ould be, such as
Christ's were in His walk among men. Christ, infinitely endowed with all
excellence and beauty, was also infinitely humble. He neither sought nor
shunned any one for His own sake, but lived out the divine fullness of
His life of suffering and love without regard to His position or
popularity with men. I said He did not seek others, but I must except
the beloved John, and the household at Bethany, and a few others whom He
loved undoubtedly for their own sake, with a personal, human sort of
attachment."

"You don't mean, mother, that we should never seek people for their own
sake or our own pleasure?"

"No, surely; but those only who are congenial in principles and life.
Treat others with courtesy and generosity, and after that, allow them to
be as indifferent to you as you are to those whom you do not prefer.
Every person has a right to select his companions, and every one should
possess enough personal dignity and generosity not to be offended if he
is not preferred.

"I suspect you are wrong about the Wilson's. If they do not prefer you
for your own sake, they have the right not to do so, and you should
accord it to them just as you take the privilege of not inviting certain
others who might feel the same about you as you do toward the Wilsons.
And more than this, Anna; if the Wilsons live for different principles,
making friends for other reasons than you do, why, indeed, should you
care for their especial regard? A friendship built upon the accidents of
fortune, distinction, or show, has but a sandy foundation at best.

"There is no security of happiness in any earthly advantage. Only take
care to be in yourself what in your circumstances is noble and beautiful
and good, and you will find the right position without any particular
seeking. The love and approval of the good and pure will come to you,
and that is what you want of any friendship, and nothing more.

"Half the personal ill-feeling in the world comes of people's aspiring
to what they have no fitness for; they have neither the dignity nor the
humility to take the place God in His providence assigns them; and
instead of reaching out of it by making themselves nobler and better,
they attempt to build up by some appearance which is not more than half
true.

"The real Christian will not want a name or a reputation which he does
not by right of goodness or talent deserve; but by living well where he
may be, he makes any duty, any position,