Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-11-20


and labor In his name I'm the same way
as he used 10 work. He was tainted
with many reproaches during his earth.
ly life. but those who hated him most
never charged him with unciea nliness
or slovenliness. and we may be sure
that the Pharisee who invited him
TO his house and the other hosts
who entertained him would new
er have welcomed him as guest
IL he had been careless about his
person or his dress The quality Of his
robe may have been poor, but we may
be sure that there were no impurities
upon it or upon him. SO, Christian
workers, IL we go forth I'm Christ's
name. some Of us must be more care
full abost our personal appearance.
Remember. . minister. when you as
cend the pulpit, that your clothes may
not be expensive. but they should be
neat. Remember. o Sunday school
teacher, that when you expound the
Bible lesson your scholars are learn
ing from you what il Is to be q Chris
tan. They are learning with their
eyes as well as with their ears. Re-
member, o man Of God, that wherever
you so your clean skin and pure linen
as well as your lips preach in Christ's
| name.
Character Development.
Small essential the next: The little
kindnesses and courtesies which we
should extend to those with whom we
come I'm daily contact. The little acts
OF Difference which we should show to
ro1f AL or ,l,n,,
we stand with them In an elevator or
allowing them to precede us through
an opened door. The Thank you. SIR"
with which a lady should acknowledge
a gentlemap's action when he rises In
a street car to offer her q seat. The lit
tie social calls by which we should
welcome new neighbor or her friends
into our community. The little gifts OF
deiicacies which should be sent to the
invalid's room of Our neighbours house.
All these little attentions and cour-
tesies may not seem to be Of much
value at the time. but they are mighty
human character. They are mighty In
deciding whether man Is to live q
selfish or an unse!fish life.
How q selfish life7 Simply enough
Here, for instance, is a man who enters
n railroad car. He places his satcbel
in one seat and his overcoat by his side.
Then he stretches out his long legs,
puts his feet upon the opposite seat and
begins TO read n newspaper. After
awhile the train fills up, but he does
not remove his membranes. The
man is an incarnation of selfshness.
He cares only for his own comfort aud
is oblivious of the rights of others. He
has paid for but one sitting. He has a
right TO occupy only half seat. Yet
he is monopolizing four sittings. When
the poor old woman with heavy bun
die comes down the aisle, timidly look
ing for place TO rest and to deposit
her load, he burles his face yet farther
In the newspaper and pretends not to
see her. The old lady besitates a little
by his side, and then passes on. You
say: THAT man Is not n polite man.
He is not a gentleman" soy Chris
tan courtesy means more than the two
words "mere politeness" imply. That
man is laying the foundations of an
evil future. For il he is discourteous
to his fellow men, IL he is willing to
crowd his fellow passengers In n rail-
road train out OF the seats which right.
fully belong TO them, he is developing
a disposition which, IL not checked,
may lead him by and by TO defraud his
neighbor Of the dollars and cents which
by right belong TO him. When Paul
said BE courteous he meant more
than TO be merely polite. He meant
'be honest. be fair. be noble in the lit
tie duties and attentions which you
should show TO your fellow men,"
Christian Courtesy.
Character Is not born; 1t Is developed
1t springs not up in a night, rs q
Jenah's gourd- 1t grows gradually.
Lyman Beecher once said. at took
forty years." when some one asked
him the question. How hong did II
take to write that sermonY' By that
Mr. Beecher meant that every years
work was a preparation for the fol-
lowing years work. Every act of our
present day is dependent I'm more ways
than one upon the actions OF our past.
When woman peeks out of her win
dow to see the furniture van unload
hee new neighbours furniture and then
refuses to call upon that neIghbor and
extend to her the rightful social respect
OF the neighborhood, she IL schooling
herself to refuse to extend q welcom-
Eng hand to her humble sister when
she enters her church. When q man
is willing to push his way through the
crowds blocking the aisles of a large
dry goods store, forcing fraii women
to right and left and showing aside the
little children. he Is nurturing the spirit
which is shown by a criminal chauf-
feur who drives his automobile at
frightful velocity through the crowded
streets OF large city. He drives It
ahead. caring not what horses he may
brighten or what person he may strike
because he knows that, like q full
speeded Cunarder striking q fishing
smack. 1t Is the other person who will
be hurt and not himself. Christian
courtesy IL Of the tree Of righteousness,
and discourtesy Is OF the tree of sin.
Let Us beware how we ignore that
apostolic commandment, BE cour-
teous" Il Peter iii, -.
Furthermore. my brother, remember
that discourtesy toward others almost
invariably has reactionary effect. The
person who complains most about
the rudeness OF others is generally the
one who himself Is rudest Of all. Some
time ago was riding In Pittsburg
street car. An aged colored man enter
ed. His hair was as white as was that
or Frederick Douglass just before his
death. The car started ahead and near
iy flung the old man upon his face.
rose and beckoned to him to come and
take my seat. All the way down the
aisle he kept grumbiing and grumb!inx.
Even after he was seated lie kept on
complaining about the people mot be-
Ing willing TO give an old man seat"
At last lost my patience. leaned
forward and said: Friend, these pas
senSers may have done wrong in not
arising TO give you seat. They may
have been impoiite and discourteous.
But did YOU ever stop TO think that
you yourself were even more discour-
teous than they? When rose TO give