Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-14
Sunday Morning Talk.
The Fine Art of Tenderness.

That was significant remark of Mr.. Je-
rene of New York the other day: The
prir cipal effect of my four years as district
attorney has been l think. to make me
more tenderhearted." We should hardly
expect such confession from one who has
to do SO much rough riding. politically
speaking, who has had and still has to con-
tend with that which is lowest and trick
iest--in human nature. And yet every true
and growing man is a tender man, too, ana
increasingly tender as he gets further away
from the quick. sharp judgments of youth
and learns through experience how many
com plicated threads make up that strange
fabric which call human life.
Ii would be a fine thing for the world If
the quality of tenderness entered more con-
stantly into all personal relationships. Oh,
yes, of course We want justice first of all.
the fearless ana thorough exposure of ras-
cality, the swift punishment of mfscreants,
the ceaselesS proclamation OF the fact that
deviation from the right means trouble and
only trouble. But all this is compatible
with tenderness and the world in Its best
moods Is at heart very tender. Emerson.
that splendid optfmist, said that despite all
the east winds that chill mankind the world
is bathed in kindness. We realize this fact
at each recurring Christmastide and never
more so than three weeks ago when the
goodwill of multitudes toward their fellow
creatures, especially toward the unblesSed
and unfortunate. found such unprecedented
ana beautiful expression. But this tender
ness of feeling ought to extend not through
a single week only, but through all the tif-
ty-two of the year so othat man would
be just as well disposed toward his neigh
Dor on the 10th of March or the 18th of
October as he is on the. 25th of December.
Enduring tenderness is rooted in an APP
probation of the fact that the material out
of which humanity IS made is delicate and
sensitive stuff that it can easily be warped
and married. A parent by his harshness
may close up the avenues that lead to his
ch.ld's inmost heart. may nip in the bud its
desire to make the parent the trusted
sharer of all it's little secrets. You can't
deal with plastic impressionable natures in
the same rough and ready fashion in which
you handle dry goods and groceries. SO
with children of a larger growth so with
our employers and our employees, so with
all our kindred. so with the generality of
men about us to a greater or less degree
tkey are bundles Of sensitive, quivering
nerves, to whom We owe because OF their
very makeup a constant measure OF ten
derness. We are not to slash at them as
though they were weeds or brambleS And
tenderness is also called for because the
time is relatively short when we are able
to extend II. We all recall the little poem
representing a yearning for kindness while
one is In a position to appreciate 1t and in
Guiding the verse beginning
keep not your kisses for my pale, dead brow"
The children grow up fast the college
years speed by, If winged, the friend of
today is gone tomorrow and the time to be
tender is this very moment
But tenderness is not a mushy affair. 1t
does not betoken absence Of strength. All
no.
'The strongest the tenderest,
The bravest are the loving"
Is a mother any less f1rm any less capa-
BILE of fortitude and endurance, any less
willing and qualified to pour out her last
drop of blood for her own because when she
csresses the brow of her baby 1t is II an
angels hand were outstretched? Is sur
geons's touch any less firm or skillful be-
cause he Is scrupulously careful to lac
crate the flesh as little as possible, to treat
the hurt member with the utmost tender
ness. Wonderful indeed Is the power of
tenderness. HE put his hand on my brow"
said sin-troubled youth referring to q
gracious personality. land / told him all
that was in my poor heart" Shall we not
while this new year Is still new resolve
that we will be more tenler of the rights
and feelings of others all this coming year?
THE PARSON.