The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-12-13
TOPICS OF INTEREST TO EVERY WOMAN
EDITED
Where the Consideration of
Social Rank Is Paltry Thing
By FRANCES sHAFFER.

1t was a sermon upon the theme,
There is No Dishonor in Being USE
full" and the bishop-Right Rev. Boyd
Carpenter, of Ripon, Englsnd-made
some rather impressive remarks.
He brought out truths that everybody
knows, but he set them forth so telling
ly and pointedly that they Iinger well
in mind.
He took his text from the chapter in
st. John which tells the story of how
Christ washed the feet of the Disciples.
And in celebrating the incident he said
that many people Interpreted the action
as suspiciousIy dramatic, taken for the
purpose of making a display of principle.
But the Bishop declared that this most
mental service for the Disciples, which
they were too proud to render for them
selves. or for one another, was the nat
ural action of a man who was conscious
of his origin and his destiny. and whose
mission on earth was one OF usefulness.
Sure of Himself.
Then he went on to show that it was
always the man or woman perfectly
sure OF himself and secure in his stand
ing who was willing TO step down and
help, without troubling to consider
whether it would lower his dignity or
not And it was always those who were
quite conscious Of the possession of blue
blood" passed on to them through the
ages, who were ready to enter the ranks
of the humble and, if need be, to openly
register themselves in a very ordinary
way. He declared that 1t was the man
with insecure social footing who was
most fearful of his steps. ever anxious
lest he do something to betray weak
ness And he added: The mere par
venue of society will not run to help
anybody I'm the street while the thor
oughbreds,'' as he called them, do not
stop to think. for their very natures
compel them to do the right thing.
When it comes TO the mature" end OF
it, .'thoroughbreds'-sO it seems to some
of us-do not depend so much upon the
heritage OF what is called blue blood
as upon the finer possessions of true
heart and clear mind when service Is at
stake, will never stop to reckon long
with dignity, and a question of public
opinion. when public opinion is measured
by the social rule.
Both show II.
But when it comes TO a mere sense of
security. established by the same social
rule, then the Thoroughbred, the
proud possessor of blue, blue blood can
well afford TO be a law unto himself. For
he knows and he knows that the whole
world knows, just where he stands and
how and why he stands there. And so
he is unafraId to walk and to talk with
the most commonplace folk, serene and
self-satisfied in the knowledge that his
feet are so firmly planted on the social
ladder that he can depart from we'll beat
en- tracks if he likes.
f- hn q
rest. those who are just on the fence,
afraid of themselves, ever mindful of
their dignity and fearful that they may
lose their hold-they are very insecure,
and they, too, show it.
one suspects-yes, one knows-that
among folk who really get out in the
midst o. things where work is done for
the good Of mankind. with no other mo-
tive involved. nobody thinks and nobody
cares about the question of social posi-
ton. 1t does not matter whether they
are screnely conscious OF standing we'll
up in the scale or of having no standing
at ALL for the guiding star leads on TO
work that is useful regardless Of the
figure that is cut.
Take Themselves for Granted.
But as for the other classes that have
a care for society. its aims and its claims,
II is the sO-Called blue blUOds' who are
free to be independent because they take
themselves for granted and are sure that
others will do the same.
Perhaps the very timid do not quite
realize what a shocking confession OF
weakness it is to fail to do the natural
thing to act in the natural way, and TO
show hint OF The real human spirit just
because thev-feel that the social ground
beneath their feet is pretty insecure.
And peraps they do not know that the
spectacle makes tine whole world laugh.
when it does not weep, for it is such a
paltry thing,