The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-03
Christian Art of
Getting Mad
By Rev. INGRAM e. HILL
Psseur q NsrsA Shore DepdAC~A
0i0eo


II is . great thing TO know how to
get real angry without making q fool
Of ones self. Not everybody knows
how to do It 1t 10 an accomplished
art. the ability to get mad like 4 gen
tleman. To know when to get angry
Is a criterion Of character. 1t Is an
accomplishment which Is not learned
In the schools. 1t is acquired in the
relentless training of practical expe-
rience.
1t Is not a sin to get angry. Any
man with half an ounce of ginger in
his system ought to get angry occa-
sionally. Temper is the impress OF
God upon the soul. It is the mark of
personality and intellectual stamina.
The scriptures say that God is angry
with the wicked every day. Jesus
got angry. Can you not see him stand
ing at h temple door? Can you
not see the market scenes which
were enacted there? Can you not see
his eyes kindle? Can you not see
his illumined c~ountenance blaze fierce
and glorious? Can you not see the
miraculous energy of his personality
as he cast out all them that sold and
bought in the temple and said unto
them: My house shall be called a
house Of prayer. but We have made it
a den of thieves
Christianity is something more than
a religion of love. Jesus said: T came
not to send peace. but a sword
Passivity may be all right for weak
fngs, but action is the birthright OF
heroes. The man who tries to be
sweet with everybody will find some
day that he is nothing but a lemon.
1t is very easy. however. to get
angry foolishly. Sometimes it is prop
er to get angry. and sometimes 1t is
not 1t may be proper at times for a
man to get angry with the ~janitor.
1t may be proper at times for a man
to get angry with the umpire. 1t
may be proper at times for a man to
get angry with the family upstairs.
But 1t is never never proper for a
man to get angry with his wife.
There is many a man who will say
nasy things to his wife that he would
not think of saying to his chauffeur.
Temper is good. A bad temper is
what you have made of a good thing.
A rifle is a good thing in good hands.
But when 1t has become rusted and
out of repair it is going to explode
some day in the hands of some cheer
full idiot who did not know it was load
ed. If your temper gets the best OF
you what you need is to go off to
the repair shop and be made over.
These fits of temper, this soul DISPOSE
fiNN fhto tnnhnrn orr~cr6nr~ tkfH
spiteful spirit are as contrary to tho
Christian as light is opposed to dark
ness.
Tell me. what do you get mad
about? That is the practical question.
A man calls you a liar and you rotor
in similar language. But men are
making God a liar every day and you
do not get angry. Wherever there are
wrongs to be righted, wherever there
are evils to be trampled under foot,
wherever there is justice to be melted
out, wherever there is iniquity in high
places or low, there is your opportun-
ity to show of what stuff you are
made.
Somebody reads on your corn and
you get mad at him. This very night
q SOuIly III dllIdCllNe SUI u ptTCI-
ton will lure a girl in her teens to
one Of the winerooms Of this prodigal
city. He will give to her a drink that
will inflame every passion and deaden
every moral sense. He will lead her
forth to her ruin and laugh like a
devil over the havoc he has wrought.
If you are going to get angry. in
Gods name get angry at something
worth while.
We are in the midst here OF a So
ciety which Is fond of wine and 10y
rides and clandestine firtations. A
society that is rotten to the core.
Gilded resorts or doubtful character
1aunt their disregard of high moral
ity. Ffends in human shape are stalk
ing the streets and outrages are COM
mitted at our very doors. There is
a time to be angry. There is a time
for Christian men to speak out, and
that time Is now. When the good peo-
pie wake from their lethargy and be-
gin to tackle something that is really
worth their mettle. then shall right
be triumphant and justice win the
day.