The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1902-01-17


until he fell into the mud. The China
man on rising began to brush off the
mud and said to the American: You
christian; me heather. Goodby." a
stranger entered church in one of
the cities and was allowed to stand a
long while, although there was plenty
of room. No one offered seat. The
stranger after awhile said to one of
the brethren: what church is this?"
The answer was: "Christ's church, sir -
'Is He in?'' said the stranger. The Of
ficer of the church understood what
was meant and gave him a seat. We
want more courtesy in the churches,
more courtesy in places of business,
more courtesy in our homes.
What a curse of cynics and pessi-
mists afflicts our time, afflicts all time!
There are those who praise no one I'M
til he is dead. Now that he is clear
underground and heavy stone is on
top of him there is no possibility of his
ever coming up again rival. Some
of the epitaphs on tombstones are so
fulsome that on resurrection day a
man rising may, if he reads the cpl
taph, for the moment think he got into
the wrong grave. Speak well one of
another, and if you find yourself in
circles disposed to SANDER and abuse
be for the time as dumb as the sphinx,
which, though only few yards away
from the shadowing pyramid of
Egypt, has not with its lips of stone
spoken one word in thousands of years.
There are two sides to every mans
character - a good side and an evil
side. The good see only the good
and the evil only the evil, and the
probability is that only a medium
opinion is the right opinion. Most
of the people whom L know are do
ing about as well as they can under
the circumstances. When L see peo-
pie who are worse than l am, 1 con-
clude that if l had the same bad in
fuences around me all my life that
they have had L would probably have
been worse than they now are. The
work of reform is the most impor-
tant work, but many of the reform
ers, dwelling on one evil, see nothing
but evil, and they get so used to an
athena they forget the usefulness
once in awhile of benediction. They
get so accustomed to eXcoriating
public men that they do not realize
that never since John Hancock in
boldest chirography signed the dec
laration of independence, never since
Columbus picked up the floating land
flowers that showed him he was COM
ing near some new country, have
there been so many noble and SPLEEN
did and Christian men in high places
in this country as now. You could
go into the presidents cabinet or
the United States senate or the house
of representatives in this city and
find plenty of men capable of hold
ing an old-fa shioned Methodist
prayer meeting, plenty of senator's
and representatives and cabinet Off
GERS to start the tune and kneel with
the penitents at the altar. In all
these places there are men who could
without looking at the Book, recite
the sublime words, as did Gladstone
during vacation at Hawarden, Il be-
lieve in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of Heaven and earth, and in
Jesus Christ and from the senate
and house of representatives and the
presidential cabinet and from the
surrounding offices and committee
rooms, if they could hear, would
come many voices responding amen
and amen!"
Christian courtesy L especially COM
mend to those who have subordi-
mates. Almost every person has
some one under him. How do you
treat that clerk, that servant, that
assistant, that employe? Do you &C
cost him in brusque terms and rough
Iy command him to do that which
you might kindly ask him to do?
The last words that the duke of
Wellington uttered were: IF you
please" That cOnqueror in what was
in some respects the greatest battle
ever fought in his last hours, asked
by his servant if he would take some
tea replied: eff you please" his
last words an expression of courtesy.
Beautiful characteristic in any class.
The day laborers in Sweden, passing
each other, take off their hats in
reverence. There is no excuse for
boorishness in any circle. AS COM
plete a gentleman as ever lived was
road to Damascus and beheaded on
the road to Ostia-Paul, the apostle.
l know that he might be so char
acterized by the way he apologized
to Ananias, the high priest. L know
it from the way he complimented
Felix as a judge and from the way
he greets the king: Il thank my
self, King Agrippa, because 1 shall
answer for myself this day before
thee touching all the things whereof
1 am accused of the Jews, especially
because l know thee to be expert in
all customs and questions which are
among the Jews" L know that Paul
was a gentleman from the way he
opened his sermon on Mars hill, not
insulting his audience, as King
James translation implies, but say
ing: ''Ye men of Athens, 1 perceive
that in all things We are very de-
vout." | know he was a gentleman
from the fact that when he, with
Others of a shipwreck, on the island
of Melita visited the governor of the
island, he was most impressed with
the courtesy shown them and report
ed that visit in these words: I'm the
same quarters were possessions of
the chief man of the island, whose
name was Publius, who received us
and lodged us three days courteous
w." And then see those words of adj
vice which he gives: Bear We one
another's burdens" In honor pre-
ferring one another" Honor all
men,