"He must be prepared at any time to save life, help injured persons, and share the home duties. He must do at least one good turn to somebody every day."
In addition to this, the English version contains the following words:
"And he is to do his duty before anything else, even though he gives up his own pleasure, or comfort, or safety to do it. When in difficulty to know which of two things to do, he must ask himself, 'Which is my duty?' that is 'Which is best for other people?' -- and do that one."
This subject has already been dealt with to some extent in the chapter headed " To Help Other People at all Times," but there are a few other considerations which may help us to realize the necessity for making a special effort to keep this particular law.
Perhaps the most essential law of all is Number I, " A Scout is Trustworthy," because this applies to the steady purpose of his whole life, without which no external act, however useful in itself, would have the right spirit. But Law Number III, "A Scout is Helpful," is the one that perhaps applies to the carrying out of Law Number I, in the greatest number of useful ways. It is really impossible to say that one law is more important than the other, because the spirit of one cannot be obeyed without obeying the spirit of the other, and this is true of all the scout laws, just as it is true of the Ten Commandments.
To be helpful to others under certain circumstances requires special knowledge; for instance, one cannot often save a person from drowning unless one is a good swimmer oneself; and one cannot come to the aid of a person wounded in an accident or in battle, unless one knows how to do bandaging, and how to carry wounded or sick people with the least possible strain and discomfort to them. For this reason, all the useful crafts for Life Saving such as First Aid, Swimming, Resuscitation, Catching Runaway Horses, Checking or Preventing Panics, Firemanship, etc., are especially to be cultivated under this law. That is, if we want to obey the law and be helpful to others, we must learn how to do it under various different circumstances. It is by learning and being interested in knowing how to do these things, when there may be no immediate occasion for them, that we prepare ourselves to carry them out when serious emergencies arise!
Boys who live in cities can teach themselves the means of helpfulness by knowing just where the different fire-boxes, police alarms, and drug stores are situated; also where the nearest hospital is to be found in their neighborhood. Of course unforseen opportunities should be seized, such as when an over-loaded woman comes struggling along under her bundles, or little children are trying to cross a crowded street. The only preparation we can make for such services as these is to be on the watch for them and never let an opportunity slip by.
A lady of my acquaintance who was living in Gloucester, Massachusetts, once received by express a large heavy box containing a great many packages. The expressman thoughtlessly left the box outside of the door of the house and drove off. At first sight it seemed necessary to cary the box up-stairs, but there was nobody in the house who was strong enough to do it. My friend stood at the side of the road, wondering how she could best manage the matter, when a boy came along and asked if he could be of any use to her. She told him her story and, as soon as he knew the contents of the box, he suggested that he should open the lid and then carry the packages separately up-stairs. With the aid of a hatchet, which he ran across the way to borrow, he pried open the lid. There were so many parcels that it took quite a while for him to get them up-stairs, and then the lady turned to him with outstretched hand and a warm exclamation of gratitude. To this he responded politely, but, as if fearing that the question of compensation might possibly be raised, he disappeared very quickly around the corner of the house and up the street. In the meantime another lady joined my friend and was watching the proceedings. "Well!" exclaimed she, "I think that must be a boy scout!"
There is another way in which we can prepare to be helpful to others with helpfulness that sometimes may be more lasting that the kinds of help we have just been talking about; and this is the habit of always trying to understand what other people mean when they are talking to us, and especially when they are quarreling with us. It is a great thing to be able, so to speak, to see through another man's spectacles when he is thinking things that are at first sight contrary to the things that we think. To keep our tempers and to look at a question from another person's point of view often gives us an opportunity of helping him and also of helping ourselves. It is a great thing to find out that we can learn to understand one another in spite of disagreements, and can honestly disagree, while remaining perfectly friendly; people who have this sort of strength and good humor are able to be very helpful.
A day never passes but that a man has to fight against some form of evil or weakness, either in himself or some one else; and, when persons identify themselves with wickedness and try to put it through, at the expense of other people, it becomes necessary to fight with those persons in defense of what is right. Under such circumstances, it is quite as essential to understand the point of view of our enemies, in order to overcome them, as ti is to understand other people whom we are trying to help.
A very common temptation to boys is to tease their sisters, and it is a sign of increasing manliness when they outgrow this habit and become ashamed of it. Finding fault or criticizing might be very helpful if it were done in a friendly spirit and without ridicule; but to keep on laughing at a person, when you see them wincing or smarting under the effects of contempt, is one of the most brutal things a man can do. Yet it is surprising how many men will stoop to such practices from a mean love of tyrannizing over others. If we happen to know a person's weak spot, -- we should carefully refrain from referring to it in any way, especially in the presence of other people; afterwards, we may perhaps find an opportunity of showing them how to strengthen the particular weakness. Brothers might often do good, quiet work of this kind and so give to their sisters a manly friendship; but it is of no use to see other people's faults and to point them out even in private, unless we do it in such a way that our criticism is acceptable, and unless we are also willing to receive the same sort of criticism ourselves. If, however, we are very careful and considerate, our suggestions may be warmly welcomed, and then they will be most likely to be helpful.
We are always more apt to think of being helpful in outward act, -- which is, of course, good in
itself, -- than of being helpful by thoughtful consideration and respect, even though we may not
have an opportunity of expressing it either by word or deed. Although a helpful and respectful spirit
will always, sooner or later, find ways of expressing itself practically, the spirit itself is sure to be felt
in a person's bearing, and often creates an atmosphere of confidence and cheerfulness which is a real
contribution to life; but the best way of acquiring this spirit is to watch for opportunities of obeying
the laws which correspond to it, and to act from them whenever an opportunity presents itself.