For the Development of Character

For the Development of Character. Helpful Stories and Anecdotes. BY EDWARD H. ANDERSON, AUTHOR OF A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CHURCH," "a LIFE OF BRIGHAM YOUNG," ETC. Beware of False Guides. A young person should learn early in life discernment — power to see things in their true light — to observe objects from a true viewpoint, so that he shall not be deceived by false appearances and representations. Most dangerous to a cause is a half lie, presented in such a way that it appears to be truth. Boys should learn how necessary it is to have the right kind of companions, wno will not place a false glitter upon facts, nor represent things to be what they are not. A day of awakening will come, when the boy who follows false guides will be chagrined and humiliated for his ignorance, and cry, "If I had only known! If I had only known!" John H. Squires, of Rexburg, Idaho, relates an amusing story, which he very appropriately names, "A Missionary Prank," illustrating the point in view. Mr. Squires says that the elder in question, on his arrival at Leipsic, had seen so much in so short a time that it was an easy matter to take him over the same ground twice and have it appear new. Here is the story: * * * * In the spring of 1894, I had the pleasure of laboring as a missionary in the city of Leipsic, which is a quaint old German town, and the largest and busiest place in that pare of Germany — the division known as the kingdom of Saxony.

Big fairs are held there each year, and with the university, the conservatory of music, and the art gallery, have been the means of making thousands of strangers acquainted with Leipsic 's many features of interest. It was during this spring that my companion was called to labor in Palestine. He was told to wait in Leipsic for Elder A , a missionary who was likewise called to go to Palestine. Elder A soon came, and proved to be an enthusiastic young missionary, just over from Utah. His only experience thus far had been that of travel and sight-seeing. At home he had received a very fair education, and at school his study of history and geography had made him very anxious to see the great places and things of interest in Europe. He arrived at Leipsic with his mind filled almost to the limit with the strange sights and incidents of a long journey over land and sea. In each large city, he had visited the cathedral, the museums and art galleries; yet, ever anxious to see more, it became my duty to show him around Leipsic, while my own companion prepared for his trip to Palestine. I took him first to the great market-hall, one of the largest in the world, then to the fine new library, with its hundreds of thousands of books. He was delighted with the beautiful marble entrance to the library and the elegant reading room, but was bewildered by the many rooms through which we passed, each crowded to the limit with books. We were now ready for the art gallery. A walk of a few blocks brought us to a large square in the center of which is the gallery. On the inside the pictures have been placed in a series of rooms each connected with the other in such a way that you may pass from the first room into the next, and so on through all of the others and back again to the first. Elder A did not know that we could thus move from room to room, and at last return to our starting place. The walls of the different rooms are crowded with the masterpieces of German and Italian artists. We entered one of the most interesting rooms first. Elder A was lost in admiration. To begin with, he examined each picture carefully to learn who was the artist. He soon discovered the folly of even trying to

FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHARACTER. 217 pronounce, much less remember, so many difficult foreign names. In one room was a life-sized portrait of Napoleon. Elder A admired this very much, and expressed surprise that the Germans should have a picture of Napoleon on exhibition. I explained to him that one of the greatest of Napoleon's battles was fought in 1813, near Leip^ic, and that I would take him out with me to the southeast part of the city and show him a large monument indicating the spot where Napoleon stood and commanded the terrible conflict. Napoleon was put to flight. I told Elder A I thought the Germans were glad to show the portrait of the famous general and be able to tell that he had been defeated near Leipsic. We passed on around through the different rooms, chatting and admiring the paintings, as we went, and had returned to the portrait of Napoleon. "My goodness!" exclaimed Elder A , "there is another portrait of Napoleon!" Elder A was not aware that we were on our second trip around, I quickly led him from the portrait, explaining, as I did so, that I would take him to Peterstrasse, the narrow, crooked street through which Napoleon and his generals made their escape when put to flight. I was curious to see how far I could lead Elder A before he discovered that he was looking at pictures for the second time. I kept up his interest until we returned again to Napoleon. "Well, well, another picture of Napoleon!" he exclaimed, as he viewed the great warrior for the third time. "Yes," I answered quietly. "How would you like to see the monument on the River Pleise, not far from here, where Napoleon and his fleeing army rushed to cross, and fcund the bridge destroyed. Napoleon commanded the soldiers to plunge into the deep, sluggish, stream, and cross. So many who first started lost their lives that the rest were able to cross the river on the dead bodies of their comrades." "What a dreadful thing is war, and how heartless of Napoleon!" said Elder A , as he was led by me for the third time from the room. We left the gallery. He had not discovered that he had seen

all of the pictures twice, and some of them three times. As we walked away he wondered that the Leipsic gallery contained such a vast number of fine paintings, so many more than he had seen in the art gallery in London. I told him I had not yet seen the London gallery, and did not know how it compared with the gallery in Leipsic, but I ventured the assertion to him that London could not produce so many fine portraits of Napoleon. I never told him how I had led him around. He had such confidence in me that I hated to let him know how I had played upon his confidence. * * * * Young man, have you a companion showing you how much greater and better and grander your opportunities for advancement, work and progress will be if you leave your good home and people to go there or yonder?— beware lest he is leading you around the gallery ! Have you a chum who tells you that the men of the world are so much freer than you are, and that your religion tends to make you narrow and one-sided, and then invites you to come out into the open and see the big world? — take heed that he does not lead you around the gallery! Have you a so-called friend who tells you of the pleasure and freedom and manliness you may gain in the club room, at the gaming-table, in the saloon, in the pool-room, with up-to-date companions, as compared to the hum-drum of home and school, and the Church ward organizations? — set it down, he is leading you around the gallery! Every time, too, that you express surprise at a new Napoleon, he laughs in his sleeve at your ignorance and credulity. Be a Man. One-sided development is fatal to a well-rounded character. What we know is of great consequence, for ignorance is a fearful handicap to any man; but how we feel and act, what we do in applying our knowledge, and what we really are, count most in character.