Thoughts from 1917 Time Travel to Teach us Today

In my family’s Web-Publishing business, we often look at rare, out-of-print books in the public domain. Occasionally one will have a timelessness about it, allowing it to be given new life and a second chance to enlighten and entertain a new generation of knowledge-seeking, eager readers. For book lovers, like myself, this is too exciting to even describe.

Nine times out of ten, however, they’re simply too out-dated in their terminology, approach, and/or overall message.  However, there’ll often be a passage (sometimes even a chapter) that I’ll use on my websites or blogs.  This allows the author to sort of “Time Travel” into our modern day and find a whole new audience. 

Today’s Time-Traveller is one of my favorite authors:  Grenville Kleiser.  Even before I had books for business partners, I collected them for my own personal use.  Mr. Kleiser had his own personal shelf - he still has it….great property, too - a Penthouse shelf.  Thanks to by husband’s ebay skills, I nearly have every word Grenville Kleiser ever wrote!

Ina book published in 1917, INSPIRATION AND IDEALS, Grenville Kleiser wrote an inspirational entry for each day of the year.  Kind of a time-lined blog in a book.  But he was so much better about being concise and to the point than I could ever hope to be.  I tend to ramble like an 85 year old substitute teacher with purple hair, cracker breath, and sensible shoes.

I was reading through this book over coffee earlier, picking out quotes for the Quote Collection like they were grapes on a vine.  One of the entries was so perfectly perfect and so brilliantly brilliant that I knew what it had in mind:  It wanted to come back to life in a blog post.

So without further delay…or rambling (See?!  See?!?!), here is the entry as it appeared in 1917.  Some things really are timeless.

To be strong and true;  to be generous in praise and appreciation of others; to impute worthy motives even to enemies; to give without expectation of return; to practise humility, tolerance, and self-restraint; to make the best use of time and opportunity; to keep the mind pure and the judgment charitable; to extend intelligent sympathy to those in distress; to cultivate quietness and non-resistance; to speak little and listen much; to adhere always to a high standard of thought, purpose, and conduct; to grow in grace, goodness, and gratitude;  to seek truth and righteousness; to work, love, pray, and serve daily; to aspire greatly, labor cheerfully, and take God at His word - this is to travel Heavenward.