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“The third obstacle exists still less for the peasant woman.
She does not fear that the slice of bread given to the orphans of
heaven may weaken their energy and make them used to
begging, for she knows that these children understand very well
what that slice of bread that she cuts for them costs her—they
see that she gives her last, or almost her last bread.
“Neither does the fourth obstacle exist. The peasant woman
is not concerned as to whether she really must give to those
that now stand at her window, or if there are others in still
greater need, to whom she should give this slice. She pities
the children of heaven, and gives to them, knowing that if all did
the same there would be none dying of hunger, either now in
Russia, or anywhere at any time.
“It is this kind of activity, having a moral object, that has
always saved, and always will save, men. And it is this that
ought to be adopted by those who want at this painful time to
serve others.
“It saves people, because it is that smallest of seeds that
produces the largest tree. One, two, or a dozen men living in the
country, and helping according to their power, can do very little.
But this activity is contagious; it is because of this power of
communicating itself to others that an activity inspired by love
is so important. An outward activity, expressing itself in
gratuitous distribution of bread and money, according to
official lists, only engenders bad feeling, greed, jealousy,
hypocrisy, untruthfulness; whereas a personal activity of love
evokes, on the contrary, the noblest sentiments—love and
willingness to make sacrifices. . . . Herein lies the force of the
activity inspired by love, that it is contagious, and therefore
its influence is limitless. As one candle lights another and
thousands of candles are thus set burning, so one heart kindles
another, and a thousand hearts are set burning. Millions of
roubles of the wealthy will achieve less than will a small
abatement of greed and a little increase of love in the great
mass of men. Love has only to increase, and the same miracle
will take place that was accomplished in the distribution of the
five loaves; all will be able to satisfy their hunger, and there
will still be food to spare.”
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