The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-02-13
A BEAUTIFUL GRACE.
Courtesy Extolled in This Sermon
by DR.. Talmage.
ThoughtfuIness for Others Is Urged
How a Benignant Spirit May
Be Fostered What the
World Needs.

Copyright, 1902, by Louis klopsch' N. ~
Washington,
In this discourse DR.. Talmage urges
| thoughtfulness for Others and shows
how such a benignant spirit may be
fostered; text, Peter 2:s: 'Be cour-
| teous."
| In an age when bluntness has been
canonized as virtue it may be use
full to extol one of the most beautiful
of all the royal family of graces-
courtesy. 1t is graciousness, defer
ence to the wishes of others, good man
| ners, affabiEty, willingness to deny
ourselves somewhat for the advantaq"
| of others, urbanity. But what is the
use of my defining the grace OF cour-
tesy when we all know so well what 1t
is? The botanist might say some very
| interesting things about rose, and
the chemist might discourse about wa
ter or light, but without ever seeing
botanist or a chemist we know what
| a rose is and what water and light
are. Do not take our time in telling
us what courtesy is. Only show US
how we may get more of j and avoid
| what are it's counterfeits. Mark you,
| it cannot be put on or dramatiZed sue
cessfully for a long while. We may
be full of bows and genuflections, and
smiles and complimentary phrase, and
have nothing of genuine courtesy
either in our makeup or in our de-
| meanor. A backwoodsman who never
| saw a drawing-room or dancing mas
ter or caterer or fold of drapery
may with his big soul and hard hand
and awkward salutation exercise the
grace, while one born under richest
upholstery and educated in foreign
schools, and bothered to know which
of ten garments he will take from a
royal wardrobe, may be as barren OF
the spirit of courtesy as the great Sa-
hara desert is of green meadows and
tossing fountains.
Christian courtesy is born in the
heart by the power of the Holy Ghost,
who has transformed and illumined d
and glorifed ones nature. Mark you,
I am speaking of the highest kind OF
courtesy, which is Christian courtesy.
Sonnet thing like it-ordinary politeness
may grow up with us under the di.
rec1ion of intelligent and watchful
parentage, but I am not speaking OF
that which is merely agreeableness OF
conversation and behavior. All that
may be matter of tutelage and fine
surrounding and show itself in lifting
the hat to passersby and in graceful
way of asking about your health and
sending the right kind of acceptance
when you can 60 and the right kind OF
regrets when you cannot go and under.
standing all the laws of preference al
table and parlor door, all of which j:
well. am speaking of a principle Of
courtesy soimplanted in ones nature
that his suavity of conversation ant
manner shall be the outburst of wha
he feels for the happiness and welfare
of others, principle that will worl
in the next world as well as in this
and will be as appropriate in the man
sions of Heaven as in earthly dwelling
places.
Now, you know as we'll as do tha
some of the most undesirable people
have been seeming incarnations o
, courtesy. In our early American his
. tory there arose man of wonderful
talent, an impersonation of all tha
can charm drawing-rooms and cult
; waited circles. Aged men who knew
; him in their youth have told me tina
he was the most irresistible man the.
ever met his voice silvery, his smil
bewitching, his glove immaculate, hi
eve piercing, his high forehea
wreathed in curls, his attire fascina
ton. He became vice president of tn
United States and within one vote o
: being president. Men threw ava
, their fortunes to help him in his polit
3 ii ical aspirations and to forward him i
. a conspiracy to overthrow the govern
, ment of the United States, he trying t
!, do in America what Napoleon at tha
j very time was trying to do in Europ
!, establish throne for himself. Blu
he was immoral and corrupt. He wa
] the serpent that wound its way int
many a domestic paradise. He shot
death one of the greatest of American
: Alexander Hamilton. The worl
, found out long before he left it tha
i the offender speak of was an embod
1 ment of dissoluteness and base amb
\ ton. He was the best illustration tha
h know of of the fact that man ma
I have the appearance of courtesy Will
> | within he is all wrong.
!. Absabm, Bible character, was
= specimen of man of polish outsid
! and of rottenness inside. Beautiful
brilliant and with such wealth of ha;
). that when it was cut in each Decen
!. Der as a matter of pride he had
: weighed, and it weighed 200 shekel
He captured all who came near hin
, But, oh, what heart he had-full {
treachery and unfilial spirit and bas
!. ness!
In the famous Athenian Alcibiad'
5 history discourses of the same splel
: : dor of r+anner covering utter depra
!. ity. Noble pedigree, transcrndent abb
f.i<s radiant personality, eloque'
| ,pusss, triumphant Etssiog, 1ieIss