The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-11
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

IL, character ana Courtesy.
Pet. 3:S-12.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS
THE iron hand in the velvet glove"
is an old figure used to represent cour-
tesy and strength. The velvet glove
should have the iron hand behind it.
The trouble with courtesy, like the
other so-called passive virtues, is that
1t does not have anything behind 1t,
being the mere agreeableneSS OF weak
ness. 1t is no virtue for person to be
smiling and polite merely as his only
measure Of self-protection. OF course
a servant is polite to his superiors; he
has to be; and therefore he can hard
ly claim that politeness is virtue.
The courtesy that counts Is the cour-
teSy of character, Of force, of person.
atty. 1t is the person who dares to
be boorish and inconsiderate, yet out
chooses the better way of gentleness,
who may be said to practice the grace
of courtesy in its fulness.
True courtesy reveals itself in its
attitude toward interiors rather than
its attitude toward superiors. The only
really courteous man is the one whose
servants and children and animals
esteem him courteous.
Gentleness without justice is less de-
sirable than Justice without gentle
ness.
Manners make the man." says the
proverb. At least they reveal the man.
Outward demeanOr, especially in I'M
studied situations, is the reflection OF
the inner nature. A loud, rough, fncon-
siderate person. boorish to those de-
pendent upon him, is essentially
coarse-grained; he lacks the qualities
which are comprehended within the
old word gentle" which gate us gen
tleman." I know some mNlionaires
who are not gentlemen; and history
shows that there have been. not only
persons of title, but even also wearers
of the royal purple itself, who have
not deserved this highest title. gen
tleman."
A courteous tongue may open doors
which a strong arm cannot batter
down.
Carlyle says somewhere that life can
not be sustained on diet Of broad
grins. Being pleasant is a real con-
tribution to the sum total OF human
happiness; but it is not enough. Life
demands more of a person than that
he should be a Sunny jim" For the
value of a smile is determined by the
substance and weight Of the character
behind it. To be a personality Is more
important than to be pleasant: to be
both is everybody's duty. The greater
the person the more the lesser virtues
become him.
Christianity Is not merely equipping
candidates for heaven: it Is making
people good to live with here on this
old earth.
The reason the lovable virtues are
so common among Christians is not that
religion tacks on these traits to a char
acter as paper flowers are tied on q
stick, but that in the depths of being
the Spirit Of Christ creates conditions
favorable to the growth of these
graces. The procedure Is not court
estes added to character, but charac-
ter producing courtesy even as tree
bears its natural fruits. The gospel
deals with fundamental conditions, and
not with eternal appearances. 1t puts
a new nature in a man, and lets that
nature produce its inevitable results.
The only successful school Of polite
ness Is that kept by an unselfish heart
The person who has not time for the
little amenities of life has not time for
life itself He has mistaken mere
busting, narrow existence for that
leisurely, many-sided thing called
life.
A person without imagination can
not be courteous. For the Christian
art of courtesy requires the ability to
put yourself in the other mans place.
There was once a woman with
marked talent and great ambitions.
Her friends predicted for her a nota-
- ,oho 1ncf hi
money and a train of misfortune sue
ceeded. In the disciplining years that
followed, deprived of most Of the
things she coveted, the woman learn
ed the rich and rare lessons of con-
tentment and lovableness. She some
became a saint. Contact with her is
a benediction. In quiet, unostentatious
ways her kindly heart is ever express
ing itself. While her friends pity her
for her misfortunes and apparent
failure, it is a question whether the
woman has not achieved greater goals
than once were predicted; for she has
won to character and courtesy, which
are among life's choice prizes.
Wall notices have been greatly in
vogue of recent years. Many beauti-
full and helpful sentiments have found
their way to the walls of living rooms
and offices. Some of these profess to
| give a programme for successful liv-
| ing. Here is one, of ancient fame and
| tested worth, indited by the Spirit
moved pen of old Peter. who had seen
| more than little of the hurly-burly
| of the world:
To Cure
M a NDRR a