Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-18
Sunday Morning Talk.
Helping and Being Helped.

Surely this is a great day for the al
TRUSTS. The motto is no longer every
one for himself" but watch out for
the other fellow Not for naught have
the preachers, the papers and the mag
azines been emphasizing the second
commandment, Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as myself" Despite all the
seltishness that is, as yet. unexpected
from many bosoms, the spirit of help
fulness is abroad in the land. Before
very long the man who never helps his
fellow-men is going to be an inglorious
exception.
Ideally, then, we are all in the help
ing business, to a greater or less extent.
but some of US could accomplish more
if certain barriers not of our own
raising could be removed. A great
many people make it hard for us to
help them because they arc indisposed
to do much to help themselves. They
remind us of those words Of President
Roosevelt to the effect that If a man
is down and can't get up, 1t is our bust
ness to help him on to his feet, but II
he is lying PROSTATE out OF pure laziness
it is better to pass him by. Charity
cases where 1t seems as If there were
no native power in the man or woman
to grasp the outstretched hand. Such
people want to be carried, not helped,
other of common load. On the other
hand l know of a young woman left 2
widow the other day with five small
children who, by her pluck and deter
mination, if possible, to be Independent
is winning general approval AS some
one said about her in my hearing only
yesterday: "She does so much to help
herself that 1t makes every one eager to
help her."
4 still harder person to help than the
own abilities and who confidently ex-
poets that this or that concern will
want his services at a very liberal fig
ure. Even college professors display
this characteristic now and then. One
such sat down in the private office of
the president of a board of trustees re-
Gently and bristling with self-sufficiency
inquired: well, what are you going to
impoitic, but it discourages the friends
of such a man from trying to do any
thing for him.
AT the opposite remove from this
pompous expectation that other people
are burning with desire to pass over to
you at once whatever you may claim, is
the spirit of obsequiousness that flatters
and cringes before the one whose bene-
| factions it would receive. There is a
golden means of Self-respect coupled with q
disposition not to think Of ones self more
highly than one ought to think. The per-
son who yokes these two qualities can
consistently seek help when he needs it
and in many cases the proffer of help
will anticipate his coming. To sum 1t
all up there is no sharp differentiation
of humanity into two distinct classes, the
helpers and the helped. Most of US be-
long in both classes and our attitude to-
ward our fellow men is to be that of
those who want both to extend and to
receive help. We all need to give Of what
we possess-be it time or money, or talent
or affection. to others. We all need to
have the springs of our life replenished
by what others, with superior knowl-
edge or ability or faith. have to give
us. Above all we need to maintain such
an attitude toward God as will make II
possible and easy for Him to help us in
our trouble, suffering or sin.
| THE PARSON.