The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-09-28
PULPIT AND PEW.
NEWS AND COMMENT OF INTER
EST TO CHURCH PEOPLE.

Isl ~ CrOHSH
rhe yalue Of Conciliatory Spirit
I.axity In Repentance Fifty Years
Prisst-Character OF Big Churches
Notes.
Men are not yet so far removed from
the savage state that they fail to admire
animal strength and brute courage
They very generally admire the hero
who shoulders his way through the
world, tramples down opposition, ana
gains his purpose (sometimes in disre- |
Ssrd of the rights OF others) by his az.
creseiye behavior and display OF animal
courage. Yet, in truth, such leader |
IF men il not to be admired so much as |
the man of conciliatory disposition, |
who. with equal tepacity OF purpose
uses Judgment aud argument 10 attain
his purpose and wins over the opposl-
ton 10 his side rather than seeks W
crush it. Cancellation should not be
COMPOUNDED with compromise, when Is
often the refuge OF the weak and timid'
Compromise is justifable only wnep
one finds that he is not sure .na' ms
purpose is right or when the rights OF
other persons may be invaded II ne
should be too persistent. When ne has
a fixed purpose that he Is sure ne 10
right. 10 compromise is TO SURRENDER
mari at least Of that in which ne pehe'eS'
10 copciliate does not mean that ne
shall Weld anything except perhaps
s;m,o Ue NAV have to humor the o2-
nosition. await q favorable opportunity
Tor nressing his point. reasonlwltn those
vbose minds have not been MADE up
bs agreeable to those whom he thinks ne
nav win over: in short, use judgment
-hile messing steadily onward
10 the accomplishment OF his
purpose. 1t requires much hieu,
or powers to attain ones enp
bv conciliatory methods thsh oy
force. The one depends upon intellect
considerateness, judgment IN dealing
With men: the other is brutal, NEON
s,derate. and depends mainly upon
strength and courage. The highest
TYNE of man, perhaps, is that when
combines strength, courage, ana inter
Lot Richeleu is a favorite example.
Though he possessed some qualities mol
10 he admired and adopted some meth
ods that are to be condemned. he had a
b;gh purpose before him and he used
every means TO accomplish 1t. lie could
be brutally aggressive when that
seemed TO be the best policy, or he could
conciliate, temporize, or argue "nen
ne felt that a display OF the aggressive
shirt was untimely. But he never
forgot or swerved from his purpose
Even when he employed force 1t wa.
always under the guidance and control
Of his intellect. Such men are rare, but
there are many in public life who have
the copciliatory disposition and who &C
complish much, though passed by un-
noticed. while their more NOISY Dretn'
ron who exhibit nothing but boldness
without judgment. win the applause OF
the multitude. In reading history II
"a curious to observe the dlfier'
ent estimates placed upon men IL
succeeding generations. Inc popular
hero of period, when MS lie anu
works come to be examined Dy an uh.
pfeiudiced historian, Is usudiiy iouno
TO have accomplished little. lie may
have been very noisy and may nave ap
peared TO his fellows to be the greal
leader and originator of polices. but
investigation generally shows that ne
has received substantial help or ever
Guidance from some quiet, unpreten
t;ous. almost unknown, coadJutor OF
conciliatory disposition able 10 add IN
tellect and wise counsel TO manlIesta
tions of mere brute strength and cour
GO The leaders of the mob in the
French revolution were not the Leaders
of the revolution itself. They tumbleo
down. but they could not build up
Vet the leaders of the revolution were
no less tenacious OF purpose, ana sway
ed even those whose hands gulded th'
pullotine in its awful work. Inc con
ciliatory disposition is not sign Q
weakness, but of intellectual strength
Ii ia associated with sense OF justice
and respect for the opinions and right
of others. 1t is not stubborn or blgoted
and Yields only TO reason. Ii doe
not compromise in the sense o
Welding essentials for the SAX
of a partial advantage, but II use'
INDICTMENT at all times as TO when
measure shall be pushed or an advanc
made. and above all it seeks TO convlnc
rather than to dragon the opposition
In making up estimates of men oil th
present day one should keep these dis
tinctions in mind and try to avoid pre-
iudice, of all kinds for or against tn
mere acts of the men. We may ap
prove their purposes yet should avoi'
being carried away by the boldnes
of their movements into falls
estimate of their intellectual or mora
power. We may disapprove of thei
purposes and yet recognize their sin
cerity and the persistent zeal wit
which they pursue their aims. And II
Judging of contemporary public men W
should never fail to look behind tn
popular heroes to single out the men o
conciliatory disposition whose milde
intellectual methods do more TO shap
politics and achieve results thar all tn
buster of the bold but inconsideratC
who, in seeking to trample down oppc
sition by force, arouse eDmities tina
NAV grow to be insurmountable.-Bal
timore Sun.