Smyrna times., 1895-08-21
Self Sacrifice.
AN ADMIRABLE FEATURE OF CHAR.
ACrER WHEN GOVERNED BY
REASON.

IL seems ungracious to criticise o.
condemn in any way those who max,
sacrifices for others, and vet it wonlC
not be difficult to prove that thew som,
times do injury by their well meant
unselhshness. The harmony of con
tradlction very often bring together sc
friends the selfish and the uDselfsb
ne former plays upon the latter. max.
ing the most unjust exaction. only n
oe met Dy subserviency and selfsacri-
nee which, in turn, nourishes the
selhshness that should be snbdped
Self sacrifice is wholly admirable wben
1t is made for those who are appreci.
atlVe and grateful it is less admirable.
II not to be condemned, when il ia On
unreasonable as to bestow itself on nm
worthy objects. If we could conceiva
a beautiful flower within olding it's own
perfection that it might not interfere
Win the growth of some worthless
weed, we should have an analogy 70
the sacrifices made by the unselfsh for
Ine benefit OF those whose only Thought
through life is self One NAV meet
when they arrive at middle AGE two
sisters who seem to be utterly unlike
IN character. Chance has kept them
together, and one is, unconsciouslv,
perhaps, the slave of the other. The
stranger meeting them for the first
time marvels at their mental and moral
differences. knowing them to be init
mately related by ties of blood. Bnt if
ne should examine their history ba
would find their differences to ha q
matter of development, for which the |
lnselhsh sister as we'll as the selfish
was IN part responsible. In their earlv
slrlhood they probably differed verv
nue. out one, by reason of greater age
perhaps, assumed authority and the
'ther yielded. The habit of commond
Is wei as the habit of obedience prew
'nd SO also did the selfish and unseI6sb
attributes, until when both had reached
middle life, it became a matter of
curse that all sacrifices were to ha
lade by the young sister. Her desires
conVenlences are never considered,
+ II presented, were set aside as mat ,
IT'S ol no importance; for years she
ad yielded with loving heart and :
ood grace to the somewhat imperious
emands of her sister, and WHY sbould
le now rebel? Nor could she do 90 n
lccessfully. Her whole habit of mind
Ter years OF training, was disposed to =
eIulng' TO finding pleasure only in :
ie pleasure of other people-a beaui. :
disposition, but not without its :
ults. For it has been, in part at :.
ast, responsible for the growth of =.
ry different disposition-the selfish, :
'mlneerlng, sometimes malicious dis. :
sltlon of the elder sister. There 10 =
remedy now to be applied; the mis-. u
lei done is irreparable, but while :,
ry gently condemning the self-sacri- 3
ing spirit that is responsible in mart :.
tne EVIL, one may serve some good 90
rpose by exhibiting its possible con- -,
iuences to those who have not estab- =,
ned 1t as a part of their charaoter :
can yet be induced to take lessons -
u experience and keep all of their -
linatiOns under the control of rea. .
l. In the example cited both sisters "' "
uld have been the better if each had Pe
N compelled to yield a little and
n mad learned to make sacrifices
en- occasion required them. For il
o be observed that sacrifices implies
leldlng of something more than the gre
requires, and sacrifices should be on
lprocal or they are bestowed on an spC
worthy object. Ingratitude is the yea
lnest attribute of the selfish and II tax
xhloited at its worst when long as, bee
alton with an unselHsh relative or ject
nd has made ingratitude a habit, we
as 1t is fed and nourished by self. be
lhce, we cannot regard the latter not
wholly commendable unless il is the
'ly governed, so that it may not de- fav
p such grave fault in Others. hot
-.,.- kill