RURAL LEADERSHIP 



A fourth essential of leadership is quick wit. Once two 

 college students, one of whom was named Wiggin, and both 

 of whom were full of the spirit of fun, desired to catch a 

 train on the point of starting, and their path was impeded by 

 an immense crowd of people men, women and children. They 

 realized that only two ways were open to them if they would 

 reach the train: one was strategy and the other main force. 

 They chose the former. One of the boys, both of whom were 

 fine specimens of physical manhood, shouted in stentorian 

 tones : " Make way for Wiggin of New York." The crowd 

 fell back, the boys reached their train in good time, no one 

 in the crowd was hurt and all enjoyed the joke. Quick wit 

 saved the day. While a certain bishop was stationed in the 

 great mission field of Africa, he on one occasion came into 

 contact with a tribe that threatened his life. It happened 

 that the bishop had both false teeth and false hair. He first 

 removed his teeth and then his hair, when he realized that 

 something must be done to prevent the savages killing him, 

 appealing to their superstitious natures with all the art at his 

 command. In a very short time he was looked upon as a 

 superhuman being. The quick wit of the bishop not only 

 saved his life but enabled him to start the great work of 

 bringing this savage tribe to Jesus Christ. 



A fifth essential of leadership is candor. There is a dis- 

 position on the part of the average person to indulge in a 

 good deal of sparring in his dealing with others. However, 

 unless this is done as sparingly as possible, one is pretty sure 

 in the course of time to fall into the habit of duplicity. 

 Many a time the results of candor are feared when candor is 

 by far the best policy. In recalling incidents out of one's life 

 one plainly sees how frequently a little more candor would 

 have saved an immense amount of trouble. In fact, unless 

 there is candor when candor is quite in place, there must later 

 be resort to bluntness of the most pronounced type, and this 

 often leads to unfortunate results. No sensible person ever 

 shows resentment in the face of candor. But all persons are 

 justified in feeling aggrieved when candor has been wanting 



US 



