The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-11
OUR MANNERS.
Interestingly Discussed BY Rev. M.
H. Harris at All Souls.

H. Harris at All souls.
Rev. DR.. Moses H. Harris spoke last
evening at All Souls church, on Man
ners, the garments of the spirit" and
said in part:
Manners are the external manifesto
tons by which men display their in
dividual peculiarities of mind and
heart, and, unless used artifcially, to
conceal the true character. they form
a transparent medium through which it
is exhibited Manners are the gar
ments of the spirit, the external cloth
ing of the being in which character ul-
Inmates itself If the character be SIM
pie and sincere, the manners will be at
one with it; will be the natural out
birth of it's traits and peculiarities. If
it be complex and self-seeking, the
manners will be artificial, affected and
insincere. Some persons make up, put
on, take off, alter or patch their man
ners to suit times or seasons, with as
much facility and as little apparent
consciousness or duplicity as if they
were treating their clothes in like fash
ion. If an individual of this class is
going to meet company with whom he
wishes to ingratiate himself, he puts on
his most polished manners as matter
clothes, and when he goes home, he
takes them off again for the next i'm
portant occasion. The fair lady of this
class may be polished to the last de-
gree when arrayed in silks and laces.
She glides over the rich carpet of the
drawing and yet with her serv-
ants at home, she is possibly less the
lady than they. Or worse still, this
lady is married to a fine gentleman, of
oh ffav. ,,
ries on a civil war with him in which
all restraint of courtesy is set aside.
There is so much undeniable hypocrisy
in the high-bred courtesy of polished
society that among many persons there
has come to be an indifference, almost
opposition, to manners that SAVIOR of ell
egance and courtliness.
If love reign Within, rudeness or in
difference cannot reign without. One
may as well look for a healthy phys
ical frame under a skin revolving from
disease, as for a healthy moral frame
under manners rude and discourteous,
for maners indicate the moral tempera-
ment quite as accurately as the phys
zeal temperament is revealed by the
complexion Until character tends at
all times, and in all places, and toward
all persons to reveal itself in manners
of thorough courtesy, it is not building
we are in doubt regarding the value of
any particular trait of character, we
can generally find the solution of our
difficulty by working out an answer to
the question, How does it affect our
usefulness in society?
There are three ways in which we
express ourselves toward those with
whom we come in contact in the fam
lily and social relations of life-action
oOr1WPrGa tiOJ1 and manners Inn
portInce of ordering the first two of
these expressions Alright can hardly be
doubted by any thinking being, but
that conscience has anything to do
with the manners would probably be
questioned by many. What effect have
our manners upon our usefulness as
social beings? Conversation is, in gen
eral, the expression of our thoughts
Manners, on the cantrary, are the di-
rect expression of our affections. They
are to action what tone is to CONVEX
sation. Many persons may be found
who make use of falsehood In their
conversation, but very few are there
who can lie in the tones of their voice
So many persons can act hypocritical-
ly, but there are comparatively few
who are habitualIy deceitful. Our
words and actions, are more easily I'M
der our control than our tones and
manners, because the former are more
the result of thought, while the latter
are almost entirely the result of the
affections. Few persons are distinctly
aware of this difference. Everyone is
powerfully affected by it. In our So
cial relations of equals, and in domestic
life. i'll temper, selflshness and indif-
ference are The principal sources of
i'll breeding.
Where the external forms of civil
ity and courtesy are not observed in
the family circle, we are almost sure
to find perpetually recurring conten-
ton and pickering. Rudeness is a
constant source of irritation, because
however little the members of the fam
lily regard politeness, each will have
his own way of being rude. Rudeness
is always angular, and its sharp cor
ners produce discomfort whenever they
come in contact with a neighbor
Manners are more than form. They
are form and spirit combined. Good
manners always create gentleness, and
gentleness in society is like the silent
influence of light, which gives color
to all nature. 1t is far more powerful
than loudness or force, and far more
fruitful. 1t pushes its way silently
and persistently like the tiniest daft
fodil in spring, which raises the clod
and thrusts 1t aside by the simple per
sistence of growing
do not save your good manners for
the street or for society, but let them
beautify your homes. A thoughtful
courtesy will never be wasted upon
those who dwell beneath the same roof.
He who is pure in heart can never he
vulgar in speech, and he who is meek
and loving in spirit can never be rude
in manners"