Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1913-01-03
WIN BY KINDNESS
Is the Inspiration That chaI-
Ienges the Affection of All to
Whom 1t Is Shown.

of any human character! Wnen
Constable asked Turner to look
at one of his pictures and tell him
what was wrong with 1t. the great
landscape artist peered at 1t for a
time, then ran ripping line OF brush
work right across tho canvas and
made 1t live. Such a master touch
on the character of a man Is this add
ed grace of kindness.
The inspiration of kind heart De-
| prived of this virtue, the strength or
the giant becomes an engine OF wild
brutality. The more vigorous and
forceful the man Is, the more damage
he is likely to do In dis ruth
less course through life unless re-
deemed by the inspiration OF kind
heart And under the influence of
kindness the most harsh of men will
reveal traits of humanity with which
he would ever have been credited. By
Marie Antoinette in her miserable pri-
son there stood every day one or the
soldiers of the revolution. He had
watched the sad face of the discovered
queen, and her miseries touched his
soul to pity. During the. hot days OF
that summer he went to buy for the
helpless woman a melon from one OF
the fruitsellers of the streets. When
he told the rude virago from whom he
purchased it that 1t was for the queen.
she picked the best from her stall
and handed 1t to him, saying: "Ah.
well, one woman may at least do this
for another. shall take no payment
for IT.
To Those In Authority.
That authority which Is bereft OF
Kindness may be effective in maintain
Ing discipline, but will never get the
best service from subordinates. 1t is
not the fear of the knout which will
make the bravest soldier. Men may
be dragooned into silence, but for
! the devotion which counts death
trifie, for the valor which hesitates al
no peril, there must be the belief that
! the commander cares for them and
has their welfare before his mind
Whoever would manage men must
| found his claim to control them Oh
their belief that he is affected by their
anxieties and takes delight in their
wellbeing.
! To goodness this quality is indis-
pensable, but which fails to create az
lection. 1t is rigid as q marble pillar
and cold as the polar seas. 1t never
deviates from the plain path, knows
nothing of the vagaries OF weaker
men, and cannot understand the ap-
peal of penitence for compassion. Such
goodness repels rather than attracts,
| 1t may move us to sulleh awe,
but will never weaken our hearts to
live. Kindness alone can create that
/ fame.
! hear it said that we are becoming
dangerously sentimental. This insis-
teIce on the milder virtues is said to
DC imperiling the virile qualities of the
rate see. no. signs of degeneration
in that direction. Nature is too
| strongly allied to the brute beast to
permit us to grow at once into gen.
| tie saints All the barriers that we
can erect are needed to keep out the
tile of fierce passion. 1t is not less
! bat more of this generous spirit thai
We require.
Endure Only by Religion.
Moral qualities must be rooted in
religious experiences. What Is the
| genesis of this quality in the soul? Let
| US admit that it may be found with
out religion Accident of birth.
happy geniality of temper, immunity
| from the more pressing idlls of life,
may aid in its production. Are there
not those so fortunately balanced In
mind and body that the storms of the
soul seem to them unknown? Are there
| not others whose days seemed passed
In quiet harborage. immune from the
! troubles which others ere compelled to
meet? Yet, these people can be
| found. But we must not go to them
! for guidance We might as we'll ask
| Crusoe for information about the
! plague. Moral qualities are not to
be left to the accidents of birth or
temper: they must be rooted in re-
ligious experiences IL they are to en-
dure.
/ The grace of kindness springs from
the love of God for man. That for
giveness which has come to us SO free
ly through Christ must move US to the
exercise of pity for the weak and suf-
fering. Challenging return of that
love, asking us to love God because
| he has first loved US, 1t leads us easily
to entertain toward men that af-
lection by which we ourselves have
! benefited
This quality will show itself in a
considerate thoughtfulness for others.
! One of the poorest apologies for our
| cruelties is our own lack Of thought.
! 1t is no justification for the bitter
word that you did not recognize its
| bitterness. Speech was given to heal
| wounds, not to make them tester. The
harsh dogmatism which recomnizes no
difference of opinion, and beats down