The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-14
The Greatest Thing.
Selected for The Times Dispatch,

Ht* (SeleCteQ lfOrafInc II lIeS-D!spubSIL.( 7aF5i
"charity. suffereth long and Is kind;
charity cnveth not; charity vaunteth8
not itself; is not tpuffcd up: doth not be-
have itself unseemly; seeketh not her
own; Is not easily provoked q thlnketh no
evil; rejoiceth nit in iniquty, but re.
1oiceth inTthe truth; hcarcth all things.
Sbeleveth all things, hopeth all things
Gendureth all things" II Cor. Kill At
Patience; kindness: generosity; humili-
Observation-Disclosures good temper; guile
lessness:: sincerity hese make up the Y
supreme gift and the statue Of the per-
feet man. 1t Is. in fact. the inspiration
Of the multitude OF words and acts which
make up the sum Of every common day.
lI.ovois patience. This is the normal normal
attitude OF love: love passive. waiting to-
begin; never in a hurry; calm. ready for
It's work when needed. but meantime
q caring t he ornament OF meek.
quiet spirit. Love understands, and,
therefore, love can wait.
Love is kindness. Here we see love
active. Have you ever witnessed how
much OF our Lords life was spent In
doing merely kind things? A great pro-
portion OF His time was spent IN simply
trying to mako people happy God has
put into our power the happiness OF those
around u.s. and 1t is largely secured by
our being kind to them
I wonder why 1t is that we are not
| more kind. How much the world needs
| it. How easily it is done How quickly
| II acts; how infallibly it Is remembered
\ here love Is God is; for God is love,
| therefore, love without distinction, with
| out calculation, without ,procrastnation;
love. Lavish 1t upon the poor, where II
is very easy; especially upon tho rich,
who often need it most; most Of all upon t''f
| our EQUALS, where 1t Is very difficult
and for whom, perhaps. we do least
az Give pleasure; lose no chance for this.
Ire is the ceaseless and anonymous trl-
|! umph OF a truly loving spirit. y shall
/ pass through this world but once Any
| good that can do or any kindness that
| I can show to ony human being, let me
doit now. Let me not neglect or defer
it, for shall not pass this way again,
Love Is sincerity, Here is love In COM
4 petition with others, Wherever you at
! tempt a good work. you Will find another
doing the sarne work, and probably do
ing 1t better, Envy them not; for envy
| is spirit Of III will. OF detractlon. Of
covetousness. Only one thing should the
1 Christian envy; 1t is to have that large,
| rich, generous soul. which "enyieth not
Love is, moreover. humility Put q seal
4 upon yourllp and forget whatyou have
i done After love steals forth and does
\ It's beautiful, Its Godllke work, It goes
4 back into the shade again, says nothing
about 1t. For love hides ever from It.
self, 1t annihllates even self-satlsfactlon
i and at is not puffed up"
i Love is courtesy. Here We see love
4 In society, love In relation to etiquette
Pcllteness has been defined as love ~
Il trjfles The secret Of pollteness Is love
for love cannot behave itself unseemly,'
Love is unselfshness; for 1t seeks not
II even that which is her own by right
Il Love strikes ~ tHe tout ~ So st"Sis'''o
ana would have us to ignore and 'eliml
nate the personal element from our cal
q cuIatlon These rights are often externa
Il ana fleeting, and always unsatisfylng
.seeketh thou great things for thyHelf?'
said the prophet. "seels them not, Why
y because there is no greatness IN things
Y things cannot be great, or make "
u happy. The only greatness is DIN llnself
ish love. THERE'S no happiness IN hayl'lt
Of getting, but only In giving Half tn
word SIS on the wrong scent in the purT'