Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1902-01-17


The Presidents Cabinet or the United
States Senate or the House OF Representa-
f;ves in this city and find plenty OF men
canable Of holding an old fashioned Metho-
dist prayer meeting, plenty OF Senators
and REPRESENTATIVES and Cabinet ofncers
70 start the tune and kneel with the pen
itenfs al the altar In oil these. places
there are men who could, without looking
~ The hook, recite the sublime words, as
did Gladstone during vacation at Hawar-
den. II believe in God, the, Father Al,
mighty. Maker of heaven and earth, an9
in Jesus Christ" and from the senate ana
House of Representatives and the fIesi.
dental Cabinet and from the surrounding
Offices and committee rooms, II tney cSn1a
hear would come many voices responding
"Amen and amen!" NJ ond
n those who have subordinates: Almost
sverv nerson has some one under him. bow
40 Won treat that clerk, that servant, that
assistant. that employe? Do you accost
him in brusoue terms and roughly commainiu
him to do that which you might kindly
oak him to do? The first words that inc
Duke of Wellington uttered were, III you
nlease." That conqueror in what was IN
some respects the greatest battle ever
fought in his last hours, asked by his ser
want il he would take some tea, repneu'
eff you please" his last words an expires,
sion Of courtesy. Beautiful characteristlc
in any class. The day laborers in Sweden,
Passing each other, take of their hats IN
reverence. There is no excuse for boorish'
ness in any circle. As complete gentle
man as ever lived was the man who was
endorsed on the road to Damascus and be-
headed on the road to Ostia-Paul, the
enostle. I know that he might be so char
acterized by the way he apologized to Ana
MAS. the high priest 1 know it from the
wav he complimented Felix as Q judge
and from the way he greets the king,
thank myself, King Agrippa, because
shall answer for myself this day before
thee touching all the things. whereof l am
accused Of the Jews, especially because
know thee to be expert in all customs ana
questions which are among the Jews, L
itnow that Paul was gentleman from the
wav he opened his sermon on Mars hill,
not insulting his audience, as King James's
translation implies, but saying, "Ye men
Of Athens. perceive that in all things We
are very devout." I know he was gen"
tleman from the fact that when he with
Others of shipwreck, on the Island OF
Mehta visited the governor Of the island
be was most impressed with the courtesy
shown them and reported that visit IN
these words: "In the same quarters were
possessions OF the chief man OF the island,
whose name was Publius, who received us
and lodged US three days. courteousiy.,
And then see those words of advice winch
he gives: "Bear we one another,s burdens;
"In honor preferring one another; HON.
or all men" :
What mighty means of usefulness IS
courtesy! The lack of it brings to many
dead failure. while before those who pos.
eess it in large quantity all the doors OF
nnportunitv are open. You can tell that
nrbanitv does not come from study OF
books of etiquette, although such books
have their use, but from mind full OF
thouphtfulness for others and a heart IN
sympathy with the conditions of others.
If those conditions be prosperous, a
gladness for the success, or If the condl-
fions be depressing, a sorrow for the un,
favorable circumstances. All, this Worid
needs lighting up :. :,
To those of lis who are prosperous III Is
no credit that we are in state OF good
cheer but in the lives of ninety-nine, out
of a hundred there is pathetic SIDE,
taking off. deficit, an anxiety, trouble.
By genial look, by kind word, by,
helpful action, we may lift little OF the
burden and partly clear the way Tor the
stumbling foot. Oh, what a glorious art
It is to say the right word in the right
II others lack courtesy, that is no rea-
son why YOU should lack it. Respond to
rudeness by utmost affabihty. because
some one else is boor is no reason why
YOU should be boor. But how few sho"
urbanity when badly treated! Human ma
lure says: "An eye for an eye, a tooth Tor
a tooth, retort for retort,. SANDER Tor sian,
: Gov olfraafnpnt ~ hit
there have been those you and L nave
known who amid assault and carlcature
and Injustice have maintained the loveii-
ness of blossom week in springtime. Moth
ING but divine grace in the heart can keep
!such equilibrium. That is not human ma.
ture until it is transformed by supernal
influences. To put it ON the lowest ground
Won cannot afford to be revengeful and
malignant.
Hatred and high indignation are stages
of unhealth. They enlarge the spleen;
they weaken the nerves; they attack the
brain. Rage in a man is one form OF apo
plexy. Every time you get mad you dam
age your body and mind and soul, and you
have not such a surplus OF vigor and en-
ergy that you can afford to sacritlce them;
So I applaud Christian courtesy. 1
would put it upon the throne OF every
heart in all the world. The beauty OF u
ia that YOU may extend it to Others. and
have lust as much of it-yea, more OF 1t
left in your own heart and life. g,
1t is like the miracle of the loaves and
fishes. which, by being divided, were mul,
tiplied until twelve baskets were fllled
with the remnants. 1t is like torch,
with which fifty lamps many bee hghted
and vet the torch remain as bright as be-
fore it lighted the first lamp.
But this grace will not come to It's coro-
nal until it reaches the heavenly sphere.
What world that must be where selfish
ness and jealousy and pride and acerbltles
of temper have never entered and never
will enter! No struggle for precedence.
No rivalry between cherubim and sera-
phim. No ambition as to who shall have
the front seats in the temple of God and
the Lamb. No controversy about the place
the guest may take at the banquet. NO
rivalry of robe or coronet. No racing OF
cbariots. No throne looking askance upon
other thrones but all the inhabitants per-
fectly happy and rejoicing in the perfect
happiness OF others. If ]. never get to any
other delightful place want to get to that
place. What a realm to live in forever!
All worshiping the same God. all saved by
the same Christ, all experiencing the same
emotions, all ascending the same heights
of love and exultation, all celebrating the
victories. Courtesy there easy, because
there will be no faults to overlook, no
apologies to make, no mistakes to correct,
40 disagreeableness to overcome, no wrongs
to right. In all the ages to come not a
hetraction or subterfuge. A perfect sou!
In a perfect heaven. In that realm, world
without end, it will never be necessary to
repeat the words of my text, words that
now need oft repetition, "Be courteous"
copyright, 1902. L. Klopschl