When I Do Good…

September 8, 1968

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We still remember the voice saying sincerely: “A good feeling comes into my heart when I do the things I know are right.” Since the universe is run by Law, since nature lives by law, since all the physical environment of man, all he makes, and all results are realized by law, there is no reason to suppose that the well-being of the mind and spirit of man is not also subject to the laws of life, There is an inner sense, and inner action, a result realized by the laws of right and wrong.

A clean man has a sense of peace and self-respect; and unclean man does not. A fair man has a sense of assurance and acceptance; and unfair man does not. A kind man has a sense of well-being with himself; and unkind man punishes himself as he punishes others also. A truthful man doesn’t have so much difficulty in remembering what he said; and untruthful man may have much difficulty in trying to remember what he said. Call it conscience, call it right or wrong, call it a God-given inner sense, or whatever you will, but there are responses and results realized from laws kept, and from laws broken, in the physical mental, spiritual makeup of men.

True men’s thinking is conditioned by what they have been taught, by harsh or gentle circumstances, by those they deal with, by the honor or dishonor of others, and by what may sometimes be conditioned by what may sometimes be considered necessity – and yet, in the overall, irrevocable law is endlessly operative. And simple though it seems, and naive some would suppose, and to say so, yet sincerely as we seek to be and do better, there is peace of mind, refinement of soul. Yet if we seek to take advantage of others, to live against the commandments, the virtues, the time honored morals, we fight and quarrel with ourselves inside, and coarsen ourselves and become less kind – all of which seems summarized in this sentence form Abraham Lincoln: “When I do good I feel good. When I don’t do good I don’t feel good.”

Despite all variations, arguments and explanations, always and forever, it is sincerely that simple: “When I do good I feel good. When I don’t do good I don’t feel good.”


Abraham Lincoln

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