Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-06-03

sEAcoN LIGHTS OF HISTORY.

BEACON LIGHTS or HISTORY.
Examples Of Human Virtue That Have
Made the World Better.
( IUnder this heading from time to
time will be published q series Of au-
thenticated extracts dealing with his
.torical examples Of the good and bad
in human nature. mostly good; but all
furnishing an admirable chart Of con-
duct to be emulated or avoided]:
HONOR.
Sentiments. e
Not all the threats or favor Of q CT own,
A princes whisper or tyrant's frown,
Can awe the spirit or allure the mind
OF him who to strict honor Is inclin'd.
Honor that speak Of the celestial
fire, E
That above nature makes mankind
aspire; e
Ennobles the rude passions Of our
frame,
With thrust Of glory and desire Of
fame: #
The richest treasure Of a generous
breast,
That gives the stamp and standard
to the rest;
Wit, strength and courage. are wild
dangerous force, <
Unless this soften and direct their
course.
There is nothing honorable that is
not innocent. and nothing mean but
Wa. .dilt in 1t. He who can say
to himself IT do as much good, and
am as virtuous as my most earnest
endeayors will allow me-" whatever
is his station in the world, Is to him
self possessed of the highest honor;
but false notions of honor are the
greatest depravities of human nature,
by giving wrong, ambitious and false
ideas of what is good and iaudable.
Examples.
The Spanish historians relate a
memorable instance Of honor and re-
gard for truth. A Spanish cavalier In
a sudden quarrel siew Moorish
gentleman and fed. His pursuers
soon lost sight Of him, for he had
unperceived thrown himself over a
garden wall. The owner, a Moor,
happened to be in his garden, was
addressed by the Spaniard on his
knees, who acquainted him with his
case and implored concealment.
EAT this" said the Moor, giving him
half a peach. you now know that
you may confide in my protection"
He then locked him up in his garden
apartment, telling him as soon as 1t
was night he would provide for his
escape to a place Of greater safety.
The Moor then went into his house,
where he had just seated himself
when great crowd, with loud lamen-
tations, came to his gate, bringing
the corpse of his son, who had just
been killed by Spaniard. When the
FIRST shock Of surprise was a little
over, he learnt from the description
given that the fatal deed was done by
the very person then in his power.
He mentioned this to no one, but as
soon as it was dark, retired to his
garden as II to grieve alone, giving
orders that none should follow him.
Then accosting the Spaniard, he said.
christian. the person you have killed
is my son, his body is now In my
house. You ought 10 suffer, but you
have eaten with me, and have CIV
en- you my faith, which must not be
broken" He then led the astonish-
ed Spaniard to his stables. and mount
ed him on one Of lis fieetest horses
and said, Fly far while the night can
cover you, you will be safe in the
morning. You are indeed guilty Of
my sons blood; but God Is just and
good. and I thank him am innocent
Of yours: and that my faith given Is
preserved"
This point of honor is most reli-
giously observed b. the Arabs and
Saracens, from whG m 1t was adopted
by the Moors of Africa, and by them
was brought into Spain; the effects
Of which remain to this day; so that
when there is any fear Of war break
ing out between England and Spain,
an English merchant there, who ap-
prehends the conhscation Of his
goods as those Of an enemy, thinks
them safe If he can get a Spaniard
to take charge Of them; for the
Spaniard secures them as his own,
and faithfully re-delivers them, or
pays the value whenever the English
man demands them. The following
instance Of Spanish honor deserves
to be handed down to the last pos
terity:
In the year 1746 when England was
contending with Spain. the Elizabeth
of London, Captain William Edwards,
coming through the gulf from ia
maica, richly laden. met with most
violent storm, in which the ship
sprung a leak, that obliged them, for
the saving of their lives, to run into
Havana, a Spanish port. The cap
tain went on shore and directly wait
ed on the governor, told the occa-
sion Of his putting, and that he sur
rendered the ship as a prize, and him.
self and his men as prisoners Of war,
only requesting good quarter. "No,
SIR" replied the Spanish governor.
IF we had taken you in fair war at
sea or approaching our coast with
hostile intentions, your ship would
then have been a prize. and your peo-
pie prisoners but, when distressed by
a tempest, you come into our ports
for the safety of your lives, we,
though enemies, being men, are bound
as such by the law Of humanity, to
Ill., ~.