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True Beauty, June 26
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us.
Psalm 90:17
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There is a natural tendency with all to be sentimental rather than
practical. In view of this fact, it is important that parents, in the education
of their children, should direct and train their minds to love truth, duty,
and self-denial, and to possess noble independence, to choose to be right,
if the majority choose to be wrong....
If they preserve to themselves sound constitutions and amiable tempers,
they will possess true beauty that they can wear with a divine grace. And
they will have no need to be adorned with artificials, for these are always
expressive of an absence of the inward adorning of true moral worth. A
beautiful character is of value in the sight of God. Such beauty will attract,
but not mislead. Such charms are fast colors; they never fade.
The pure religion of Jesus requires of its followers the simplicity of
natural beauty and the polish of natural refinement and elevated purity,
rather than the artificial and false
There is an ornament that will never perish, that will promote the
happiness of all around us in this life, and will shine with undimmed luster
in the immortal future. It is the adorning of a meek and lowly spirit....
Of how little value are gold or pearls or costly array in comparison with
the loveliness of Christ. Natural loveliness consists in symmetry, or the
harmonious proportion of parts, each with the other; but spiritual loveliness
consists in the harmony of likeness of our souls to Jesus. This will make
its possessor more precious than fine gold, even the golden wedge of
Ophir. The grace of Christ is indeed a priceless adornment. It elevates and
ennobles its possessor and reflects beams of glory upon others, attracting
them also to the Source of light and blessing
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86
Child Guidance, 424
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87
Child Guidance, 423, 424
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