There is one quality that is not so much a part of character as the very soil out of which it grows--_Honesty of purpose_; if absent or only fitfully present, moral growth is either stunted or cut off; if present, then a multitude of imperfections are found pardonable. Wise therefore is the Jewish proverb that says of _Deceitfulness_, using a realistic metaphor more eloquent than many words, _Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel_ (Pr. 20^{17}). Over against it set this strong simple plea for _Sincerity: Strive for the truth, unto death, and the Lord God shall fight for thee_ (E. 4^{28}); and then consider the implication in the contrast of those maxims--that Evil is first sweet then bitter, and Good first painful then joyous. Sometimes those propositions are visibly, demonstrably, true in their entirety; sometimes the second part of them to be credited requires faith in the spiritual nature of man. But of the first part there can be no question; ’tis a matter of universal experience--moral victories at the first are difficult, moral defeats easy, _The way of sinners is smooth without stones, but at the end thereof is the pit of Hades_ (E. 21^{10}), a glissade to the precipice and over; _facilis descensus Averno_. Setting aside for the moment the influence of religious belief on conduct (the next chapter will have something to say upon the point), it would seem that there is one outstanding quality to which the Jewish proverbs recur again and again, as if to tell us that here is the supreme secret. That quality may be called _Receptivity_, but it has many aspects for which other titles might more fittingly be used: it is the willing mind, the open eye and the hearing ear; in youth it is zeal to learn, in manhood more often the grace to profit by mistake. So from teachableness it is wont to pass into penitence, the recognition of error and imperfection--not passive penitence, however, but the active desire to improve--and then from this virile penitence it should rise into that disposition of Charity or Love towards others, which is the highest virtue, without which a man may have many talents and yet profit nothing. Let us trace the sequence in the proverbs, commencing with the desire for knowledge: _The fear of the Lord is the chief part of knowledge, But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, And forsake not the teaching of thy mother; For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head And ornaments round thy neck_ (Pr. 1^{7-9}). _Yea, if thou cry after discernment, And lift up thy voice for understanding; If thou seek her as silver And search for her as hid treasures ... Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgement, And equity, yea, every good path_ (Pr. 2^{3, 4, 9}).