# Beneficence

Beneficence is an act of philanthropy, a kind deed; an act that benefits someone (else).

## Quotes

* But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
** The Bible, II Thessalonians 3:13–14.
* A beneficent person is like a fountain watering the earth and spreading fertility: it is therefore more delightful and more honourable to give than receive.
** Epicurus in James Lee (M.A.) (1867). Bible illustrations: consisting of apophthegms [ &c.], grouped under Scripture passages, by J. Lee. subscribers' ed. p. 452.
* [Only by] the good influence of our conduct may we bring salvation in human affairs; or like a fatal comet we may bring destruction in our train.
** Attributed to Desiderius Erasmus by Senator J. William Fulbright, "In Need of a Consensus," Penrose Memorial Lecture, delivered to the American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 20, 1961. Proceedings of the Society, August 1961, p. 352. Reported as unverified in Respectfully Quoted: A Dictionary of Quotations (1989).
* Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.
** John Wesley, "Rule of Conduct," Letters of John Wesley, ed. George Eayrs, p. 423, footnote (1915).
* Through this toilsome world, alas! Once and only once I pass; If a kindness I may show, If a good deed I may do To a suffering fellow man, Let me do it while I can. No delay, for it is plain I shall not pass this way again.
** Author unknown, "I Shall Not Pass This Way Again", reported in The Best Loved Poems of the American People, ed. Hazel Felleman, p. 77 (1936).

### Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895)

Quotes reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895).
* There cannot be a more glorious object in creation than a human being replete with benevolence, meditating in what manner he might render himself most acceptable to his Creator by doing most good to His creatures.
** Henry Fielding, p. 24.
* Great minds, like heaven, are pleased in doing good.
** Nicholas Rowe, p. 24.
* Never try to save out of God's cause; such money will canker the rest. Giving to God is no loss; it is putting your substance in the best bank. Giving is true having, as the old gravestone said of the dead man: "What I spent I had, what I saved I lost, what I gave I have."
** Charles Spurgeon, p. 24.
* Learn the luxury of doing good.
** Oliver Goldsmith, p. 24.
* By doing good with his money, a man, as it were, stamps the image of God upon it, and makes it pass current for the merchandise of heaven.
** Francis H. Rutledge, p. 24.
* Wealth tends to materialize the soul. Every contribution to spiritual objects counteracts the tendency. It is another step up the ladder, whose foot is deep down in materialism, but whose top reaches to the holy heavens of spirit and love. Liberality consists not so much in giving a great deal as in giving seasonably.
** Jean de La Bruyère, p. 24.
* Proportion thy charity to the strength of thy estate, lest God proportion thy estate to the weakness of thy charity. Let the lips of the poor be the trumpet of thy gift, lest in seeking applause thou lose thy reward. Nothing is more pleasing to God than an open hand and a close mouth.
** Francis Quarles, p. 25.
* Give with a heart glowing with generous sentiments; give as the fountain gives out its waters from its own swelling depths; give as the air gives its vital breezes, unrestrained and free; give as the sun gives out its light, from the infinite abysses of its own nature.
* Poverty is the load of some, and wealth is the load of others, perhaps the greater load of the two. It may weigh them to perdition. Bear the load of thy neighbor's poverty, and let him bear with thee the load of thy wealth. Thou lightenest thy load by lightening his.
** Augustine of Hippo, p. 25.
* He who waits to do a great deal of good at once, will never do any thing.
** Samuel Johnson, p. 25.
* Open your hands, ye Whose hands are full! The world is waiting for you! The whole machinery of the Divine beneficence is clogged by your hard hearts and rigid fingers. Give and spend, and be sure that God will send; for only in giving and spending do you fulfill the object of His sending.
** Josiah Gilbert Holland, p. 25.
* Be charitable before wealth makes thee covetous.
** Sir Thomas Browne, p. 25.
* "Not for ourselves, but for others," is the grand law inscribed on every part of creation.
** Edward Payson, p. 26.
* Every day should be distinguished by at least one particular act of love.
** Johann Kaspar Lavater, p. 26.
* My brethren, surely the time has come for us to return to the Lord's plan. Among us there are children to be clothed, widows to be aided, and afflicted ones to be cared for. As you draw near to the poor, the Saviour will come nearer to you.
** George C. Lorimer, p. 26.
* I have heard of a monk who in his cell, had a glorious vision of Jesus revealed to him. Just then, a bell rang, which called him away to distribute loaves of bread among the poor beggars at the gate. He was sorely tried as to whether he should lose a scene so inspiring. He went to his act of mercy; and when he came back, the vision remained more glorious than ever.
** Theodore L. Cuyler, p. 26.
* Every man who becomes heartily and understandingly a channel of the Divine benef1cence, is enriched through every league of his life. Perennial satisfaction springs around and within him with perennial verdure. Flowers of gratitude and gladness bloom all along his pathway, and the melodious gurgle of the blessings he bears is echoed back by the melodious waves of the recipient stream.
** Josiah Gilbert Holland, p. 26.
* So quickly sometimes has the wheel turned round, that many a man has lived to enjoy the benefit of that charity which his own piety projected.
** Laurence Sterne, p. 26.
* What do you think God gave you more wealth than is requisite to satisfy your rational wants for, when you look around and see how many are in absolute need of that which you do not need? Can you not take the hint?
** Josiah Gilbert Holland, p. 27.

## See also

* Marcus Aurelius
* Philanthropy

## External links

Virtues Altruism • Asceticism • Beneficence • Benevolence • Bravery • Carefulness • Charity • Cheerfulness • Cleanliness • Common sense • Compassion • Constancy • Courage • Dignity • Diligence • Discretion • Earnestness • Faith • Fidelity • Forethought • Forgiveness • Friendship • Frugality • Gentleness • Goodness • Grace • Gratitude • Holiness • Honesty • Honor • Hope • Hospitality • Humanity • Humility • Integrity • Intelligence • Justice • Kindness • Love • Loyalty • Mercy • Moderation • Modesty • Optimism • Patience • Philanthropy • Piety • Prudence • Punctuality • Poverty • Purity • Self-control • Simplicity • Sincerity • Sobriety • Sympathy • Temperance • Tolerance
Vices Aggression • Anger • Apathy • Arrogance • Bigotry • Contempt • Cowardice • Cruelty • Dishonesty • Drunkenness • Egotism • Envy • Evil speaking • Gluttony • Greed • Hatred • Hypocrisy • Idleness • Ignorance • Impatience • Impenitence • Ingratitude • Inhumanity • Intemperance • Jealousy • Laziness • Lust • Malice • Neglect • Obstinacy • Philistinism • Prejudice • Pretension • Pride • Recklessness • Self-righteousness • Selfishness • Superficiality • Tryphé • Unkindness • Usury • Vanity • Worldliness