San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-30
sEEKETH NOT HER OWN.

One week ago yesterday there were
several promotions made in the Unit
ed States pension office, and as soon as
they were perfected one of the subjects
of promotion sought out the commits
sioner and said:
"Mr. Commissioner, there is a
woman who sits alongside of me in the
office whose necessities are much
greater than mine. She is a splendid
clerk, and is now supporting her sick
sister and child. Her brother, who
previously assisted them, died a short
time ago. The lines of her life are
drawn in a much harder place just
now than are those of mine. 1 want
to ask a favor of you. 1 want to ask
if you will not let this other woman
have my promotion, and allow her to
draw the increased salary until she is
placed in better circumstances. When
that time comes perhaps we may
cndnge ABOUT again.
This woman was in herself a living
Illustration of that divine Charity"
that .'seeketh not her own" Her place
in the UNCONVENTIONAL world is not
sought after or enquired into. That
woman carries in her own unselfish life
the title deeds to a real discipleship
with the Nazarine that no council of
church ecclesiastics can disprove. How
many of the clergy who bear rule in
the UNCONVENTIONAL kingdom are ready
to take the church with the smaller
salary in order that their poorer broth
er with the larger family and the grea-
ter needs may be better provided for?
But ii is not the province of the Light
preacher to enter into any criticism of
those who hold forth from the Sunday
desk, and this question is merely sug-
gestive.
One cannot help thinking, however,
that had Jesus, or Buddha, been pres
ent when this Washington woman sur
rendered her higher position for the
benefit of her more necessitous sister,
he would have been quick to note the
divine quality of the act and utter that
SO seldom earned well done thou good
and faithful This quality of not
seeking ones own, in this world of self
seekers and self seeking, is so rare that
it deserves more than passing notice.
1t should be held up to imitation as
the one redemption of the world of
to all who, seeking to rise above low
levels of living, are in some measure
ready for the preaching of that new
evangel of help at the expense of self
good and greed.
The spirit that found such beautiful
illustration in that act of the clerk in
the pension Office must have been a
pure and wholesome one. There was
no Wanting of self. No parading of
the generous act. No attempt in any
way to make self prominent There
was a quiet recognition of the act un-
DERIVING preferment, good service, so
the commentator of the one she
would assist finds words "she is a
splendid clerk" This is of itself a
pleasing trait, this readiness to COM
mend another. 1t makes that other
on the same plane with herself and as
equally entitled to recognition, if not
equally within the lines of promotion.
Then on this asserted fact of ability
for the duties to be performed is pre-
Dictated the request for preferment.
But it is more than that. 1t is a
request for preferment at personal ex-
pense That request based upon the
womanhood and need of the other. 1t
\is the fullest exemplification of that
resurrection idea of the novelist put
Yourself in her place" With all this
ere is a calm recognition of her own
Csonal rights which are thus tempo
lily waived. II is seen in her clos
words, in her possible change of
ositions when the conditions them
: elves change. The whole little scene
a revealment of sweet nuselfishness
ntle dignified womanliness, earnest
lpfulness. 1t is an apple of gold in
picture OF silver. 1t is like the I'M
ined mercy that blesses him who
ss and no less blesses him who
IVES.
D What an oasis in the desert of pie
hunting greed and grasping selfshness
is this little incident in itself! How it
adOrns the plain face Of daily doing
and monotonous duty and gives life and
color to the picture as a beautiful
flower does to a bed Of foliage, or a
bright cluster Of geraniums to the