"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
(Galatians 5:22-23)
I know a little band of friends that calls itself a woman's club. The avowed
purpose of this club is study, but there is an undercurrent of deeper, truer things
than even culture and self-improvement.
There is no obligation, and there are no promises; but in forming the club and in
selecting new members, only those are chosen who are kind-hearted and dependable,
as well as possessors of a certain degree of intelligence, and a small amount of genius
which is the capacity for careful work.
. In short, those who are taken into membership are those who will make good friends,
and so they are a little band who are each for all and all for each. If one needs the
helping hand of comradeship, not one, but all are eager and willing to help, with
financial aid if needed, but more often with a good word or a small act of kindness.
They are getting so in the habit of speaking good words that I expect to see
them all develop into Golden Gossips. Ever hear of golden gossip? I read of
it some years ago. A woman who was always talking about her friends and
neighbors made it her business to talk of them, in fact, never said anything
but good of them. She was a gossip but it was "golden gossip".
This woman's club seems to be working in the same way and associations of
friendship and mutual helpfulness are being built up which will last for life.
It is a beautiful thing, and more than ever one is impressed with the idea
that it is a pity there are...
So many gods, so many creeds,
So many paths that wind and wind
When just the art of being kind
Is all the sad world needs.*
"Money is the root of all evil" says the proverb, but I think that proverb maker
only dug down part way around the plant of evil. If he had really gotten to the
root of the matter, I am sure he would have found that root to be selfishness-
just selfishness, pure and simple.
Why all the mad scramble for money? Why are we all "money-mad Americans"?
It is just for our selfish gratification with things money can buy, from
world domination to a stick of striped candy-selfishness, just selfishness.
Not long ago I was visiting in a family where there were several children.
The father lost his memorandum book and was inquiring for it. No one
had seen it. "I wish, he said, "that you children would find it for me
before I come back at noon." There was silence for a minute, and then
one of the children said: "Why don't you put up a quarter? That'll find it!"
"Well, I will," his father answered and at once the children were all
eagerness to search. It seemed to me such a pity to appeal to a selfish
interest in a home where there should be loving service freely given.
In the blacksmith shop, one hot day last summer, the blacksmith was
sweating over his hot irons when two idle boys sauntered in and over
to the water bucket. It was empty.
"Ain't yuh got no water?" asked one of the boys.
"Not if the bucket is empty," answered the blacksmith.
Then the man for whom the blacksmith was working spoke up.
"Why don't you go get a bucket of water?" he asked.
"I will for a nickel," said the boy.
"Yes, we'll go for a nickel," agreed the other boy.
"Were you going to pay for your drink?" asked the man innocently, and
the boys looked at him surprised and then slunk away without filling the bucket.
Just an example of selfishness made more contemptible by being so plainly unfair.
Cooperation, helplfulness, and fair dealing are so badly needed in the world,
and if they are not learned as children at home, it is difficult for grownups
to have a working knowledge of them.
So much depends on starting the children right!
Image courtesy/Pinterest
"The Helping Hand Of Helpfulness"
(December 1916)
Laura Ingalls Wilder
(1867-1957)
Prolific American writer
Author of the "Little House" series of books
Essay taken from the book,
Little House In The Ozarks
A Laura Ingalls Wilder Sampler
The Rediscovered Writings
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Edited By Stephen W. Hines
(c. 1991 Guideposts Edition)
*From "The World's Need" by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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