Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1903-11-21

Horace Greeley. all notorious for their
Indifference to ordinary neatness of at
tire, but such examples are not proofs
of genius, but only Of the power OF
genius to win its way In life In spite
Of disgusting habits. The genius of
Alexandra Dumas triumphed in spite
of the degradation Of his birth and
Henry Fawcett became a statesman
and successful administrator In spite
of his blindness; so, personal unclean-
illness and slovenllness may fail to de-
feat the true genius, but they can
never help him to victory. And yet.
deluded by this idea that slovenliness
and uncleanliness are signs OF true
greatness, many a lawyer, a doctor, n
merchant, has ruined his financial
chances in life because he would not
dress as gentleman should dress.
There are more ways than one Of in
terpreting that passage Of Scripture
which says in reference to the one tai
ent man, "And | was afraid and went
and hid thy talent in the EARTH" Some
of "the earth" in which many men hide
their talents Of life is to be found in
the filthiness and in the unkempt con-
ditions of their wardrobes.
If ii is necessary to be clean and neat
in personal appearance in temporal
work, how much more is this neatness
essential when we are consecrating our
lives to the service of Jesus Christ?
The dear Saviour wants us to go out
and labor in his name in the same way
as he used to work. He was taunted
with many reproaches during his earth
ly life, but those who hated him most
never charged him with uncleanliness
or sloveniness, 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 rs guest
II 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 ii or upon him. SO. Christian
workers. If we so forth in Christs
name, some of us must be more care
full about our personal appearance.
Remember. o minister. when you as
cend the pulpit. that your clothes may
not be expensive, but they should be
neat. Remember. . Sunday school
teacher, that when you expound the
lporn-
ing from you what it is to be a Chris
tian. They are learning with their
eyes as well as with their ears. Re
member, O man of God, that wherever
You 60 your clean skin and pure linen
as we'll as your lips preach in Christs
name.
Character Development.
Small essential the next: The little
kindnesses and courtesies which we
should extend to those with whom we
come in daily contact. The little acts
of Difference which we should show to
ladies' such as taking off the hat when
t9e stand witr lem In an elevator or
allowing them TO precede us through
an opened door. The Thank you. sir"
with which q lady should acknowledge
a gentleman's action when he rises in
a street car to offer her seat. The lit
tie social calls by which we should
welcome a new neighbor or her friends
into our community. The little gifts of
delicacies which should be sent to the
invalid's room of our neighbors house.
All these little attentions and cour-
tesies may not seem to be OF much
value at the time. but they are mighty
in the development or the depletion OF
human character. They are mighty IN
deciding whether q man is to live
selfish or an unselfish life.
How selfish life? Simply enough.
Here, for instance, is man who enters
q railroad car. He places his satchel
I'm one seat and his overcoat by his side.
Then be stretches out his long legs,
puts his feet upon the opposite seat and
begins to read a newspaper After
awhile the train fills up. but he does
not remove his membranes. The
man is an incarnation of selfishness.
He cares only for his own comfort and
is oblivious Of the rights of others. He
has paid for but one sitting. He has
right to occupy only half a seat Yet
he is monopolizing four sittings When
the poor old woman with heavy bun
die comes down the aisle, timidly look
II. 70 a
her load. he buries his face yet farther
in the newspaper and pretends not TO
see her. The old lady hesitates a little
by his side, and then passes on. You
say: THAT man is not a polite man.
He Is not a gentleman" say CHRIS
tan courtesy means more than the TWO
words mere politeness" imply. That
man is laying the foundations OF an
evil future For If he is discourteous
TO his fellow men. If he is willing to
crowd his fellow passengers in rail-
road train out Of the seats which right
fully belong to them, he is developing
a disposition which, If 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 night, as
Jonah's gourd 1t grows gradually.
Lyman Ececher once said. 'It took
forty years." when some one asked
him the question. How long did II
take to write that sermon" 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 in more ways
than one upon the actions of our past.
When a woman peeks out of her win