The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-01-17
DIR. TALMAGES SERMON
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE eY THE NOTED
DIVINE.
Subject: The Grace of fCourtesy-rhristian
Thoughtfuiness 4. Born In tn. Heart
by the Power Of the Holy Ghost-spesk
We'll of One Another.

/ trs, ana SHOWS now hugn d b'H4sAah- hPtsst ;
may be iostered; text, / Peter II, 8, BE
/ courteous"
| In an age when bluntness has been ca
| nOuized az a virtue u may be useful 70 ex-
tol one Of the most beautiful oi al the
royal family Of graces-cOurtesy. IL u
Rraciousness. Difference 70 the wishes OF
others, good manners, affabilty, Wiling
ness 10 deny ourselves somewhat Tor the
advantage Of Others, urbanlty. But what
Is the use OF my defining the grace OF cour-
tesy when we all know 50 well what IT ~ !
The botanist might say some very inter
esting things about rose, and the chem-
ist might discourse about water or hght,
but without ever seeing botanist or a
chemist we know what rose ~ and Wnat
water and light are. DO not take our time
in telling us what courtesy -. Only snow
IA how we may get more OF u AID avoid
what are its cOunteTieits Mark you, n
cannot be put on or dramdtlzed success.
fully for a long while. We may be iull OF
bows and gcuuhcctlOns, and smiles ana
complimentary phrase, and have nothing
of genuine courtesy 80. her IN our makeup
or in our demcanOr. A backswoodsman
who never saw a drawing room or dane
ing master or a caterer or tod oi drdp.
cry may with his big soul and hard hand
and awkward salutatlOn exercise the grace,
while one born under richest upholstery
and educated I'm foreign schools, and both
will take from a royal wardrobe, may be
as barren Of the spirit OF courtesy as the
great Sahara desert Is OF green meadows
and tossing fountains.
Christian courtesy is born IN the heart
by the mower OF the Holy Ghost, who has
transformed and illumined and glorihed
ones nature Mark YOU, | am speaking
Of the highest kind OF courtesy. which -
Christian courtesy. Something like tor
dinary polteness-may grow NJ with Us
under the direction Of intelligent and
watchful parentage, but ] am not speaking
Of that which ~ merely agreeableness OF
conversation and behavior. All that may
be a matter OF tutelage and fine surround
ing and show itself in lifting the hat 20
passersby and ~ a graceful way OF asking
about your health and sending the right
kind Of acceptance when you cannot 90
and understanding all the laws of prefer
ence at table and parlor door, all OF which
il well. ] am speaking OF principle oi
courtesy so implanted IN ones nature that
his suavity of conversation and manner
shall be the outburst OF what he feels Tor
the happiness and welfare of others, a
principle that viii work In the next world
as we'll as IN this, and will be as appro-
pirate in the mansions Of heaven as IN
earthly dwelling places
Now, you know as well az ! do that some
OF the most undesirable people have been
early American history there arose n man
OF wonderful talent, an imporsonatlon OF
all that can charm drawing rooms and
cultivated circles Aged men who knew
him i'm their youth have told me that he
was the most irresistible man they ever
met his voice si,vcry, his smile bewltch-
ing. his glove immaculate. his eye piercing,
his high forehead wrcathed IN curls. his
attire a fascination He became Nice-Pres-
ident of the United states and within one
vote of being President. Men threw away
their fortunes TO help HIM IN his political
aspirations and 10 forward him IN con.
spracv to overthrow the Government OF
the United States, he trying TO do IN
America what Napoleon at that very time
was irving 10 do in Europe-estabhsh
throne for himself Rut he was immoral
and corrupt. He was the serpent that
wound its way into many domestic par
adisc He shot TO death one of the great
est of Americans - Alexander Hamilton.
The world found out long ago before he
left it that the offender | speak Of was an
embodiment Of dissoluteness and base am
bition. lie was the best illustration that
| know of the fact that a man may have
the appearance of courtesy while within he
is all wrong.
Absalom. Bible character. was a specl-
men of a man of polish outside and of rot,
tcnness inside. Beautiful, brilliant and
with such wealth of hair that when 1t was
cut in each December as matter OF PRIDE
he had It weighed, and 1t weighed 2oO
shckels He captured all who came near
him. But. oh. what a heart he had-tull
of treacherv and unhhal spirit and base
ness! He was as bad as he was allunng
and charming
In the famous Athenian Alcihiades his
tory discuurses of the same splendor OF
manner covering utter depravity. Noble
pedigree transcendent abilities, radiant
personality. eloquent tongue, triumphant
warrior victor at Olympic games, but a
dchauchce and an impersonaton OF all the
vices. Alas. that all up and down history
and clear on into our day there are SO
many of what Christ called wolves IN
shccn's clothinc" - "whitewashed sepul-
chcrs. full of dead mems bones and all un-
clcanness,' Gided abominatons. walk.
ing azcrettos, attircd in vermllhon and
gold. PCrdition hanging out the banners
OF heaven, AZ far as possible are they re-
moved from all genuine courtesy.
I like what John Wesley said TO man
when their carriages met on the road.
The rufiian. knowing Mr.. Wesley and dis
liking him. did not turn out, but Kept the
middle of the road. Mr. Wesley cheertuly
cave the man all the road, himself riding
into the ditch. As they passed each other
the rutiian said, II never turn out for
fools" and Mr.. Wesley said, II always
do" like the reproof which Chinaman
in San Francisco gave an American: Inc
American pushed him of the sidewalk
until he fci into the mud. The Chinaman
on rising began to brush of the mud and
said to the American: You Chrlstian' me
heather. Goodbye. a stranger entered
a church in one OF the cities and was al
lowed to stand long while, although there
was plentv of room. No one offered seat.
The stranger after awhile said to one OF
the brethren, What church Is thisy' The
answer was. "Christ's church, SIR is
He ing" said the stranger. The officer of
the church understood what was meant
and gave him a seat, We want more cour'
tesy IN places of business, more courtesy
in our homes
But heart courtesy must prcccde hand
and head and foot courtesy. Cultivation
OF il should bcsin IN the fathers house
You often notice that brothers and sisters
are often gruf and snappy ans say things
and do things that they would not have the
outside world know about. Rough things
arc sometimes said IN households which
ought never 10 be said at all-teaslng and
recrimnaton and fault.huding and harsh
criticisms. which will have their echo
thirty and forty and fifty years afterward
! In the slcet driven bv the cast wind nc
sweet flowers of kindness and geniahty
| viii grow.
Let children hear their rarents picking
| AZ each other. and those children viii bt
I found picking az each other, and TAR down
| the road of lie will he seen the same dis
/ position 10 nick at others Better thar
] tins habit of picking az children. which
/ So many parents indulge IN. would be on'
| good. healthy application of the rod. Bet
ter A shower that lasts few minutes than
! the cold drizzle of many days. We never
T get over our first home. however man,