Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-06-06

he simply confines his criticism to that
apple. But he who has helped some
one who later did not pass a good ex-
animation on gratitude says in a voice
plaintive with the consciousness Of in
jury and with nod of his head that
implies the wisdom Of Solomon: Il
have had my experience; have learn
ed my lesson. This is the last time I
will have faith in any man. did this
for him and that for him, and now
look at the result!''
Then he unrolls a long schedule of
favors, carefully itemized and added
up, till It seems the pay roll of a great
s-9Ke>eaanla3laipase tbs ainjustieese OF.
one man, yet he is willing to be unjust
to the whole world, making it bear the
punishment Of the wrong of an indi-
vidual. There is too much vicarious
suffering already in this earth of ours
without this Hlliputian attempt to ex-
tend it by syndicating one mans in.
gratitude. II one man drinks to ex-
cess, it is not absolute justice to send
the whole world to Jail.
The farmer does not expect every
seed that he sows in hope and faith to
fall on good ground and bring forth
its harvest; he is perfectly certain that
this will not be so, cannot be. He is
counting on the final outcome of many
seeds, on the harvest of all, rather
than on the harvest of one.
The more unselfish, charitable and
exalted the life and mission of the in
d1vidual, the larger will be the number
Of instances of ingratitude that must
be met and vanquished. The thirty
years of Christ's life was tragedy of
1ngratitudes. Ingratitude is manifest
in three degrees of intensity in the
world-he knew them all in number
less bitter instances.
The first phase, the simplest and
most common, is that of thoughtless
thanklessness, as was shown in the
case of the ten lepers healed in one
day. Nine departed without a word;
only one gave thanks.
The second phase of 1ngratitude is
denial, positive sin, not the mere ne
cation of thanklessness This was ex-
empli1ed in Peter, who, in his selfish
desire to stand we'll with two maids
and some bystanders in the hour when
= he had the opportunity to be loyal to
Christ, forgot his friendship, lost all
thought of his indebtedness to his
Master and denied him, not once or
twice, but three times.
The third phase of ingratitude is
treachery, where seltishness grows vim
dict1ve, as shown by Judas, the hon.
ored treasurer Of the little band Of
thirteen, whose jealousy, ingratitude
and thirty pieces of silver made posi-
bic the tragedy Of Calvary. ss%
These ee-thanklessness, denial
and treachery-run the gamut Of in
gratitude, and the first leads to the
second, and the second prepares the
way for the third.
We must ever tower high above de-
pendence on human gratitude, or we
can do nothing really great, nothing
truly noble. The expectation Of graf
itude is the alloy of an otherwise vir-
tuous act. It ever dulls the edge of
even our best actions. Most persons
look at gratitude as protective tariff
on virtues. The man who is weakened
in well doing by the ingraitude Of 9TH
ers Is serving God on salary basis.
He is a hired soldier, not volunteer.
He should be honest enough to see that
he is working for a reward " Like a
child he ia heing good for q hnn11s He
is really regarding his kindness Sas
moral stock he is willing to hold only
60 long as Il pays dividends. .z.. .
There is ID such living always a touch