them know what side she was on. And that is what we want.
—Let us do all the work we can. If we can’t be a lighthouse, let us be a tallow candle. There used to be a period when people came to meeting bringing their candles with them. The first one, perhaps, wouldn’t make a great illumination, but when two or three got there, there would be more light. If the people of Boston should do that now, if each one should come here in this Tabernacle, with a candle, don’t you think there would be a little light.
—When I was a little boy I used to try and catch my own shadow. I don’t know whether any of you have ever been so foolish as that or not. I could not see why the shadow always kept ahead of me. Once I happened to be racing with my face to the sun and I looked over my head and saw my shadow coming back of me, and it kept behind me all the way. It is the same with the Sun of Righteousness. Peace and joy will go with you while you. go with your face toward Him.
—There are nine different qualities—peace, gentleness, longsuffering, hope, patience, charity, ete., but you can sum them all into one, and you have love. I saw something in writing the other day bearing upon the subject which I just took a copy of: “The fruit of the Spirit is in just one word—love. Joy is love exalted; peace is love in repose, long-suffering is love-enduring, gentleness is love in society, goodness is love in action, faith is love on the battle field, meekness is love in school, and temperance is love in training. And so you can say that the fruit is all expressed by one word—love.
—I believe there is a great deal more hope for a drunkard or a murderer or a gambler than there is for a lazy man. I never heard of a lazy man being converted yet, though I remember talking once with a minister in the back woods of Iowa about lazy men. He was all discouraged in his efforts to convert lazy men, and I said to him, “Did you ever know of a lazy man being converted? “Yes,” said he; I knew of one, but he was so lazy that he didn’t stay converted but about six weeks. And that is as near as I ever heard of a lazy man being converted.
—I remember, I was talking with a man one day and an acquaintance of his came in, and he jumped up at once and shook him by the hand—why I thought he was going to shake his hand out of joint, he shook so hard—and he seemed to be so glad to see him and wanted him to stay, but the man was in a great hurry and could not stay, and he coaxed and urged him to stay, but the man said no, he would come another time; and after that man went out my companion turned to me and said, “Well, he is an awful bore, and I am glad he’s gone.” Well I began to feel that I was a bore too, and I got out as quickly as I could. That is not real love.