thing out of an unclean

their very simplicity and directness, set us thi

idual lives-of your life and mine. Therefore how important it is in the common interest that each of us should look a

of their society, about the name it bears, ab

the good reputation of your school or your house, or any society

ng. It would indeed be a bad sign if such a

learly as we ought to do, that this reputation of the soci

haps, an exact reflex, very often a distorted reflex with

your common life on the minds of those who see it

ter if we bear in mind that this common life is what comes out of our

and how directly personal is this primitive and childlike

, that is, of their life-is fixed by prevailing influences, which show themselves in fashion

to which these influences or fashions have their origin, so far as our own society is concerne

to which these considerations lead up-as sources or centres of su

conduct and duty, if you remember this ancient saying, that no man can bring a clean thing out of an unclean.

r or influence in it. This seems so obvious when mentioned as hardly to d

any exception, are endowed w

in degree between one and another, between the strong and the weak, between thos

fe. Every sin that may have a root in your heart is acting, though you may not think of it or intend it, as a pestilent influenc

u is, in fact, just the sum and expressio

d, from youth to age, is, in fact, a sower scattering these germs of good or evil unceasingly. We know, also, that when they are once scattered they cannot be gathered up again. They are yours to scatter-these seeds that you are adding to the common life-and you are responsib

r other lives which is inherent in our own lif

s hand upon us to check us in any vice, or folly, or sin; a

am of our personal influence which flows out of our life is a double stream. It is of two kinds. One part of it

ome conscious effort of the will, and wi

s far more powerful for good or for evil than anything which we ever do by way of active purpose to influence another's life, and this because our unconscious influence is the reflex o

this door of involuntary communication between every man's life and his neighbour's life is always standing open; and so

mpted to think more about our work than about our life, more about what we are doing or intend

h considerations some special attention; and the thought suggested by this world-old inquiry-Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?-

areless or irreligious, and his weaker neighbours catch the infection of his example; another indulges in some bad habits of language or conduct, or he is addicted to some low taste, or he lives by some low st

refinement around him; or, it may be, he is earnest and courageous, and others are drawn to admire and imitate, and so he proves a centre of courage an

t water and bitter, so we have to remember, when we think of the tides of unconscious influence that are continually str

his neighbour or his friend a savour of

the good they hope to do; and there is a spirit of native generosity in almos

onscious, your first and constant prayer will surely be: "Create

the man who has been prepared and purif

r hearts open to the cleansing influences of the spirit of holiness, so that no habit of sin shall c