Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1909-08-13
Which Is The Greatest?

When first the frailities of man
began to dawn upon my mind, after
having been in my being for so long
time, / thought that Ignorance
was the greatest curse of any OF
them. And truly it is a very great
one. q can talk about it as much as
| please, because | have my share OF
it, Now by ignorance | do not
mean tie lack of ability to cope as a
literary scholar-to read Greek and
Latin, or to digest the master pieces
of literature as some may be able to
do, for | have seen many stiff
necked, slick-headed college man.
with a "sheep-skin" to show what
all he had done, just as ignorant,
and some more so, as some others
who could neither read nor write.
The ignorance that hurts is that
ignorance that narrows man S
mind and life down 50 much that he
cannot see or live for anyone but
himself.
Later on l concluded that indo-
'lence-lazlness was a greater curse
than ignorance and is, Tor however
ignorant man may be, if he is full
OF education and is a hustler he will
10 well Jor himself and for his fellow
man. Now | am firmly convinced
that, of all the curses of humanity,
seltishn9ss is the greatest, for how
exer learned and industrious a man
may be If he is controlled by selfish
ness, he is of but little value to his
IellOw-man. Volumes could never
tell of the evil it does. Nor is any
c.ass of people free from it. All
classes and all places are stung by 1T
out in 20 place does it play greater
havoc than in the rural or corporate
communities. 1t is a great pity that
in almost every community there is
a Mr.. l. c, Sell" and in some
places there are more than one.
Now this Mr.. l. G, Self is very
peculiar fellow. However dense and
high the interest in public affairs in
his community maybe, he can see
nothing that needs attention but
Self. He would be willing to
block the most plausible public en-
terprise in order to save Self a
few puny little nickels. When a
worthy cause is to be supported he
can hide Self and all his means
behind a dollar that has no value of
Its own-Oh, so little! 1t would be
better for the infected community if
Mr.. Self be both ignorant and in
dolent. The less influence he has,
the better. Once l heard a crowd
OF people discussing the advisabilty
OF having a revival meeting in the
community, and 'Mr. Self was
heard to say it would be money in
the peoples pockets" if they would
leave it off. His soul would rattle in
a gnat's skull like hickory-nut in a
cracker box. How many noble un-
dertakings have been thwarted by
his pessimistic complaints! He can
cry down more good movements
than half a dozen sensible persons
can hold up. He is terror to
progress; he is a stumbling block
and makes the few truly interested
and public-spirited men of his set
Element have doubly- difficult task
in accomplish ng things for the good
of the community. Selfshnessl He
thinks his true value is based upon
what ee is worth to Self and not
"A hat he is worth to his fellowman.
Such is disgusting idea to whole
ouled, level-headed, broad-minded,
farseeing people.
The spirit of selfshneSS dominates
nearlywhere. Men who had positions
of public trust are seen using them to
promote selfish ends, WHAT pity
it is when men created in the image
of God Himself, can not keep eyes
off of Self long enough to realize
the beauty of d life of service fol
their fellnwman. Pity the man
whose view of life and complete liv-
ing is so narrow that he cannot see
that it is not life to live for sell
alone and God hasten the dry when
men may love their neighbors as
themselves, and the golden rule
may be the rulng thought OF every
mind.
CLEOPATRA