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The Luggage of Life
Excerpt from The Luggage of Life
These leaves are of Australian growth. It is both unnecessary and impossible to disguise it. The breath of the bush is on them. There were, however, so many who found them good, either for food or for medicine, in these Britains of the South, that it was suggested that the plant might survive the ordeal of transplantation to a northern clime. England is a land of noble hospitalities. And, after all, men are built pretty much the same way all the world over. A thing that is true under these soft southern skies is no less true where northern constellations burn. A word that wakens thought beneath the shadow of the wattle may lead a man to rub his eyes under a spreading English oak. A message that brings back the smile of courage to the bronzed face of a disheartened squatter may relieve a bruised spirit in London's central roar. And so I venture! I only hope that I may take the sob from one throat, or make one song more blithe.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
These leaves are of Australian growth. It is both unnecessary and impossible to disguise it. The breath of the bush is on them. There were, however, so many who found them good, either for food or for medicine, in these Britains of the South, that it was suggested that the plant might survive the ordeal of transplantation to a northern clime. England is a land of noble hospitalities. And, after all, men are built pretty much the same way all the world over. A thing that is true under these soft southern skies is no less true where northern constellations burn. A word that wakens thought beneath the shadow of the wattle may lead a man to rub his eyes under a spreading English oak. A message that brings back the smile of courage to the bronzed face of a disheartened squatter may relieve a bruised spirit in London's central roar. And so I venture! I only hope that I may take the sob from one throat, or make one song more blithe.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1912
About the author
F.W. Boreham
138 books59 followersRev. Dr. Frank W. Boreham
(March 3rd 1871 – May 18th 1959) Served, and wrote, in the UK, New Zealand, and Australia.
(March 3rd 1871 – May 18th 1959) Served, and wrote, in the UK, New Zealand, and Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 27, 2020
Another Boreham down. I read one of his essays each night before I sleep and that is both wonderful and terrible. Wonderful because I always end my day well fed but terrible because sometimes it is hard to shut my mind down after Boreham has just blown said mind. Here are a few of the juicy tidbits that I wanted to share: (and believe me when I say I really did narrow it down!)
"Christ gives rest to the heart by giving burdens to the shoulders. And, as a matter of fact, it is in being burdened that we usually find rest...Heavy luggage is Christ's strange cure for heavy hearts."
"We are like islands," says Rudyard Kip;ing, "and we shout to each other across seas of misunderstanding."
"In the world's history the continents are ruled by the islands, not the islands by the continents."
"There is no charge committed to our care so mysterious and so sacred as the development and diffusion of our own selves."
"We forget that a saint and a sceptic can dwell together in the same skin. 'Lord, I believe' - there you have at the saint! 'Help Thou mine unbelief' - there you have the sceptic!"
"Grace holds on when the gilt wears off."
"Knowledge is not the monopoly of any one of her numerous schools. And the fact is that Truth is always and everywhere friendly to Truth."
"It is the glory of the Christian faith that it is immense enough to be able to contain within itself aspects and elements that at first sight seem strangely conflicting."
"There is a sense in which every sob is a sacrament."
"He walks beneath the stars and feels that, in a universe of such incomprehensible immensity, there is room for every worm that crawls, and, therefore, a place for him."
"It was with him as when a great steamer stops in mid-ocean to allow her engine to cool. The thud of the propeller, the vibration of the machinery, are felt no longer; the stillness is uncanny."
"Materialism, unmasked, appears as the religion of the rubbish-heap. It is well to set our affections on the things for which the rubbish-heap can have no terrors."
"Evil evolves where good evacuates."
"We forget tiddley-winking in the contemplation of the tremendous."
"It is the pathetic fate of Deity," says Pascal, "to be everlastingly misunderstood."
"Man was made for God, and only finds his perfect poise in His presence. To see God is to eat and drink - to be perfectly, peacefully, reverently, restfully, delightfully at home."
"The Cross is the last word in the grim record of the world's most ghastly failures; it is at the same time the emblem of a victory which shall shame our most radiant dreams."
"We make an egregious blunder when we try to persuade men that the way to heaven is easy."
"Have you beliefs," says an old writer, "and have your doubts. Believe your beliefs and doubt your doubts. Never doubt your beliefs, and never believe your doubts."
"There are only two men in the whole wide world who can ask questions effectively. There is the man who does not know, and wants to learn; and there is the man who does know, and wants to teach. Of the former, Alexander the Great is the classical illustration; among the latter, Socrates stands supreme."
"Christ gives rest to the heart by giving burdens to the shoulders. And, as a matter of fact, it is in being burdened that we usually find rest...Heavy luggage is Christ's strange cure for heavy hearts."
"We are like islands," says Rudyard Kip;ing, "and we shout to each other across seas of misunderstanding."
"In the world's history the continents are ruled by the islands, not the islands by the continents."
"There is no charge committed to our care so mysterious and so sacred as the development and diffusion of our own selves."
"We forget that a saint and a sceptic can dwell together in the same skin. 'Lord, I believe' - there you have at the saint! 'Help Thou mine unbelief' - there you have the sceptic!"
"Grace holds on when the gilt wears off."
"Knowledge is not the monopoly of any one of her numerous schools. And the fact is that Truth is always and everywhere friendly to Truth."
"It is the glory of the Christian faith that it is immense enough to be able to contain within itself aspects and elements that at first sight seem strangely conflicting."
"There is a sense in which every sob is a sacrament."
"He walks beneath the stars and feels that, in a universe of such incomprehensible immensity, there is room for every worm that crawls, and, therefore, a place for him."
"It was with him as when a great steamer stops in mid-ocean to allow her engine to cool. The thud of the propeller, the vibration of the machinery, are felt no longer; the stillness is uncanny."
"Materialism, unmasked, appears as the religion of the rubbish-heap. It is well to set our affections on the things for which the rubbish-heap can have no terrors."
"Evil evolves where good evacuates."
"We forget tiddley-winking in the contemplation of the tremendous."
"It is the pathetic fate of Deity," says Pascal, "to be everlastingly misunderstood."
"Man was made for God, and only finds his perfect poise in His presence. To see God is to eat and drink - to be perfectly, peacefully, reverently, restfully, delightfully at home."
"The Cross is the last word in the grim record of the world's most ghastly failures; it is at the same time the emblem of a victory which shall shame our most radiant dreams."
"We make an egregious blunder when we try to persuade men that the way to heaven is easy."
"Have you beliefs," says an old writer, "and have your doubts. Believe your beliefs and doubt your doubts. Never doubt your beliefs, and never believe your doubts."
"There are only two men in the whole wide world who can ask questions effectively. There is the man who does not know, and wants to learn; and there is the man who does know, and wants to teach. Of the former, Alexander the Great is the classical illustration; among the latter, Socrates stands supreme."
June 28, 2016
Dr.Ravi Zacharias quotes F.W. Boreham quite often (less often than he quotes Malcolm Muggeridge :) in his talks. This book is a classic composition of essays touching different aspects of life and beyond; I would like to re-read sometime...
September 2, 2026
Not bad. Some anachronisms, but overall a nice little collection of essays. I found "the tireless trudge" to be an encouraging read for the beginning of the school year. It can be found online, and I recommend it! Also good: "So many beds in the ward", "Sermons and sandwiches", "A tonic of big things", and "hat-pins and button-hooks."
December 22, 2021
Boredom is always a pleasure but I found I didn't enjoy this one as much. There are some points where it hasn't aged well and this isn't my favorite collection of his essays. That being said it was still elegant and thought provoking.
September 2, 2023
Boreham at his best!
This has been one of my favorites. If your new to Boreham this is a good start. You’re in for a treat. His deep and reflective insights coupled with his practical allegories and application, makes these short essay sermonettes shine.
This has been one of my favorites. If your new to Boreham this is a good start. You’re in for a treat. His deep and reflective insights coupled with his practical allegories and application, makes these short essay sermonettes shine.
December 2, 2023
While a few of these essays have lost their relevancy due to time and place, most of them still read well. Boreham is an excellent writer -- creative and insightful -- and this old book is well worth reading.
June 4, 2020
SO GOOD. Another great Boreham book to start with if you haven't read him.
February 13, 2014
finished up this great book. Boreham is always terrific and Luggage of a life is no exception.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews