Article January 16, 1909 Issue

Where it is not a matter of principle, there is often...

Philadelphia Public Ledger

Where it is not a matter of principle, there is often needless controversy, simply because some people never learn that there is such a thing as bending without breaking, and that a man may give in for the time without giving up for always. Tactfulness, diplomacy, often accomplish more in ten minutes than a month of bulldozing and browbeating is able to achieve. A recent Arctic explorer has said that the reason for failure to attain "farthest north" in the generality of cases was the leader's inability to manage men. Cecil Rhodes always wore the shabbiest hat at the directors' meetings of his companies, and he always came away with what he wanted. That was because he knew how to overcome this man's crotchets and the other man's idiosyncrasies with his infinite tact and urbanity. To try to get along in human society without these qualities is like trying to keep machinery in motion without oil.

To get along with people one must be conversant with their language and their peculiar dialect of that language. "Honor among thieves" is not quite the same thing as honor among honest men. "It takes two to speak the truth," says Thoreau, "one to speak the truth and one to hear it," and he meant by that, of course, that there must be a receptive medium as well as an audible sound. Otherwise it is a waste of time to speak. They that have ears to hear will do the hearing, and no others.

Sometimes there are tragic misunderstandings where a word or two would set all right, and yet that word remains unspoken. It may be false pride or undue sensitiveness that keeps one from explaining. The one who feels the first impulse toward explanation that may lead to reconciliation should give that impulse rein. The apostle admonishes, "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath." We sometimes let our resentments and reasonless suspicions smolder beneath the surface, consuming us inwardly, when it would be far better for our spiritual health to allow the fierce blaze of a moment's anger to burst forth. And then, our wrath being open and evident, it would be possible to salve the wound or make atonement for the deed that was the cause of it.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Where it is not a matter of principle, there is often...

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access