The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1917-02-22
HELPFUL KINDNESS.
written for The Review
ByW. A. Gattis Foster


f. There is power in human kindness tt
touch the greatest human need; not al
ways in it's entirety, but as a present
and positive help in time of trouble tC
i tighten the heaviest cares, to soften the
keenest sorrow, to lessen the deepest dis
| tress and bring back in no small meas
ures the sunshine of lost hope and the
sweet and comforting consolation of sym
pathy to a clouded soul and a saddencd
heart. How much but those who have
passed through the trials of misfortune
can tell?
The time, the place and the manner of
! expressing or for showing a kindness,
/ play no little part in it's productive eff
| feet and consequent good resulting from
| it. We should not lose sight of this fact
f! in any thought of helpfr.lness we may
entertain for another. An act that would
be highly proper and helpful at one time
or place, might be inappropriate, and
fall short of the intended good at an
other. The greater he1pfulness we may
be able to do calls for good judgment as
we'll as good intentions.
The right time to do thing and ex-
tend helping hand, is when it is needed
and not after the need is passed. Much
good may be lost because the proffered
help came too late to supply the greater
need. A kindness shown, at time to
any one when he feels the need of a
friend "sinks into the depths of his
heart and brings forth fruit abundant
ly." It is so good and helpful to know
that we have a friend at such time
and to our hearts there quickly comes
a sweet song of praise and gladness.
The manner of offering assistance or
showing some kindly attention or ex-
pressing an interested concern may also
have much to do with any attempted
helpfulness we may have in mind and
seek to do. The manner of doing a
thing and is often an unmistal<able in
deX to the character of it's motive. Many
a good intention falls short of the ex-
pected good because of a tactless and
unpleasant manner of it's offering. It
is often an error of the head more than
of the heart and we must accept the
good intentions and overlook the un-
pleasantness connected with it.
The lightly spoken word and the care
lessly assumed demeanor may carry
with them greater weight and possess
deadlier poison in their suggestive in
situations than an outspoken assertion
or distinct unfriendly attitude The
mind is left, in its receptive action, un-
certain what is really meant and given
full play in it's exaggerative imagina-
ton, which is more apt to go farther,
fall short of what is really meant.
Careless speaking comes only from
careless thinking and may be the more
dangerous because of it's sometimes ap-
parent sincerity. = The harmfulness of
such careless and thoughtless speaking
when the vital interest of another is
involved, depends not upon the intention
or purpose of the spoken exnress:.
upon the Interpretation of it's meaning
by the one for whom it may be intendlu.
This manner of speaking is always un-
kind and should be carefully avoided by
every one.
1t is not always difficult matter to
hide the real purpose behind a pleasing
exterior, or plausible motive. It is
very human trait to be secretive-to
conceal the real thought from public !
knowledge, when such knowledge might
be detrimental to possessor and thwart |
him in his purpose. The motive of HUI |
man action is not always transparent |
to our dulled human mind for none VI
us understand its psychology so well as |
to be able always to read clearly in the I
action the thought that prompted it.
It is also not an easy thing for the
most astue to continue the deceitfulness |
without at sometime, by word or act,
it's real nature being revealed, quickly
Hiping out much or all of the good that |
1ad been done.
It is always very difficult thing to
pass off the false for the true. It may
often be easily done for awhile but soon
er or later it's discipline nature must
span itself. ~ Vs;s1 - s@...~ - *.
The folly and unWisdom of false pre-
tense in any act of pretended kindness
lies not only in its moral dishonesty
but also in the often transparency of |
it's attempted deeeitfuless, The keen Wis |
on of discrimination may penetrate the
most carefully concealed purpose. Time |
is a great clarifer of human motives. !
What may be read today may be clear |
ly translated in tomorrow's changes.
Whatever Kindness we try to show, |
should be performed sincerely and in a |
pleasing manner. The greater good of |
many kind deed may be destroyed by |
the unpleasant manner in which it is pre- |
sented. A cause for the least suspicion
of selfish motive, or insincerity, will be I
a blemish upon the best intentions, de- !
stroying the best of it's intended good. |
But with another's insincerity wei
should not be overmuch concerned. That
does not rest upon us. It T
is ours to be and to practice what we
would see in others. Accepting an act
in good faith we may make of it all we
desire it to be. We should not allow
any suspicion of insinceri!.y to mar the
helpfulness of proffered kindness To
aolrbt it's sincerity is to take from the
act its true helpfulness.
Egotism, always unpleasant and dis
tasteful to the observer, is very gen
eral human fault and may easily lead
to unconscious acts of unkindness. It is
at the label on your paper, and remem-
Der that the newspaper needs the money.