The Rotary Balita no. 746 (May 27, 1954)

by Past District Governor "EMY" JAVIER

Address delivered at the Dumaguete District Assembly

Governor "Art", Past District Governors, dear Ladies of Rotary, my Fellow Rotarians, friends and all:
As I have been made to understand, I am supposed to talk to your today on the forthcoming Golden Jubilee Celebration, which will be held next year. But, inasmuch as I have to discuss this same subject to a special meeting of all the various Chairmen appointed by the different Clubs in our District, I prefer to talk to you on another subject, for it. would be a duplication if I should address you now. on our Golden Jubilee Celebration.

Before I proceed, I would like to commend Governor "Art", and congratulate especially our Host Club, the Rotary Club of Dumaguete City, and all those who in one way or another have contributed in making this year's Annual District Assembly of Rotary the great success that it is. In all sincerity I wish to say, even at the risk of being accused of partiality (for this is my mother Club).. that this year's Annual District Assembly is one of the best, if not the best, that we have ever had. in the Philippine District.. This Assembly can. equal and perhaps even beat Annual District Assemblies held in larger cities such as Cebu, Baguio, and Iloilo.

I asked several Dumaguete Rotarians for suggestions for my topic today, and they urged me to talk on "Fellowship." Since this is a fellowship. luncheon, I will, therefore, attempt to share with you very frankly some of my thoughts on "Fellowship." To my mind there are at least five essential ingredients in the fostering and developing of genuine fellowship among fellow Rotarians. first of these ingredients is SINCERITY.

Those of us, who are interested in the etymological origin of words, perhaps 'still remember that this word SINCERITY comes from two Latin words "sine" (meaning without) and "cera" (meaning wax). It is said that in the early days of the old Roman Empire, it was customary for the manufacturers of earthenware to put wax or "cera" on their jars that were cracked in order to hide their defect. So, when purchasers wanted to buy jars, they invariably asked the vendors if the jars were without wax, that is, whether they were solid, whole, genuine, and intact. Thus, the Word SINCERITY has come to us through the years. What do I mean by SINCERITY in our Rotary relationships? By SINCERITY I simply mean that in our dealings one with another, and for that matter with our fellowmen in general, we should not have any mental reservations, any veneer, any subterfuges, any underground tactics, any diabolical manipulations. We should always endeavour to say what we mean and mean what we say. In other words, we should lay our cards on the table with their faces up. No human relationships, whether commercial, social, or otherwise, are possible if there is a feeling of doubt or suspicion on the part of either, or both, of the parties. We cannot deal frankly and openly with persons whose motives we doubt, and whose sincerity we question.

We are very often prone to say things as a matter of gesture. Personally, I feel that this word "gesture" should be eliminated from our English dictionary, because it gives one a feeling of insincerity on the part of the person who is making the gesture. If you and I are sincere in what we say to, or do for, our fellowmen, that is not a "mere gesture" which may be accepted. or rejected at pleasure. If we do not mean what we say we had better not say it, else we might be branded as hyprocrites and whited-sepulchers. Let us do away with platitudes, with flowery but empty words, if we expect to help build a better fellowship in Rotary.

The second essential ingredient of fellowship is EQUALITY. By EQUALITY I do not mean that We are equal in every respect. I fully realize that there are some of us who are more intelligent than others, some who have a higher social position than the rest, some who are much richer than their friends or companions. Although it is true that we are all born equal, we cannot be absolutely equal in intelligence, wealth, or social position. What I mean when I speak of EQUALITY is that as fellow Rotarians we should deal with one another on the basis of EQUALITY.

The second avenue of service in the objective of Rotary speaks of "the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying by each Rotarian of his occupation as an opportunity to serve society." This simply means that however bumble a recognized occupation may be, that occupation is just as worthy in Rotary as any other more exalted and more dignified profession or occupation.

It is very human to look down upon those whose business or profession we consider not so honorable as our own. Is it not true that as a general rule the owner of a funeral parlor or a barber shop or "bakya" manufacturing plant is somewhat looked down upon by millionaires who are captains of industry, by magnates in the commercial world, and by bankers who are accustomed to live and move in higher society? Is it not likewise true that it is perfectly normal and natural to feel important when we are occupying an exalted position in the government? A feeling of presumption or false aristocracy unless, perhaps, based on intellectual superiority, is never conducive to a genuine fellowship.

If you will pardon a personal reference, I wish to state here, without any rancor, that I remember that when I was President of our Rotary Club of one day I met one of our most outstanding mon in the Manila Rotary who ignored me. Perhaps, the man had plenty of problems to solve and did not care to bother with me. But to show him that even outside of the Rotary meeting I could still fellowship with my fellow men, especially with fellow Rotarians, I followed him, and asked him if he did not remember the humble President of his en Club. He explained himself very pleasantly, and since then we have become better friends.

I have no quarrel with those whose egos are inflated. That is their own privilege, that is their own concern. All that I am saying here today is that if we are really sincere in fostering and developing better friendship and fellowship, if we are to become useful in the noble task of helping build a new and a better world, we have to meet our fellow men, particularly our fellow Rotarians, on the basis of equality. You cannot fellowship with one who considers you his inferior or who treats you as he would a slave.

The third ingredient in the development of true. and genuine fellowship is MUTUALITY. Fellowship is not a one-sided matter. It is not a one way traffic. It is mutual. However much we may respect and love our fellow Rotarians or our fellow men, if these people do not show, even in a small measure, some love and respect for us, no true and. sincere fellowship can be developed between or Among us. It is necessary that we should continue to feed and sprinkle all the beautiful human. sentiments that we are capable of expressing, so that in turn, those who are the recipients of our love and affection may reciprocate in like manner.

I wish to remind you that we cannot force other people, not even our fellow Rotarians, to love and respect us. When we are walking along the street we cannot just simply tell the friends or acquaintances whom we meet to love and respect us. Even in a Rotary meeting we cannot just tell our fellow Rotarians to love and respect us. All the human sentiments such as love, respect, consideration for others, et cetera, being intangible, cannot be forced upon people. They must be developed, they must be cultivated, they must be inspired. We deserve consideration from our fellow men only when we give them also proper consideration. We enjoy their respect and love, yea, even their devotion, as we ourselves are willing to treat them in a mutual and reciprocal manner.

Even if you should forget some of the things that I have said, and will say, here today, I wish you to remember that meaningful quotation which says, "every beautiful thing in this world has been loved into being." If we wish to foster and develop true and genuine fellowship in Rotary, it is imperative that we should love that fellowship in order that, by feeding and showering upon it the best that we have, there will develop that beautiful friendship and fellowship among us so necessary in our human relationships,

The fourth ingredient in true fellowship is TOLERANCE. No fellowship can exist without the spirit of TOLERANCE. Unless we develop in s that quality of understanding, patience and consideration for the ideas, idiosyncracies and defects other people, in other words, unless we tolerate the faults of our fellow men, it is well-nigh impossible for us to fellowship with them.

TOLERANCE, however, does not mean the sanction or approval of evil, or of anything that is It does not mean the abandonment of oble and fundamental principles. We should be firm and uncompromising in upholding righteousness, in the dispensing of justice, in defending principles; but at the same time let us not be unreasonably condemnatory of those who happen to hold ideas different from, or opposite to, our own.

There are some people who are chronic dissenters, habitual non-conformists and intolerably intolerant. It is said that on one occasion Vishinsky was late in coming to one of the plenary sessions. of the United Nations. When he entered the hall he shouted with all the power at his command, "Ladies and gentlemen, I do not know what you are talking about, but I am against it."

The best rule for us Rotarians to follow is to disagree, if necessary, without becoming disagreeable. I think it was Voltaire who once said, "I disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

The last ingredient of fellowship is ADHERENCE TO PRINCIPLES. How long can your fellowship with one who is unprincipled? I wonder if we can get along with a person who does. not have, or refuses to have, any idea of right and wrong. It is impossible to fellowship with one who does not believe in truth, fairness, justice, and all the other eternal verities that are so indispensable in our human affairs. I doubt if we can long tolerate those, who have no regard for high moral and ethical standards.

I urge our fellow Rotarians to follow PRINCIPLES, or group regulations, because, as I have often said in my visits to our various Rotary Clubs in the District, the fastest and surest way to kill an organization is to violate its regulations.
But, while we should be strict in the enforcement of our regulations in Rotary, I plead with you to temper the enforcement of those regulations with patience, with understanding, with reason, with justice. Regulations cannot be enforced with inflexibility without prejudicing the fine fellowship and harmony existing in our Clubs. The practice of always giving the benefit of the doubt to our fellow men is a wise and sound rule to: follow.

You have heard it said that the letter of the law killeth, but the spirit of the law giveth life. You remember that in the Holy Book there is a verse which says, "if thy hand or thy foot offend thee cut them off," "if thine eye offend thee pluck it out Now, I ask you, who is the sane man who would cut off his arm or his foot or who would pluck out his eye, if these members of his body happen to have committed an offense? Let us enforce our regulations too literally, if we are to develop genuine and lasting fellowship in our Rotary Clubs. My fellow Rotarians, to me fellowship is the perfume of Rotary for it sweetens our human relationships. Let us be good "fellows" by treating our fellow men, especially our fellow Rotarians, the way we ourselves want to be treated. Let us be good and exemplary Rotarians by respecting and loving our fellow men, and particularly our fellow Rotarians, the way we ourselves want to he respected and loved.

Let me close, as I began, by saying that I believe the five essential ingredients of a true and genuine fellowship are SINCERITY, EQUALITY. MUTUALITY, TOLERANCE and ADHERENCE TO PRINCIPLES. Let us all determine to practice these virtues in our daily life and thus develop among ourselves a fellowship which is unadulterated, beautiful and everlasting.