Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-26
Sunday Morning Talk
When Under Fire.

Few OF us get through life without
having an experience of being under fire.
Not that many OF us are likely to feel the
shock of physical battle or to be exposed
to the cannon or sharpshoot!ng OF real
soldiers. But If we do our duty. as We
see it, may incur the displeasure ~
those whose good will we vaiue. Men in
public life are especially exposed to, these
judgments and misjudgments. Their mo-
tives are impugned. their methods are
censured, their policies derided-even their
characters are assailed and traduced
The way in which they carry them-
selves under such batteries OF attack
shows the stuff that is In them. and soma
live long enough to see their former crit
les transformed into friends and admir-
ers Mr.. Cleveland is a striking example
of this. II he could read the obituaries
that have appeared in papers opposed TO
him politically he would realize how the
flight of time rectifies human judgments
and how in the long run man receives
his just dues at the hands of his fellow
men,
But one does not have to hold Office In
order to incur the displeasure of others.
Provided he be conscientious and inde-
pendent he is likely more than once 10
run counter to the wishes and opinions
Of friends or kindred. Perhaps they do
not like the woman he has chosen for
his wife. perhaps they do not approve Of
his trying to go to college very linz
tied means. The late Mrs Alice Freeman
Palmer. once president of Wellesley Cob
lege. had exceptionally fine parents. Yet
they set their faces like flint against
her acquiring a higher education and did
not yield until she. knowing herself bet
ter than they knew her, issued declara-
ton of independence in these terms: IT
am going to college IL / don't get theirs
until / am fifty years Old Again. ono
chose a nrnfpgciOp which htS
neighbors and family think him untitled.
Or he may. by favoring certain policy
in the church. the school. the public in
stitution. or the home with which he Is
connected precipitate upon himself the
darts of criticism.
What then? How shall one behave
when under any kind of fire? First let
him make sure of his ground. let him not
take his position simply because he wants
to appear smart or singular. Let him
review his course in order TO be thor
oughly convinced that he could not keep
his mental or moral integrity and do 9TH
erwise.
Secondly, let him vouchsafe plain
statement of his position to those e,ti-
tied to it. and then If they are still I'm
convinced let him say: Here | stand [
cannot do otherwise. / should like your
approval but 1 must have the approval
of my own conscience"
If the javelns continue to be hurled
let him follow the precept of Henry
Ward Beecher. who said: IF any one
hurls darts at me / try 10 lift myself SO
high that they will not touch me- All.
that is a real triumph. If you can rise.
when criticised, to a higher moral level
where you are above the noisy conten-
tons of selfish and passionate souls. YOU
have already entered into the reward
that Is sure to come to the man who fof-
lows his star. no matter whittier it leads.
Being under fire isn't such bad ex-
perience. is it? Not that one need court
it. but if there is anything of the soldier
in him, he will not complain If once or
twice or even oftener in his life he has
to run the gauntlet of criticism for do
ing the right, God gives him to see
the right. THE PARSON.