San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-30

greenness of a lawn. Such incidents
restore our faith in human kind when
1t is in danger of being crushed out UNI
der the heel of the general indifference
and cruelty and selfishness and disre-
gard Of others wants and needs and
sufferings and sorrows. Human
hearts are not all hard and human
feeling dead, when in the rough grind
of the official mill/at Washington such
a flower of unselfishness could unfold
in that atmosphere.
But it was not alone to hold this one
example up to light that it is made the
theme of this mornings discourse. 1t
serves the broader purpose of example.
1t says to each of us 'go thou and do
likewise" 1t instructs in that higher
use of life that makes living grand
sweet song and beds the to come with
the hope of better things. That whole
pension department will feel the infiu-
epce of that one unselfish selfsacrific-
ing act. 1t will radiate outward from
that department until others shall feel
the thrill of emotion that such an act
evokes, and it will become the inspira-
ton of much that would otherwise
The pebble that is cast into the mid
die of the smooth water sends out its
concentric ripples till the little wave
plash is seen on the farthest shore. So
our little unselfishnesses,in their way,
send out their ripples of feeling until
the responsive movement is felt upon
the farthermost shores of Time. Seek
eth not her own" What a lift the
whole money-grabbing place-seeking
world of humans would get if this
habit of seeking the good of another
was to become the fashion. 1t is not
seeking the i'll of another that is indi-
Gated, but seeking not ones own
personal good, or ends, or preferment,
or advantage at the expense of anoth-
er. Rare as this is it does not fill the
full measure of the act OF the unknown
lady at Washington.
She not only did not seek her own at
the expense of another, but she sur
rendered her own for the good of an
other, and did it in the most gentle,
unassuming, pleasant, thoughtful
manner possible. 1t would have been
easy to have taken the preferment and
turned over the proceeds of the new
woman she desired to befriend. But that
would not satisfy the demands of this
gentle lady on herself Her good act
must be done in the best way, so as not
to wound the sensibilities of the be-
friended one. Here is where the no
bleness of the act is best seen, in the
method of it's doing. There are many
of US who like to play Lady Bountiful
and the Parisee, but this seeking the
comfort of the others feelings in it all
is one of the most divine things about
it, There is nothing to mar the per-
lection of the deed.
While seeking not your own, the in
ference is that you will seek the things
of another. Seek to know their inner
qualities as we'll as their outer necessi-
ties,a and then it will be easier to minis
ter in the least obtrusive way to their
necessities. In like manner it is wise |
to become acquainted with their inner |
needs, as well as their outer habits, for |
these need seeking out and ministering |
to as well. 1t is harder to receive |
than to give graciously, particularly |
if the recipient is of sensitive nature |
and has not been accustomed to re-
CelNe ldNOTS. Inc COnQeSCenSlOn |
should be on the part of the receiver,
for the giver has all the advantage of |
place and station and obligation be- |
slowed and can afford to stoop to |
serve.
This world since the memory of man |
ran not to the contrary has been seek |
ing its own. What a revolution would I
be wrought If the seeking were re-
versed and people began in the best |
sense to seek the things of another. The |
are evidences all along the progress Of |
the race that the idea is growing OF a |
more general acceptance. The pray |
ers of the Light congregation ascend |
this morning that the progress may be |
accelerated. The faith that is shown |
by works is needed here and every eff |
fort to bring in the day should be Sec
onded by you, To this end and to aid |
in its accomplishment is the example |
of that womanly clerk in Washington
brought to your ontice this morning. |
Let each in her sphere, in his way,
bless her act and go and do likewise.