GOOD MANNERS | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 17, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 37.

GOOD MANNERS.

A FAMOUS old Englishman, William of Wykeham, the founder of the great Winchester School, used to say, “Manners maketh the man.” We would like to add to this famous saying, and make it read thus: “Manners maketh the man, and children to be beloved.”

Good manners are at once the cheapest thing in the world and the most valuable. That is to say, they cost less than nothing, and yet may not be bought for all the wealth of the Indies. Still it is too sadly true that good manners are scarce. Ill manners spring from selfishness; good manners from unselfishness.

A want of consideration for the feelings of others lies at the root of all those sad outbursts of ill manners that we often see, alas! both in children and those who are older. If all the readers of this paper were to form themselves into an army to fight against ill manners, their day would soon end, and the dawn of a brighter one begin.

Many years ago, early in the reign of the present queen of England, the famous Lord John Russell was the minister in attendance upon her majesty at her Scottish home. One evening, late, there came a messenger—a little old man, buried in a great coat—to the Aboyne telegraph office, and delivered to the clerk a message from Lord John Russell to one of the officials of the government in London. The message did not bear a signature. On seeing this the ill-mannered clerk flung it back to the old man and said:— “Put your name to it; it’s a pity your master doesn’t know how to send a telegram.” The name was added and the message handed back. “Why, you can’t write either,” cried the enraged clerk, after vainly trying to make out the signature. “Here, let me do it for you. What’s your name?” “My name,” said the little old man deliberately, “is John Russell.” It was Lord John Russell himself, and the unhappy clerk was removed from his office for his ill manners.

When the still more famous Duke of Wellington was dying, he exhibited in a very marked way that good breeding and kindly consideration for others which were characteristic of him all through his eventful life. A faithful servant attended him all through his last illness. A few moments before he breathed his last, his attendant came near to him and asked him if he would like a glass of water. The great man turned a look of gratitude towards him, and said in the gentlest of tones: “If you please.” In two minutes he had passed away forever.

Christ was the truest gentleman that ever lived. His followers should imitate him in this regard, as in all others. True gentility is not the monopoly of the rich and the educated alone; indeed, they are very often totally destitute of it. It belongs to the very poorest and the most ignorant. And it has often been our experience to find the best manners among the poor.

Good manners can not be taught by etiquette. The royal road to good manners is that trodden by the Christ himself—the road of unselfishness.—Zion’s Watchman.