The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-03-23
ADVISING OTHERS.

We are sometimes 50 busy telling others
what they should or should not do; in short,
how best to live in order to accomplish the
greatest good, that we forget all about our
own shortcomings and never think Of ap
plying our good counsel to ourselves. 1t
is for this reason that men as a rule object
to tne gool offices OF others. 1t may be
that these offers Of assistance may be made
in good faith and bear all the earmarks of
sincerity but all the same, it cannot be de-
MED that the man who intrudes himself
upon the attention of others and attempts
to educate them into his own way of doing
things is looked upon askance and barely
tolerated. Unless we show by our actions
that We carry out our advice to others, that
we live ia fact as We would have others
live, is useless to'expect any cooperation
from those sc would elp. Examplei is by
far the best teacher, and all the precepte
and doctrines in the world are useless with
out practical demonstration Of their merits.
We would no. think of investing our money
in any proposition unless lis clearly shown
that we shall benefit by doing so, and in
like manner we cannot be expected to ac-
cept al the good offices and good counsel
Of others unless they are able to show that
they know what they are doing as we'll as
to submit proof Of their good faith. 1t is
so easy to t@il another person exactly what
he should do in given circumstances and
SO hard to do that very thing ourselves un
der similar conditions. eff were YOU
would DO SO and so" is common advice, and
yet when We come down to the issue itseli
it is quite probable that we would do ex-
actly as Others have done and thus betray
the weakness Of nature rather than insin
certify Of purpose.
Those persons who WELD the most influ
ence fer good are those who never intrude
themselves upon others but who, on the
contrary, are content to do Gods will as
best they can and let their example speak
for itself. They are, as a rule, too busy
living out their rich and full lives to fine
time to give advice as to how this, that OF
tie other end might be accOmp lished, and
are secure in the knowledge that the evil
denco Of good accom- lished is far more
useful than counsel no matter how good
the latter may be. There are some of US
III fact, who grow 50 accustomed to telling
others how to live that we discover some
day to our regret that we have nothing tC
show for our efforts save the much herald
ed distinction Of being an worked
adviser Of others. We have nothing tc
point to as an evidence of our sincerity OF
intention; We cannot show in substantial
form the torrents of advice which have
poured from our Ii ps; we cannot give evil
dence Of The true merit of our advice be-
cause very probably nobody ever followed
it; yet we so on from day to day attempt
ing to impress others with our familiary
with higher moral obligations and very
often failing by reason Of over confidence
in our powers OF accomplishment. The
trouble is we are inclined to think that
others should be willing to take our advice
on various subjects without question. Be-
cause We feel prepared to advise in some
cases does not necessarily mean that we are
SO prepared, and in the circumstances it
seems that We would accomplish far more
good simply by letting our actions speak