in difficulty or trouble, they
will go and ask his advice, just because they know they will get an
honest answer. They will overlook a little roughness in him; they
will excuse his speaking unpleasant truths: because they can trust
him, even though he is plain-spoken.

For your neighbour's sake, I say; and again, for your children's
sake; for the sake of all with whom you have to do, be honest and
brave. For our children--O my friends, we cannot do a crueller
thing by them than to let them see that we are inconsistent. If
they hear us say one thing and do another--if, while we preach to
them we do not practice ourselves, they will never respect us, and
never obey us from love and principle. If they do obey us, it will
be only before our faces, and from fear. If they see us doing only
what we like, when our backs are turned they will do what they like.

And worse will come than their not respecting us--they will learn
not to respect God. If they see that we do not respect truth and
honesty, they will not respect truth and honesty; and he who does
not respect them, does not respect God. They will learn to look on
religion as a sham. If we are inconsistent, they will be profane.

But some may say--'I have no power; and I want none. I have no
people under me for whom I am responsible.'

Then, if you think that you need not be honest and brave for your
own sake, or for other peoples' sake, be honest and brave for God's
sake.

Do you ask what I mean? I mean this. Recollect that truth belongs
to God. That if a thing is true, it is true because God made it so,
and not otherwise; and therefore, if you deny truth, you fight
against God. If you are honest, and stand up for truth, you stand
up for God, and what God has done.

And recollect this, too. If a thing be right for you to do, God has
made it right, and God wills you to do it; and, therefore, if you do
not do your duty, you are fighting against God; and if you do your
duty, you are a fellow-worker with God, fulfilling God's will.
Therefore, I say, Be honest and brave for God's sake. And in this
way, my friends, all may be brave, all may be noble. Speak the
truth, and do your duty, because it is the will of God. Poor, weak
women, people without scholarship, cleverness, power, may live
glorious lives, and die glorious deaths, and God's strength may be
made perfect in their weakness. They may live, did I say? I may
say they have lived, and have die