The Necklace

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  “SHE WAS one of those pretty, charming young ladies, born, as if through an error of destiny, into a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no hopes, no means of becoming known, appreciated, loved, and married by a man either rich or distinguished; and she allowed herself to marry a petty clerk in the office of the Board of Education. . . .  She had neither frocks nor jewels, nothing. And she loved only those things. She felt that she was made for them. She had such a desire to please, to be sought after, to be clever, and courted.” —THE NECKLACE Guy de Maupassant    France, 1884 (pic by Grok) Read this short story here:  https://americanliterature.com/author/guy-de-maupassant/short-story/the-necklace

The Best of Men

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"And I said--this is my infirmity!" Psalm 77:10
The best of men--are but men at best! We all have many remaining corruptions; we are all encompassed, like the high priests of old, with many infirmities. And what effect should the consideration of this humiliating but undoubted truth, produce? Ought it not, among other results, to excite in us a spirit of constant watchfulness?

We are frail creatures--ever liable to fall! And being exposed, in addition, to the wiles of our spiritual adversaries--our danger is considerably greater. It is on our indwelling corruptions, that Satan works--and often, alas, with sad success!

In addition to our general infirmities, it is probable that there is some one, or more besetting sins--to which we are particularly liable; in which case it befits us to be doubly on our guard!

"If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts--then rid yourselves of the foreign gods--and the Ashtoreths; and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve Him only--and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines." 1 Samuel 7:3

("Brief Thoughts for the Followers of Jesus," McDuff, 1855)

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