Excerpted from Christian scriptures, Genesis 2 and 3 of the New Revised Standard Version. Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being….

Back in 1836, when Augusta Jane Chapin was born, women rarely spoke in public. Most Americans considered it highly improper, especially if men were present. The idea of a woman minister was simply unthinkable to conventional minds of the time….

Adapted from Christian scripture, John 8: 2-11, New Revised Standard Version. Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn, he appeared in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in sin…

Long ago in Japan, a samurai—a warrior of those ancient times—went to visit a monk named Hakuin. The samurai was elaborately dressed in armor, and by his side swung a gleaming, sharp sword. He was a big, proud fellow, used to getting whatever he wanted. “Hakuin!” The samurai bellowed at the…

Doorways to the Soul, Elisa Davy Pearmain, p. vii. “Hide and Seek,” Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press. Copyright (C) 1998. Used by Permission for this one time use. No reprints or use permitted. All Rights Reserved. Once upon a time when the earth was new, the Creator decided that she wanted to play a…

One Hundred Wisdom Stories from Around the World, Margaret Silf, p.29. “How Much Does a Snowflake Weigh?” Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press. Copyright (C) 2003. Used by Permission for this one time use. No reprints or use permitted. All Rights Reserved. It was deep winter and the snow was falling…

Excerpts from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Sheep were important in biblical times. They provided not just wool, but also meat and milk. Their horns were used as musical instruments or to hold oil. The skins were made into clothing and coverings for walls. If you read the Bible…

Adapted from Christian scripture, Luke 23, New Revised Standard Version. An angry crowd demanded that Jesus be put to death. Pilate decided to grant their demand, and he surrendered Jesus to the will of the crowd. The crowd grabbed Simon and made him carry the cross behind Jesus….

It is too bad that Dear Abby was not around in ancient Greece. Some of the characters in the old Greek myths could have used some good advice. One of them was Narcissus. He was a youth of great beauty. Dazzling beauty. Wondrous beauty. Unimaginable beauty. So much beauty that people old and young…

If Pandora were alive today, she would probably sneak a peek at every gift under her Christmas tree. However, Pandora lived in very ancient times, according to a Greek myth. She herself was a gift, a special gift that Zeus sent to Earth….

If you plant a seed in springtime, by autumn a plant will mature and bear flowers. From those flowers, new seeds will fall to the earth, where they will be stored until they sprout and produce new flowers. Our mind is a field in which every kind of seed is sown—seeds of compassion, joy, and hope…

Once there was and twice there wasn’t two old brothers who were inseparable travelers: one was named Life, the other Death. One time, after journeying across a desert, they came to a refreshing green oasis where they were greeted by the spring-keeper. “Would you like some cool water to drink?” he…

Retold by Sarah Conover and Freda Crane. From Ayat Jamilah: Beautiful Signs: A Treasury of Islamic Wisdom for Children and Parents (Boston: Skinner House, 2010). Kan ya ma kan: there was and there was not a time when Joha and his son set out for the market with their donkey walking along behind…

Two famous twentieth-century Unitarians were James Luther Adams, born in 1901, and James Reeb, born in 1927….

A Zen Buddhist tale, retold by Jessica York. Two monks set out on a journey, one young, the other older and wiser. It was after the rains and the road was very muddy. At one point in their journey, they encountered a young woman standing before a large mud puddle….

Buddhist Jataka tale retold by Jessica York. In the town, there was a school for young people. The school was very poor, but the youth were mostly happy because they had teachers who were wise and who cared for them very much. One day, one of the wise teachers gathered the students. “Our school…

Zeus was not big on forgiving. He was the chief god on Mount Olympus, and what he said went. When the other gods and goddesses obeyed, fine. When they disobeyed, he threw thunderbolts around and thought up some very nasty punishments….