Lesson 25. MANNERS.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XVI, Issue 2, 1 August 1925, Page 2

Lesson 25. MANNERS.

Our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ Avas the most perfect "gentleman." A true gentleman is a man who shows a proper respect for God and holy things and for all Avhom he meets. The true Christian should be like his Master, gentle and kind and respectful. He does not say anything rude, he does not whine about his troubles, he does not lose his temper, he does his duty and never boasts about himself or about what he does, or Avhat he gives. He does not talk scandal and say unkind things about people. He "thinks no evil," he does not "impute bad motives" (ask mother what this means), he sees some good m everybody. There is a beautiful chapter m St. -Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians (chapter 13). It tells us about "charity"^— charity means love, and it is real charity that makes a man or boy a true gentleman, . and makes a girl or woman a true "lady." Read I. Cor. 13.. If a per-

son has real charity hefc cani§ot help shoAvirig it m his manners. 7 A boy Avho has a. real loAre:,and- res : pect--for God shows it by th& way heisireate^ about God— he cannot-. speak- ligi&ly of Him nor "take His- ;Nime.>"-in vain. ' ' When he speaks to** G&d&in his private prayers, . or. m chuEel%he is reverent. He krieels righj d^fn On his. knees, or staricl_skupps^-ai^it Avhen he says his pray^rs^. H^l^pws his head Avhen he says the" Sfotred Name of Jesus. He remembers the presence of God. He does not 101 l about m church. In all his; actions he shoAvs i-espect for God; Aye call it "Godly" or "Holy Fear." No true gentleman makes fun of or 'despises other people's ways of showing reverence to God. There area great many ways of showing reverence to Godj. especially iri Divine Worship, but if Aye are true Christians we shall certainly show, by the Avay we kneel and the Avay we behave with our bodies, that Aye have a "holy fear" for God m our hearts. In the same Avay true Christian charity will shoAv itself m the way Aye behave toAA'ards other people. We shall show by our actions Avhat Aye feel m our hearts. Our bodily behaviour is called "good manners," our outside manner shows Avhat Aye are like "inside." A boy kisses his mother to slioav the love he has for her m his heart; A boy takes off his hat to a lady or his teacher Or the clergyman and so on to show his respect. We must be very careful about our manners. We cannot keep up m -our hearts the proper feeling of respect for others unless Aye allow our bodies- to shoAv it by good manners toAvards them. A boy Avho does not slioav his respect by his manners, Avill lose the feeling of respect m his heart. The Catechism teaches us good manners Avhen it says m "My duty toAvards my neighbour that our duty is to "Order myself lowly and reverently to all my betters," and St: Paul says ' ' In lowliness ■ of mind . let each esteem others better than themselves (PKil. 2,.. verse. 3). "In honour preferring one another (Romans 12, v. 10). St. Peter says, "Ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed Avith humility. " Exercise: Write out and learn the ' ' duty toAvards my neighbour down to the words "to all my betters."