The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-08-20
Good Manners n Duty.
BY HENRY WARD BEECHER.

Men often speak of good manners as an ae-
cOmpRshnaent. speak of it as a duty. What
then are good manners? Such manners as
the usases of society have recognized as be-
ing agreeable to men. Such manners as
take away rudeness, and remit to the brute
creation all coarseness. There are a gIeat
many who feel that good manners are eff
Terminate. They have feeling that rude
b.untness is great deal more manly than
good manners. 1t is a great deal more beast
ly. But when men are crowded in commu-
mites, the ant of living together is no small
art. How to diminish friction; how to pro-
mote ease OF intercourse; how to make eyery
part of II mans life contribute to the welfare
and satisfaction Of those around him; how to
keep down offensive pride; hew to Danish the
raspings of selfishness from the intercourse of
men; how to move among men inspired by
various an6 confictive motives, and vet not
have collisons-this is the function of good
manners.
1t is not effeminate to be refined. And in
this land no man should plead inability.
There may be q peasantTy in other countries,
there may be a be a class in foreign lands
who have no opportunities; there may be
those whose toll is so continuous, whose op-
portunities for knowing what constitutes
good manners are so few, and whose ignor-
ance is so gross, that they are excusable; but
this is not the case with any within the
SOUND of my voice.
That man is a mechanic, is no reason
why he shD Duld not be perfect gentleman. 1
affirm for every American citizen the right to
be, not simply man, but good-mannered
man. have seen men at the anvil who
were as perfect gentlemen as men of books
or men of society. / know no reason WHY a
man who tans hides shond not be a gentle
man. know no reason why man who
digs in the soil, man who works in metals
and woods, man who builds, should not be
perfect gentleman. There is nothing in
mechanical occupations which is incompati-
BILE with the highest courtesy.
Not only is the violation of good manners
inexcusable on ordinary grounds, but it is sim
full When, therefore, parents and guardians
and teachers would inspire the young with a
desire for the mariners of good society, 1t is
not to be thought thai they are accomplish
ments which may be accepted or rejected.
Every man is bound to observe the laws OF
politeness. 1t is the expression o. good will
and kindness. 1t promotes both beauty in
the man who possesses it, and happiness in
those who are about him. 1t is a religious
duty and should be part of religious train
ing.
There is great deal of contempt expressed
for what is called etiquette in society. Now
and then there are elements of etiquette
which perhaps might well be ridculed; but
in the main there is just reason for all those
customs which come under the head of Ell
quette. There is reason which has regard
to facility of intercourse. There is a reason
in the avoidance of offense. There is reason
in comfort and happiness. And no man can
afford to violate these unwritten customs of
etiquette who wishes to act as a Christian
gentleman.
may speak, also, of a tendency which is
bred by our institutions-the want of venera-
ton. There are various ways in which this
want of veneration shows ITSELF We often
hear that there is not the respect shown for the
aged that there used to be. We know that
there is very little respect shown for magis-
trates and men in authority. This is partly
due, think, to the institutions under which
we live. One of the unfortunate effects de-
rived from the early stages OF democratic
training is the sense OF personal sovreignty:
the feeling that we stand on as high grou. d
as anvbody else. Under monarchical insti
tutions men are taught to rtvere the great
and glorious in government. The FEELING of
reverence does not prevail to any extent
among us. l discern great lack in tbis re-
spect. Children, nowadays, are brought nm
to be pe1t, to be saucy, to be almost witbont
restraint. They are brought up 10 have yerv
little regard either for their parents of for
their superiors. And although there are
great many Christian households where chill
dred are rightly bred in this regard, it seems
to me there has been a decay of that instruc-
tion which used to prevail, the tendency of
which was to make children modest and re-
spectful. We bring up ou. children to be old
and smart, and impertinent.
This courtesy Which carries with it respect.
this testimony of veneraton to the aged;
this yielding ones self in a thousand little
society rites for the sake of making others
happy-oh, what brightness it gives to lifel
What beauty, what adornment it gives to
Christian characteri
There are many other points that might
speak of. The effect of puncttiality and Or
der; 1.-The relations which men sustain TO each
others convenience and necessltles-tnese,
and hundred other branches OF this subject
/ might discourse upon; but it is not neces-
sary that / should go into them. have given
mems T%em for he purpose OF calling your atten-
t;o,, Mvn, 70 The minuteness and carefulness with
Which v1I the Scripture inculcates these things.
II enioins not merely the right spirit, but the
right spirit manifested in the most beautiful
way.-From Recent Sermon on the Christ
ian Use Of the Tongue.