Part 3 (1/2)

The frankness and candor, the directness and fearlessness with which Stanley ever gave expression to his views; the purity and ”whiteness” of his mind, and the sweetness and tenderness of his disposition,--all these had a part in the building of his fame. But it was chiefly in his power to free himself from prejudice and to look fairly at all sides of the complex questions with which both he and the church to which he belonged were so frequently brought face to face, that gave him his great popular influence, and made him so great a champion of religious liberty. Truth, simplicity and innocence are three jewels which many men barter for worldly honor and success; but Stanley held to these as with a grip of steel; and, through their influence, he succeeded where a score of the great men of his day had already failed.

To tell of all that candor and frankness have done for humanity would be to trace the beginnings of the overthrow of almost every wrong. Other qualities are of course essential to all n.o.ble reformers--courage and faith and enthusiasm; but open-mindedness, which grows out of candor and frankness, is the one pioneer that recognizes the opportunity of the hour and is willing to walk in the new light. Candor is the sign of a n.o.ble mind. It is the pride of the true man, the charm of the n.o.ble woman, the defeat and mockery of the hypocrite, and the rarest virtue of society.

[Footnote: An admirable sketch of the career of Dean Stanley will be found in Johnson's Universal Cyclopedia, Vol. VII., p. 697. See also ”Life of Dean Stanley,” by R. E. Prothero (London and New York, 1894).]

V.

AFFECTION.

MEMORY GEMS.

Grat.i.tude is the music of the heart.--Robert South.

The best way of recognizing a benefit is never to forget it.

--J. J. Barthelmey

The affection and the reason are both necessary factors in morality.

--Fowler

True love burns hottest when the weather is coldest.--Swinnock

The mind has a thousand eyes, And the heart but one; Yet the light of a whole life dies When love is done.--F. W. Bourdillon

One of the most powerful forces in the building of character is affection; and one of the most common forms of its manifestation is grat.i.tude. The exercise of affection makes us tender and loving toward all living persons and creatures about us; while the exercise of grat.i.tude usually results in making them tender and loving toward us.

Every boy and girl should endeavor to cultivate this spirit of affectionate consideration for the feelings of others, and should be careful not to speak any word, or do any act, or even give any look which can cause unnecessary pain. And yet there are many young people, who have never been taught better, who take exceeding pleasure in causing annoyance and even suffering to all with whom they have to do.

This is done with the simple idea of having a little fun; but it is one of the worst habits we can possibly form, and should be carefully avoided by all who would command the respect and esteem which every young person should desire to possess.

Perhaps you have heard the story of the youth who, while walking out with his tutor, saw a pair of shoes that a poor laborer had left under a hedge while he was busied with his work. ”What fun it would be,”

exclaimed the young man, ”to hide these shoes, and then to conceal ourselves behind the hedge, and see the man's surprise and excitement when he cannot find them.” ”I will tell you what would be better sport,”

said the tutor; ”put a piece of money into one of the shoes, and then hide and watch his surprise when he finds it.” This the young man did; and the joy and wonder of the poor laborer when he found the money in his shoe was as good fun as he wanted.

We all know what the feeling of grat.i.tude is. We have said ”Thank you,”

a great many times; and have often felt really grateful in our hearts for gifts and favors received. But we are too apt to forget that we have any one to thank for the most important benefits of our lives. When we stop to think, we see that all we have done or can do for ourselves is very little indeed in comparison with what has been done for us.

How much we owe to our parents! What other creature in the world is so helpless as the human infant? Leave a little baby to take care of itself, and how long do you suppose it would live? How many of us would be alive to-day, if in our earliest years we had not been provided for and watched over with tender care? But the outward benefits for which children have to thank their parents are of less value than the lessons of truth and goodness which are never so well taught as by the lips of a faithful and devoted father and mother. To these lessons the greatest and best men generally look back with the deepest grat.i.tude.

A child's affection for his parents ought to make him tender toward them when age or disease has made them irritable or complaining. A love that only accepts, and never gives, is not worthy of the name.

Sometimes we hear of old men and women who are left to die alone, whose children have deserted them, and who have no friends in the world. These cases seem pitiful enough, and it breaks our hearts to think of them.

But usually the men and women who are left desolate in their old age are those who have been unloving in their youth. ”A man that hath friends must show himself friendly,” and an aged man or woman who has made friends through life, and been full of love and affection toward others, is tolerably sure to be tenderly cared for in later years. But true affection is never eager for returns. We love because we must love; never because we expect to be loved in return. We do for others because we wish to make them happy; and not because we wish them to do for us.

Kindness and generosity have their place in the playground. There may be thoughtfulness for one who is weaker than the rest, or who is a newcomer, or who, for any reason, is neglected by others. There is an opportunity to stand up for those who are ill-used. There is a generous sympathy for those who, in any way, are having a hard time.