Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-06-20
miscellaneous assaaiag.
BEACON LIGHTS OF HISTORY.

l
lUnder this heading from time to
time will be published 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]:
! INGRATITUDE.
| Sentiments.
Ingratitude Is q crime so 'shameful
that there never was man found
who would own himself guilty of 1t.
The ungrateful are neither fit to
serve their God, their country nor
their friends.
Ingratitude prevents all the meas
ures Of religion and society by max
ing 1t dangerous to be charitable and
good natured; however, it Is better
to expose ourselves to ingratitude
than to be wanting to the distress
ed.
He that promotes gratitude pleads
the cause both Of God and man. for
without it we can neither be sociable
nor religious.
Examples. -
A Macedonian soldier had in many
instances distinguished himself by
extraordinary acts Of valor and had
received many marks OF favor and
appreciation from Philip. king OF
Macedonia. On some occasion he
embarked on board vessel which
was wrecked by violent storm, and
he himself cast ashore helpless,
naked and scarcely with the appear
ance Of life. One Of the same coun-
try, whose lands lay continuous to
the sea, came opportunely to be wit
ness Of his distress and, with the ut
most humanity and concern, few to
the relief Of the unhappy stranger. He
bore him to his house, laid him In
his own bed, revived, cherished and
for forty days supplied him freely
with all the necessaries and conveni-
ences which his languislaing condition
could require. The soldier, thus
happily rescued from death, was in
cessant in the warmest expressions OF
gratitude to his benefactor, assured
him Of his interest with the king, and
of his power and resolution Of obtain
ing for him from the royal bounty.
the noble return which such extra
ordinary benevolence had merited.
He was now completely recovered
and his kind host supplied him with
money to pursue his Journey. Some
time after, he presented himself be-
fore the king; he recounted his mis-
fortunes and magnihed his services,
and this inhuman wretch, who had
looked with an eye Of envy on the
possessions Of the man who had
preserved his life, was now so aban-
doned to all sense Of gratitude as to
request that the king would bestow
upon him the house and lands where
he had been so kindly and tenderly
entertained. Unhappily, Philip, with
out examination. inconsiderately and
precipitantly granted his Infamous
request, and the soldier now returned
to his preserver and repaid his good
ness by driving him from his settle
ment and taking immediate posses
sion Of all the fruits Of his honest
industry. The poor man, stung with
this instance Of unparalleled ingrat-
tude and insensibility, boldly deter
mined, instead Of submitting to his
wrong, to seek relief and in a letter
addressed to Philip, represented his
own and the soldiers conduct in q
lively and affecting manner. The
king was fred with Indignation, and
ordered that justice should be in
stantly done; that the possessions
should be Immediately restored to the
man whose charitable offices had been
thus horribly repaid; and having
seized his soldier, caused these words
to be branded on his forehead: "The
ungrateful guest" q character in
famous in every age and among all
nations, but particularly among the
Greeks, who from the earliest times,
were most jealously observant Of the
laws Of hospitality.
Calippus was an Athenian, with
whom Dion, a most excellent man,
had contracted an intimate friend
ship while he lodged in his house
at Athens, and with whom he lived
ever after with entire freedom and
unbounded confidence. Calippus hav-
ing given himself up to ambitious
views and entertained thoughts Of
making himself master Of Syracuse,
threw Off all regard for the sacred
ties Of friendship and hospitality and
contrived to get rid Of Dion, who was
the sole obstacle to his designs. Not
withstanding his care to conceal his
designs, they got air. and came to
the ears Of Dion's wife and sister.
who lost no time and spared no pains
to discover the truth by strict in
quiry. To prevent It's effects, he
went to them with tears in his eyes
and the appearance Of being incon-
solable that anybody should suspect
him Of such a crime or think him
capable Of so black a design. They
insisted upon his taking the great
oath. The person who swore 1t was
wrapped in the purple mantle Of the
goddess Proserpine, and holding a
lighted torch in his hand, pronounced
in the temple the most dreadful ex-
ecrations against himself it is possible
to imagine. The oath cost him moth
ing, but he did not convince the
princesses. They daily received new
information Of his guilt from several
hands, as did Dion himself, whose
friends in general persuaded him to
prevent Calippus' crime by a just
and sudden punishment; but he could
never resolve upon it. He professed
that he had rather die a thousand
deaths and present his throat him
self to whoever would kill him. thar
to live under the necessity Of con-
tinual precautions. not only against