AN UNPRINCELY PRINCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 46, Issue 14099, 17 April 1920, Page 6

AN UNPRINCELY PRINCE.

by rev. j. cocker. “It is not for kings to drink nine, nor for princes to sav, Where is strong drink? Lest they drink and forget the law and pervert judgment.-' •—Prov. xxxi., 4-5. . , “He winketk with his eyes, he spenketh with his feet. He niaketh sigiis with his fingers.-?—'Prov. vi., 12. A few years ago the Crown J rinee of Germany visited India, and on the ship on which he sailed a tug-of-war took place between teams composed of . Englishmen and Germans. The Crown - Prince laid a wager on one team and, of course, wished to see it win. Alter the teams had been pulling for a time, thc.ouc the Prince had backed began to give way, and lie shouted to the , vounf Englishman who was the first man *of the team, “Brace your foot against the rail, man, brace your foot. The young Englishman knew that this would- not be playing the game, so lie crave a quick look of contempt, and refused to do as the Prince suggest ec. • inch by inch the team was being drawn towards the chalk mark, which - to touch meant defeat. A German was - now level with the iron stanchion, the Prince repeated his advice, and the Teuton swung againts the rail and put his foot against the stanchion, and the team could not be moved. ‘ Aow he shouted to the young Englishman he had ' spoken to before, ‘ ‘ you get ag^ • ainst the rail and you have got them. Indignantly the young Briton gave up hold°upon‘the: rope, and turned upon the Prince and said: “I don t care i± vo u are the Grown Prince of Germany, and it makes no difference that you are trying to help my side to win. -lust because you happened to lay a wager on us, you tried to get.your money by urging me to play a mean, dirty trick. ' You got one of your own chaps to do it, because he was scared by the fact that you are what you are. But it was a thing no true Englishman would have done, and I won’t go on pulling with a man that did it; and, what it more, I won’t pull unless you stand back with the rest of the crowd, where you ought to have stayed in the first place, and keep your mouth closed.” The passengers wondered what the Prince would say or do to the young man. He quietly drawled out: “Don’t you know, young man,- that it was one of your own poets who said that ‘All is fair in love and war,’ and this was a tug-oi-war, wasn’t it? Therefore we were justified in winning in any way we could.” The tug-of-war was not resumed. The conduct, of the Prince in not. playing the game was unbecoming to a ruler, and the young Englishman did quite right in refusing to win the game bv cheating. I. —-Princes should net act unprincely. It is right for us to show due respect to those who are in authority. e should honour the King and show detc--:-ence to our rulers, and this can be done without fawining or flattery. We sometimes hear men speak of the Premiers or Cabinet Ministers in a familiar manner, and use slaug expressions m connection with their names. These men seem to think it shows cleverness, and proves they are democrats by speaking of their rulers as f . Bill, iij oe ’’ “Bob” and ‘ ( Teddy. ’’ .Such persons forget that they can speak in a respectful manner of their rulers and at tho same time maintain their independence and democratic principles. We should show respect to “the powers that be. ” But our rulers should so live that they will command our respect. They should be leaders in moral o-oodness and rule in righteousness. Wo have heard -about being as “drunk as a lord.” We have not much respect for a drunken lord. Kings, Princes and Eulers ought not to get drunk. We shall always be proud to remember that Kin»- George resolved to be an abstainer as long as the great, war lasted. The President of France made the same decision, and the Czar of Russia by his decree prohibited the use of vodka during the war. These were righteous acts. . . . 11. Every hoy should be princely in bis 'conduct. You can all act like princes and be noble in your conduct. You can be true gentlemen. I heard a person speak of a young man and call him “a white lad,” and he said, “He always plays fhe game.” That was what the young Englishman did when the Prince* advised him to win by trickery, and he said, “No, if I can-t win honestly, I will lose , honestly.” . I heard a boy say one day, “I have got it in for Jack Blank, and next time I play against him at football I’ll play him and not the ball; I’ll lay him out. And so he tries to injure the player. Perhaps the referee may see him and order him off the field for unfair play, and serve him right. Be honest in your „amcs. A number of public positions had to be filled, and fte candidates had to sit for a fairly stiff examination. Those who secured the highest passes would be appointed to the positions. One man answered all the questions m a very satisfactory manner, except one set ' Suspicion was aroused, and enquiry resulted in the discovery that the man had bribed a person working in the establishment where the examination papers were printed, and so secured before examination day each set but one. The man lost the position he had qualified for by deceit, and he lost the position he was in. He was a cheat, and acted ,dishonestly. When you grow up to be a man, play the game in business. Be a prince among men honest and sincere. It has been said that in the East the Chinese have a much higher reputation for trustworthiness than the Japanese, and Chinese are commonly employed in the higher post 3 of banks and commercial houses in Japan itself because they have a

higher standard of .integrity 'than the Japanese. One great business house in Tokio publicly offered £20,000, and another house £SOOO, for some plan which would secure higher standards of business morality in the business life of Japan. What is wanted is the religion of Jesus in the hearts of the pooale. Honesty, truthfulness, purity, integrity cannot be bought; they depend upon the state of the heart. A Moiliammedan bought a copy of the Bible and paid for it with a few eggs, stating that he had no money. He read •‘he Bible, and his heart was changed, anil he went back to the Bible Society’s agent, and said, “Those eggs were bad. l' have read the Book, and I now .vant to pay the proper price for it. Wluui liis heart was right he acted strai-kt ill his business. When men arc controlled by the graee of God they act princely in their conduct. Be honest. One day I walked round a churchyard in Derbyshire and J- sun a. tombstone with an inscription on it: “To- the memory of , who mis an nonest man,” and T thought the people who erected that monument appreciated honesty. Remember, an honest mail I is is is own monument.