Today, 10 August 2011, I’m starting to read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë – at the age of 61, for the very first time. Thank you for online books and thanks to my young loved friend, Cherean Mayer. We are geographically as far apart as the East Cape in South Africa and just North of London, but there are overlaps in life and approaches – bless her!
From her foreword to Jane Eyre, Brontë writes:
Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousness is not religion. To attack the first is not to assail the last. To pluck the mask from the face of the Pharisee, is not to lift an impious hand to the Crown of Thorns.One thought: the chances of self-righteousness in religion, I'm convinced, are sky-high. Has it just got to do with the use of language in different era's? Self-righteousness and trusting Jesus' righteous for our justification and acceptance and welcome with our Heavenly Father do not sit next to the same fire.
Self-righteousness is not the biblical, Christian gospel - not at all! To the contrary. What a relief, what a way of escape, what a salvation and Hallelujah - what a Saviour!
The rest of the Brontë-quote opens up many a thought and view-point.
Link to free online Jane Eyre by Charlotte
