In the wonderful old allegory of the tinker of Bedford you remember Christian and Faithful as they made their pilgrims progress, found the read grow difficult. But there was by-path that ran almost parallel to the road they had been hidden to follow so strictly. The by-path [seemed to vary so little they thougt it would not matter and they follow. ed it. But it led them you re1sem-ber into the increasing trouble and almost disaster in the castle of /Giant Despair.
Te may not seem to matter. But] it may be the work of the road for} you or me, the fork in the road that] leads to happiness of despair, to tite or death. Watch the little things. Be on the lookout for them. Never despise them whether they' be thoughts or words or deeds.
There we have the key to his
ly" appreciate "the importance 0 downward path. He did not proper. iti things)—He hated to leave the company of Abram, who has been more than a father to. him; but then it was only a small separation. Tt was better to pitch a good way off from Sodom; but then after all could not make much difference. From jast outside it could not matter mich to move into the city itself; It was only a small change. And so little by little and step bs' step, from wealth and prosperity What seems so insignificant as a thought that comes flashing into: the mind and out again. It may be [suggested by something we ree, that Jeatches the eye. A word or a sentence in a-book, or some chane> remark we overhear or is spoken to us. Tt comes like a tiny secd jearried by the wind as small and jas insignificant. But the seed may become a mighty tree and the thought may lead to mighty deeds.
need not harbour them. We: need not keep them. If we give them a place in the mind turn chem over and ponder them. They will grow. This is what we express when we say, "The thought is father to the deed."
The Seeds of, Evil Things Beware then of the little seeds of evil things, Our Lord himself said, "From out of the heart of man...." and. then follows a dreadful list. "The envious, unclean, evil thoughts harboured in the mind grow like poisonous weeds, and they bring forth fruit and hundredfold, Treasure the good seed. This is what St. Paul "was thinking of when he said, "Whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, what: soever things are of, good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any: praise, think on these things: [And the God of peace shall be with you."
And still continuing the simile of] the seed. If thoughts are the seed sowa in our own minds then words and deeds are the seed we sow in the minds of others.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.