June 4

“It is not the effect of one particular act of injustice that should impress us with so much regret, it is the habit of too great suddenness or hardness in judging. How difficult it is for us to estimate the many ways in which we may be mistaken. When shall we learn to keep the knowledge always present with us that often kindness is our best uprightness, and our truest justice is mercy?”

JEAN INGELOW

“Turn thine eyes unto thyself, and beware thou judge not the deeds of other men. In judging of others a man laboureth in vain, often erreth and easily sinneth; but in judging and examining himself, he always laboureth fruitfully.”

THOMAS à KEMPIS

“While we are coldly discussing a man’s career, sneering at his mistakes, blaming his rashness, and labelling his opinions – ‘Evangelical and Narrow’; or, ‘Latitudinarian and Pantheistic’; or, ‘Anglican and Supercilious’ – that man, in his solitude, is, perhaps, shedding hot tears because his sacrifice is a hard one, because strength and patience are failing him to speak the difficult word, and do the difficult deed.”

GEORGE ELIOT [pen-name of Mary Ann Evans]