The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-03-12
Art OF Living With People.

We find iife's best school in living with
people. says j. r. Miller, d. D., in Chris.
tian Work. Some one says: st is better
to live with others even at the cost of con.
siderable jarring and friction than to live
in undisturbed quiet alone 1t is not
ideally the easy way. 1t means oftontimcs
hurts, wrongs. injustices, many wound
ing, many heartache. many pang. 1t d.
requires self-forgetfnlness. self-restraint,
the giving up of ones rights many times.
the overlooking of unkindnesses and
thonghtlessnesses. the quiet. enduring of
be required to endure. Nevertheless it is
immeasnrab,y better to live with people,
though it is not easy, than to live alone.
Living alone nourshes much that is not
good and beautiful in human nature. 1t
promotes se6shness. 1t gives self-conceit
an undue opportunity Of growth and de.
velopmont. 1t permits us to do too much
as we please, which is bad training for any
OF us; TO indulge our own tastes, feelings
and whims without limitation, without
protest. since no one is near enough to US
to be seriously affected by our selfishncss
Then It deprives us of the opportunity for
discipline and education which we can get
only by living in daily contact with others
One never can grow into true nobleness OF
character. sweetness Of disposition and
beauty OF life while living in solitude. eve
need to have our sharp corners rubbed of.
our little pet fancies punctured, and most
OF all to learn self-control, sweet reasona.
bleness and tolerance for other peoples
point of view"
Then we never can learn the lesson OF
love but by living with people. We may
learn the theory OF loving and be able to
preach about it and write delightful essays
on the subject, but that is different alto.
ggether from getting the lesson into our own
lives. Nothing will teach US unselfshress
but the practice OF unselfshness under the
pressure of necessity. We cannot learn
patience with others save in experiences
which put our patience to the test. The
same is true of all the virtues and graces--
they can be acquired only in practical life.
People are the best means of grace TO us.
We often are helped to form character by
the necessity of patience and charity in
our dealings toward others, so in this we
have them to thank for an added grace.
however unwlling.y received.
1t IS important; then that we learn the
art OF living with others. 1t should not
gentle. patient. thoughtful and unselfsh
anybody ought to be able to get along
with such pleasant people. But not all
with whom We minglo are Of this class.
There are disag-eeablc people. those who
are thonghtless, uncongenial,. exacting,
quick tempered, unreasonable, sensitive,
and our duty OF living sweetly. with Others
includes these, too.
1t may help us: il we will always remem.
Der. when. we. find it hard to get along
with any one, that this is only new les.
son in loving Sc. for us. OF course, it
would please us if the disagreeable person
should by some process be quietly changed
into sweet reasonableness and Christlike
agreeableaess, so that there no longer
should be any uncongenialtiy to fret us.
But it is not probable that any such mira.
Gle will be wrought to make it easier for
lis to get along peaceably. Almost certain
ly. the task set for us r,ust be worked oft
without any perceptible amelioration OF
conditions. The problem is ours-wc must
meet it. 1t is ours to be Christians, which
means Christlike, just where we find tur.
selves.