01-what is man-第6节
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wood to support the old father； or something like that？
Y。M。 It is about what happened。 Yes。
O。M。 What a handsome job of self…sacrificing he did do！ It
seems to me that he sacrificed everybody EXCEPT himself。 Haven't
I told you that no man EVER sacrifices himself； that there is no
instance of it upon record anywhere； and that when a man's
Interior Monarch requires a thing of its slave for either its
MOMENTARY or its PERMANENT contentment； that thing must and will
be furnished and that command obeyed； no matter who may stand in
the way and suffer disaster by it？ That man RUINED HIS FAMILY to
please and content his Interior Monarch
Y。M。 And help Christ's cause。
O。M。 YesSECONDLY。 Not firstly。 HE thought it was firstly。
Y。M。 Very well； have it so； if you will。 But it could be
that he argued that if he saved a hundred souls in New York
O。M。 The sacrifice of the FAMILY would be justified by that
great profit upon thethewhat shall we call it？
Y。M。 Investment？
O。M。 Hardly。 How would SPECULATION do？ How would GAMBLE
do？ Not a solitary soul…capture was sure。 He played for a
possible thirty…three…hundred…per…cent profit。 It was GAMBLING
with his family for 〃chips。〃 However let us see how the game
came out。 Maybe we can get on the track of the secret original
impulse； the REAL impulse； that moved him to so nobly self…
sacrifice his family in the Savior's cause under the superstition
that he was sacrificing himself。 I will read a chapter or so。 。
。 。 Here we have it！ It was bound to expose itself sooner or
later。 He preached to the East…Side rabble a season； then went
back to his old dull； obscure life in the lumber…camps 〃HURT TO
THE HEART； HIS PRIDE HUMBLED。〃 Why？ Were not his efforts
acceptable to the Savior； for Whom alone they were made？ Dear
me； that detail is LOST SIGHT OF； is not even referred to； the
fact that it started out as a motive is entirely forgotten！ Then
what is the trouble？ The authoress quite innocently and
unconsciously gives the whole business away。 The trouble was
this： this man merely PREACHED to the poor； that is not the
University Settlement's way； it deals in larger and better things
than that； and it did not enthuse over that crude Salvation…Army
eloquence。 It was courteous to Holmebut cool。 It did not pet
him； did not take him to its bosom。 〃PERISHED WERE ALL HIS
DREAMS OF DISTINCTION； THE PRAISE AND GRATEFUL APPROVAL〃 Of
whom？ The Savior？ No； the Savior is not mentioned。 Of whom；
then？ Of 〃His FELLOW…WORKERS。〃 Why did he want that？ Because
the Master inside of him wanted it； and would not be content
without it。 That emphasized sentence quoted above； reveals the
secret we have been seeking； the original impulse； the REAL
impulse； which moved the obscure and unappreciated Adirondack
lumberman to sacrifice his family and go on that crusade to the
East Sidewhich said original impulse was this； to wit： without
knowing it HE WENT THERE TO SHOW A NEGLECTED WORLD THE LARGE
TALENT THAT WAS IN HIM； AND RISE TO DISTINCTION。 As I have
warned you before； NO act springs from any but the one law； the
one motive。 But I pray you； do not accept this law upon my say…
so； but diligently examine for yourself。 Whenever you read of a
self…sacrificing act or hear of one； or of a duty done for DUTY'S
SAKE； take it to pieces and look for the REAL motive。 It is
always there。
Y。M。 I do it every day。 I cannot help it； now that I have
gotten started upon the degrading and exasperating quest。 For it
is hatefully interesting！in fact； fascinating is the word。 As
soon as I come across a golden deed in a book I have to stop and
take it apart and examine it； I cannot help myself。
O。M。 Have you ever found one that defeated the rule？
Y。M。 Noat least； not yet。 But take the case of servant…
tipping in Europe。 You pay the HOTEL for service； you owe the
servants NOTHING； yet you pay them besides。 Doesn't that defeat it？
O。M。 In what way？
Y。M。 You are not OBLIGED to do it； therefore its source is
compassion for their ill…paid condition； and
O。M。 Has that custom ever vexed you； annoyed you； irritated you？
Y。M。 Well； yes。
O。M。 Still you succumbed to it？
Y。M。 Of course。
O。M。 Why of course？
Y。M。 Well； custom is law； in a way； and laws must be
submitted toeverybody recognizes it as a DUTY。
O。M。 Then you pay for the irritating tax for DUTY'S sake？
Y。M。 I suppose it amounts to that。
O。M。 Then the impulse which moves you to submit to the tax
is not ALL compassion； charity； benevolence？
Y。M。 Wellperhaps not。
O。M。 Is ANY of it？
Y。M。 Iperhaps I was too hasty in locating its source。
O。M。 Perhaps so。 In case you ignored the custom would you
get prompt and effective service from the servants？
Y。M。 Oh； hear yourself talk！ Those European servants？
Why； you wouldn't get any of all； to speak of。
O。M。 Couldn't THAT work as an impulse to move you to pay
the tax？
Y。M。 I am not denying it。
O。M。 Apparently； then； it is a case of for…duty's…sake with
a little self…interest added？
Y。M。 Yes； it has the look of it。 But here is a point：
we pay that tax knowing it to be unjust and an extortion； yet we
go away with a pain at the heart if we think we have been stingy
with the poor fellows； and we heartily wish we were back again；
so that we could do the right thing； and MORE than the right
thing； the GENEROUS thing。 I think it will be difficult for you
to find any thought of self in that impulse。
O。M。 I wonder why you should think so。 When you find
service charged in the HOTEL bill does it annoy you？
Y。M。 No。
O。M。 Do you ever complain of the amount of it？
Y。M。 No； it would not occur to me。
O。M。 The EXPENSE； then； is not the annoying detail。 It is
a fixed charge； and you pay it cheerfully； you pay it without a
murmur。 When you came to pay the servants； how would you like it
if each of the men and maids had a fixed charge？
Y。M。 Like it？ I should rejoice！
O。M。 Even if the fixed tax were a shade MORE than you had
been in the habit of paying in the form of tips？
Y。M。 Indeed； yes！
O。M。 Very well； then。 As I understand it； it isn't really
compassion nor yet duty that moves you to pay the tax； and it
isn't the AMOUNT of the tax that annoys you。 Yet SOMETHING
annoys you。 What is it？
Y。M。 Well； the trouble is； you never know WHAT to pay； the
tax varies so； all over Europe。
O。M。 So you have to guess？
Y。M。 There is no other way。 So you go on thinking and
thinking； and calculating and guessing； and consulting with other
people and getting their views； and it spoils your sleep nights；
and makes you distraught in the daytime； and while you are
pretending to look at the sights you are only guessing and
guessing and guessing all the time； and being worried and
miserable。
O。M。 And all about a debt which you don't owe and don't
have to pay unless you want to！ Strange。 What is the purpose of
the guessing？
Y。M。 To guess out what is right to give them； and not be
unfair to any of them。
O。M。 It has quite a noble looktaking so much pains and using up
so much valuable time in order to be just and fair to a poor servant
to whom you owe nothing； but who needs money and is ill paid。
Y。M。 I think； myself； that if there is any ungracious
motive back of it it will be hard to find。
O。M。 How do you know when you have not paid a servant fairly？
Y。M。 Why； he is silent； does not thank you。 Sometimes he
gives you a look that makes you ashamed。 You are too proud to
rectify your mistake there； with people looking； but afterward
you keep on wishing and wishing you HAD done it。 My； the shame
and the pain of it！ Sometimes you see； by the signs； that you
have it JUST RIGHT； and you go away mightily satisfied。
Sometimes the man is so effusively thankful that you know you
have given him a good deal MORE than was necessary。
O。M。 NECESSARY？ Necessary for what？
Y。M。 To content him。
O。M。 How do you feel THEN？
Y。M。 Repentant。
O。M。 It is my belief that you have NOT been concerning
yourself in guessing out his just dues； but only in ciphering out
what would CONTENT him。 And I think you have a self…deluding
reason for that。
Y。M。 What was it？
O。M。 If you fell short of what he was expecting and
wanting； you would get a look which would SHAME YOU BEFORE FOLK。
That would give you PAIN。 YOUfor you are only working for
yourself； not HIM。 If you gave him too much you would be ASHAMED
OF YOURSELF for it； and that would give YOU painanother case of
thinking of YOURSELF； protecting yourself； SAVING YOURSELF FROM
DISCOMFORT。 You never think of the servant onceexcept to guess
out how to get HIS APPROVAL。 If you get that； you get your OWN
