Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 112, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 May 1913 — The Importance of Tact, [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Importance of Tact,

By REV. H. W. POPE

W Mm Moody fiiliis

TEXT—Unto the Jews I became as at Jew, that I might gain the Jews.—l Cor.t »:30.

Tact has beerr described as theart of putting ourselves in another’s place.. It is a work of imagination, and if wer have little or no. Imagination wo may know their needs and so supply them, their purposes and so persuade them* their prejudices and so conciliate, them. . To do this suc-i

cessfully we must study the condP tlon of those whom we would help., and imagine how we should think and?feel if we were in their condition. Ifj we have had any experience in their line of work, it will help us. If not,; we can sometimes acquire the requisite knowledge 'by reading. When. Bishop Whittle was called to a mis--sion near the railroad yards he asked; an engineer how to reach the railroad operatives. The answer was, "Read ‘Lardner’s Railroad Economy' until you are able to ask a question of an engineer and hot make him think you are a tool." He won the hearts" of the first group of railroad men he addressed by asking them whether they preferred inside or outside connections. When he had done discussing connections, steam heaters, and exhausts, he invited- them to his chapel, and every man came the next Sunday. It is not wise usually to talk to people about their relation to Christ in the presence of others. It embarrasses; and it may anger them. However, one can often tell an appropriate story and thus indirectly accomplish the same end without giving offense. Dr. Talmage in the account of his conversion gives a good illustration of tactful preaching in the presence of others. An old evangelist by the name of Osborne stayed one night at his father’s house. As the family sat by the fire he said to the father: “Are all your children Christians?" “Yes, all but Dewitt" J “He did not turn to look at me, hut gazed into the fire and quietly told » story of a lamb that was lost on the mountains on a stormy night Everything in the fold was warm and comfortable, but the poor lamb perished In the cold. He did not make any application. If he had I should have been mad. But I knew that I was the lamb, and I could not get any peace, until I found Christ.” The writer was once working at a* country fair. In front of the platform provided for the singers and speakers a large number of seats had been placed for the audience. We had an organ, a chorus, and three large megaphones. The latter would carry the sound of the singing half a mile, and people on the race course were soon» drawn away by the new attraction. At first the people stood aloof from th» seats and refused to occupy them. They had never seen a religious service at a fair and they were suspicious. Noticing this, the leader ordered ths sihgSTß down tram the platform, directing them to scatter about in the Seats. A». soon as the crowd saw that there were no explosives under the chairs, they crowded in and filled them. Then the leader recalled the Singers to the platform, having used them as decoys to allure the people into the chairs. There was no deception about this. The people were timid and suspicious, and it was necessary to show them that there was nothing to be afraid of, and to ffik enough of the seats so that they wo»f<s not make themselves conspicuous by sitting down. Paul says: “I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. 1 * Though he was entitled to a support, yet he worked with hiw< own hands making tent cloth by night, in order that he might not be a burden to the churches, and that be might set an example of generosity to other believers. In this way also he* doubtless gained the sympathy and respect of other laboring men. On one* occasion when he had been arrested at Jerusalem and was being carried’ off to prison, be asked the privilege of* addressing the crowd. To the surprise of the people who supposed him to be a mischief making foreigner, he began by, saying that he was a Jew, and! addressed them in their own' language By this tactful introduction be gained their attention and held it while bo told them the wonderful story of hie conversion. If we are conscious of a lack of tact let us ask tor it, for the promise is, “My God shall supply all your need." The basis of true tact is a love which* shrinks from putting another in a» embarrassing situation, and thia should always be remembered in deal Ing with inquirers. True love Is also blind to many little faults, but so eager for one’s salvation that it misses no good opportunity of pressing homo hls urgent need of a Savior, aud ths Savior’s supreme love for him.